What does ἐπιζητέω (epizētéō) mean in the Bible?
ἐπιζητέω (epizētéō) is a Greek word meaning "to search (inquire) for; intensively, to demand, to crave".
Greek · G1934
ἐπιζητέω
To search (inquire) for; intensively, to demand, to crave
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ἐπιζητέω G1934
Pronunciation epizētéō
What does ἐπιζητέω (epizētéō) mean in the Bible?
ἐπιζητέω (epizētéō) is a Greek word meaning "to search (inquire) for; intensively, to demand, to crave".
Full entry for ἐπιζητέω (G1934) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G1934?
The BSB source-word alignment has 13 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include demands (2), strive after (2), because he wanted (1), had searched (1), I am looking for (1).
Where does ἐπιζητέω (epizētéō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 6:32. Its strongest book concentrations include Acts (3), Matthew (3), Hebrews (2), Luke (2).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It demands 2× Matthew 12:39, Matthew 16:4
strive after 2× Matthew 6:32, Luke 12:30
because he wanted 1× Acts 13:7
had searched 1× Acts 12:19
I am looking for 1× Philippians 4:17
I am seeking 1× Philippians 4:17
they are seeking 1× Hebrews 11:14
was seeking 1× Romans 11:7
we are looking for 1× Hebrews 13:14
were looking for 1× Luke 4:42
you are seeking 1× Acts 19:39
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 6:32 ἐπιζητοῦσιν to strive after Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural Matthew 12:39 ἐπιζητεῖ to demands Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Matthew 16:4 ἐπιζητεῖ to demands Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Luke 4:42 ἐπεζήτουν to were looking for Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural Luke 12:30 ἐπιζητοῦσιν to strive after Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural Acts 12:19 ἐπιζητήσας to had searched Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular Acts 13:7 ἐπεζήτησεν to because he wanted Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Acts 19:39 ἐπιζητεῖτε to you are seeking Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural Romans 11:7 ἐπιζητεῖ to was seeking Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Philippians 4:17 ἐπιζητῶ to I am seeking Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 6:32
Aligned rows 13
Books represented 6
Matthew 3 Luke 2 Acts 3 Romans 1 Philippians 2 Hebrews 2
Source forms
ἐπιζητεῖ 3x epizētei Matthew 12:39, Matthew 16:4, Romans 11:7
ἐπιζητοῦσιν 3x epizētousin Matthew 6:32, Luke 12:30, Hebrews 11:14
ἐπιζητῶ 2x epizētō Philippians 4:17
ἐπεζήτησεν 1x epezētēsen Acts 13:7
ἐπεζήτουν 1x epezētoun Luke 4:42
ἐπιζητεῖτε 1x epizēteite Acts 19:39
ἐπιζητήσας 1x epizētēsas Acts 12:19
ἐπιζητοῦμεν 1x epizētoumen Hebrews 13:14
Parsing patterns
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural 3x Matthew 6:32, Luke 12:30, Hebrews 11:14
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 3x Matthew 12:39, Matthew 16:4, Romans 11:7
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular 2x Philippians 4:17
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 1x Acts 13:7
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular 1x Acts 12:19
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural 1x Luke 4:42
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural 1x Hebrews 13:14
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural 1x Acts 19:39
Evidence Summary
Greek word. to search (inquire) for; intensively, to demand, to crave
Strong's G1934
Lexical occurrences 13 verses Greek text appearances 14 times Word forms 2 forms 13 references Verse guides 0 guides
Source Gloss
to search (inquire) for; intensively, to demand, to crave
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
14 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 6:32 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
ἐπιζητεῖ· epizhtei
I seek after, desire, search for
Read verse Matthew 12:39 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
ἐπιζητεῖ· epizhtei
I seek after, desire, search for
Read verse Matthew 16:4 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
ἐπιζητεῖ· epizhtei
I seek after, desire, search for
Read verse Mark 8:12 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
ἐπιζητεῖ; epizhtei
I seek after, desire, search for
Read verse Luke 11:29 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
ἐπιζητεῖ, epizhtei
I seek after, desire, search for
Read verse Luke 12:30 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
ἐπιζητεῖ· epizhtei
I seek after, desire, search for
Read verse Acts 12:19 Verb Aorist Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
ἐπιζητήσας epizhthsav
I seek after, desire, search for
Read verse Acts 13:7 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἐπεζήτησεν epezhthsen
I seek after, desire, search for
Read verse Acts 19:39 Verb Second Person Plural Present Active Indicative
ἐπιζητεῖτε, epizhteite
I seek after, desire, search for
Read verse Romans 11:7 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
ἐπιζητεῖ epizhtei
I seek after, desire, search for
Read verse Philippians 4:17 Verb First Person Singular Present Active Indicative
ἐπιζητῶ epizhtw
I seek after, desire, search for
Read verse Philippians 4:17 Verb First Person Singular Present Active Indicative
ἐπιζητῶ epizhtw
I seek after, desire, search for
Read verse Hebrews 11:14 Verb Third Person Plural Present Active Indicative
ἐπιζητοῦσι. epizhtousin
I seek after, desire, search for
Read verse Hebrews 13:14 Verb First Person Plural Present Active Indicative
ἐπιζητοῦμεν. epizhtoumen
I seek after, desire, search for
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Grammatical Forms
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 2 Aligned forms 13 Tenses Present, Imperfect, Aorist Voices Active
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Indicative states a fact or reality 12×
Present Active Matt 6:32 · Luke 12:30 · Heb 11:14 · Matt 12:39 · Matt 16:4 · Rom 11:7 · Phil 4:17 · Acts 19:39 · Heb 13:14 10×
Imperfect Active Luke 4:42 1×
Aorist Active Acts 13:7 1×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 1×
Aorist Active Acts 12:19 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 13 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
present 10 aorist 2 imperfect 1
Voice
active 13
Mood
indicative 12 participle 1
NT Occurrences
Matthew 6:32 ἐπιζητοῦσιν present active indicative ongoing Matthew 12:39 ἐπιζητεῖ present active indicative ongoing Matthew 16:4 ἐπιζητεῖ present active indicative ongoing Luke 4:42 ἐπεζήτουν imperfect active indicative background Luke 12:30 ἐπιζητοῦσιν present active indicative ongoing Acts 12:19 ἐπιζητήσας aorist active participle participle Acts 13:7 ἐπεζήτησεν aorist active indicative completed Acts 19:39 ἐπιζητεῖτε present active indicative ongoing Romans 11:7 ἐπιζητεῖ present active indicative ongoing Philippians 4:17 ἐπιζητῶ present active indicative ongoing Philippians 4:17 ἐπιζητῶ present active indicative ongoing Hebrews 11:14 ἐπιζητοῦσιν present active indicative ongoing Hebrews 13:14 ἐπιζητοῦμεν present active indicative ongoing
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)
Word Origins
ἐπιζητέω is built from these roots:
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
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain