What does χειροτονέω (cheirotonéō) mean in the Bible?
χειροτονέω (cheirotonéō): Appoint by formal procedure, originally by raised-hand vote, later by authoritative designation without voting.
Greek · G5500
χειροτονέω
To appoint
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.
χειροτονέω G5500
Pronunciation cheirotonéō
What does χειροτονέω (cheirotonéō) mean in the Bible?
χειροτονέω (cheirotonéō): Appoint by formal procedure, originally by raised-hand vote, later by authoritative designation without voting.
Full entry for χειροτονέω (G5500) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G5500?
The BSB source-word alignment has 2 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include [Paul and Barnabas] appointed (1), [this brother] was chosen (1).
Where does χειροτονέω (cheirotonéō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Acts 14:23. Its strongest book concentrations include 2 Corinthians (1), Acts (1).
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 [Paul and Barnabas] appointed 1× Acts 14:23
[this brother] was chosen 1× 2 Corinthians 8:19
Show sample aligned rows
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Acts 14:23
Aligned rows 2
Books represented 2
Acts 1 2 Corinthians 1
Source forms
χειροτονηθεὶς 1x cheirotonētheis 2 Corinthians 8:19
Χειροτονήσαντες 1x Cheirotonēsantes Acts 14:23
Parsing patterns
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural 1x Acts 14:23
Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular 1x 2 Corinthians 8:19
Evidence Summary
Greek word. Appoint by formal procedure, originally by raised-hand vote, later by authoritative designation without voting.
Strong's G5500
Lexical occurrences 2 verses Greek text appearances 2 times Word forms 1 form 2 references Verse guides 0 guides
Source Gloss
to appoint
Extended definition Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Appoint by formal procedure, originally by raised-hand vote, later by authoritative designation without voting.
(χείρ, τείνω)
1to vote by stretching out the hand in the Athenian ἐκκλησία (Luc., Plut.).
2to appoint:
aby vote, 2Co.8:19
bwithout vote, Act.14:23 (see Rackham, in l) (cf. προχειροτονέω).
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
2 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Acts 14:23 Verb Aorist Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine
χειροτονήσαντες ceirotonhsantev
I choose by vote, appoint
Read verse 2 Corinthians 8:19 Verb Aorist Passive Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
χειροτονηθεὶς ceirotonhqeiv
I choose by vote, appoint
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 2 Tenses Aorist Voices Active, Passive
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 2×
Aorist Active Acts 14:23 1×
Aorist Passive 2 Cor 8:19 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 2 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
aorist 2
Voice
passive 1 active 1
Mood
participle 2
NT 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
χειροτονέω 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