βασανιστής
basanistḗs
G930 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
One who inflicts pain or suffering on others, specifically an officer or servant whose task is to interrogate, punish, or extract confessions through physical coercion or torment. Also used metaphorically of an agent causing distress or affliction. In some contexts, especially in legal or penal settings, denotes an official responsible for administering punishment.
Semantic Range
torturer, tormentor, examiner who extracts confessions by torture, agent of suffering
Root / Etymology
From βασανίζω (to test by trial, to torment, to torture), itself derived from βάσανος (a touchstone, a means of testing – by extension, trial or torment). The suffix -τής forms agent nouns, indicating a person who carries out the action.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In Classical Greek, βασανιστής referred specifically to someone who inflicted torture, often an official or slave whose role was to extract confessions or information, particularly from other slaves, as free citizens in Greek law were generally not subject to torture. In Hellenistic and Roman legal settings, the βασανιστής was an official role within penal systems. In the New Testament (e.g., Matthew 18:34), the term appears in parabolic or metaphorical contexts, referring to supernatural or eschatological agents of torment – often rendered as 'tormentor' in English translations. Standard English versions typically translate as 'tormentor' or 'torturer,' but the specific legal and penal associations of the original Greek term may be lost in translation. No specifically ethnic or religious connotation is implied by the term; its usage is functional and related to judicial or punitive frameworks.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from βασανίζω; a torturer:--tormentor.
Root Family
βασανιστής (basanistēs) — to test, to torment, to torture; agent of torment
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G930-01 |
βασανισταῖς | basanistais | N DAT M PL |
torturers | to the torturers | torturers | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G930-01 |
Matthew 18:34 | βασανισταῖς | basanistais | N DAT M PL |
torturers | to the torturers | torturers |