"to draw, pull; to draw a sword, Mk. 14:47; Acts 16:27*"
Definition and meaning
to draw, pull; to draw a sword, Mk. 14:47; Acts 16:27*
In the original Greek the word is written: σπάω
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 spao (G4685) across the King James Bible.
And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
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Common questions
Strong's G4685 (spao) is a Greek word that means: to draw, pull; to draw a sword, Mk. 14:47; Acts 16:27* It appears 2 times in the King James Bible.
The word spao (G4685) appears 2 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G4685 is spao, a Greek word defined as: to draw, pull; to draw a sword, Mk. 14:47; Acts 16:27*. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
spao is a Greek word found in the New Testament.