Greek · G2212, G4046, G5590 · unreviewed
ζητήσῃ ... περιποιήσασθαι τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ
To seek · to gain · soul
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Words in this compound — expand to study each participant
ζητέω G2212 to seek
Pronunciation zētéō
To seek actively and intentionally, often implying desire, striving, or demanding rather than passive searching.
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περιποιέομαι G4046 to gain
Pronunciation peripoiéomai
To preserve or gain something by deliberate action, emphasizing possession acquired for oneself.
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ψυχή G5590 soul
Pronunciation psychḗ
The animating life-principle that encompasses will, desires, and affections as the seat of personal identity
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What does ζητήσῃ ... περιποιήσασθαι τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ (zētēsē ... peripoiēsasthai tēn psychēn autou) mean in the Bible?
ζητέω · περιποιέομαι · ψυχή is a Greek word meaning "seeks to preserve/acquire his life".
Full entry for ζητήσῃ ... περιποιήσασθαι τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ (G2212, G4046, G5590) · Browse the biblical lexicon
Meaning
seeks to preserve/acquire his life
Grammatical Forms
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
Tenses
Voices
Indicative states a fact or reality 75×
Present Active Matt 28:5 · Mark 16:6 · Luke 24:5 · John 1:38 · John 5:44 · John 6:26 · John 7:19 · John 8:37 · John 8:40 · John 16:19 · John 18:4 · John 18:7 · John 18:8 · Acts 10:21 · 2 Cor 13:3 · Matt 18:12 36×
Imperfect Active Matt 26:59 · Mark 11:18 · Mark 12:12 · Mark 14:1 · Mark 14:55 · Luke 5:18 · Luke 6:19 · Luke 11:16 · Luke 19:47 · Luke 22:2 · John 5:18 · John 7:1 · John 7:11 · John 7:30 · John 10:39 · John 11:8 27×
Future Active John 7:34 · John 7:36 · John 8:21 · John 13:33 · Luke 13:24 · Rev 9:6 6×
Aorist Active Luke 20:19 · Acts 16:10 · 2 Tim 1:17 3×
Future Passive Luke 12:48 1×
Present Passive 1 Cor 4:2 1×
Imperfect Passive Heb 8:7 1×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 26×
Present Active Matt 2:20 · Matt 12:46 · Matt 12:47 · Matt 21:46 · Mark 8:11 · John 6:24 · Acts 10:19 · Rom 10:3 · Gal 2:17 · 1 Thess 2:6 · Matt 7:8 · Luke 11:10 · Luke 13:6 · Luke 13:7 · John 7:18 · John 8:50 26×
Imperative command or strong request 12×
Present Active Matt 6:33 · Matt 7:7 · Luke 11:9 · Luke 12:29 · Luke 12:31 · 1 Cor 14:12 · Col 3:1 · 1 Cor 7:27 · 1 Cor 10:24 10×
Aorist Active Acts 9:11 · 1 Pet 3:11 2×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 3×
Present Active Matt 2:13 · Acts 17:27 2×
Aorist Active Luke 19:10 1×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 1×
Aorist Active Luke 17:33 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 116 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
present 75 imperfect 28 future 7 aorist 6
Voice
active 113 passive 3
Mood
indicative 75 participle 26 imperative 12 infinitive 2 subjunctive 1
NT Occurrences
Matthew 2:13 ζητεῖν present active infinitive infinitive Matthew 2:20 ζητοῦντες present active participle participle Matthew 6:33 ζητεῖτε present active imperative imperative Matthew 7:7 ζητεῖτε present active imperative imperative Matthew 7:8 ζητῶν present active participle participle Matthew 12:43 ζητοῦν present active participle participle Matthew 12:46 ζητοῦντες present active participle participle Matthew 12:47 ζητοῦντές present active participle participle Matthew 13:45 ζητοῦντι present active participle participle Matthew 18:12 ζητεῖ present active indicative ongoing Matthew 21:46 ζητοῦντες present active participle participle Matthew 26:16 ἐζήτει imperfect active indicative background Matthew 26:59 ἐζήτουν imperfect active indicative background Matthew 28:5 ζητεῖτε present active indicative ongoing Mark 1:37 ζητοῦσίν present active indicative ongoing Mark 3:32 ζητοῦσίν present active indicative ongoing Mark 8:11 ζητοῦντες present active participle participle Mark 8:12 ζητεῖ present active indicative ongoing Mark 11:18 ἐζήτουν imperfect active indicative background Mark 12:12 ἐζήτουν imperfect active indicative background Mark 14:1 ἐζήτουν imperfect active indicative background Mark 14:11 ἐζήτει imperfect active indicative background Mark 14:55 ἐζήτουν imperfect active indicative background Mark 16:6 ζητεῖτε present active indicative ongoing Luke 2:48 ἐζητοῦμέν imperfect active indicative background Luke 2:49 ἐζητεῖτέ imperfect active indicative background Luke 5:18 ἐζήτουν imperfect active indicative background Luke 6:19 ἐζήτουν imperfect active indicative background Luke 9:9 ἐζήτει imperfect active indicative background Luke 11:10 ζητῶν present active participle participle Luke 11:16 ἐζήτουν imperfect active indicative background Luke 11:24 ζητοῦν present active participle participle Luke 11:29 ζητεῖ present active indicative ongoing Luke 11:9 ζητεῖτε present active imperative imperative Luke 12:29 ζητεῖτε present active imperative imperative Luke 12:31 ζητεῖτε present active imperative imperative Luke 12:48 ζητηθήσεται future passive indicative prospective Luke 13:24 ζητήσουσιν future active indicative prospective Luke 13:6 ζητῶν present active participle participle Luke 13:7 ζητῶν present active participle participle
+76 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)
Cross-Language Connections
Hebrew roots and equivalents that share conceptual or etymological ground with this Greek word.
נֶפֶשׁ nafsho H5315 Related Hebrew
properly, a breathing creature , i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality ; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)
רוּחַ rûaḥ H7307 Related Hebrew
wind ; by resemblance breath , i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation ; figuratively, life , anger , unsubstantiality ; by extension, a region of the sky ; by resemblance spirit , but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions)
חַי ḥay H2416 Related Hebrew
alive ; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong ; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figuratively
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.
1 Corinthians 10 — Learn from Israel, Flee Idolatry, and Seek the Good of Others for God’s Glory 1 Corinthians 13 — The More Excellent Way of Love Acts 17 — The Gospel Reasoned from Scripture and Proclaimed to the Nations Acts 20 — Paul’s Farewell Charge to Shepherd the Church of God Acts 27 — The Storm, the Shipwreck, and the Promise of God Colossians 3 — Raised with Christ: Putting Off the Old Life and Putting On the New John 10 — The Good Shepherd, the Door, and the Son One with the Father John 12 — The Anointed King, the Lifted-Up Son of Man, and the Hour of Glory John 13 — The Servant-Lord, the Washed Disciples, and the New Command of Love John 15 — The True Vine, Abiding Fruitfulness, Christlike Love, and the World’s Hatred John 18 — The Arrested King: Betrayal, Sovereign Surrender, Denial, Trial, and the Kingdom Not of This World John 20 — The Risen Lord: Empty Tomb, Eyewitness Faith, Peace, Mission, Spirit, Thomas, and the Purpose of the Gospel John 7 — The Feast, the Divided Crowd, and the Living Water of Jesus Luke 11 — Prayer, Kingdom Conflict, True Hearing, and the Exposure of Hypocrisy Luke 12 — Fear God, Confess Christ, Seek the Kingdom, and Be Ready Luke 17 — Faithful Servants, Grateful Cleansing, and the Coming Kingdom Luke 19 — The Son of Man Seeks the Lost, Receives the Kingly Kingdom, and Weeps over Jerusalem Luke 6 — The Lord of the Sabbath Forms a Kingdom People Luke 9 — The Christ Revealed, the Cross Announced, and the Jerusalem Road Begun Mark 10 — The Way of the Servant King: Marriage, Children, Wealth, Cross, Ransom, and Sight Mark 12 — The Rejected Son, the Greatest Commandment, the Lord of David, and the Widow’s Offering Mark 3 — The Servant-King Confronted: Sabbath Mercy, Demonic Accusation, and the Family of God Mark 8 — Seeing Jesus Clearly: Bread, Blindness, Confession, Cross, and Discipleship Matthew 10 — The Mission of the Twelve, Costly Witness, and Allegiance to Christ Matthew 16 — The Confession of the Christ, the Church Christ Builds, and the Cross-Shaped Way of Discipleship Matthew 18 — Kingdom Humility, Care for the Little Ones, Discipline, and Forgiveness in Christ’s Community Matthew 20 — The First-Last Kingdom, the Ransom-Giving Son of Man, and Mercy for the Blind Matthew 22 — The Wedding Banquet, the King’s Invitation, and the Messiah Who Is David’s Lord Matthew 6 — Hidden Righteousness, the Father’s Reward, and Seeking First the Kingdom Matthew 7 — Kingdom Discernment, the Narrow Way, and the Wise Builder Philippians 2 — The Mind of Christ and the Humility of Gospel Witness Romans 13 — Submission to Governing Authorities, Love as the Fulfillment of the Law, and Life in the Light of the Coming Day
A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain