The Greek word βασανιστής, basanistes occurs once in the New Testament (Matt. 18:34). It refers to a torturer, one who tortures. It obviously does not mean a state of nonexistence, nor is it consistent with such a state.
- Greek word: βασανιστής, basanistes
- Meaning: torment
- Strong’s #: G930
Frequency: 1 occurrence
The following is a summary of the meaning of the Greek word βασανιστής, basanos in all of the verses in which it occurs in the New Testament (which in this case is just one). Relevant ictionaries and lexicons will be cited to support the translation and definition of the term used here. Note that the word plainly implies a state of ongoing, conscious suffering and cannot conceivably represent an unconscious cessation of existence:
- Continual suffering
- Handed over to the torturers, Matt. 18:34
| TABLE OF ALL NEW TESTAMENT USAGES OF TORTURER, βασανιστής | ||
| Address | Verse | Meaning |
| Matt. 18:34 | “And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. | Continual suffering |
Dictionaries and Lexicons consulted
- “noun from basanízō (928), to vex, torture. One who applies torture, an inquisitor. In the NT a prison keeper, jailer (Matt. 18:34).”
- Zodhiates, Spiros. The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000
- “a person serving as a guard in a prison, whose function was to torture prisoners as a phase of judicial examination—‘prison guard, torturer.’ ”
- Louw, Johannes P., and Eugene Albert Nida. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains. New York: United Bible Societies, 1996.
- “AV translates as “tormentor” once. 1 one who elicits the truth by the use of the rack. 1A an inquisitor, torturer also used of a jailer doubtless because the business of torturing was also assigned to him.”
- Strong, James. Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship, 1995.
