Keraia
Lexicon

ζητέω

zēteōto seekHow to read Greek
greekNew TestamentVerb117 occurrences16 books114 verses

Definition

ζητέω, -ῶ,

[in LXX chiefly for בּקשׁ pi., also for דּרשׁ, etc. ;]

1. to seek, seek for: Matthew 7:7, 8 Luke 11:9, 10; with accusative of person(s), Mark 1:37, Luke 2:48, John 6:24, al.; id. before ἐν, Acts 9:11; with accusative of thing(s), Matthew 13:45, Luke 19:10; before ἐν, Luke 13:6, 7; ψυχήν, of plotting against one's life ( Exodus 4:19, al.), Matthew 2:20, Romans 11:3" (LXX) . Metaphorical, to seek by thinking, search after, inquire into: Mark 11:18, Luke 12:28, John 16:19; τ. θεόν, Acts 17:27.

2. to seek or strive after, desire: Matthew 12:46, Mark 12:12, Luke 9:9, John 5:18, Romans 10:3, al.; τ. θάνατον, Revelation 9:6; τ. βασιλείαν τ. θεοῦ, Matthew 6:33 (Dalman, Words, 121f.); τὰ ἄνω, Colossians 3:1; εἰρήνην, 1 Peter 3:11 (LXX).

3. to require, demand: with accusative of thing(s), Mark 8:12, Luke 11:29, 1 Corinthians 1:22, 2 Corinthians 13:3; before παρά, Mark 8:11, al.; ἵνα, 1 Corinthians 4:2 (cf. ἀνα-, ἐκ-, ἐπι-, συν-ζητέω).

Hebrew words it translates

The Hebrew words that the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament renders as ζητέω:

Usage patterns

Old TestamentNew Testament

Occurrences

117 total
  1. Matthew 2:13ζητεῖν · to search for
    When the Magi had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up!” he said. “Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the Child to kill Him.”
  2. Matthew 2:20ζητοῦντες · seeking
    “Get up!” he said. “Take the Child and His mother and go to the land of Israel, for those seeking the Child’s life are now dead.”
  3. Matthew 6:33ζητεῖτε · seek
    But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.
  4. Matthew 7:7ζητεῖτε · seek
    Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.
  5. Matthew 7:8ζητῶν · seeks
    For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
  6. Matthew 12:43ζητοῦν · seeking
    When an unclean spirit comes out of a man, it passes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it.
  7. Matthew 12:46ζητοῦντες · wanting
    While Jesus was still speaking to the crowds, His mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to Him.
  8. Matthew 12:47ζητοῦντές · wanting
    Someone told Him, “Look, Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to You.”
  9. Matthew 13:45ζητοῦντι · in search of
    Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls.
  10. Matthew 18:12ζητεῖ · to search for
    What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost?
  11. Matthew 21:46ζητοῦντες · they wanted
    Although they wanted to arrest Him, they were afraid of the crowds, because the people regarded Him as a prophet.
  12. Matthew 26:16ἐζήτει · [Judas] looked for
    So from then on Judas looked for an opportunity to betray Jesus.
  13. Matthew 26:59ἐζήτουν · were seeking
    Now the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were seeking false testimony against Jesus in order to put Him to death.
  14. Matthew 28:5ζητεῖτε · are looking for
    But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.
  15. Mark 1:37ζητοῦσίν · is looking for
    …and when they found Him, they said, “Everyone is looking for You!”
  16. Mark 3:32ζητοῦσίν · asking for
    …and a crowd was sitting around Him. “Look,” He was told, “Your mother and brothers are outside, asking for You.”
  17. Mark 8:11ζητοῦντες · [by] demanding
    Then the Pharisees came and began to argue with Jesus, testing Him by demanding from Him a sign from heaven.
  18. Mark 8:12ζητεῖ · demand
    Jesus sighed deeply in His spirit and said, “Why does this generation demand a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.”
  19. Mark 11:18ἐζήτουν · they looked for
    When the chief priests and scribes heard this, they looked for a way to kill Him. For they were afraid of Him, because the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.
  20. Mark 12:12ἐζήτουν · [the leaders] sought
    At this, the leaders sought to arrest Jesus, for they knew that He had spoken this parable against them. But fearing the crowd, they left Him and went away.
  21. Mark 14:1ἐζήτουν · were looking for
    Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were two days away, and the chief priests and scribes were looking for a covert way to arrest Jesus and kill Him.
  22. Mark 14:11ἐζήτει · [Judas] began to look for
    They were delighted to hear this, and they promised to give him money. So Judas began to look for an opportunity to betray Jesus.
  23. Mark 14:55ἐζήτουν · were seeking
    Now the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were seeking testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but they did not find any.
  24. Mark 16:6ζητεῖτε · You are looking for
    But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here! See the place where they put Him.
  25. Luke 2:48ἐζητοῦμέν · have been anxiously searching
    When His parents saw Him, they were astonished. “Child, why have You done this to us?” His mother asked. “Your father and I have been anxiously searching for You.”
  26. Luke 2:49ἐζητεῖτέ · were you looking for
    “Why were you looking for Me?” He asked. “Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?”
  27. Luke 5:18ἐζήτουν · They tried
    Just then some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They tried to bring him inside to set him before Jesus,
  28. Luke 6:19ἐζήτουν · was trying
    The entire crowd was trying to touch Him, because power was coming from Him and healing them all.
  29. Luke 9:9ἐζήτει · he kept trying
    “I beheaded John,” Herod said, “but who is this man I hear such things about?” And he kept trying to see Jesus.
  30. Luke 11:9ζητεῖτε · seek
    So I tell you: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.
  31. Luke 11:10ζητῶν · seeks
    For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
  32. Luke 11:16ἐζήτουν · by demanding
    And others tested Him by demanding a sign from heaven.
  33. Luke 11:24ζητοῦν · seeking
    When an unclean spirit comes out of a man, it passes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’
  34. Luke 11:29ζητεῖ · It demands
    As the crowds were increasing, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.
  35. Luke 12:29ζητεῖτε · be concerned about
    And do not be concerned about what you will eat or drink. Do not worry about it.
  36. Luke 12:31ζητεῖτε · seek
    But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added unto you.
  37. Luke 12:48ζητηθήσεται · will be required
    But the one who unknowingly does things worthy of punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from him who has been entrusted with much, even more will be demanded.
  38. Luke 13:6ζητῶν · to look for
    Then Jesus told this parable: “A man had a fig tree that was planted in his vineyard. He went to look for fruit on it but did not find any.
  39. Luke 13:7ζητῶν · to search for
    So he said to the keeper of the vineyard, ‘Look, for the past three years I have come to search for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Therefore cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’
  40. Luke 13:24ζητήσουσιν · will try
    “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able.
  41. Luke 15:8ζητεῖ · search
    Or what woman who has ten silver coins and loses one of them does not light a lamp, sweep her house, and search carefully until she finds it?
  42. Luke 17:33ζητήσῃ · tries
    Whoever tries to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it.
  43. Luke 19:3ἐζήτει · He was trying
    He was trying to see who Jesus was, but could not see over the crowd because he was small in stature.
  44. Luke 19:10ζητῆσαι · to seek
    For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
  45. Luke 19:47ἐζήτουν · were intent
    Jesus was teaching at the temple every day, but the chief priests, scribes, and leaders of the people were intent on killing Him.
  46. Luke 20:19ἐζήτησαν · they sought
    When the scribes and chief priests realized that Jesus had spoken this parable against them, they sought to arrest Him that very hour. But they were afraid of the people.
  47. Luke 22:2ἐζήτουν · were looking
    …and the chief priests and scribes were looking for a way to put Jesus to death, for they feared the people.
  48. Luke 22:6ἐζήτει · began to look for
    Judas consented, and began to look for an opportunity to betray Jesus to them in the absence of a crowd.
  49. Luke 24:5ζητεῖτε · do you look for
    As the women bowed their faces to the ground in terror, the two men asked them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?
  50. John 1:38ζητεῖτε · do you want
    Jesus turned and saw them following. “What do you want?” He asked. They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are You staying?”