2206. zéloó

Lexicon

zéloó: To be zealous, to be jealous, to desire earnestly

Original Word: ζηλόω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: zéloó
Pronunciation: dzay-lo'-o
Phonetic Spelling: (dzay-lo'-o)
Definition: To be zealous, to be jealous, to desire earnestly
Meaning: (a) intrans: I am jealous, (b) trans: I am jealous of, with acc. of a person; I am eager for, am eager to possess, with acc. of a thing.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

covet earnestly

From zelos; to have warmth of feeling for or against -- affect, covet (earnestly), (have) desire, (move with) envy, be jealous over, (be) zealous(-ly affect).

see GREEK zelos

HELPS Word-studies

Cognate: 2206 zēlóō (an onomatopoetic word, imitating the sound of boiling water) – properly, to bubble over because so hot (boiling); (figuratively) "to burn with zeal" (J. Thayer); "to be deeply committed to something, with the implication of accompanying desire – 'to be earnest, to set one's heart on, to be completely intent upon' " (L & N, 1, 25.76). See 2205 (zēlos).

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from zélos
Definition
to be jealous
NASB Translation
am jealous (1), becoming jealous (1), desire earnestly (2), eagerly seek (1), eagerly sought (1), earnestly desire (1), envious (1), jealous (2), seek (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 2206: ζηλεύω

ζηλεύω; equivalent to ζηλόω, which see;

1. to envy, be jealous: Simplicius in Epictetus c. 26, p. 131, Salinas edition. (c. 19, 2, p. 56, 34 Didot) οὐδείς τῶν τ' ἀγαθόν τό ἀνθρώπινον ζητούντων φθονει ἤ ζηλευει πότε.

2. in a good sense, to imitate emulously, strive after: ἔργα ἀρετῆς, οὐ λόγους, Demosthenes quoted in Stab. flor. app. 14, 7, iv. 384, Gaisf. edition; intransitive, to be full of zeal for good, be zealous: Revelation 3:19 L T Tr text WH, for Rec. ζήλωσον (cf. WH's Appendix, p. 171).

STRONGS NT 2206: ζηλόωζηλόω, ζήλῳ; 1 aorist ἐζήλωσα; present passive infinitive ζηλοῦσθαι; (ζῆλος, which see); the Sept. for קִנֵּא; to burn with zeal;

1. absolutely, to be heated or to boil (A. V. to be moved) with envy, hatred, anger: Acts 7:9; Acts 17:5 (where Griesbach omits ζηλώσαντες); 1 Corinthians 13:4; James 4:2; in a good sense, to be zealous in the pursuit of good, Revelation 3:19 R G Tr marginal reading (the aorist ζήλωσον marks the entrance into the mental state, see βασιλεύω, at the end; ἐζηλωσε, he was seized with indignation, 1 Macc. 2:24).

2. transitive, τί, to desire earnestly, pursue: 1 Corinthians 12:31; 1 Corinthians 14:1, 39, (Sir. 51:18; Thucydides 2, 37; Euripides, Hec. 255; Demosthenes 500, 2; others); μᾶλλον δέ, namely, ζηλοῦτε, followed by ἵνα, 1 Corinthians 14:1 (Buttmann, 237 (205); cf. Winer's Grammar, 577 (537)). τινα, a. to desire one earnestly, to strive after, busy oneself about him: to exert oneself for one (that he may not be torn from me), 2 Corinthians 11:2; to seek to draw over to one's side, Galatians 4:17 (cf. ἵνα, II. 1 d.); to court one's good will and favor, Proverbs 23:17; Proverbs 24:1; Psalm 36:1 ()1; so in the passive to be the object of the zeal of others, to be zealously sought after: Galatians 4:18 (here Tr marginal reading ζηλουσθε, but cf. WH. Introductory § 404).

b. to envy one: Genesis 26:14; Genesis 30:1; Genesis 37:11; Hesiod app. 310; Homer Cer. 168, 223; and in the same sense, according to some interpretations, in Acts 7:9; but there is no objection to considering ζηλώσαντες here as used absolutely (see 1 above (so A. V. (not R. V.))) and τόν Ἰωσήφ as depending on the verb ἀπέδοντο alone. (Compare: παραζηλόω.)

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from ζῆλος (zēlos), meaning "zeal" or "jealousy."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • קָנָא (qanah) • Strong's Hebrew 7065: To be jealous, zealous, envious.
• קִנְאָה (qin'ah) • Strong's Hebrew 7068: Jealousy, zeal, envy.

These Hebrew terms similarly reflect the dual nature of zeal and jealousy, appearing in contexts that range from divine jealousy for His people to human envy and rivalry. The interplay between these emotions in both the Hebrew and Greek scriptures underscores the importance of aligning one's zeal with divine purposes.

Usage: The verb ζηλόω is used in the New Testament to express both positive and negative forms of zeal or jealousy. It can denote a commendable zeal for good, as well as an envious or contentious rivalry.

Context: The Greek verb ζηλόω appears in various contexts within the New Testament, reflecting a range of emotions from righteous zeal to sinful jealousy. In a positive sense, ζηλόω can describe a fervent commitment to God or a passionate pursuit of spiritual gifts. For example, in 1 Corinthians 12:31, Paul encourages believers to "earnestly desire the greater gifts," using ζηλόω to convey a commendable zeal for spiritual growth and edification.

Conversely, ζηλόω can also depict negative emotions such as envy or jealousy. In Acts 7:9, the patriarchs are described as being "jealous of Joseph," leading them to sell him into slavery. This usage highlights the destructive potential of unchecked jealousy.

The dual nature of ζηλόω serves as a reminder of the importance of directing one's zeal towards godly pursuits. In Galatians 4:17-18, Paul contrasts the selfish zeal of false teachers with the commendable zeal for good, urging believers to channel their fervor in ways that align with God's will.

The verb ζηλόω thus encapsulates a spectrum of human emotion, urging believers to cultivate a zeal that is rooted in love and truth, while warning against the pitfalls of envy and rivalry.

Forms and Transliterations

εζήλωκα εζήλωσα εζήλωσαν εζήλωσε ζηλευε ζήλευε ζηλοι ζηλοί ζηλοῖ ζηλοίς ζήλου ζηλουσθαι ζηλούσθαι ζηλοῦσθαι ζηλουσιν ζηλούσιν ζηλοῦσιν ζηλουτε ζηλούτε ζηλοῦτε ζηλούτω ζηλω ζηλῶ ζήλω ζηλών ζηλώσαι ζηλώσαί ζηλωσαντες ζηλώσαντες ζηλώσει ζηλώσεως ζηλώση ζηλώσης ζήλωσον ζηλώσω zeleue zēleue zḗleue zelo zelô zēlō zēlō̂ zeloi zeloî zēloi zēloî zelosantes zelṓsantes zēlōsantes zēlṓsantes zelousin zeloûsin zēlousin zēloûsin zelousthai zeloûsthai zēlousthai zēloûsthai zeloute zeloûte zēloute zēloûte

Englishman's Concordance

Acts 7:9 V-APA-NMP
GRK: οἱ πατριάρχαι ζηλώσαντες τὸν Ἰωσὴφ
NAS: The patriarchs became jealous of Joseph
KJV: the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold
INT: the patriarchs having envied Joseph

Acts 17:5 V-APA-NMP
GRK: Ζηλώσαντες δὲ οἱ
NAS: But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along
KJV: which believed not, moved with envy,
INT: having become envious moreover the

1 Corinthians 12:31 V-PMA-2P
GRK: ζηλοῦτε δὲ τὰ
NAS: But earnestly desire the greater
KJV: But covet earnestly the best gifts:
INT: Be desirous of however the

1 Corinthians 13:4 V-PIA-3S
GRK: ἀγάπη οὐ ζηλοῖ ἡ ἀγάπη
NAS: is kind [and] is not jealous; love
KJV: charity envieth not;
INT: love not is envious love

1 Corinthians 14:1 V-PMA-2P
GRK: τὴν ἀγάπην ζηλοῦτε δὲ τὰ
NAS: yet desire earnestly spiritual
KJV: and desire spiritual
INT: love be desirous of moreover

1 Corinthians 14:39 V-PMA-2P
GRK: ἀδελφοί μου ζηλοῦτε τὸ προφητεύειν
NAS: my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy,
KJV: brethren, covet to prophesy,
INT: brothers of me be desirous to prophesy

2 Corinthians 11:2 V-PIA-1S
GRK: ζηλῶ γὰρ ὑμᾶς
NAS: For I am jealous for you with a godly
KJV: For I am jealous over you with godly
INT: I am jealous as to indeed you

Galatians 4:17 V-PIA-3P
GRK: ζηλοῦσιν ὑμᾶς οὐ
NAS: They eagerly seek
KJV: They zealously affect you, [but] not
INT: They are zealous after you not

Galatians 4:17 V-PSA-2P
GRK: ἵνα αὐτοὺς ζηλοῦτε
NAS: They eagerly seek you, not commendably,
KJV: you, that ye might affect them.
INT: that them you might be zealous after

Galatians 4:18 V-PNM/P
GRK: καλὸν δὲ ζηλοῦσθαι ἐν καλῷ
NAS: always to be eagerly sought in a commendable manner,
KJV: [it is] good to be zealously affected always
INT: good [it is] moreover to be zealous in a right [thing]

James 4:2 V-PIA-2P
GRK: φονεύετε καὶ ζηλοῦτε καὶ οὐ
NAS: [so] you commit murder. You are envious and cannot
KJV: and desire to have, and
INT: you kill and are desirous and not

Revelation 3:19 V-PMA-2S
GRK: καὶ παιδεύω ζήλευε οὖν καὶ
KJV: and chasten: be zealous therefore, and
INT: and discipline be you zealous therefore and

Strong's Greek 2206
12 Occurrences

ζήλευε — 1 Occ.
ζηλῶ — 1 Occ.
ζηλώσαντες — 2 Occ.
ζηλοῖ — 1 Occ.
ζηλοῦσιν — 1 Occ.
ζηλοῦσθαι — 1 Occ.
ζηλοῦτε — 5 Occ.