What does ἀγανακτέω (aganaktéō) mean in the Bible?
The Greek verb aganakteo describes strong displeasure or indignation. In the Gospels, the emotion belongs to different people and receives different moral evaluations.
Greek · G23
ἀγανακτέω
Be indignant
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through theConnect page. Screenshots are helpful.
ἀγανακτέωG23
Pronunciationaganaktéō
What does ἀγανακτέω (aganaktéō) mean in the Bible?
The Greek verb aganakteo describes strong displeasure or indignation. In the Gospels, the emotion belongs to different people and receives different moral evaluations.
Reader summary
Full entry for ἀγανακτέω (G23) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G23?
The BSB source-word alignment has 7 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include they were indignant (2), expressed their indignation (1), He was indignant (1), indignant (1), was indignant (1).
Where does ἀγανακτέω (aganaktéō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 20:24. Its strongest book concentrations include Mark (3), Matthew (3), Luke (1).
What This Word Actually Means
The Greek verb aganakteo describes strong displeasure or indignation. In the Gospels, the emotion belongs to different people and receives different moral evaluations. Jesus is indignant when His disciples hinder children from coming to Him. The disciples become indignant over status-seeking brothers, and they also object to an extravagant act of devotion as waste.
A synagogue leader reacts indignantly to healing on the Sabbath, while religious leaders resent wonders and children’s praise. The verb names an intense response; it does not prove that the response is righteous. Its object, reasons, loyalties, and fruits must be examined in context. Christian teaching may affirm anger that protects excluded people while still testing self-interest, envy, control, and distorted priorities.
It must not baptize rage, humiliation, threats, or violence as holy merely because a speaker feels morally certain.
How the Bible Uses It
Aganakteo marks forceful displeasure in scenes involving children, healing, status, worship, and contested authority. Jesus’ indignation protects those being hindered, while other reactions expose rivalry, rigid control, or failure to recognize fitting devotion.
- Mark.10.14
But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and told them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
Jesus’ indignation answers the disciples’ obstruction and leads directly to welcome, blessing, and teaching about God’s kingdom.
- Matt.20.24
When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers.
The ten react indignantly to the two brothers’ request, and Jesus redirects the whole group from status toward servant leadership.
- Matt.26.8
When the disciples saw this, they were indignant and asked, “Why this waste?
The disciples label the woman’s costly devotion waste, but Jesus defends her action and interprets it within His approaching burial.
- Luke.13.14
But the synagogue leader was indignant that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath. “There are six days for work,” he told the crowd. “So come and be healed on those days and not on the Sabbath.”
The synagogue leader’s indignation targets Sabbath healing, and Jesus exposes the inconsistency that neglects a suffering daughter of Abraham.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itthey were indignant2×Matthew 20:24, Matthew 26:8
expressed their indignation1×Mark 14:4
He was indignant1×Mark 10:14
indignant1×Mark 10:41
was indignant1×Luke 13:14
were indignant1×Matthew 21:15
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 20:24ἠγανάκτησανtothey were indignantVerb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person PluralMatthew 21:15ἠγανάκτησανtowere indignantVerb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person PluralMatthew 26:8ἠγανάκτησανtothey were indignantVerb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person PluralMark 10:14ἠγανάκτησενtoHe was indignantVerb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularMark 10:41ἀγανακτεῖνtoindignantVerb - Present Infinitive ActiveMark 14:4ἀγανακτοῦντεςtoexpressed their indignationVerb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine PluralLuke 13:14ἀγανακτῶνtowas indignantVerb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowMatthew 20:24
Aligned rows7
Books represented3
Matthew3Mark3Luke1
Source forms
ἠγανάκτησαν3xēganaktēsanMatthew 20:24, Matthew 21:15, Matthew 26:8
ἀγανακτεῖν1xaganakteinMark 10:41
ἀγανακτοῦντες1xaganaktountesMark 14:4
ἀγανακτῶν1xaganaktōnLuke 13:14
ἠγανάκτησεν1xēganaktēsenMark 10:14
Parsing patterns
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural3xMatthew 20:24, Matthew 21:15, Matthew 26:8
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular1xMark 10:14
Verb - Present Infinitive Active1xMark 10:41
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural1xMark 14:4
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular1xLuke 13:14
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- When anger concerns alleged abuse or danger, prioritize immediate safety, factual documentation, mandated reporting, and qualified authorities where applicable.
- People whose anger feels uncontrollable or becomes threatening should seek distance, accountability, and qualified pastoral or clinical help before confrontation.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that feeling indignant proves God shares a person’s judgment or preferred response.
- Do not claim that Christian forgiveness requires vulnerable people to remain near an angry or threatening person.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. Righteous anger at something perceived as unjust or offensive, often involving disapproval.
Strong'sG23
Lexical occurrences7 versesGreek text appearances7 timesWord forms3 forms7 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Source Gloss
be indignant
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpusGreek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
7 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 20:24Verb Third Person Plural Aorist Active Indicative
ἠγανάκτησανhganakthsan
I am angry, am incensed
Read verseMatthew 21:15Verb Third Person Plural Aorist Active Indicative
ἠγανάκτησαν,hganakthsan
I am angry, am incensed
Read verseMatthew 26:8Verb Third Person Plural Aorist Active Indicative
ἠγανάκτησαν,hganakthsan
I am angry, am incensed
Read verseMark 10:14Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἠγανάκτησε,hganakthsen
I am angry, am incensed
Read verseMark 10:41Verb Present Active Infinitive
ἀγανακτεῖνaganaktein
I am angry, am incensed
Read verseMark 14:4Verb Present Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine
ἀγανακτοῦντεςaganaktountev
I am angry, am incensed
Read verseLuke 13:14Verb Present Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
ἀγανακτῶνaganaktwn
I am angry, am incensed
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Grammatical Forms
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups3Aligned forms7TensesAorist, PresentVoicesActive
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Indicativestates a fact or reality4×
Aorist ActiveMatt 20:24 · Matt 21:15 · Matt 26:8 · Mark 10:144×
Infinitiveverbal noun — the action in abstract1×
Present ActiveMark 10:411×
Participleverbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality2×
Present ActiveMark 14:4 · Luke 13:142×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 6 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
aorist4present2
Voice
active6
Mood
indicative4participle1infinitive1
NT Occurrences
Matthew 20:24ἠγανάκτησανaorist active indicativecompletedMatthew 21:15ἠγανάκτησανaorist active indicativecompletedMatthew 26:8ἠγανάκτησανaorist active indicativecompletedMark 10:14ἠγανάκτησενaorist active indicativecompletedMark 10:41ἀγανακτεῖνpresent active infinitiveinfinitiveLuke 13:14ἀγανακτῶνpresent active participleparticiple
Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Witnesses
Luke 15:11–32ἠγανάκτησενaganaktéō
Was angry, indignant
Mark 10:13–16ἠγανακτέωaganaktéō
to be indignant, greatly displeased
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 7 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
ἀγανακτέω is built from this root:
ἀγκάληG43
For the Preacher and Teacher
Aganakteo shows that moral heat must be interpreted, not merely admired or suppressed. Jesus becomes indignant when trusted followers block children, and His response restores access, embraces the little ones, and teaches the kingdom. That pattern joins strong displeasure to protection and welcome. The disciples’ indignation at status-seeking does not exempt them from the same ambition, so Jesus teaches all of them that greatness takes the form of service.
Their outrage over costly perfume misjudges a woman’s act and misses the nearness of His death. The synagogue leader’s indignation prioritizes rule enforcement over a suffering woman’s release. In each scene, the object and fruit reveal the emotion. Christian communities should make room for truthful anger at exclusion and harm, particularly when vulnerable people are blocked from care.
They should also submit indignation to Scripture, wise counsel, factual examination, repentance, and self-control. Moral conviction never authorizes abuse, public shaming, threats, vigilantism, or retaliation. Jesus’ own indignation leads toward welcome and truth rather than domination.
Anchor passage
Mark.10.14
Doctrinal connections
- Jesus’ indignation reveals His opposition to barriers that keep children from receiving His welcome and blessing.
- Kingdom greatness overturns status competition by defining leadership through service rather than rank or control.
- Mercy on the Sabbath exposes religious indignation that values institutional order above a suffering person’s release.
- Devotion to Jesus may be misjudged when economic arguments ignore the unique moment and the giver’s faithful act.
- Moral emotions belong under discipleship because sincere displeasure can still arise from envy, fear, or distorted priorities.
- Holy opposition to harm seeks truthful protection and restoration rather than humiliation, revenge, or uncontrolled force.
Aganakteo is a Greek verb for being indignant or strongly displeased. The verb itself identifies emotional intensity but does not label its cause righteous; narrative comparison, reported speech, and Jesus’ response supply the evaluation.
From Old to New Testament
The prophets voice God’s opposition to injustice, and wisdom warns that human anger readily overflows its bounds. The epistles command believers to reject malice and vengeance, pursue self-control, protect weaker members, and overcome evil with good rather than confusing intensity with holiness.