βιόω
bióō
G980 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To live or pass one's life, particularly with reference to the practical or mannered aspect of existence. The term implies engaging in activities that constitute the ongoing process of living, such as conducting daily affairs, maintaining household, earning a livelihood, or meeting life's necessities. In some contexts, it highlights the ordinary duration and experience of life, as opposed to sudden or dramatic events.
Semantic Range
to live (with reference to manner or circumstances), to pass one's life, to spend one's days, to continue in life, to subsist, to experience daily existence
Root / Etymology
From βίος (life, one's manner of living, livelihood) + the verb-forming ending -όω. The verb βιόω derives directly from the noun, indicating the enactment or living out of 'βίος'.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In both classical and Koine Greek, βιόω is used more rarely than ζάω (záō), which is the standard verb for 'to live' in the more existential or general biological sense. Βιόω typically refers to one's mode or circumstances of living, or the process of passing through life (e.g., βιῶσαί τινα βίον, 'to live a life'). This is seen in both literary and documentary sources, but is relatively uncommon in the New Testament, appearing with senses akin to 'to spend one's life' or 'to pass one's days.' In the Septuagint, it appears principally where the underlying Hebrew has verbs for dwelling, living, or enduring in a particular way. English translations often render βιόω simply as 'live,' but this can obscure the distinct nuance compared to ζάω: βιόω stresses the manner, duration, or circumstances rather than the sheer fact of being alive. The semantic nuance is sometimes preserved in translations such as 'to spend (one's) life.'
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from βίος; to spend existence:--live.
Root Family
βιόω (bioō) — to live, to spend life, to make a living
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G980-01 |
βιῶσαι | biosai | V AOR ACT INF |
live | to spend one's life | to live | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G980-01 |
1 Peter 4:2 | βιῶσαι | biosai | V AOR ACT INF |
live | to spend one's life | to live |