What does χρονίζω (chronízō) mean in the Bible?
χρονίζω (chronízō): Delay marked by protracted passing of time; suggests lingering waiting rather than mere postponement.
Greek · G5549
χρονίζω
To delay
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χρονίζωG5549
Pronunciationchronízō
What does χρονίζω (chronízō) mean in the Bible?
χρονίζω (chronízō): Delay marked by protracted passing of time; suggests lingering waiting rather than mere postponement.
Full entry for χρονίζω (G5549) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G5549?
The BSB source-word alignment has 5 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include took so long (1), was delayed (1), will be a long time (1), will be away a long time (1), will not delay (1).
Where does χρονίζω (chronízō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 24:48. Its strongest book concentrations include Luke (2), Matthew (2), Hebrews (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 Ittook so long1×Luke 1:21
was delayed1×Matthew 25:5
will be a long time1×Luke 12:45
will be away a long time1×Matthew 24:48
will not delay1×Hebrews 10:37
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 24:48Χρονίζειtowill be away a long timeVerb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularMatthew 25:5χρονίζοντοςtowas delayedVerb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine SingularLuke 1:21χρονίζεινtotook so longVerb - Present Infinitive ActiveLuke 12:45Χρονίζειtowill be a long timeVerb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularHebrews 10:37χρονίσειtowill not delayVerb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowMatthew 24:48
Aligned rows5
Books represented3
Matthew2Luke2Hebrews1
Source forms
Χρονίζει2xChronizeiMatthew 24:48, Luke 12:45
χρονίζειν1xchronizeinLuke 1:21
χρονίζοντος1xchronizontosMatthew 25:5
χρονίσει1xchroniseiHebrews 10:37
Parsing patterns
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular2xMatthew 24:48, Luke 12:45
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular1xHebrews 10:37
Verb - Present Infinitive Active1xLuke 1:21
Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Singular1xMatthew 25:5
Evidence Summary
Greek word. Delay marked by protracted passing of time; suggests lingering waiting rather than mere postponement.
Strong'sG5549
Lexical occurrences5 versesGreek text appearances5 timesWord forms3 forms5 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkLuke 12:45Source Gloss
to delay
Extended definitionSource: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Delay marked by protracted passing of time; suggests lingering waiting rather than mere postponement.
(χρόνος), [in LXX chiefly for אָחַר pi. ;] to spend or take time, to tarry, linger, delay: Mat.24:48 25:5, Heb.10:37; before ἐν, with dative loc., Luk.1:21; with inf., Luk.12:45.
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpusGreek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
5 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 24:48Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
Χρονίζειcronizei
I delay, tarry
Read verseMatthew 25:5Verb Present Active Participle Genitive Singular Masculine
χρονίζοντοςcronizontov
I delay, tarry
Read verseLuke 1:21Verb Present Active Infinitive
χρονίζεινcronizein
I delay, tarry
Read verseLuke 12:45Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
Χρονίζειcronizei
I delay, tarry
Read verseHebrews 10:37Verb Third Person Singular Future Active Indicative
χρονιεῖ.croniei
I delay, tarry
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 groups3Aligned forms5TensesPresent, FutureVoicesActive
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Indicativestates a fact or reality3×
Present ActiveMatt 24:48 · Luke 12:452×
Future ActiveHeb 10:371×
Participleverbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality1×
Present ActiveMatt 25:51×
Infinitiveverbal noun — the action in abstract1×
Present ActiveLuke 1:211×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 5 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
present4future1
Voice
active5
Mood
indicative3infinitive1participle1
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)
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
servant's master delays in returning, allowing servant to neglect duties
wicked servant assumes master's delayed return justifies abuse of fellow servants
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 5 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
χρονίζω is built from this root:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.