Word study
Bold
1 Hebrew and 6 Greek words behind this English word
The original-language words that the Berean Standard Bible translates with “bold”. English often uses one word where Hebrew or Greek has several, each with its own shade of meaning. Under each word are verses where it is translated this way; choose the word itself for its full study: every verse, how else it is translated, the forms it takes and what the dictionaries say.
At a glance
How often each original word is translated “bold” or one of its forms.
Compare the Greek words side by side
Hebrew and Aramaic words (Old Testament)
- בָּטַח bâṭachtrusttranslated this way 1 time of its 120 uses · Strong’s H982Verb · Translated: trust 51, trusts 15, trusted 11, trusting 6Full study and all 117 verses →
Proverbs 28:1 The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.
Greek words (New Testament)
- παῤῥησία parrhēsíafreedom, confidencetranslated this way 2 times of its 30 uses · Strong’s G3954Noun · Translated: confidence 10, publicly 4, plainly 4, boldness 3Full study and all 30 verses →
2 Corinthians 3:12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.
Philemon 1:8 So although in Christ I am bold enough to order you to do what is proper,
- τολμηρότερον tolmēróteronmore boldlytranslated this way 1 time of its 1 use · Strong’s G5112Adverb · Translated: bold 1Full study and its 1 verse →
Romans 15:15 However, I have written you a bold reminder on some points, because of the grace God has given me
- θαῤῥέω tharrhéōI am courageous, of good cheertranslated this way 1 time of its 6 uses · Strong’s G2292Verb · Translated: always confident 1, confident 1, complete confidence 1, bold 1Full study and all 6 verses →
2 Corinthians 10:1 Now by the mildness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you — I, Paul, who am humble when face to face with you, but bold when away.
- πεποίθησις pepoíthēsisconfidence, trusttranslated this way 1 time of its 6 uses · Strong’s G4006Noun · Translated: confidence 3, Confident 1, by 1, bold 1Full study and all 6 verses →
2 Corinthians 10:2 I beg you that when I come I may not need to be as bold as I expect toward those who presume that we live according to the flesh.
- παῤῥησιάζομαι parrhēsiázomaiI speak freely, boldlytranslated this way 1 time of its 9 uses · Strong’s G3955Verb · Translated: speaking boldly 2Full study and all 9 verses →
1 Thessalonians 2:2 As you are aware, we had already endured suffering and shameful treatment in Philippi. But in the face of strong opposition, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God.
- τολμητής tolmētḗsa daring, presumptuous mantranslated this way 1 time of its 1 use · Strong’s G5113Noun · Translated: Bold 1Full study and its 1 verse →
2 Peter 2:10 Such punishment is specially reserved for those who indulge the corrupt desires of the flesh and despise authority. Bold and self-willed, they are unafraid to slander glorious beings.
How to study a word well
- Start from the verse, not the dictionary. Find which Hebrew or Greek word stands in the verse you are studying. One English word often translates several different original words.
- Read every place the word is used. A word means what its writers used it to mean. The list of verses and the count by book show its range, and who uses it most.
- Look at how it is translated. A word rendered five different ways has a wider meaning than any one English word can carry.
- Notice the form. A command is not a statement, and a passive verb is something done to the subject. The form in your verse is part of the meaning.
- See what it keeps company with. The words that appear beside it again and again show how the Bible itself connects ideas.
- Then read the dictionaries. They give the considered view of scholars, with their evidence.
- Come back to the verse. Context decides. A word does not carry every one of its meanings into every verse, and where a word came from does not settle what it means in a sentence written centuries later.
Scripture text and translation counts: Berean Standard Bible. Full entry: Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906, public domain), in the digital edition Brown-Driver-Briggs Enhanced by unfoldingWord (Joel Ruark, J. de Joode), based on data by Eliran Wong and Stephen Ku; its additions are used under CC BY 4.0. Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary: Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible Project, CC BY 4.0. Hebrew-to-English verse numbering: original work of the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible available at https://github.com/openscriptures/morphhb, CC BY 4.0. We reformatted the data, linked the references to this site’s Bible text and left out words in other scripts that the source holds only as images. These are historical reference works; an entry gives its authors’ view, and a word’s meaning in any verse depends on how it is used there.