ἰάομαι
To cure (literally or figuratively)
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.
Canonical witness: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
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What does ἰάομαι (iáomai) mean in the Bible?
ἰάομαι (iáomai) is a Greek word meaning "to cure (literally or figuratively)". ἰάομαι, -ῶμαι [in LXX for רָפָא (Gen. Demonstrates God’s compassionate power through His servant. This term runs through the canonical themes of Messiah.
Meaning
Healing that restores physical or spiritual wholeness; broader than mere symptom relief or treatment.
to heal: with accusative of person(s), Luk.5:17 6:19 9:2, 11 9:42 14:4 22:51, Jhn.4:47, Act.9:34 10:38 28:8; pass., Mat.8:8, 13 15:28, Luk.7:7 8:47 17:15, Jhn.5:13; id. before ἀπό᾽, Mrk.5:29, Luk.6:17; figuratively, of spiritual healing, Mat.13:15, Jhn.12:40, Act.28:27" (LXX) ; pass., Heb.12:13, Jas.5:16, 1Pe.2:24.
Why This Word Matters
Demonstrates God’s compassionate power through His servant. Acts 28:1-10
Highlights that healing authority belongs to Jesus Christ. Acts 9:32-43
Grammatical Forms
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
Indicative states a fact or reality 17×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 3×
Imperative command or strong request 1×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 3×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 2×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 26 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
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)
Canonical Themes
Biblical Occurrences
Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.
Appears In
Compound and idiomatic lexemes in which this word is a constituent. Follow a link to study the phrase and its other participating words.
Word Pictures (Robertson)
A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.
A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain