103. adó
Lexical Summary
adó: To sing

Original Word: ἄδω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: adó
Pronunciation: ah'-do
Phonetic Spelling: (ad'-o)
KJV: sing
NASB: sang, singing
Word Origin: [a primary verb]

1. to sing

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
sing.

To sing -- sing.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from aeidó (to sing)
Definition
to sing
NASB Translation
sang (3), singing (2).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 103: ᾄδω

ᾄδω (ἀείδω); common in Greek of every period; in the Sept. for שׁוּר; to sing, chant;

1. intransitive: τίνι, to the praise of anyone (Judith 16:1 (2)), Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16 (in both passages of the lyrical emotion of a devout and grateful soul).

2. transitive: ᾠδήν, Revelation 5:9; Revelation 14:3; Revelation 15:3.

Topical Lexicon
Root Idea and Scope

The verb ᾄδω expresses the vocal proclamation of praise, thanksgiving, or testimony to God. While Scripture employs several terms for musical worship, this word highlights the articulate, melodious element of adoration—words set to tune, deliberately offered to the Lord.

Pauline Instruction for Congregational Life

Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 place ᾄδω at the heart of Spirit-filled, Word-saturated fellowship. In the first passage believers are urged to be “singing and making music in your hearts to the Lord,” the overflow of being “filled with the Spirit.” In the second, singing rises from “the word of Christ” dwelling richly within, so that admonition and thanksgiving are intertwined with melody. Together the texts reveal:
• Singing is a corporate ministry, not a private ornament.
• It is both didactic (“teaching and admonishing one another”) and devotional (“with gratitude in your hearts”).
• Genuine Christian singing springs from the inner work of the Spirit and the implanted Word.

Heavenly Worship in Revelation

Three uses of ᾄδω in Revelation unveil the ultimate context of Christian song. Revelation 5:9 records the “new song” of the redeemed before the throne, celebrating the Lamb’s redemptive blood for “every tribe and tongue and people and nation.” Revelation 14:3 portrays the 144,000 singing a song “that no one could learn except the one hundred forty-four thousand who had been redeemed from the earth,” stressing consecration and exclusivity of worship. Revelation 15:3 merges the “song of Moses” with the “song of the Lamb,” uniting Old and New Covenant deliverances in a single anthem. These scenes confirm that earthly congregational singing anticipates and rehearses eternal praise.

Continuity with Old Testament Worship

The Septuagint often employs ᾄδω for the Hebrew šîr (“to sing”), preserving a line of continuity from the tabernacle to the temple, and ultimately to the church. The Psalter provides the lyrical reservoir for Christian hymnody (note Paul’s inclusion of “psalms”) and shapes the theology of song: God’s mighty acts, covenant faithfulness, and righteous judgments are its prevailing themes.

Historical Witness of Early Christianity

Pliny the Younger’s letter (circa AD 112) reports that believers met “to sing a hymn to Christ as to a god,” corroborating the New Testament pattern. Hymnic fragments embedded within the epistles (for example, Philippians 2:6-11) demonstrate that doctrinal confession was carried in melody from the earliest decades of the church.

Theological Emphases Reflected in the Five Texts

• Christ-centeredness: Songs extol the Lamb’s person and work (Revelation 5:9).
• Eschatological hope: Worship looks forward to consummation (Revelation 14:3).
• Instructional purpose: Singing imparts truth and fosters mutual edification (Colossians 3:16).
• Spirit empowerment: True song is the fruit of fullness with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:19).
• Covenant unity: Moses’ and the Lamb’s songs converge, affirming Scripture’s coherence (Revelation 15:3).

Practical Ministry Implications

1. Worship planning should prioritize lyrical fidelity to biblical revelation; melody serves message.
2. Congregational participation, not performance, fulfills the Pauline vision; leadership equips the saints to sing.
3. Songs ought to balance adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and proclamation, mirroring the multifaceted witness of Scripture.
4. Encouraging memorization through song aids doctrinal retention and spiritual resilience.
5. Corporate singing nurtures unity across generations and cultures, rehearsing the multinational worship displayed in Revelation.

Pastoral Counsel

Guard the heart behind the voice; hypocrisy stifles song (Psalm 66:18). Cultivate private worship so that public praise flows authentically. Remember that every hymn is a rehearsal for the day when, gathered before the throne, believers “will sing” forever—the consummate fulfillment of ᾄδω.

Forms and Transliterations
άδειν άδοντας αδοντες άδοντες ᾄδοντες αδόντων άδουσαι αδούσας άδουσι αδουσιν άδουσιν ᾄδουσιν αδουσών άσατε ασάτωσαν άσομαι άσομαί άσομεν άσον άσονται άσω άσωμεν ήσαν ήσε ήσεν adontes adousin ā́idontes ā́idousin
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Ephesians 5:19 V-PPA-NMP
GRK: ᾠδαῖς πνευματικαῖς ᾄδοντες καὶ ψάλλοντες
NAS: songs, singing and making melody
KJV: songs, singing and
INT: songs spiritual singing and making melody

Colossians 3:16 V-PPA-NMP
GRK: τῇ χάριτι ᾄδοντες ἐν ταῖς
NAS: songs, singing with thankfulness
KJV: spiritual songs, singing with grace
INT: gratitude singing in the

Revelation 5:9 V-PIA-3P
GRK: καὶ ᾄδουσιν ᾠδὴν καινὴν
NAS: And they sang a new song,
KJV: And they sung a new song,
INT: And they sing a song new

Revelation 14:3 V-PIA-3P
GRK: καὶ ᾄδουσιν ὡς ᾠδὴν
NAS: And they sang a new song
KJV: And they sung as it were a new
INT: And they sing as a song

Revelation 15:3 V-PIA-3P
GRK: καὶ ᾄδουσιν τὴν ᾠδὴν
NAS: And they sang the song of Moses,
KJV: And they sing the song of Moses
INT: And they sing the song

Strong's Greek 103
5 Occurrences


ᾄδοντες — 2 Occ.
ᾄδουσιν — 3 Occ.

102
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