"pr. to tear, lacerate; by impl. to agitate greatly, convulse, distort by convulsion, Mk. 1:26; 9:26; Lk. 9:39*"
Definition and meaning
pr. to tear, lacerate; by impl. to agitate greatly, convulse, distort by convulsion, Mk. 1:26; 9:26; Lk. 9:39*
In the original Greek the word is written: σπαράσσω
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 sparasso (G4682) across the King James Bible.
And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.
And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.
And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.
And, lo, a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crieth out; and it teareth him that he foameth again, and bruising him hardly departeth from him.
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Common questions
Strong's G4682 (sparasso) is a Greek word that means: pr. to tear, lacerate; by impl. to agitate greatly, convulse, distort by convulsion, Mk. 1:26; 9:26; Lk. 9:39* It appears 4 times in the King James Bible.
The word sparasso (G4682) appears 4 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G4682 is sparasso, a Greek word defined as: pr. to tear, lacerate; by impl. to agitate greatly, convulse, distort by convulsion, Mk. 1:26; 9:26; Lk. 9:39*. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
sparasso is a Greek word found in the New Testament.