What does τάχος (táchos) mean in the Bible?
Tachos is a noun for speed that commonly appears in an adverbial phrase meaning quickly, promptly, or soon. Its force depends on the action, speaker, discourse, and literary genre.
Greek · G5034
τάχος
Speed
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τάχοςG5034
Pronunciationtáchos
What does τάχος (táchos) mean in the Bible?
Tachos is a noun for speed that commonly appears in an adverbial phrase meaning quickly, promptly, or soon. Its force depends on the action, speaker, discourse, and literary genre.
Reader summary
Full entry for τάχος (G5034) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G5034?
The BSB source-word alignment has 8 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include soon (4), quickly (2), . . . (1), vvv (1).
Where does τάχος (táchos) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Luke 18:8. Its strongest book concentrations include Acts (3), Revelation (2), 1 Timothy (1), Luke (1).
Are there verse guides for τάχος (táchos)?
This entry includes 1 verse guide that explain exact original-language forms in context.
What This Word Actually Means
Tachos is a noun for speed that commonly appears in an adverbial phrase meaning quickly, promptly, or soon. Its force depends on the action, speaker, discourse, and literary genre. In Acts 12, Peter is told to rise quickly during a concrete rescue. In 1 Timothy 3, Paul hopes to come soon but writes instructions so the church knows how to conduct itself if he is delayed.
Luke 18 promises that God will carry out justice promptly within a parable that also calls disciples to persistent prayer and asks about enduring faith. Revelation announces events that must soon take place, language framed by prophecy, testimony, blessing, watchfulness, and the book's own horizon. The word communicates urgency or nearness but does not supply a modern date, calendar conversion, or guarantee that every desired answer will arrive immediately.
Teachers should preserve urgency without manufacturing timelines, shaming patient waiting, or turning biblical hope into repeated failed predictions.
How the Bible Uses It
Tachos can mark immediate action in narrative, a planned visit in a letter, prompt justice in a parable, or prophetic nearness in Revelation. Genre and discourse determine how speed or soonness should be heard.
- Acts.12.7
Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his wrists.
The angel commands Peter to rise quickly during an immediate prison rescue, giving the speed expression a concrete narrative action.
- 1Tim.3.14
Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these things
Paul hopes to visit soon but writes durable instructions in case of delay, holding expectation and responsible preparation together.
- Luke.18.8
I tell you, He will promptly carry out justice on their behalf. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?”
Jesus promises prompt divine justice within a parable about persistent prayer, patient faith, and God's unlike character as righteous judge.
- Rev.1.1
This is the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants what must soon come to pass. He made it known by sending His angel to His servant John,
Revelation opens with events that must soon occur, placing nearness inside prophetic witness rather than offering readers a calculable modern date.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itsoon4×Acts 25:4, 1 Timothy 3:14, Revelation 1:1, Revelation 22:6
quickly2×Acts 12:7, Acts 22:18
. . .1×Luke 18:8
vvv1×Romans 16:20
Show sample aligned rows
Luke 18:8τάχειto. . .Noun - Dative Neuter SingularActs 12:7τάχειtoquicklyNoun - Dative Neuter SingularActs 22:18τάχειtoquicklyNoun - Dative Neuter SingularActs 25:4τάχειtosoonNoun - Dative Neuter SingularRomans 16:20τάχειtovvvNoun - Dative Neuter Singular1 Timothy 3:14τάχειtosoonNoun - Dative Neuter SingularRevelation 1:1τάχειtosoonNoun - Dative Neuter SingularRevelation 22:6τάχειtosoonNoun - Dative Neuter Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowLuke 18:8
Aligned rows8
Books represented5
Luke1Acts3Romans11 Timothy1Revelation2
Source forms
τάχει8xtacheiLuke 18:8, Acts 12:7, Acts 22:18, Acts 25:4
Parsing patterns
Noun - Dative Neuter Singular8xLuke 18:8, Acts 12:7, Acts 22:18, Acts 25:4
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Urgency must not be used to extract money, demand rash decisions, or isolate people from wise counsel.
- Those waiting for justice need practical advocacy and patient presence, not a promise of a date Scripture has not supplied.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that G5034 yields a fixed number of days or years in every context.
- Do not claim that Revelation's soon language authorizes setting or revising dates for Christ's return.
- Do not claim that delayed relief proves deficient prayer, faith, or readiness.
Key Verse and Form Guides
Verse-level guides showing how this original-language form works in its specific context, including grammar, verse function, and guarded interpretation.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. speed
Source Gloss
speed
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.
Luke 18:8Noun Dative Singular Neuter
τάχει.tacei
quickness, speed
Read verseActs 12:7Noun Dative Singular Neuter
τάχει.tacei
quickness, speed
Read verseActs 22:18Noun Dative Singular Neuter
τάχειtacei
quickness, speed
Read verseActs 25:4Noun Dative Singular Neuter
τάχειtacei
quickness, speed
Read verseRomans 16:20Noun Dative Singular Neuter
τάχει.tacei
quickness, speed
Read verseRevelation 1:1Noun Dative Singular Neuter
τάχει,tacei
quickness, speed
Read versetacei
quickness, speed
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 this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
This word appears as a noun across 1 case and number pattern. The form changes show how the word functions in a sentence; they do not change the basic lexical meaning by themselves.
Form patterns1Aligned forms8Case patternDative (8)Number patternSingular (8)
Dative · Singular · NeuterLuke 18:8 · Acts 12:7 · Acts 22:18 · Acts 25:4 · Rom 16:20 · 1 Tim 3:14 · Rev 1:1 · Rev 22:68×
Word Origins
τάχος is built from this root:
For the Preacher and Teacher
Tachos makes the reader feel nearness, but biblical urgency is not the same as speculative scheduling. Acts 12 calls Peter to move quickly because rescue is unfolding at that moment. First Timothy joins Paul's hope to arrive soon with written instruction that equips the church if he is delayed. Luke 18 assures disciples of God's just action while commanding persistent prayer and questioning whether faith will endure.
Revelation's soon language calls every generation of hearers to faithful witness, worship, and readiness under the authority of the prophetic book; it does not hand interpreters a formula for naming a date. Churches should retain the force of promise and urgency without manipulating fear or repeatedly announcing timelines Scripture has not given. Waiting is not unbelief when it remains prayerful, obedient, and hopeful.
Prompt action may be required in danger, injustice, repentance, or mercy, while promised consummation remains in God's authority. Christian readiness is formed by fidelity to Christ, not by countdown charts.
Anchor passage
1Tim.3.14
Doctrinal connections
- God's promises create alert faithfulness rather than speculative control over time.
- Urgent obedience can coexist with wise preparation for possible delay.
- Divine justice supports persistent prayer and hope among oppressed believers.
- Christ's return calls the church to witness, holiness, worship, and endurance.
- Creaturely calendars remain subordinate to God's sovereign authority over fulfillment.
- Pastoral urgency must not become fear-based manipulation or prediction marketing.
The neuter noun means speed and frequently occurs in the phrase en tachei with an adverbial sense such as quickly or soon. The expression's temporal force must be read within narrative, epistolary, parabolic, or apocalyptic discourse rather than assigned one mechanical duration.
From Old to New Testament
Second Peter 3:8-13 directly addresses perceived delay and calls believers to holy conduct and hope, while Matthew 24:36 forbids knowledge of the day and hour. These passages do not erase Revelation's urgency; they set canonical boundaries against date-setting and direct waiting toward faithful readiness.