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τιμάω

timáō

G5091 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To honor, show respect to, assign value, or esteem someone or something. The primary sense is to attribute worth, dignity, or social recognition to a person or object, whether through verbal acknowledgment, action, or ceremonial gestures. Additional senses include respecting an obligation (as in authority or parents), bestowing privileges or gifts, and in some contexts meaning to maintain or uphold (such as fulfilling financial or social duties).

Semantic Range

to honor, to treat with respect, to assign value, to uphold social responsibility, to provide material support, to bestow privileges, to show reverence

Root / Etymology

From the root τιμ- (tim-), meaning 'honor, value, price.' Closely related to the adjective τίμιος ('valuable, precious') and noun τιμή ('value, honor, esteem'). The verb τιμάω developed within Greek from the concept of attributing or recognizing value.

Historical & Contextual Notes

τιμάω appears in classical, Hellenistic, and Koine Greek texts. In classical Greek, it broadly referred to honoring gods, elders, officials, and giving assigned value (in economic, social, or religious contexts). In the Septuagint, τιμάω is frequently used to translate Hebrew words relating to honoring parents, God, or rulers, and conveys both respect and duty. In the New Testament, it retains this semantic range: to honor God (Matt 15:8), honoring parents (Matt 15:4), honoring authorities (1 Pet 2:17), and also implies meeting material or social obligations (as in 1 Tim 5:3, where it involves financial support for widows). English translations often use 'honor,' but this can underrepresent senses such as material provision or the complex mixture of respect, reverence, and obligation implicit in the term. τιμάω is broader than simply 'to respect'—it involves assigning both social and practical value, sometimes contrasted with ἀτιμάζω ('to dishonor, treat shamefully'). This verb is central to Greco-Roman concepts of honor and shame, which were fundamental to social structure.

Translation Consistency

primary "honor" 19 occurrences

"Honor" is the most natural, common English verb that captures the full, typical range of τιμάω — to show respect, assign value, esteem, uphold obligations, or bestow recognition or privileges. It is the predominant English rendering in the data and comfortably covers both ceremonial and practical senses (respecting parents/authority, giving honor or material support), making it the best single-word base for consistent use.

Alternatives (2 occurrences):
"valued one" (1x) "valued" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from τίμιος; to prize, i.e. fix a valuation upon; by implication, to revere:--honour, value.

Root Family

τιμ- (éntimos) — to honor, to value, to esteem

Root τιμ- to honor, to value, to esteem
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
G1784 ἔντιμος esteemed one
G2008 ἐπιτιμάω was rebuking
G2009 ἐπιτιμία judicial penalty
G4186 πολύτιμος highly valuable (masculine accusative singular)
G5090 Τιμαῖος of Timaeus

Word Forms

10 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G5091-04 τίμα tima V PRS ACT IMP 2P SG honor Keep honoring Keep honoring 10
G5091-07 τιμήσει timesei V FUT ACT IND 3P SG he shall honor will honor will honor 2
G5091-10 τιμῶσι timosi V PRS ACT SUBJ 3P PL honor they may honor they may honor 2
G5091-01 ἐτίμησαν etimesan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL honored they honored they honored 1
G5091-02 ἐτιμήσαντο etimesanto V AOR MID IND 3P PL they valued they honored for themselves they valued 1
G5091-03 τετιμημένου tetimemenou V PRF PASS PTCP GEN M SG valued of one having been honored valued one 1
G5091-05 τιμᾶτε timate V PRS ACT IMP 2P PL honor keep honoring honor 1
G5091-06 τιμήσατε timesate V AOR ACT IMP 2P PL honor Honor! Honor 1
G5091-08 τιμῶ timo V PRS ACT IND 1P SG honor I honor honor 1
G5091-09 τιμῶν timon V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG honoring honoring honoring 1

Occurrences in Scripture

21 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G5091-04 Matthew 15:4 τίμα tima V PRS ACT IMP 2P SG honor Keep honoring Keep honoring
G5091-07 Matthew 15:6 τιμήσει timesei V FUT ACT IND 3P SG he shall honor will honor will honor
G5091-04 Matthew 15:8 τιμᾷ tima V PRS ACT IND 3P SG honors Keep honoring Keep honoring
G5091-04 Matthew 19:19 τίμα tima V PRS ACT IMP 2P SG honor Keep honoring Keep honoring
G5091-03 Matthew 27:9 τετιμημένου tetimemenou V PRF PASS PTCP GEN M SG valued of one having been honored valued one
G5091-02 Matthew 27:9 ἐτιμήσαντο etimesanto V AOR MID IND 3P PL they valued they honored for themselves they valued
G5091-04 Mark 7:6 τιμᾷ tima V PRS ACT IND 3P SG honors Keep honoring Keep honoring
G5091-04 Mark 7:10 τίμα tima V PRS ACT IMP 2P SG honor Keep honoring Keep honoring
G5091-04 Mark 10:19 τίμα tima V PRS ACT IMP 2P SG honor Keep honoring Keep honoring
G5091-04 Luke 18:20 τίμα tima V PRS ACT IMP 2P SG honor Keep honoring Keep honoring
G5091-10 John 5:23 τιμῶσι timosi V PRS ACT SUBJ 3P PL honor they may honor they may honor
G5091-10 John 5:23 τιμῶσι timosi-2 V PRS ACT IND 3P PL honor they may honor they may honor
G5091-09 John 5:23 τιμῶν timon V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG honoring honoring honoring
G5091-04 John 5:23 τιμᾷ tima V PRS ACT IND 3P SG honors Keep honoring Keep honoring
G5091-08 John 8:49 τιμῶ timo V PRS ACT IND 1P SG honor I honor honor
G5091-07 John 12:26 τιμήσει timesei V FUT ACT IND 3P SG will honor will honor will honor
G5091-01 Acts 28:10 ἐτίμησαν etimesan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL honored they honored they honored
G5091-04 Ephesians 6:2 τίμα tima V PRS ACT IMP 2P SG Honor Keep honoring Keep honoring
G5091-04 1 Timothy 5:3 τίμα tima V PRS ACT IMP 2P SG honor Keep honoring Keep honoring
G5091-06 1 Peter 2:17 τιμήσατε timesate V AOR ACT IMP 2P PL honor Honor! Honor
G5091-05 1 Peter 2:17 τιμᾶτε timate V PRS ACT IMP 2P PL honor keep honoring honor
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