"a chain, Mk. 5:3, 4"
Definition and meaning
a chain, Mk. 5:3, 4
In the original Greek the word is written: ἅλυσις
Historical context
The Gospel of Mark moves urgently — the word "immediately" appears over 40 times. It was written for a Roman audience familiar with power and action. Jesus is portrayed as a man who acts, heals, and commands authority that the Roman world had never seen from a Jewish teacher.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of halysis (G254) across the King James Bible.
Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:
Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.
(For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.)
And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.
And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.
Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done.
For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.
For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:
And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
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Common questions
Strong's G254 (halysis) is a Greek word that means: a chain, Mk. 5:3, 4 It appears 10 times in the King James Bible.
The word halysis (G254) appears 10 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G254 is halysis, a Greek word defined as: a chain, Mk. 5:3, 4. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
halysis is a Greek word found in the New Testament.