Greek word · G2284

θαμβέω

thambeō

to astonish

To be astounded, stunned, struck with amazement, often with an edge of fear or alarm. It is related to θάμβος ("astonishment, awe") and to the stronger compound ἐκθαμβέομαι ("to be utterly alarmed").

Appears 3 times in 3 verses of the Greek New Testament. · Updated October 31, 2026

What it means

θαμβέω, -ῶ

(θάμβος) [in LXX for בָּעַת ni., pi., etc. ;]

1. to be amazed.

2. In late Gk., to astonish, terrify (2 Samuel 22:5): pass., Mark 1:27 10:32; before ἐπί with dative of thing(s), Mark 10:24.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Mark 10:24

Range of meaning: To be astounded, stunned, struck with amazement, often with an edge of fear or alarm. It is related to θάμβος ("astonishment, awe") and to the stronger compound ἐκθαμβέομαι ("to be utterly alarmed").
Against the English: "Amazed" (BSB, WEB) can sound pleasant to modern ears. "Astonished" (KJV, YLT) is closer. The Greek is not delight. It is the stunned shock of hearing something that overturns what you assumed.
Used elsewhere in the period: Mark is the only New Testament writer to use the verb: 1:27 (the crowd at Jesus' authority over spirits), 10:24, and 10:32 (the disciples on the road to Jerusalem, where "those who followed were afraid" comes next). In the Septuagint the noun and verb are used for awe-filled terror, e.g. 1 Samuel 14:15 (Greek θάμβος for a panic sent by God).

From the study of Mark 1:27

Range of meaning: To be astounded or stunned, often with alarm or dread. The noun thambos covers both awe and fright. The strengthened form ekthambeomai means to be deeply alarmed or distressed.
Against the English: English “amazed” (BSB, KJV, ESV, NIV) is close, but modern “amazing” usually means delightful or impressive. The Greek includes being shaken and unsettled.
How it drifted: Over time English “amaze” lost its older sense of being stupefied or bewildered, and it now mostly means pleasant wonder.
Used elsewhere in the period: In the Greek Old Testament, 1 Maccabees 6:8 says King Antiochus, on hearing of his armies' defeat, “was astounded and badly shaken.” In the New Testament the verb appears only in Mark (1:27; 10:24; 10:32). In 10:32 it stands beside fear: “they were astonished, and those who followed were afraid.” The stronger ekthambeomai describes Jesus' distress in Gethsemane (14:33) and the women's alarm at the tomb (16:5–6). Luke's parallel uses the noun: “thambos came upon all” (Luke 4:36).

Where it appears

Mark · 3

Mark 1:27 ἐθαμβήθησαν were astonished

All the people were amazed and began to ask one another, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him!”

Here: “They were struck with astonishment.” The aorist passive describes a sudden jolt: they were stunned, with an edge of alarm, and not simply pleased or impressed.
Mark 10:24 ἐθαμβοῦντο were astonished

And the disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!

Here: A strong word for being stunned, with a hint of alarm. The imperfect tense pictures an ongoing state: they stood there dumbfounded.
Mark 10:32 ἐθαμβοῦντο· they were astonished;

As they were going up the road to Jerusalem, Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were amazed, but those who followed were afraid. Again Jesus took the Twelve aside and began to tell them what was going to happen to Him:

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.