What does τίς · ζητέω mean in the Bible?
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Greek · G5101, G2212
Τίνα ζητεῖτε;
An interrogative pronoun, who, which or what (in direct or indirect questions) · to seek
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Words in this compound — expand to study each participant
τίςG5101an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what (in direct or indirect questions)
Pronunciationtís
Direct question marker functioning as substantive, adjective, or adverb; rhetorical form often implies negation.
Open lexicon entry →ζητέωG2212to seek
Pronunciationzētéō
To seek actively and intentionally, often implying desire, striving, or demanding rather than passive searching.
Open lexicon entry →What does Τίνα ζητεῖτε; (Tina zēteite?) mean in the Bible?
τίς · ζητέω is a Greek phrase meaning "Whom are you seeking?".
Full entry for Τίνα ζητεῖτε; (G5101, G2212) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How many biblical occurrences are listed for G5101, G2212?
G5101, G2212 is connected to 554 lexical occurrence verses in the lexicon data.
Evidence Summary
Greek phrase. Whom are you seeking?
Source Gloss
Whom are you seeking?
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
This word appears as a noun across 10 case and number patterns. The form changes show how the word functions in a sentence; they do not change the basic lexical meaning by themselves.
Form patterns10Aligned forms554Case patternNominative (231)Number patternSingular (246)
Nominative · Singular · MasculineMatt 3:7 · Matt 6:27 · Matt 7:9 · Matt 10:11 · Matt 12:11 · Matt 18:1 · Matt 19:25 · Matt 21:10 · Matt 21:23 · Matt 21:31 · Matt 23:17 · Matt 24:45 · Matt 26:68 · Mark 1:24 · Mark 2:7 · Mark 4:41126×
Nominative · Singular · NeuterMatt 8:29 · Matt 9:5 · Matt 9:13 · Matt 12:7 · Matt 17:25 · Matt 18:12 · Matt 19:27 · Matt 21:28 · Matt 22:17 · Matt 22:42 · Matt 23:19 · Matt 24:3 · Matt 26:66 · Matt 27:4 · Mark 1:24 · Mark 1:2777×
Nominative · Singular · FeminineMatt 12:48 · Mark 3:33 · Mark 6:2 · Luke 7:39 · Luke 8:9 · Luke 15:8 · Acts 10:21 · Acts 17:19 · Rom 3:1 · Rom 11:15 · 2 Cor 6:14 · 2 Cor 6:15 · 2 Cor 6:16 · Eph 1:18 · Eph 3:9 · 1 Thess 2:1920×
Nominative · Plural · MasculineMatt 12:48 · Luke 24:17 · John 6:64 · Acts 19:15 · Heb 3:16 · Rev 7:136×
Nominative · Plural · NeuterJohn 10:6 · Acts 17:202×
Genitive · Singular · MasculineMatt 22:20 · Matt 22:28 · Matt 22:42 · Mark 12:16 · Mark 12:23 · Luke 14:5 · Luke 20:24 · Luke 20:33 · John 13:22 · John 19:24 · Acts 8:3411×
Genitive · Plural · MasculineMatt 17:25 · 2 Tim 3:142×
Genitive · Singular · NeuterActs 19:32 · 1 John 3:122×
Genitive · Plural · Neuter1 Tim 1:71×
Dative · Singular · NeuterMatt 5:13 · Matt 11:16 · Mark 9:50 · Luke 7:31 · Luke 13:18 · Luke 13:20 · Luke 14:34 · Acts 4:910×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 116 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
present75imperfect28future7aorist6
Voice
active113passive3
Mood
indicative75participle26imperative12infinitive2subjunctive1
NT Occurrences
Matthew 2:13ζητεῖνpresent active infinitiveinfinitiveMatthew 2:20ζητοῦντεςpresent active participleparticipleMatthew 6:33ζητεῖτεpresent active imperativeimperativeMatthew 7:7ζητεῖτεpresent active imperativeimperativeMatthew 7:8ζητῶνpresent active participleparticipleMatthew 12:43ζητοῦνpresent active participleparticipleMatthew 12:46ζητοῦντεςpresent active participleparticipleMatthew 12:47ζητοῦντέςpresent active participleparticipleMatthew 13:45ζητοῦντιpresent active participleparticipleMatthew 18:12ζητεῖpresent active indicativeongoingMatthew 21:46ζητοῦντεςpresent active participleparticipleMatthew 26:16ἐζήτειimperfect active indicativebackgroundMatthew 26:59ἐζήτουνimperfect active indicativebackgroundMatthew 28:5ζητεῖτεpresent active indicativeongoingMark 1:37ζητοῦσίνpresent active indicativeongoingMark 3:32ζητοῦσίνpresent active indicativeongoingMark 8:11ζητοῦντεςpresent active participleparticipleMark 8:12ζητεῖpresent active indicativeongoingMark 11:18ἐζήτουνimperfect active indicativebackgroundMark 12:12ἐζήτουνimperfect active indicativebackgroundMark 14:1ἐζήτουνimperfect active indicativebackgroundMark 14:11ἐζήτειimperfect active indicativebackgroundMark 14:55ἐζήτουνimperfect active indicativebackgroundMark 16:6ζητεῖτεpresent active indicativeongoingLuke 2:48ἐζητοῦμένimperfect active indicativebackgroundLuke 2:49ἐζητεῖτέimperfect active indicativebackgroundLuke 5:18ἐζήτουνimperfect active indicativebackgroundLuke 6:19ἐζήτουνimperfect active indicativebackgroundLuke 9:9ἐζήτειimperfect active indicativebackgroundLuke 11:10ζητῶνpresent active participleparticipleLuke 11:16ἐζήτουνimperfect active indicativebackgroundLuke 11:24ζητοῦνpresent active participleparticipleLuke 11:29ζητεῖpresent active indicativeongoingLuke 11:9ζητεῖτεpresent active imperativeimperativeLuke 12:29ζητεῖτεpresent active imperativeimperativeLuke 12:31ζητεῖτεpresent active imperativeimperativeLuke 12:48ζητηθήσεταιfuture passive indicativeprospectiveLuke 13:24ζητήσουσινfuture active indicativeprospectiveLuke 13:6ζητῶνpresent active participleparticipleLuke 13:7ζητῶνpresent active participleparticiple+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)
Word Origins
Τίνα ζητεῖτε; is built from this root: