OliveGrove
Pressing the Word of God for Deeper Understanding.
Greek · G154 · unreviewed

αἰτέω

To ask (in genitive case)

These lexicon entries are being actively developed. If you notice missing content, incorrect definitions, or have suggestions, we'd love to hear from you. Share a note on our Connect page and include a screenshot if helpful.

αἰτέω G154
Pronunciation aitéō

What does αἰτέω (aitéō) mean in the Bible?

αἰτέω (aitéō) is a Greek word meaning "to ask (in genitive case)". αἰτέω, -ῶ, [in LXX chiefly for שׁאל ;] to ask, request: absol. Expresses dependent, ongoing petition rooted in sonship.

Full entry for αἰτέω (G154) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to ask (in genitive case)
Extended definition

To ask or request something, often with expectation of receiving it; distinguishable from ἐρωτάω.

to ask, request: absol., Mat.7:7, Jas.1:6; with accusative of person(s), Mat.5:42, Luk.6:30; with accusative of thing(s), before ἀπό, Mat.20:20, 1Jn.5:15; id. before παρά, Act.3:2, Jas.1:5; with dupl. accusative Mat.7:9, Mrk.6:22, Jhn.16:23. Mid. (on the distinction bet. mid. and act., see M, Pr., 160): absol., Mrk.15:8, Jhn.16:26, Jas.4:3; with accusative of thing(s), Mat.14:7, Mrk.6:24, al.; with accusative of person(s), Mat.27:20, Luk.23:25; with accusative of thing(s), before παρά, Act.9:2; with accusative and inf., Luk.23:23. with inf. Act.7:46, Eph.3:13 (cf. ἀπ-, ἐξ-, ἐπ-, παρ-, προσ- αιτέω).

Synonymsἐρωτάω, which see, πυνθάνομαι. On the proper distinction between these words, see Tr., Syn., § xl, Thayer, see word αἰ. In late Gk., however, αἰ. and ἐ. seem to have become practically synonymous (cf. Act.3:2,3; see Field, Notes, 101 f.; M, Th., I, 4:1; M, Pr., 66.n; MM, VGT, see word).
Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Why This Word Matters
Expresses dependent, ongoing petition rooted in sonship. Matthew 7:7–11
Grammatical Forms

How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.

Tenses
Aorist Future Present Imperfect Perfect
Voices
Middle Active
Indicative states a fact or reality 30×
Aorist Middle Matt 27:58 · Mark 6:25 · Mark 15:43 · Luke 23:52 · Acts 7:46 · Acts 9:2 · Acts 13:21 · Acts 13:28 · Acts 3:14 9×
Future Active Matt 7:9 · Matt 7:10 · Luke 11:11 · Luke 11:12 · 1 John 5:16 · Luke 12:48 6×
Present Middle Matt 20:22 · Mark 10:38 · Mark 11:24 · Jas 4:3 · Eph 3:13 · Eph 3:20 6×
Present Active John 4:9 · 1 Cor 1:22 · Jas 4:3 3×
Imperfect Middle Luke 23:25 · Acts 12:20 2×
Aorist Active John 4:10 · John 16:24 2×
Future Middle John 16:26 1×
Perfect Active 1 John 5:15 1×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 15×
Aorist Active Matt 21:22 · John 14:13 · John 14:14 · John 15:16 · John 16:23 · Mark 6:23 · Mark 10:35 7×
Aorist Middle Matt 18:19 · Matt 27:20 · Matt 14:7 · Mark 6:24 · John 11:22 5×
Present Middle 1 John 5:14 · 1 John 5:15 2×
Present Active 1 John 3:22 1×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 14×
Present Active Matt 5:42 · Luke 6:30 · 1 Pet 3:15 · Matt 7:8 · Luke 11:10 · Matt 7:11 · Luke 11:13 · Matt 20:20 8×
Present Middle Luke 23:23 · Acts 25:3 · Acts 25:15 · Col 1:9 4×
Aorist Active Luke 1:63 · Acts 16:29 2×
Imperative command or strong request 7×
Present Active Matt 7:7 · Luke 11:9 · John 16:24 · Jas 1:5 · Jas 1:6 5×
Aorist Active Mark 6:22 1×
Aorist Middle John 15:7 1×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 4×
Present Middle Mark 15:8 · Jas 4:2 2×
Aorist Active Matt 6:8 1×
Present Active Acts 3:2 1×
70 total occurrences across all forms in the biblical text Morphology: MorphGNT SBLGNT — CC BY-SA 3.0
Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 67 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect
completed 11 ongoing 7 prospective 7 resultant 1 imperative 7 background 2 subjunctive 15 infinitive 4 participle 13
Tense
present 29 aorist 28 future 7 imperfect 2 perfect 1
Voice
active 38 middle 29
Mood
indicative 28 subjunctive 15 participle 13 imperative 7 infinitive 4
NT Occurrences
Matthew 5:42 αἰτοῦντί present active participle participle Matthew 6:8 αἰτῆσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Matthew 7:10 αἰτήσει future active indicative prospective Matthew 7:11 αἰτοῦσιν present active participle participle Matthew 7:7 Αἰτεῖτε present active imperative imperative Matthew 7:8 αἰτῶν present active participle participle Matthew 7:9 αἰτήσει future active indicative prospective Matthew 14:7 αἰτήσηται aorist middle subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 18:19 αἰτήσωνται aorist middle subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 20:20 αἰτοῦσά present active participle participle Matthew 20:22 αἰτεῖσθε present middle indicative ongoing Matthew 21:22 αἰτήσητε aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 27:20 αἰτήσωνται aorist middle subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 27:58 ᾐτήσατο aorist middle indicative completed Mark 6:22 Αἴτησόν aorist active imperative imperative Mark 6:23 αἰτήσῃς aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Mark 6:24 αἰτήσωμαι aorist middle subjunctive subjunctive Mark 6:25 ᾐτήσατο aorist middle indicative completed Mark 10:35 αἰτήσωμέν aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Mark 10:38 αἰτεῖσθε present middle indicative ongoing Mark 15:43 ᾐτήσατο aorist middle indicative completed Mark 15:8 αἰτεῖσθαι present middle infinitive infinitive Luke 1:63 αἰτήσας aorist active participle participle Luke 6:30 αἰτοῦντί present active participle participle Luke 11:10 αἰτῶν present active participle participle Luke 11:11 αἰτήσει future active indicative prospective Luke 11:12 αἰτήσει future active indicative prospective Luke 11:13 αἰτοῦσιν present active participle participle Luke 11:9 αἰτεῖτε present active imperative imperative Luke 12:48 αἰτήσουσιν future active indicative prospective Luke 23:23 αἰτούμενοι present middle participle participle Luke 23:25 ᾐτοῦντο imperfect middle indicative background Luke 23:52 ᾐτήσατο aorist middle indicative completed John 4:10 ᾔτησας aorist active indicative completed John 4:9 αἰτεῖς present active indicative ongoing John 11:22 αἰτήσῃ aorist middle subjunctive subjunctive John 14:13 αἰτήσητε aorist active subjunctive subjunctive John 14:14 αἰτήσητέ aorist active subjunctive subjunctive John 15:16 αἰτήσητε aorist active subjunctive subjunctive John 15:7 αἰτήσασθε aorist middle imperative imperative +27 more occurrences

Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.

Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)

Biblical Occurrences

Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.

New Testament Witnesses
Matthew 7:7–11 αἰτέω aitéō Indicative · Future Active
to ask or request
Appears In

Compound and idiomatic lexemes in which this word is a constituent. Follow a link to study the phrase and its other participating words.

αἰτέω · χάρις G154, G5485
Ask a favor
ἐπαιτέω · αἰτέω G1871, G154
I am ashamed to beg
κακῶς · αἰτέω G2560, G154
to ask badly, wrongly, with evil motives
περισσότερος · αἰτέω G4055, G154
more will be asked, required
Word Pictures (Robertson)

A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.

Acts 25 — Paul Appeals to Caesar and Is Set Before Agrippa John 14 — The Way, the Truth, and the Life, the Father Revealed in the Son, and the Promise of the Spirit John 15 — The True Vine, Abiding Fruitfulness, Christlike Love, and the World’s Hatred John 16 — The Spirit’s Convicting Witness, the Disciples’ Sorrow Turned to Joy, and Christ’s Victory over the World Luke 11 — Prayer, Kingdom Conflict, True Hearing, and the Exposure of Hypocrisy Luke 12 — Fear God, Confess Christ, Seek the Kingdom, and Be Ready Matthew 18 — Kingdom Humility, Care for the Little Ones, Discipline, and Forgiveness in Christ’s Community Matthew 7 — Kingdom Discernment, the Narrow Way, and the Wise Builder

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

Sources

MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain

Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0

Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

Full license details