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εὔχομαι

eúchomai

G2172 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To express a desire or wish for something; to make an earnest request or petition, especially in a formal or solemn setting. In religious contexts, particularly within Hellenistic and Jewish-Greek literature, often used of making a prayer or supplication to a deity. The primary sense is to articulate a hope or request, which, depending on context, can range from a secular wish to a formal prayer.

Semantic Range

to express a wish, to desire, to make a vow, to offer a prayer, to pray (especially in a religious context), to supplicate

Root / Etymology

From the root εὐχ-, with no clear derivation from a more basic verb. Cognate with the noun εὐχή (prayer, vow, wish). The term appears throughout classical and Hellenistic Greek literature. No known Semitic etymology; Greek in origin.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, εὔχομαι commonly refers to the act of making a wish or expressing a desire, with or without religious connotations. It frequently appears in public or formal contexts, such as making vows or pledges (often in the form εὔχομαι εὐχήν). In Homeric usage, it sometimes denotes claiming or affirming something about oneself, but in later Greek, the term largely focuses on wishing and praying. In the Septuagint (LXX), εὔχομαι is often used to translate Hebrew terms for praying or making vows, indicating its semantic overlap with religious petition. In the New Testament, the verb is most frequently used for expressing earnest prayer to God, but the scope may include wishing or desiring, depending on the context. Standard English translations often render it simply as 'pray' or 'wish,' but this can obscure the nuance between informal wishing and formal or ritualized praying. The nuance between secular wishing and religious praying should be determined with reference to immediate context.

Translation Consistency

primary "pray" 6 occurrences

εὔχομαι in the NT and Hellenistic Jewish contexts most often means to offer a prayer or make a supplication. 'Pray' is the natural, common English verb that covers the primary religious sense (and can also accommodate wishes or petitions in secular contexts), meeting the SILEX range while remaining idiomatic and consistent.

✓ All renderings match approved senses

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

middle voice of a primary verb; to wish; by implication, to pray to God:--pray, will, wish.

Root Family

εὔχομαι (euchomai) — to wish, to vow, to pray, to supplicate

Root εὐχ- to wish, to vow, to pray

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G2172-03 εὐχόμεθα euchometha V PRS MID IND 1P PL we pray we are praying we are praying 2
G2172-05 εὐξαίμην euxaimen V AOR MID OPT 1P SG I-would-pray I might pray I might pray 1
G2172-01 εὔχομαί euchomai V PRS MID IND 1P SG I pray I am praying I am praying 1
G2172-02 ηὐχόμην euchomen V IMPF MID IND 1P SG I could wish I was praying I was praying 1
G2172-04 ηὔχοντο euchonto V IMPF MID IND 3P PL wished they were praying they were praying 1

Occurrences in Scripture

6 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G2172-05 Acts 26:29 εὐξαίμην euxaimen V AOR MID OPT 1P SG I-would-pray I might pray I might pray
G2172-04 Acts 27:29 ηὔχοντο euchonto V IMPF MID IND 3P PL wished they were praying they were praying
G2172-02 Romans 9:3 ηὐχόμην euchomen V IMPF MID IND 1P SG I could wish I was praying I was praying
G2172-03 2 Corinthians 13:7 εὐχόμεθα euchometha V PRS MID IND 1P PL we pray we are praying we are praying
G2172-03 2 Corinthians 13:9 εὐχόμεθα euchometha V PRS MID IND 1P PL we pray we are praying we are praying
G2172-01 3 John 1:2 εὔχομαί euchomai V PRS MID IND 1P SG I pray I am praying I am praying
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