προσευχή (G4335) — Greek Lexicon

προσευχή

proseuchḗ

G4335 noun

SILEX Entry

Root προσευχ- to pray, to address deity

Definition

An act of addressing deity or the divine—typically a petition, request, praise, thanksgiving, or confession—directed toward God as part of religious or cultic practice. The term may refer both to the spoken or silent act of prayer by an individual or group, and to a formalized prayer or set liturgical wording. In some contexts, particularly later Hellenistic and Roman periods, it can also designate a physical location set aside for prayer (a place of prayer, often outside a synagogue).

Semantic Range

prayer (act of communing with God), petition or supplication, formal liturgical prayer, place designated for prayer (oratory, meeting place for worship)

Root / Etymology

From the verb προσεύχομαι ('to pray, to address a deity'), formed by the verbal root προσευχ- plus the feminine nominal ending -ή.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, προσευχή is rare, but in the Hellenistic and Koine periods, it becomes the standard word for prayer, especially as a religious act directed toward the God of Israel. In the Septuagint, it is the usual rendering for several Hebrew terms for prayer (notably תְּפִלָּה [tefillah]). In Second Temple and New Testament contexts, it refers to individual or collective acts of communication with God and sometimes implies fixed or communal prayers. In a few cases in the diaspora, particularly in Acts (e.g., Acts 16:13,16), προσευχή signifies a place of prayer or worship, often associated with water and functioning similarly to—or in the absence of—a synagogue. Standard English translations as 'prayer' generally capture the central meaning but sometimes miss the possible reference to a specific location used by a community for prayer and worship. Unlike εὐχή (general vow or wish), προσευχή emphasizes formal address and collective religious character. Its use marks a distinctive trend in Jewish and early Christian communities of the Hellenistic period.

Translation Consistency

primary "prayer" 37 occurrences

The overwhelming and typical meaning in the SILEX entries is the act or text of addressing God (prayer/prayers). "Prayer" is the natural, common English noun covering petitions, supplications, liturgical/formal prayers, and communal or individual acts of praying. The rarer place-sense can be handled contextually (e.g., "place of prayer" or "prayer meeting") without changing the core rendering.

✓ All renderings match approved senses

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from προσεύχομαι; prayer (worship); by implication, an oratory (chapel):--X pray earnestly, prayer.

Root Family

προσευχή (proseuchē) — prayer, petition, address to deity

Word Forms

7 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`G4335-04`	προσευχῇ	proseuche	`N DAT F SG`	prayer	you may be praying	prayer	13
`G4335-06`	προσευχῆς	proseuches	`N GEN F SG`	prayer	of prayer	of prayer	6
`G4335-02`	προσευχαῖς	proseuchais	`N DAT F PL`	prayers	to prayers	prayers	6
`G4335-07`	προσευχῶν	proseuchon	`N GEN F PL`	prayers	of prayers	prayers	5
`G4335-03`	προσευχάς	proseuchas	`N ACC F PL`	prayers	prayers	prayers	3
`G4335-05`	προσευχὴν	proseuchen	`N ACC F SG`	place of prayer	a prayer	a prayer	2
`G4335-01`	προσευχαί	proseuchai	`N NOM F PL`	prayers	prayers	prayers	2

Occurrences in Scripture

37 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`G4335-04`	Matthew 17:21	προσευχῇ	proseuche	`N DAT F SG`	prayer	you may be praying	prayer
`G4335-06`	Matthew 21:13	προσευχῆς	proseuches	`N GEN F SG`	of-prayer	of prayer	of prayer
`G4335-04`	Matthew 21:22	προσευχῇ	proseuche	`N DAT F SG`	prayer	you may be praying	prayer
`G4335-04`	Mark 9:29	προσευχῇ	proseuche	`N DAT F SG`	prayer	you may be praying	prayer
`G4335-06`	Mark 11:17	προσευχῆς	proseuches	`N GEN F SG`	of prayer	of prayer	of prayer
`G4335-04`	Luke 6:12	προσευχῇ	proseuche	`N DAT F SG`	prayer	you may be praying	prayer
`G4335-06`	Luke 19:46	προσευχῆς	proseuches	`N GEN F SG`	of prayer	of prayer	of prayer
`G4335-06`	Luke 22:45	προσευχῆς	proseuches	`N GEN F SG`	prayer	of prayer	of prayer
`G4335-04`	Acts 1:14	προσευχῇ	proseuche	`N DAT F SG`	prayer	you may be praying	prayer
`G4335-02`	Acts 2:42	προσευχαῖς	proseuchais	`N DAT F PL`	prayers	to prayers	prayers
`G4335-06`	Acts 3:1	προσευχῆς	proseuches	`N GEN F SG`	prayer	of prayer	of prayer
`G4335-04`	Acts 6:4	προσευχῇ	proseuche	`N DAT F SG`	prayer	you may be praying	prayer
`G4335-01`	Acts 10:4	προσευχαί	proseuchai	`N NOM F PL`	prayers	prayers	prayers
`G4335-04`	Acts 10:31	προσευχὴ	proseuche	`N NOM F SG`	prayer	you may be praying	prayer
`G4335-04`	Acts 12:5	προσευχὴ	proseuche	`N NOM F SG`	prayer	you may be praying	prayer
`G4335-05`	Acts 16:13	προσευχὴν	proseuchen	`N ACC F SG`	prayer	a prayer	a prayer
`G4335-05`	Acts 16:16	προσευχὴν	proseuchen	`N ACC F SG`	place of prayer	a prayer	place of prayer
`G4335-07`	Romans 1:10	προσευχῶν	proseuchon	`N GEN F PL`	prayers	of prayers	prayers
`G4335-04`	Romans 12:12	προσευχῇ	proseuche	`N DAT F SG`	prayer	you may be praying	prayer
`G4335-02`	Romans 15:30	προσευχαῖς	proseuchais	`N DAT F PL`	prayers	to prayers	prayers
`G4335-04`	1 Corinthians 7:5	προσευχῇ	proseuche	`N DAT F SG`	prayer	you may be praying	prayer
`G4335-07`	Ephesians 1:16	προσευχῶν	proseuchon	`N GEN F PL`	prayers	of prayers	prayers
`G4335-06`	Ephesians 6:18	προσευχῆς	proseuches	`N GEN F SG`	prayer	of prayer	of prayer
`G4335-04`	Philippians 4:6	προσευχῇ	proseuche	`N DAT F SG`	prayer	you may be praying	prayer
`G4335-04`	Colossians 4:2	προσευχῇ	proseuche	`N DAT F SG`	prayer	you may be praying	prayer
`G4335-02`	Colossians 4:12	προσευχαῖς	proseuchais	`N DAT F PL`	prayers	to prayers	prayers
`G4335-07`	1 Thessalonians 1:2	προσευχῶν	proseuchon	`N GEN F PL`	prayers	of prayers	prayers
`G4335-03`	1 Timothy 2:1	προσευχάς	proseuchas	`N ACC F PL`	prayers	prayers	prayers
`G4335-02`	1 Timothy 5:5	προσευχαῖς	proseuchais	`N DAT F PL`	prayers	to prayers	prayers
`G4335-07`	Philemon 1:4	προσευχῶν	proseuchon	`N GEN F PL`	prayers	of prayers	prayers
`G4335-07`	Philemon 1:22	προσευχῶν	proseuchon	`N GEN F PL`	prayers	of prayers	prayers
`G4335-04`	James 5:17	προσευχῇ	proseuche	`N DAT F SG`	in prayer	you may be praying	in prayer
`G4335-03`	1 Peter 3:7	προσευχὰς	proseuchas	`N ACC F PL`	prayers	prayers	prayers
`G4335-03`	1 Peter 4:7	προσευχάς	proseuchas	`N ACC F PL`	prayers	prayers	prayers
`G4335-01`	Revelation 5:8	προσευχαὶ	proseuchai	`N NOM F PL`	prayers	prayers	prayers
`G4335-02`	Revelation 8:3	προσευχαῖς	proseuchais	`N DAT F PL`	prayers	to prayers	prayers
`G4335-02`	Revelation 8:4	προσευχαῖς	proseuchais	`N DAT F PL`	prayers	to prayers	prayers

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