5034 - tachei
Strong: Noun - speed, quickness, hastily, immediately. Brief space of time.
HELPS: Noun - swiftness (speed) i.e. done as quickly as is appropriate to the particular situation.
5030 - tacheos
Strong: Adverb - quickly, hastily, briefly (in time), speedily, or (in manner) rapidly - hastily, quickly, shortly, soon, suddenly.
HELPS: Adverb - swiftly (quickly, forthwith); speedily, to the extent the conditions make appropriate; promptly.
Verses where tachei or tacheos is translated as ‘shortly’ (NWT 2013)
Acts 25:4
However, Festus answered that Paul was to be kept in Caesarea and that he himself was about to go back there [5034] shortly.
Festus, the Roman Governor, was at this moment in Jerusalem. Verse 6 tells us that he ‘spent not more than eight or ten days among them’ before returning to Caesarea. In this instance ‘shortly’ meant just that – a week or so.
1 Corinthians 4:19
But I will come to you [5030] shortly, if Jehovah wills, and I will get to know, not the speech of those who are puffed up with pride, but their power.
The first to the Corinthians was written from Ephesus during his third missionary journey. This journey to Corinth he intended to make in the near future, in the days, weeks and months to come. It was imminent.
Philippians 2:19
Now I am hoping in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you [5030] shortly, so that I may be encouraged when I receive news about you.
Sending Timothy at some distant and far off time would have been of little encouragement to the Philippians. ‘[He] is the one I am hoping to send just as soon as I see how things turn out for me… I myself will also come [5030] soon.’ (v23-24). In the meantime Epaphroditus was to be sent with ‘greatest urgency’ – possibly had already departed (v28). Again, Paul is referring to some very short time span.
1 Timothy 3:14
I am writing you these things, though I am hoping to come to you [5034] shortly, but in case I am delayed…
Paul is imparting to his friend Timothy instructions that he would find valuable. He would prefer to do this in person, and indeed he yet might, but in case of events beyond his control…
2 Timothy 4:9
Do your utmost to come to me [5030] shortly.
Paul is in prison. He knows that he will soon die. This is his valedictory letter to a beloved friend. But he hasn’t given up on life. It seems that he was arrested unexpectedly at Troas and does not have the scrolls and his cloak. He has work to do, but he is cold and Timothy needs to arrive as soon as possible.
'Shortly' is also found in these following verses: Romans 16:20 [5034], Revelation 1:1 [5034], 22:6 [5034]. Luke 8:1 is a very different word and for accuracy ought to be translated some other way.
Verses where tachei or tacheos is translated as ‘quickly’ (NWT 2013)
Luke 14:21
So the slave came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his slave, ‘Go out [5030] quickly to the main streets and the alleys of the city, and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’
The parable of the grand evening meal and the ungrateful invitees. Everything was prepared and ready so ‘quickly’ meant ‘do it now’!
Luke 16:6
He replied, ‘A hundred measures of olive oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take back your written agreement and sit down and [5030] quickly write 50.’
The parable of the wasteful steward. He also meant ‘do it now’.
John 11:31
When the Jews who were with Mary in the house consoling her saw her get up [5030] quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there.
Following the death of her brother Lazarus, Mary rose with haste.
Acts 12:7
But look! Jehovah’s angel was standing there, and a light shone in the prison cell. Hitting Peter on the side, he woke him, saying: ‘Get up [5034] quickly!’ And the chains fell off his hands.
Peter was in prison. He was being rescued in a divine jail-break. There was no time to dawdle. ‘Get up right now, this instant’ was the message.
Acts 22:18
and saw him saying to me: ‘Hurry up and get out of Jerusalem [5034] quickly, because they will not accept your witness concerning me.’
Paul in Jerusalem, the whole city in uproar by the instigation of Jews from Asia, was making his defence. In recounting his conversion from insolent man to apostle, Jesus told him to leave Jerusalem as his life was in danger. The message? Go now!
Galatians 1:6
I am amazed that you are so [5030] quickly turning away from the One who called you with Christ’s undeserved kindness to another sort of good news.
2 Thessalonians 2:2
not to be [5030] quickly shaken from your reason nor to be alarmed either by an inspired statement or by a spoken message or by a letter appearing to be from us, to the effect that the day of Jehovah is here.
Here we have two verses where ‘quickly’ is used in a less definite manner. That the second letter to Thessalonica was sent so soon (possibly within a year) after the first suggests an unintended effect caused by the first. Likewise with that to the Galatians, it was amongst his first letters. He had visited Galatia on both his second and third missionary journeys. It seems likely that the letter was written actually on his second trip (from Corinth or Antioch), thereby giving some indication of what he meant by ‘quickly’.
Two other instances:
Luke 18:8
I tell you, he will cause justice to be done to them [5034] speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man arrives, will he really find this faith on the earth?’
The parable of the unrighteous judge and the annoying widow who received justice through persistence. In contrast God causes justice to be issued speedily!
1 Timothy 5:22
Never lay your hands [5030] hastily on any man; neither become a sharer in the sins of others; keep yourself chaste.
Instructions to Timothy. Do not make appointments hastily.
So how are we to understand the use of tachei (shortly) at Romans 16:20, Revelation 1:1 and at 22:6 given that almost two millenia have passed since being written? Updates to follow, one hopes!
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