2198. zaó
Strong's Lexicon
zaó: To live, to be alive

Original Word: ζάω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: zaó
Pronunciation: zah'-o
Phonetic Spelling: (dzah'-o)
Definition: To live, to be alive
Meaning: I live, am alive.

Word Origin: A primary verb

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: - 2416 (chay): Often used in the Old Testament to denote life, living, or alive, similar to the Greek "zaó."

- 2421 (chayah): A verb meaning to live, to have life, or to revive.

Usage: The Greek verb "ζάω" (zaó) primarily means "to live" or "to be alive." It is used in the New Testament to describe physical life, spiritual life, and eternal life. The term encompasses both the biological aspect of living and the qualitative aspect of life that is found in a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. It is often used to contrast life with death, both physically and spiritually.

Cultural and Historical Background: In the Greco-Roman world, life was often understood in terms of physical existence and vitality. However, in the Jewish and early Christian context, life had a deeper, spiritual dimension. The concept of life was closely tied to one's relationship with God, obedience to His commandments, and the hope of resurrection. The New Testament writers, particularly the Apostle John, emphasize the abundant and eternal life that Jesus offers to believers, which transcends mere physical existence.

HELPS Word-studies

Cognate: 2198 záō – to live, experience God's gift of life. See 2222 (zōē).

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from prim. roots zé- and zó-
Definition
to live
NASB Translation
alive (15), get their living (1), holding (1), life (6), life* (1), live (53), lived (3), lives (19), living (44).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 2198: ζάω

ζάω, ζῶ, ζῇς, ζῇ, infinitive ζῆν (so L T, but R G WH (η(, Tr also (except 1 Corinthians 9:14; 2 Corinthians 1:8); cf. Winers Grammar, § 5, 4 c.; WH. Introductory § 410; Lipsius Gram. Unters., p. 5f), participle ζῶν; imperfect ἔζων (Romans 7:9, where Vat. has the inferior form ἔζην (found again Colossians 3:7 ἐζῆτε); cf. Fritzsche on Romans, ii., p. 38; (WHs Appendix, p. 169; Veitch, under the word)); future in the earlier form ζήσω (Romans 6:2 (not L marginal reading); Hebrews 12:9; L T Tr WH also in John (John 5:25); ( T WH), (not L; T Tr WH); 2 Corinthians 13:4; James 4:15), and much oftener ((?) five times, quotations excepted, viz. Matthew 9:18; Luke 10:28; John 11:25; Romans 8:13; Romans 10:5; cf. Moulton's Winer, p. 105) the later form, first used by (Hippocrates 7, 536 (see Veitch, under the word)) Demosthenes, ζήσομαι; 1 aorist (unused in Attic (Hipp., Anth. Pal., Plutarch, others (see Veitch))) ἔζησα (Acts 26:5, etc.); cf. Alexander Buttmann (1873) Ausf. Sprachl. ii. 191f; Buttmann, 58 (51); Krüger, i., p. 172; Kühner, i. 829; Winers Grammar, 86 (83); (Veitch, under the word); Hebrew חָיָה; (from (Homer) Theognis, Aeschylus down); to live;

I. properly,

1. to live, be among the living, be alive (not lifeless, not dead): Acts 20:12; Romans 7:1-3; 1 Corinthians 7:39; 2 Corinthians 1:8; 2 Corinthians 4:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:15, 17; Revelation 19:20, etc.; ψυχή ζῶσα, 1 Corinthians 15:45 and R Tr marginal reading Revelation 16:3; διά παντός τοῦ ζῆν, during all their life (on earth), Hebrews 2:15 (διατελεῖν πάντα τόν τοῦ ζῆν χρόνον, Diodorus 1, 74 (cf. Buttmann, 262 (225))); ἔτι ζῶν (participle imperfect (cf. Winer's Grammar, 341 (320))), while he was yet alive, before his death, Matthew 27:63; with ἐν σαρκί added, of the earthly life, Philippians 1:22; δέ νῦν ζῶ ἐν σαρκί, that life which I live in an earthly body, Galatians 2:20 (Buttmann, 149 (130); Winer's Grammar, 227 (213)); ἐν αὐτῷ ζῶμεν, in God is the cause why we live, Acts 17:28; ζῶσα τέθνηκε, 1 Timothy 5:6; ἐμοί τό ζῆν Χριστός, my life is devoted to Christ, Christ is the aim, the goal, of my life, Philippians 1:21; ζῶντες are opposed to νεκροί, Matthew 22:32; Mark 12:27; Luke 20:38; ζῶντες καί νεκροί, Acts 10:42; Romans 14:9; 2 Timothy 4:1; 1 Peter 4:5; in the sense of living and thriving, 2 Corinthians 6:9; 1 Thessalonians 3:8; ζῇ ἐν ἐμοί Χριστός, Christ is living and operative in me, i. e. the holy mind and energy of Christ pervades and moves me Galatians 2:20; ἐκ δυνάμεως Θεοῦ ζῆν εἰς τινα, through the power of God to live and be strong toward one (namely, in correcting and judging), 2 Corinthians 13:4; in the absolute sense, God is said to be ζῶν: Matthew 16:16; Matthew 26:63; John 6:57; John 6:69 Rec.; Acts 14:15; Romans 9:26; 2 Corinthians 3:3; 2 Corinthians 6:16; 1 Thessalonians 1:9; 1 Timothy 3:15; 1 Timothy 4:10; 1 Timothy 6:17 R G; Hebrews 3:12; Hebrews 9:14; Hebrews 10:31; Hebrews 12:22; Revelation 7:2 (Joshua 3:10; 2 Kings 19:4, 16; Isaiah 37:4, 17; Hosea 1:10; Daniel 6:20 Theod., 26, etc.); with the addition of εἰς τούς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων, Revelation 4:9; Revelation 15:7; ζῶ ἐγώ (אָנִי חַי, Numbers 14:21; Isaiah 49:18, etc.) as I live (by my life), the formula by which God swears by himself, Romans 14:11. equivalent to to continue to live, to be kept alice (ὅστις ζῆν ἐπιθυμεῖ, πειράσθω νικαν, Xenophon, an. 3, 2, 26 (39)): ἐάν κύριος θελήσῃ καί ζήσωμεν (ζήσομεν L T Tr WH), James 4:15 (Buttmann, 210 (181); Winer's Grammar, 286 (268f)); ζῆν ἐπ' ἄρτῳ (Matthew 4:4, etc.) see ἐπί, B. 2 a. α. (Tobit 5:20); ζῆν ἐκ τίνος, to get a living from a thing, 1 Corinthians 9:14; also when used of convalescents, John 4:50f, 53; with ἐκ τῆς ἀρρωστίας added, 2 Kings 1:2; 2 Kings 8:8f, figuratively, to live and be strong: ἐν τούτοις (for Rec. ἐν αὐτοῖς) in these vices, opposed to the ethical death by which Christians are wholly severed from sin (see ἀποθνῄσκω, II. 2 b.), Colossians 3:7; cf. Meyer at the passage equivalent to to be no longer dead, to recover life, be restored to life: Matthew 9:18; Acts 9:41; so of Jesus risen from the dead, Mark 16:11; Luke 24:5, 23; Acts 1:3; Acts 25:19; Romans 6:10; 2 Corinthians 13:4; opposed to νεκρός, Revelation 1:18; Revelation 2:8; ἔζησεν came to life, lived again, Romans 14:9 G L T Tr WH (opposed to ἀπέθανε); Revelation 13:14; Revelation 20:4, 5 (Rec. ἀνέζησεν) (Ezekiel 37:9f; on the aorist as marking entrance upon a state see βασιλεύω, at the end); ζῆν ἐκ νεκρῶν, tropically, out of moral death to enter upon a new life, dedicated and acceptable to God, Romans 6:13; (similarly in Luke 15:32 T Tr WH). equivalent to not to be mortal, Hebrews 7:8 (where ἄνθρωποι ἀποθνῄσκοντες dying men i. e. whose lot it is to die, are opposed to ζῶν).

2. emphatically, and in the Messianic sense, to enjoy real life, i. e. to have true life and worthy of the name — active, blessed, endless in the kingdom of God (or ζωή αἰώνιος; see ζωή, 2b.): Luke 10:28; John 5:25; John 11:25; Romans 1:17; Romans 8:13; Romans 14:9 ((?) see above); Galatians 3:12; Hebrews 12:9; with the addition of ἐκ πίστεως, Hebrews 10:38; of εἰς τόν αἰῶνα, John 6:51, 58; σύν Χριστῷ, in Christ's society, 1 Thessalonians 5:10; this life in its absolute fullness Christ enjoys, who owes it to God; hence, he says ζῶ διά τόν πατέρα, John 6:57; by the gift and power of Christ it is shared in by the faithful, who accordingly are said ζήσειν δἰ αὐτόν, John 6:57; δἰ αὐτοῦ, 1 John 4:9. with a dative denoting the respect, πνεύματι, 1 Peter 4:6; ὄνομα ἔχεις ὅτι ζῇς καί νεκρός εἰ, thou art said to have life (i. e. vigorous spiritual life bringing forth good fruit) and (yet) thou art dead (ethically), Revelation 3:1. In the O. T: ζῆν denotes to live most happily in the enjoyment of the theocratic blessings: Leviticus 18:5; Deuteronomy 4:1; Deuteronomy 8:1; Deuteronomy 30:16.

3. to live i. e. pass life, of the manner of living and acting; of morals or character: μετά ἀνδρός with the accusative of time, of a married woman, Luke 2:36; χωρίς νόμου, without recognition of the law, Romans 7:9; Φαρισαῖος, Acts 26:5; also ἐν κόσμῳ, Colossians 2:20; with ἐν and a dative indicating the act or state of the soul: ἐν πίστει, Galatians 2:20; ἐν τῇ ἁμαρτία, to devote life to sin, Romans 6:2; with adverbs expressing the manner: εὐσεβῶς, 2 Timothy 3:12; Titus 2:12; ἀσώτως, Luke 15:13; ἐθνικῶς, Galatians 2:14; ἀδίκως, Wis. 14:28; ζῆν τίνι (the dative of person, a phrase common in Greek authors also, in Latinviverealicui; cf. Fritzsche on Romans, vol. iii., p. 176ff), to devote, consecrate, life to one; so to live that life results in benefit to someone or to his cause: τῷ Θεῷ, Luke 20:38; Romans 6:10; Galatians 2:19 (4 Macc. 16:25); τῷ Χριστῷ, 2 Corinthians 5:15; that man is said ἑαυτῷ ζῆν who makes his own will his law, is his own master, Romans 14:7; 2 Corinthians 5:15; with the dative of the thing to which life is devoted: τῇ δικαιοσύνη, 1 Peter 2:24; πνεύματι, to be actuated by the Spirit, Galatians 5:25; κατά σάρκα, as the flesh dictates, Romans 8:12f.

II. Metaphorically, of inanimate things;

a. ὕδωρ ζῶν, חַיִּים מַיִם (Genesis 26:19; Leviticus 14:5; etc.), living water, i. e. bubbling up, gushing forth, flowing, with the suggested idea of refreshment and salubrity (opposed to the water of cisterns and pools (cf. our spring water)), is figuratively used of the spirit and truth of God as satisfying the needs and desires of the soul: John 4:10; John 7:38; ἐπί ζώσας πηγάς ὑδάτων, Revelation 7:17 Rec. b. having vital power in itself and exerting the same upon the soul: ἐλπίς ζῶσα, 1 Peter 1:3; λόγος Θεοῦ, 1 Peter 1:23; Hebrews 4:12; λόγια namely, τοῦ Θεοῦ, Acts 7:38, cf. Deuteronomy 32:47; ὁδός ζῶσα, Hebrews 10:20 (this phrase describing that characteristic of divine grace, in granting the pardon of sin and fellowship with God, which likens it to a way leading to the heavenly sanctuary). In the same manner the predicate ζῶν is applied to those things to which persons are compared who possess real life (see I. 2 above), in the expressions λίθοι ζῶντες, 1 Peter 2:4; ἄρτος ζῶν (see ἄρτος, at the end), John 6:51; θυσία ζῶσα (tacitly opposed to slain victims), Romans 12:1. (Compare: ἀναζάω, συζάω.)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
lifetime, alive, lively.

A primary verb; to live (literally or figuratively) -- life(-time), (a-)live(-ly), quick.

Forms and Transliterations
έζη εζησα έζησα ἔζησα εζησαν έζησαν ἔζησαν έζησας έζησάς έζησε έζησέ εζησεν έζησεν ἔζησεν εζητε εζήτε ἐζῆτε εζων έζων ἔζων ζέαν ζη ζῇ ζήθι ζην ζῇν ζῆν ζης ζῇς ζήσαι ζησασα ζήσασα ζήσατε ζησάτω ζησάτωσαν ζησει ζήσει ζήσεις ζησεσθε ζήσεσθε ζησεται ζήσεται ζησετε ζήσετε ζηση ζήση ζήσῃ ζήσης ζήσηται ζήσητε ζήσομαι ζησόμεθα ζησομεν ζήσομεν ζήσον ζήσόν ζήσονται ζησουσιν ζήσουσιν ζησω ζήσω ζησωμεν ζήσωμεν ζητε ζήτε ζῆτε ζήτω ζω ζῶ ζωμεν ζώμεν ζῶμεν ζων ζών ζῶν ζωντα ζώντα ζῶντα ζωντας ζώντας ζῶντας ζωντες ζώντες ζῶντες ζωντι ζώντι ζῶντι ζωντος ζώντος ζῶντος ζωντων ζώντων ζωσα ζώσα ζῶσα ζώσαι ζωσαν ζώσαν ζῶσαν ζώση ζώσης ζωσι ζώσι ζῶσι ζωσιν ζώσιν ζῶσιν ζωσών ezesa ezēsa ézesa ézēsa ezesan ezēsan ézesan ézēsan ezesen ezēsen ézesen ézēsen ezete ezête ezēte ezē̂te ezon ezōn ézon ézōn ze zē zêi zē̂i zêin zē̂in zêis zē̂is zen zēn zes zēs zesasa zēsasa zḗsasa zese zēsē zesei zēsei zḗsei zḗsēi zesesthe zēsesthe zḗsesthe zesetai zēsetai zḗsetai zesete zēsete zḗsete zeso zēsō zḗso zḗsō zesomen zēsomen zēsōmen zḗsomen zḗsōmen zesousin zēsousin zḗsousin zete zête zēte zē̂te zo zô zō zō̂ zomen zômen zōmen zō̂men zon zôn zōn zō̂n zonta zônta zōnta zō̂nta zontas zôntas zōntas zō̂ntas zontes zôntes zōntes zō̂ntes zonti zônti zōnti zō̂nti zonton zōntōn zṓnton zṓntōn zontos zôntos zōntos zō̂ntos zosa zôsa zōsa zō̂sa zosan zôsan zōsan zō̂san zosi zôsi zōsi zō̂si zosin zôsin zōsin zō̂sin
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Matthew 4:4 V-FIM-3S
GRK: ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος
NAS: MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD
KJV: shall not live by bread
INT: bread alone will live the man

Matthew 9:18 V-FIM-3S
GRK: αὐτήν καὶ ζήσεται
NAS: Your hand on her, and she will live.
KJV: her, and she shall live.
INT: her and she will live

Matthew 16:16 V-PPA-GMS
GRK: θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος
NAS: the Son of the living God.
KJV: the Christ, the Son of the living God.
INT: God the living

Matthew 22:32 V-PPA-GMP
GRK: νεκρῶν ἀλλὰ ζώντων
NAS: of the dead but of the living.
KJV: of the dead, but of the living.
INT: of [the] dead but of [the] living

Matthew 26:63 V-PPA-GMS
GRK: θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος ἵνα ἡμῖν
NAS: to Him, I adjure You by the living God,
KJV: thee by the living God, that
INT: God the living that us

Matthew 27:63 V-PPA-NMS
GRK: εἶπεν ἔτι ζῶν Μετὰ τρεῖς
NAS: that when He was still alive that deceiver
KJV: while he was yet alive, After
INT: said while living After three

Mark 5:23 V-ASA-3S
GRK: σωθῇ καὶ ζήσῃ
NAS: that she will get well and live.
KJV: she may be healed; and she shall live.
INT: she might be cured and she shall live

Mark 12:27 V-PPA-GMP
GRK: νεκρῶν ἀλλὰ ζώντων πολὺ πλανᾶσθε
NAS: of the dead, but of the living; you are greatly
KJV: the God of the living: ye
INT: of [the] dead but of [the] living greatly you err

Mark 16:11 V-PIA-3S
GRK: ἀκούσαντες ὅτι ζῇ καὶ ἐθεάθη
NAS: When they heard that He was alive and had been seen
KJV: that he was alive, and
INT: having heard that he is alive and has been seen

Luke 2:36 V-APA-NFS
GRK: ἡμέραις πολλαῖς ζήσασα μετὰ ἀνδρὸς
NAS: in years and had lived with [her] husband
KJV: age, and had lived with
INT: years great having lived with a husband

Luke 4:4 V-FIM-3S
GRK: ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος
NAS: MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD
KJV: shall not live by bread
INT: bread alone will live the man

Luke 10:28 V-FIA-2S
GRK: ποίει καὶ ζήσῃ
NAS: DO THIS AND YOU WILL LIVE.
KJV: do, and thou shalt live.
INT: do and you will live

Luke 15:13 V-PPA-NMS
GRK: οὐσίαν αὐτοῦ ζῶν ἀσώτως
NAS: his estate with loose living.
KJV: substance with riotous living.
INT: estate of him living prodigally

Luke 15:32 V-AIA-3S
GRK: ἦν καὶ ἔζησεν καὶ ἀπολωλὼς
NAS: was dead and [has begun] to live, and [was] lost
INT: was and is alive again and was lost

Luke 20:38 V-PPA-GMP
GRK: νεκρῶν ἀλλὰ ζώντων πάντες γὰρ
NAS: of the dead but of the living; for all
KJV: but of the living: for
INT: of [the] dead but of [the] living all indeed

Luke 20:38 V-PIA-3P
GRK: γὰρ αὐτῷ ζῶσιν
NAS: for all live to Him.
KJV: for all live unto him.
INT: indeed to him live

Luke 24:5 V-PPA-AMS
GRK: ζητεῖτε τὸν ζῶντα μετὰ τῶν
NAS: do you seek the living One among
KJV: Why seek ye the living among the dead?
INT: seek you the living among the

Luke 24:23 V-PNA
GRK: λέγουσιν αὐτὸν ζῇν
NAS: who said that He was alive.
KJV: said that he was alive.
INT: say he is living

John 4:10 V-PPA-ANS
GRK: σοι ὕδωρ ζῶν
NAS: Him, and He would have given you living water.
KJV: have given thee living water.
INT: to you water living

John 4:11 V-PPA-ANS
GRK: ὕδωρ τὸ ζῶν
NAS: then do You get that living water?
KJV: then hast thou that living water?
INT: water living

John 4:50 V-PIA-3S
GRK: υἱός σου ζῇ ἐπίστευσεν ὁ
NAS: your son lives. The man
KJV: thy son liveth. And the man
INT: son of you lives believed the

John 4:51 V-PIA-3S
GRK: παῖς αὐτοῦ ζῇ
NAS: him, saying that his son was living.
KJV: Thy son liveth.
INT: son of him lives

John 4:53 V-PIA-3S
GRK: υἱός σου ζῇ καὶ ἐπίστευσεν
NAS: to him, Your son lives; and he himself
KJV: Thy son liveth: and himself
INT: son of you lives And he believed

John 5:25 V-FIA-3P
GRK: οἱ ἀκούσαντες ζήσουσιν
NAS: and those who hear will live.
KJV: and they that hear shall live.
INT: those having heard will live

John 6:51 V-PPA-NMS
GRK: ἄρτος ὁ ζῶν ὁ ἐκ
NAS: I am the living bread that came down
KJV: I am the living bread which
INT: bread living out of

Strong's Greek 2198
141 Occurrences


ἔζησα — 1 Occ.
ἔζησαν — 2 Occ.
ἔζησεν — 4 Occ.
ἐζῆτε — 1 Occ.
ἔζων — 1 Occ.
ζῇ — 13 Occ.
ζῇν — 12 Occ.
ζῇς — 2 Occ.
ζήσασα — 1 Occ.
ζήσῃ — 2 Occ.
ζήσει — 3 Occ.
ζήσεσθε — 1 Occ.
ζήσεται — 9 Occ.
ζήσετε — 1 Occ.
ζήσω — 1 Occ.
ζήσωμεν — 4 Occ.
ζήσομεν — 4 Occ.
ζήσουσιν — 1 Occ.
ζῆτε — 1 Occ.
ζῶ — 6 Occ.
ζῶμεν — 7 Occ.
ζῶν — 11 Occ.
ζῶντα — 6 Occ.
ζῶντας — 4 Occ.
ζῶντες — 7 Occ.
ζῶντι — 8 Occ.
ζώντων — 5 Occ.
ζῶντος — 14 Occ.
ζῶσα — 1 Occ.
ζῶσαν — 5 Occ.
ζῶσι — 1 Occ.
ζῶσιν — 2 Occ.















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