Word study
Instruction
4 Hebrew and 6 Greek words behind this English word
The original-language words that the Berean Standard Bible translates with one of these: instruction, instructions. 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 “instruction” or one of its forms.
Compare the Hebrew words side by side Compare the Greek words side by side
Hebrew and Aramaic words (Old Testament)
- תּוֹרָה tôrâhdirection, instruction, lawtranslated this way 19 times of its 220 uses · Strong’s H8451Noun · Translated: law 173, instruction 17, laws 15, teaching 5Full study and all 214 verses →
Exodus 16:4 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain down bread from heaven for you. Each day the people are to go out and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test whether or not they will follow My instructions.
Deuteronomy 17:18 When he is seated on his royal throne, he must write for himself a copy of this instruction on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests.
- מוּסָר mûsârdisciplinetranslated this way 13 times of its 50 uses · Strong’s H4148Noun · Translated: discipline 24, instruction 13, correction 4Full study and all 50 verses →
Psalm 50:17 For you hate My instruction and cast My words behind you.
Proverbs 1:3 and for receiving instruction in wise living and in righteousness, justice, and equity.
- דָּבָר dâbârspeech, wordtranslated this way 7 times of its 1,244 uses · Strong’s H1697Noun · Translated: word 342, words 299, acts 51, Chronicles 42Full study and all 1,120 verses →
- לֶקַח leqachlearning, teachingtranslated this way 3 times of its 9 uses · Strong’s H3948Noun · Translated: instruction 3, teaching 2, doctrine 1, persuasion 1Full study and all 9 verses →
Proverbs 1:5 let the wise listen and gain instruction, and the discerning acquire wise counsel
Isaiah 29:24 Then the wayward in spirit will come to understanding, and those who grumble will accept instruction.”
Greek words (New Testament)
- παραγγέλλω parangéllōI notify, command, chargetranslated this way 3 times of its 29 uses · Strong’s G3853Verb · Translated: instructed 7, command 5, commanded 4, ordered 3Full study and all 29 verses →
Matthew 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go onto the road of the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.
1 Corinthians 11:17 In the following instructions I have no praise to offer, because your gatherings do more harm than good.
- διδασκαλία didaskalíainstruction, teachingtranslated this way 3 times of its 21 uses · Strong’s G1319Noun · Translated: teaching 11, doctrine 4, instruction 3, teachings 2Full study and all 21 verses →
Romans 15:4 For everything that was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope.
1 Timothy 4:6 By pointing out these things to the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished by the words of faith and sound instruction that you have followed.
- ἐντέλλομαι entéllomaiI give orders, commandtranslated this way 2 times of its 15 uses · Strong’s G1781Verb · Translated: commanded 6, command 5, order 1, instructed 1Full study and all 15 verses →
Acts 1:2 until the day He was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles He had chosen.
Hebrews 11:22 By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions about his bones.
- ἐντολή entolḗan ordinance, injunction, commandtranslated this way 2 times of its 66 uses · Strong’s G1785Noun · Translated: commandment 28, commandments 23, command 4, commanded 4Full study and all 61 verses →
Acts 17:15 Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then returned with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.
Colossians 4:10 My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you greetings, as does Mark the cousin of Barnabas. You have already received instructions about him: If he comes to you, welcome him.
- παραγγελία parangelíaa command, chargetranslated this way 2 times of its 5 uses · Strong’s G3852Noun · Translated: gave you strict orders 1, order 1, instructions 1, instruction 1Full study and all 5 verses →
1 Thessalonians 4:2 For you know the instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
1 Timothy 1:5 The goal of our instruction is the love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a sincere faith.
- διδαχή didachḗteaching, doctrinetranslated this way 2 times of its 30 uses · Strong’s G1322Noun · Translated: teaching 26, instruction 2, taught 1, teachings 1Full study and all 29 verses →
2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction.
Hebrews 6:2 instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
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.
What the Bible says about instruction: passages by topic →
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.