What does πρωτεύω (prōteúō) mean in the Bible?
πρωτεύω (prōteúō) is a Greek word meaning "to be first (in rank or influence)".
Greek · G4409
πρωτεύω
To be first (in rank or influence)
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through the Connect page. Screenshots are helpful.
πρωτεύω G4409
Pronunciation prōteúō
What does πρωτεύω (prōteúō) mean in the Bible?
πρωτεύω (prōteúō) is a Greek word meaning "to be first (in rank or influence)".
Full entry for πρωτεύω (G4409) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G4409?
The BSB source-word alignment has 1 aligned row for this entry. Common renderings include have preeminence (1).
Where does πρωτεύω (prōteúō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Colossians 1:18. Its strongest book concentrations include Colossians (1).
Are there verse guides for πρωτεύω (prōteúō)?
This entry includes 1 verse guide that explain exact original-language forms in context.
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 have preeminence 1× Colossians 1:18
Show sample aligned rows
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Colossians 1:18
Aligned rows 1
Books represented 1
Colossians 1
Source forms
πρωτεύων 1x prōteuōn Colossians 1:18
Parsing patterns
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular 1x Colossians 1:18
Key Verse and Form Guides
Verse-level guides showing how this original-language form works in its specific context, including grammar, verse function, and guarded interpretation.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. to be first (in rank or influence)
Source Gloss
to be first (in rank or influence)
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
1 Greek text appearance shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
prwteuwn
I have preeminence, am chief
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 1 Aligned forms 1 Tenses Present Voices Active
Tenses
Voices
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 1 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
present 1
Voice
active 1
Mood
participle 1
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
πρωτεύω is built from this root:
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