δεσμός G1199
A bond or chain used for imprisonment or restraint; figuratively, a binding impediment on a person's body or condition.
In the New Testament, desmos almost always refers to the literal chains and fetters of imprisonment, appearing prominently in Paul's captivity letters where he speaks of his 'bonds' as a badge of apostolic faithfulness (Phil 1:7, 13; Col 4:18; 2 Tim 2:9; Phlm 10, 13). The word carries a visceral, tangible weight: Luke describes the Gerasene demoniac breaking his bonds (Lk 8:29), and the earthquake at Philippi loosening every prisoner's chains (Acts 16:26). Yet twice it shifts into figurative territory, describing an invisible constraint on a person's faculty, as when Jesus looses the 'bond' of a woman's infirmity (Lk 13:16) and the 'bond' of a man's tongue (Mk 7:35).
1. bond, chain, fetter — A physical chain, fetter, or shackle used to restrain a prisoner. This is the dominant NT sense, covering sixteen of eighteen occurrences. Spanish 'cadenas' and German 'Fesseln' both capture the concrete, tangible nature of the restraint. Paul's letters from prison turn these literal bonds into a theological symbol: his chains authenticate his gospel ministry (Phil 1:13-14; Col 4:18). The earthquake at Philippi that loosened every prisoner's bonds (Acts 16:26) dramatizes divine liberation from physical constraint. 16×
amh["በሰንሰለት"]·AR["-بقيود","-قُيودي","-قُيودِ","القُيُودِ","قُيودي","قُيودٍ","قُيودَ","قُيودُ","قُيودِ","قُيُودًا"]·ben["বন্ধন","বন্ধনে","বন্ধনের","শিকল","শিকলসমূহের","শিকলের","শৃঙ্খলে"]·ces["pouty"]·dan["med-lænker"]·DE["Fessel","Fesseln","mit-Fesseln"]·ell["δεσμοίς"]·EN["bonds","chains","in-bonds","of-chains"]·FR["en-chaînes","lien"]·guj["સાંકળોથી"]·hat["nan-chèn"]·hau["a-cikin-sarƙoƙi"]·heb["בכבלים","הַכְּבָלִים","כְּבָלִים","כְּבָלַי","כְבָלִים","מוֹסֵרוֹת"]·HI["बंधनोंके","बंधनोंके।","बनधन","बनधनोन","बनधोन","बन्धन","बन्धनों","बन्धनों-को","बन्धनों-में","बेड़ियाँ"]·hun["kötelékekben"]·ID["belenggu","belenggu,","belenggu.","dengan-belenggu","itu"]·IT["catena","desma","in-catene","legame"]·jav["blenggu","blenggu,","blenggu.","kaliyan-rantai","ranté","tangsul"]·JA["鎖-で"]·KO["결박들","결박들과","결박들을","결박에","결박으로","매임","매임을","사슬들-에서","쇠사슬들이"]·mar["बंधनांत"]·mya["သံကြိုးများဖြင့်"]·nld["met-boeien"]·nor["lenker"]·pnb["زنجیراں-وِچ"]·pol["więzami"]·PT["cadeias","de-cadeias","em-cadeias","prisões","prisões,"]·ron["-cu-lanțuri"]·RU["уз","узам","узами","узах","узах,","узы"]·ES["ataduras","cadenas","de-cadenas","en-cadenas"]·SW["kwa-minyororo","mfungwa","minyororo","vifungo"]·swe["i-bojor"]·tam["விலங்குகளால்"]·tel["సంకెళ్లతో"]·tgl["mga-tanikala"]·TH["โซ่ตรวน"]·TR["bağları,","zincirler","zincirlere","zincirleri","zincirlerimde","zincirlerimde,","zincirlerime","zincirlerimi","zincirlerimin","zincirlerin","zincirlerinde","zincirlerinin","zincirlerle"]·ukr["кайданами"]·urd["بندھن","زنجیروں","زنجیروں-میں","زنجیریں","قید","قید-میں","قید-کا","قیدوں-سے","قیدوں-میں","قیدوں-کو","قیدوں-کے"]·VI["trong-xiềng-xích"]·yor["ní-ẹ̀wọ̀n"]·yue["用鎖鏈"]·ZH["-用锁链"]
Luke 8:29, Acts 16:26, Acts 20:23, Acts 23:29, Acts 26:29, Acts 26:31, Phil 1:7, Phil 1:13, Phil 1:14, Phil 1:17, Col 4:18, 2 Tim 2:9 (+4 more)
▼ 1 more sense below
Senses
2. bond, impediment — A figurative bond or impediment binding a person's body or faculty, used metaphorically rather than of literal incarceration. In Mark 7:35, the 'bond of his tongue' (Spanish 'ligadura,' French 'lien') describes a speech impediment that Jesus releases, while in Luke 13:16 Satan's 'bond' on a crippled woman for eighteen years is broken by healing. Both passages use desmos to frame disability as captivity from which Jesus sets people free. 2×
AR["رِبَاطُ","رِبَاطِ"]·ben["বন্ধন"]·DE["Fessel","Fesseln"]·EN["bond"]·FR["lien"]·heb["כֶּבֶל","קֶשֶׁר"]·HI["बन्धन"]·ID["ikatan"]·IT["desmos","desmou"]·jav["blenggunipun","tali"]·KO["결박에서","매임-이"]·PT["laço"]·RU["уз","уза"]·ES["atadura","ligadura"]·SW["kifungo"]·TR["bağı","bağından"]·urd["بندھن"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
δεσμός, ὁ, plural δεσμά Refs 6th c.BC+, and so mostly in Trag., Refs 5th c.BC+: both forms in Attic dialect Inscrr., δεσμοί Refs the latter preferred by Refs 6th c.AD+, Attic dialect accusative to Refs 5th c.AD+:—band, bond, anything for tying and fastening, as halter, Refs 8th c.BC+; mooring-cable, Refs 8th c.BC+; door-latch, Refs; yoke-strap, Refs 5th c.BC+: metaphorically, any bond of union or…