Lexical Summary anazéteó: To seek carefully, to search diligently Original Word: ἀναζητέω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance seek. From ana and zeteo; to search out -- seek. see GREEK ana see GREEK zeteo HELPS Word-studies 327 anazētéō (from 303 /aná, "up to down," intensifying 2212 /zētéō, "seek") – properly, search up and down; fully inquire (thoroughly investigate). 327 /anazētéō ("search up-and-down") conveys persistent seeking – "not easily put off by difficulties" (Souter) because driven by the felt (personal) need of the seeker. [The intensifying prefix (ana, "again/up") implies "determined seeking" (as also in the papyri, MM).] NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom ana and zéteó Definition to seek carefully NASB Translation look (1), looking (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 327: ἀναζητέωἀναζητέω, (ῶ; (imperfect ἀνεζήτουν); 1 aorist ἀνεζήτησα; 'to run through with the eyes any series or succession of men or things, and so to seek out, search through, make diligent search, German daranhinsuchen,aufsuchen' (Winer's De verb. comp. etc. Part 3, p. 14): τινα, Luke 2:44 (and Luke 2:45 L text T Tr WH); Acts 11:25. (See examples from Greek writings (from Plato on) in Winer's, the passage cited.) Topical Lexicon Term and Semantic Range Strong’s Greek 327 (ἀναζητέω) denotes an intensive, determined search. The compound prefix ἀνά adds the sense of “up,” “again,” or “thoroughly,” depicting a pursuit that will not be abandoned until the object is located. In every New Testament occurrence the verb is used of people searching for a person, not a thing, and always in contexts that touch the advance of God’s redemptive plan. Occurrences in the New Testament 1. Luke 2:44 – “Thinking that He was in their company, they traveled on for a day before they began to look for Him among their relatives and friends.” Contextual Insights Luke 2 portrays Joseph and Mary’s anxious quest for the twelve-year-old Jesus. Their careful, persistent searching underscores parental responsibility and foreshadows the pattern of discipleship: when Christ is not where we expect, faith presses on until fellowship is restored. Acts 11 highlights Barnabas’s deliberate journey from Antioch to Tarsus to locate Saul. The verb underscores Barnabas’s conviction that Saul’s gifts were essential for the flourishing Gentile mission. His search becomes a hinge point in Acts, linking Saul of Tarsus to the church at Antioch and ultimately to the broader apostolic outreach. Theological Themes 1. Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility: In both narratives God is orchestrating events, yet human agents must still “seek out” His appointed servant. The parents’ search ends in the temple, “in My Father’s house” (Luke 2:49), revealing that earnest seeking leads to divine revelation. Historical and Ministry Significance • Luke’s travel notice (Luke 2:44) reflects first-century pilgrimage caravans, where families journeyed collectively to Jerusalem. Losing a child in such a setting would prompt an intense and socially wide-ranging search, mirroring the communal concern the church must show for every member. Practical Applications for the Church Today • Pastoral Care: Shepherds are to “seek out” the disconnected believer as fervently as Joseph and Mary sought Jesus. Compare Ezekiel 34:11, where the Lord Himself seeks His sheep. Related Biblical Motifs • Seeking the Lord – Psalm 105:4; Isaiah 55:6. Conclusion Strong’s Greek 327 captures a determined, purposeful seeking that is essential to God’s unfolding story. Whether parents pursuing their missing child or a mentor pursuing a hidden apostle, the verb illustrates the resolve that characterizes those who align themselves with God’s redemptive agenda. The church that learns to “seek out” people and opportunities with this intensity will find, as did Joseph, Mary, and Barnabas, that such searches inevitably lead to deeper encounters with Christ and wider advance of the gospel. Forms and Transliterations αναζητησαι αναζητήσαι ἀναζητῆσαι αναζητουντες ἀναζητοῦντες αναζυγαίς ανεζήτησας ανεζητουν ανεζήτουν ἀνεζήτουν anazetesai anazetêsai anazētēsai anazētē̂sai anazetountes anazetoûntes anazētountes anazētoûntes anezetoun anezētoun anezḗtounLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Luke 2:44 V-IIA-3PGRK: ὁδὸν καὶ ἀνεζήτουν αὐτὸν ἐν NAS: journey; and they [began] looking for Him among KJV: journey; and they sought him among INT: journey and sought him among Luke 2:45 V-PPA-NMP Acts 11:25 V-ANA Strong's Greek 327 |
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