What does ἀπορέω (aporéō) mean in the Bible?
G639 means to be perplexed, uncertain, or at a loss. Its selected New Testament settings do not make perplexity inherently faithful or blameworthy.
Greek · G639
ἀπορέω
Be perplexed
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ἀπορέω G639
Pronunciation aporéō
What does ἀπορέω (aporéō) mean in the Bible?
G639 means to be perplexed, uncertain, or at a loss. Its selected New Testament settings do not make perplexity inherently faithful or blameworthy.
Reader summary
Full entry for ἀπορέω (G639) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G639?
The BSB source-word alignment has 6 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include perplexed (2), he was greatly perplexed (1), I am perplexed (1), was at a loss (1), were puzzling (1).
Where does ἀπορέω (aporéō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Mark 6:20. Its strongest book concentrations include 2 Corinthians (1), Acts (1), Galatians (1), John (1).
What This Word Actually Means
G639 means to be perplexed, uncertain, or at a loss. Its selected New Testament settings do not make perplexity inherently faithful or blameworthy. Herod is greatly perplexed by John yet continues listening to him; the women at the tomb are perplexed until the messengers interpret what they see; the disciples cannot identify the betrayer; Festus is at a loss about investigating Paul's disputed case; Paul is perplexed about the Galatian churches; and apostolic suffering leaves Paul perplexed but not in despair.
The word honestly names limited understanding, while the passage determines whether the response is curiosity, delayed action, pastoral concern, or endurance. It should neither shame sincere questions nor excuse refusal to follow clarity once it is given.
How the Bible Uses It
The selected local evidence reflects about six uses involving Herod, resurrection witnesses, disciples, Festus, and Paul. Perplexity describes their lack of a clear way forward but does not determine their moral response.
- Mark.6.20
For Herod feared John and protected him, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man. When he heard John, he was greatly perplexed, yet he listened to him gladly.
Herod's perplexity coexists with fear, protection, interest, and later capitulation to a deadly request. Perplexity alone is not repentance.
- Luke.24.4
While they were puzzling over this, suddenly two men in radiant apparel stood beside them.
The women's perplexity at the empty tomb is answered by revelation concerning Jesus' resurrection.
- John.13.22
The disciples looked at one another, perplexed as to which of them He meant.
The disciples cannot identify the betrayer and must depend on Jesus' knowledge and disclosure.
- Acts.25.20
Since I was at a loss as to how to investigate such matters, I asked if he was willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these charges.
Festus describes procedural uncertainty about the dispute, showing that the verb can mark an official's practical inability to determine a course.
- 2Cor.4.8
We are hard pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;
Apostolic suffering includes real uncertainty without the final collapse of hope.
- Gal.4.20
How I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you.
Paul honestly names pastoral uncertainty while continuing to labor for Christ to be formed in the churches.
Passage context
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It perplexed 2× John 13:22, 2 Corinthians 4:8
he was greatly perplexed 1× Mark 6:20
I am perplexed 1× Galatians 4:20
was at a loss 1× Acts 25:20
were puzzling 1× Luke 24:4
Show sample aligned rows
Mark 6:20 ἠπόρει to he was greatly perplexed Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Luke 24:4 ἀπορεῖσθαι to were puzzling Verb - Present Infinitive Middle John 13:22 ἀπορούμενοι to perplexed Verb - Present Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Plural Acts 25:20 Ἀπορούμενος to was at a loss Verb - Present Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Singular 2 Corinthians 4:8 ἀπορούμενοι to perplexed Verb - Present Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Plural Galatians 4:20 ἀποροῦμαι to I am perplexed Verb - Present Indicative Middle - 1st Person Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Mark 6:20
Aligned rows 6
Books represented 6
Mark 1 Luke 1 John 1 Acts 1 2 Corinthians 1 Galatians 1
Source forms
ἀπορούμενοι 2x aporoumenoi John 13:22, 2 Corinthians 4:8
ἀπορεῖσθαι 1x aporeisthai Luke 24:4
ἀποροῦμαι 1x aporoumai Galatians 4:20
Ἀπορούμενος 1x Aporoumenos Acts 25:20
ἠπόρει 1x ēporei Mark 6:20
Parsing patterns
Verb - Present Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Plural 2x John 13:22, 2 Corinthians 4:8
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 1x Mark 6:20
Verb - Present Indicative Middle - 1st Person Singular 1x Galatians 4:20
Verb - Present Infinitive Middle 1x Luke 24:4
Verb - Present Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Singular 1x Acts 25:20
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Make room for honest uncertainty while seeking the clarity and obedience the passage supplies.
- In pastoral care, do not shame questions or let indefinite confusion shield harmful or disobedient choices.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that faithful Christians always understand God's purposes immediately. Disciples and apostles are explicitly described as perplexed.
- Do not claim that uncertainty makes every interpretation equally valid. The tomb witnesses and the disciples receive clarifying revelation that governs their understanding.
- Do not claim that perplexity itself proves faith, innocence, or openness to correction.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. To be at a loss or blocked—lacking a way forward mentally or practically.
Strong's G639
Lexical occurrences 6 verses Greek text appearances 4 times Word forms 3 forms 6 references Verse guides 0 guides
Source Gloss
be perplexed
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
4 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
John 13:22 Verb Present Middle Participle Nominative Plural Masculine
ἀπορούμενοι aporoumenoi
I am in difficulties, am at my wits end
Read verse Acts 25:20 Verb Present Middle Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
ἀπορούμενος aporoumenov
I am in difficulties, am at my wits end
Read verse 2 Corinthians 4:8 Verb Present Middle Participle Nominative Plural Masculine
ἀπορούμενοι, aporoumenoi
I am in difficulties, am at my wits end
Read verse Galatians 4:20 Verb First Person Singular Present Middle Indicative
ἀποροῦμαι aporoumai
I am in difficulties, am at my wits end
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 groups 3 Aligned forms 6 Tenses Present, Imperfect Voices Middle, Active
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 3×
Present Middle John 13:22 · 2 Cor 4:8 · Acts 25:20 3×
Indicative states a fact or reality 2×
Imperfect Active Mark 6:20 1×
Present Middle Gal 4:20 1×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 1×
Present Middle Luke 24:4 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 6 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
present 5 imperfect 1
Voice
middle 5 active 1
Mood
participle 3 indicative 2 infinitive 1
NT Occurrences
Mark 6:20 ἠπόρει imperfect active indicative background Luke 24:4 ἀπορεῖσθαι present middle infinitive infinitive John 13:22 ἀπορούμενοι present middle participle participle Acts 25:20 ἀπορούμενος present middle participle participle 2 Corinthians 4:8 ἀπορούμενοι present middle participle participle Galatians 4:20 ἀποροῦμαι present middle indicative ongoing
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)
Word Origins
ἀπορέω is built from these roots:
For the Preacher and Teacher
G639 permits honest acknowledgment of being at a loss, but it does not evaluate that condition apart from the response. Herod listens gladly while remaining morally compromised. The women at the tomb receive clarifying words about Jesus' resurrection. The disciples depend on Jesus to identify the betrayer. Festus names an investigative problem. Paul remains perplexed about the Galatians while continuing pastoral labor, and in Second Corinthians he is perplexed without surrendering to despair.
Teachers can therefore resist performative certainty and make room for real questions, yet they should also ask what light the passage supplies and how each person responds. Humble uncertainty can seek truth; protected confusion can also postpone obedience.
Anchor passage
John.13.22
Doctrinal connections
- Mark 6:17-29 - perplexity and interest do not prevent Herod's compromised decision
- John 13:21-30 - betrayal disclosed at the table
- Luke 24:1-12 - perplexity and resurrection announcement
- Acts 25:13-22 - official uncertainty concerns procedure and disputed religious claims
- 2 Corinthians 4:7-18 - affliction, endurance, and hope
- Galatians 4:12-20 - pastoral anguish and formation
The verb expresses being at a loss, not necessarily unbelief or panic. Context shows whether clarity arrives, action is delayed, or hope continues amid uncertainty.
From Old to New Testament
Wisdom and lament provide canonical language for human limitation before God, but they are thematic parallels rather than direct evidence for G639. In Luke 24, clarity comes through the message about Jesus' remembered words, death, and resurrection.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain