IS THE WORD "RAPTURE" IN THE BIBLE?
Our “gathering up” to the Lord is commonly called the rapture. But is the word “rapture” really in the Bible? Yes and no. The specific word “rapture” is not in most English translations of the Bible but it is in some of the languages of the Bible (including Italian and Romanian). The word “rapture” is derived from the Latin Vulgate Bible which was translated from the Greek word “harpázō,” meaning to “openly, forcefully take up” or “openly and suddenly catch away.” The English word “harpoon” even has some of its root basis from this word.
Let us consider the Latin Vulgate Bible and how “harpázō” has come to mean the word "rapture" that we use today.
The Latin Vulgate Bible is a version of the Bible that has been in use for over sixteen hundred years, which is the longest use of all versions of the Bible and over twelve hundred years longer than the King James Version. The LVB was translated from early manuscripts by a man named, Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus, who has since become known as St. Jerome. He translated the various forms and tenses of the original Greek word “harpázō” into various forms and tenses of the Latin word “rapio.” All the words, no matter what language, mean the same thing, to be “openly and suddenly caught away, plucked up, snatched or seized.”
We find such forms and tenses of the Latin word "rapio" as rapere, rapui, raptus, rapturo, and so on; when such forms and tenses are translated into English, they result in such words as rapt, rapture, rapturous, raptor, etc.
The accuracy of the original meaning is what matters the most.
Since rapio’s various forms and tenses are truly accurate translations of the tenses of the Greek word harpázō and its forms and tenses, then it really does not matter whether someone says “caught away” or “caught up” or if they use the word “raptured,” “snatched away,” “taken up,” “plucked out” or “taken by force,” etc., because they all mean the same thing; a very sudden, open, forceful and decisive seizure of something or in our case, the church of Jesus Christ being caught up to the Lord.
Let's take a good look at one of our biblical concordances.
Strong’s Greek Concordance #726 harpázō – properly, seize by force; snatch up, suddenly and decisively – like someone seizing bounty (spoil, a prize); to take by an open display of force (i.e. not covertly or secretly).
Notice in the preceding definition, “harpázō” means to suddenly and decisively, openly seize” by force, not covertly or secretly. This is another reason to consider a “visible rapture" and not a “secret or invisible rapture."
"Harpázō," in one tense or another, has been used in the Bible at least thirteen times. Here are five strong instances.
In our concept of a mid tribulation and pre-God's wrath rapture, this word "harpázō" has an even more powerful meaning.
The Lord says that we will go through the most intense tribulation in all the world's history (Matthew 24:21-22) and that He will shorten the time for the sake of the elect. We sincerely believe that the 5th seal is when the Two Witnesses will be killed and the Antichrist will start vigorously asserting his agenda. The 5th seal represents the martyrdom of believers but thankfully, the 6th and 7th seals will then be coming fast (Revelation 6:12-17, 8:1).
When the rapture finally does happen, it will have been greatly longed for, as one can realize from these verses:
And a little further down in,
In regard to the same subject in Luke, Jesus also says,
Why include these thoughts here? The rapture is so much more than just the "catching away" of the church. It will also be its sudden and open deliverance from the wicked. When the evil one succeeds in killing the Two Witnesses, he will start turning on Christians and Jews like never before. Christians will have been being persecuted before, but the hatred of true Christians will become unleashed, when they refuse the commands of the evil ones. At this point, the evil one's false prophet will order an image to be made in tribute to the Antichrist and the false prophet will breathe life into that image. Everyone alive will be ordered to worship the image or be killed. Also, the evil one will think he is completely free to set himself up like God in the temple of Jerusalem. And since he will no longer need the one world global government anymore that he will have risen to power through, he will then "invoke his own system by demanding all take his mark, without which no one will be able to buy or sell. There will be 144,000 pure Jews who will have kept the Law (Torah) and who will see the Light, but too late in time for the rapture, and God will take the time to have His Jewish remnant sealed to protect them from the wrath of the evil one, and from the 7 trumpets and 7 bowls of God's wrath that will follow after the time of the rapture.
Once again, for Christians, the rapture will truly be a time of deliverance as well as for the 144,000 Jews being sealed for their protection. To the believers who have gone on before us and those alive, it will be a time of receiving our incorruptible bodies. Sometimes people forget or some perhaps do not realize, but in Matthew 25:31-46, we see it is not just the harvest of the sheep but also of the goats. It is the beginning of their judgment. To the lost, it will be the beginning of God's judgment and wrath. And to the devil, Antichrist and false prophet, their reign is all but over. They will be allowed to continue in a certain measure until Armageddon, whereupon the devil will be bound for a thousand years and the Antichrist and false prophet will be captured and thrown into the lake of fire. (For more understanding on these thoughts, some good articles are Every Eye Will See Him, Every Knee Will Bow, Mid Tribulation Rapture Timeline Chart, Mid Tribulation Rapture Bible Verses).
In closing, here are the other occurrences in the Bible, where the original Greek word “harpázō” has been used.
Let us consider the Latin Vulgate Bible and how “harpázō” has come to mean the word "rapture" that we use today.
The Latin Vulgate Bible is a version of the Bible that has been in use for over sixteen hundred years, which is the longest use of all versions of the Bible and over twelve hundred years longer than the King James Version. The LVB was translated from early manuscripts by a man named, Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus, who has since become known as St. Jerome. He translated the various forms and tenses of the original Greek word “harpázō” into various forms and tenses of the Latin word “rapio.” All the words, no matter what language, mean the same thing, to be “openly and suddenly caught away, plucked up, snatched or seized.”
We find such forms and tenses of the Latin word "rapio" as rapere, rapui, raptus, rapturo, and so on; when such forms and tenses are translated into English, they result in such words as rapt, rapture, rapturous, raptor, etc.
The accuracy of the original meaning is what matters the most.
Since rapio’s various forms and tenses are truly accurate translations of the tenses of the Greek word harpázō and its forms and tenses, then it really does not matter whether someone says “caught away” or “caught up” or if they use the word “raptured,” “snatched away,” “taken up,” “plucked out” or “taken by force,” etc., because they all mean the same thing; a very sudden, open, forceful and decisive seizure of something or in our case, the church of Jesus Christ being caught up to the Lord.
Let's take a good look at one of our biblical concordances.
Strong’s Greek Concordance #726 harpázō – properly, seize by force; snatch up, suddenly and decisively – like someone seizing bounty (spoil, a prize); to take by an open display of force (i.e. not covertly or secretly).
Notice in the preceding definition, “harpázō” means to suddenly and decisively, openly seize” by force, not covertly or secretly. This is another reason to consider a “visible rapture" and not a “secret or invisible rapture."
"Harpázō," in one tense or another, has been used in the Bible at least thirteen times. Here are five strong instances.
- Acts 8:39-40 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea.
- 2 Corinthians 12:2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago--whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows--such a one was caught up to the third heaven.
- 2 Corinthians 12:3-4 And I know such a man--whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows-- how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
- Revelation 12:5 She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne. (Also referenced in Luke 24:5-51 and Acts 1:9)
- I Thessalonians 4:16-17 "For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever."
In our concept of a mid tribulation and pre-God's wrath rapture, this word "harpázō" has an even more powerful meaning.
The Lord says that we will go through the most intense tribulation in all the world's history (Matthew 24:21-22) and that He will shorten the time for the sake of the elect. We sincerely believe that the 5th seal is when the Two Witnesses will be killed and the Antichrist will start vigorously asserting his agenda. The 5th seal represents the martyrdom of believers but thankfully, the 6th and 7th seals will then be coming fast (Revelation 6:12-17, 8:1).
When the rapture finally does happen, it will have been greatly longed for, as one can realize from these verses:
- Matthew 24:21-22 "For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened."
And a little further down in,
- Matthew 24:29-31 "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. [Compare this to the sixth seal in Revelation 6:12-17] "Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."
In regard to the same subject in Luke, Jesus also says,
- Luke 21:27-28 "Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."
Why include these thoughts here? The rapture is so much more than just the "catching away" of the church. It will also be its sudden and open deliverance from the wicked. When the evil one succeeds in killing the Two Witnesses, he will start turning on Christians and Jews like never before. Christians will have been being persecuted before, but the hatred of true Christians will become unleashed, when they refuse the commands of the evil ones. At this point, the evil one's false prophet will order an image to be made in tribute to the Antichrist and the false prophet will breathe life into that image. Everyone alive will be ordered to worship the image or be killed. Also, the evil one will think he is completely free to set himself up like God in the temple of Jerusalem. And since he will no longer need the one world global government anymore that he will have risen to power through, he will then "invoke his own system by demanding all take his mark, without which no one will be able to buy or sell. There will be 144,000 pure Jews who will have kept the Law (Torah) and who will see the Light, but too late in time for the rapture, and God will take the time to have His Jewish remnant sealed to protect them from the wrath of the evil one, and from the 7 trumpets and 7 bowls of God's wrath that will follow after the time of the rapture.
Once again, for Christians, the rapture will truly be a time of deliverance as well as for the 144,000 Jews being sealed for their protection. To the believers who have gone on before us and those alive, it will be a time of receiving our incorruptible bodies. Sometimes people forget or some perhaps do not realize, but in Matthew 25:31-46, we see it is not just the harvest of the sheep but also of the goats. It is the beginning of their judgment. To the lost, it will be the beginning of God's judgment and wrath. And to the devil, Antichrist and false prophet, their reign is all but over. They will be allowed to continue in a certain measure until Armageddon, whereupon the devil will be bound for a thousand years and the Antichrist and false prophet will be captured and thrown into the lake of fire. (For more understanding on these thoughts, some good articles are Every Eye Will See Him, Every Knee Will Bow, Mid Tribulation Rapture Timeline Chart, Mid Tribulation Rapture Bible Verses).
In closing, here are the other occurrences in the Bible, where the original Greek word “harpázō” has been used.
- Matthew 11:12 “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.”
- Matthew 12:29 “Or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house”
- Matthew 13:19 “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart.”
- John 6:15 Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.
- John 10:12 “But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them."
- John 10:28-29 “And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.”
- Acts 23:10 Now when there arose a great dissension, the commander, fearing lest Paul might be pulled to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the barracks.
- Jude 1:23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.
OTHER "BASIC RAPTURE" ARTICLES
WHAT IS THE RAPTURE?
Understanding the concept of biblical rapture.
RAPTURE VIEWS
Understanding pre, mid & post tribulation, millennial views, preterism & more.
MYSTERY OF THE SEVENTY WEEKS OF YEARS
A prophecy in Daniel foretold the coming of Christ & also the concept of the "last week of years" is derived; sometimes called "the 7 year tribulation."
TRIBULATION & WRATH OF GOD
Understanding what really happens during the last 7 years of this age.
TRIBULATION & WRATH, BIBLICAL DEFINITIONS & USAGE
A word study taking a deeper look at original context.
THE BEST BIBLICAL MINDSET FOR LIVING IN THE LAST DAYS
As shown in 1 and 2 Thessalonians.
MID TRIBULATION RAPTURE ARTICLES
MID TRIBULATION RAPTURE
Understanding how the rapture happens in the middle of the last week of years & its magnitude.
MID TRIBULATION, WHY 3 1/2 YEARS?
The Bible actually says how long the terms of the Antichrist and Two Witnesses are, which confirms what the people of earth will go through also.
MID TRIBULATION RAPTURE BIBLE VERSES
The mid tribulation rapture as shown with Bible verses listed chronologically and with light commentary.
MID TRIBULATION RAPTURE TIMELINE
An easy to understand timeline with important events from the beginning of the 7 years through the Millennium.
RAPTURE - END TIMES ARTICLES
MAIN MENU - ENGLISH VERSION
Copyright 2014, revised Sept 2016 E. Cockrell May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.