κινδυνεύω
kindyneúō
G2793 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To be in danger, to face peril, to encounter or be subject to risk or jeopardy; in extended usage, to risk or endanger oneself, or to be exposed to a hazardous circumstance. The primary sense is to find oneself in a situation involving genuine threat or danger, whether physical, legal, or existential. Can carry both the passive sense of being endangered and the active sense of risking oneself or something.
Semantic Range
to be in danger, to run the risk of harm, to undergo peril, to be exposed to threat or jeopardy, to risk oneself, to face hazardous circumstances
Root / Etymology
From the noun κίνδυνος ('danger, risk, peril') with the verbal suffix -εύω, forming denominative verbs denoting being in a state or performing an action related to the noun. Thus, κινδυνεύω literally means 'to be in danger' or 'to encounter danger'.
Historical & Contextual Notes
κινδυνεύω is first attested in classical Greek (e.g., Herodotus, Plato) with the consistent sense of 'being in danger' or 'exposed to risk.' The verb frequently appears in Hellenistic and Koine Greek, including the Septuagint and New Testament, typically referring to situations of physical threat, perilous circumstance, or existential risk (Acts 19:27, 40; 2 Corinthians 11:26). The idea can also be extended metaphorically to legal or social peril. In both secular and religious texts, κινδυνεύω implies real, not hypothetical, exposure to danger. English translations often render it as 'to be in danger' or 'to be in jeopardy,' but such renderings may understate the tangible sense of exposure or threat present in the Greek context. Unlike some related verbs (e.g., ἀπειλέω 'to threaten'), κινδυνεύω focuses on the state or experience of danger, not the action of threatening or warning. The noun κίνδυνος is equally broad, encompassing danger of all sorts. There are no significant shifts in meaning between the LXX, NT, and other Koine sources.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from κίνδυνος; to undergo peril:--be in danger, be (stand) in jeopardy.
Root Family
κινδυνεύω (kindyneuō) — danger, risk, exposure to peril
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2793-03 |
κινδυνεύομεν | kinduneuomen | V PRS ACT IND 1P PL |
stand in jeopardy | we are in danger | we are in danger | 2 |
G2793-02 |
κινδυνεύει | kinduneuei | V PRS ACT IND 3P SG |
is in danger | is facing danger | is in danger | 1 |
G2793-01 |
ἐκινδύνευον | ekinduneuon | V IMPF ACT IND 3P PL |
they were in danger | they were facing peril | they were in danger | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2793-01 |
Luke 8:23 | ἐκινδύνευον | ekinduneuon | V IMPF ACT IND 3P PL |
they were in danger | they were facing peril | they were in danger |
G2793-02 |
Acts 19:27 | κινδυνεύει | kinduneuei | V PRS ACT IND 3P SG |
is in danger | is facing danger | is in danger |
G2793-03 |
Acts 19:40 | κινδυνεύομεν | kinduneuomen | V PRS ACT IND 1P PL |
we are in danger | we are in danger | we are in danger |
G2793-03 |
1 Corinthians 15:30 | κινδυνεύομεν | kinduneuomen | V PRS ACT IND 1P PL |
stand in jeopardy | we are in danger | we are in danger |