Lexical Summary nikaó: To conquer, to overcome, to prevail, to gain victory Original Word: νικάω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance conquer, overcome, prevailFrom nike; to subdue (literally or figuratively) -- conquer, overcome, prevail, get the victory. see GREEK nike HELPS Word-studies 3528 nikáō(from 3529 /níkē, "victory") – properly, conquer (overcome); " 'to carry off the victory, come off victorious.' The verb implies a battle" (K. Wuest). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom niké Definition to conquer, prevail NASB Translation conquer (1), conquering (1), overcame (2), overcome (11), overcomes (10), overpowers (1), prevail (1), victorious (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 3528: νικάωνικάω, νικῶ; present participle dative νικουντι, Revelation 2:7 Lachmann Revelation 2:17 L T Tr (yet all νικῶντας in Revelation 15:2) (cf. ἐρωτάω, at the beginning); future νικήσω; 1 aorist ἐνίκησα; perfect νενίκηκα; (νίκη); (from Homer down); to conquer (A. V. overcome); a. absolutely, to carry off the victory, come off victorious: of Christ, victorious over all his foes, Revelation 3:21; Revelation 6:2; ἐνίκησεν ... ἀνοῖξαι κτλ. hath so conquered that he now has the right and power to open etc. Revelation 5:5; of Christians, that hold fast their faith even unto death against the power of their foes, and their temptations and persecutions, Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 26; Revelation 3:5, 12, 21; Revelation 21:7; with ἐκ τοῦ θηρίου added, to conquer and thereby free themselves from the power of the beast (R. V. to come victorious from; cf. Winers Grammar, 367 (344f); Buttmann, 147 (128)), Revelation 15:2. when one is arraigned or goes to law, to win the case, maintain one's cause (so in the Attic orators; also νικαν δίκην, Euripides, El. 955): Romans 3:4 (from the Sept. of Psalm 50:6 νικάω appears twenty-eight times, spanning narrative, epistle, and apocalyptic material. Outside the Apocalypse it occurs in Luke 11:22, John 16:33, Romans 3:4; Romans 12:21, and seven times in 1 John. Revelation contains the remaining sixteen occurrences, making “overcoming” a dominant keynote of the book. God’s character as the wellspring of victory From the first Old Testament promise of the Serpent-crusher (Genesis 3:15) to the final vision of New Jerusalem, Scripture presents God as the Warrior-Redeemer who cannot fail. νικάω draws its force from this immutable character. When Paul cites Psalm 51 in Romans 3:4—“so that You may be justified in Your words and prevail when You are judged”—he anchors divine truthfulness and triumph together. Christ’s definitive victory The verb first reaches its full christological weight in John 16:33: “Take courage; I have overcome the world!”. At the cross and empty tomb the Son decisively defeated the hostile order of sin, death, and satanic rule. Revelation 5:5 celebrates the same moment: “The Lion of the tribe of Judah… has triumphed to open the scroll.” Revelation 3:21 links Christ’s past victory to His exaltation: He “overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” Every subsequent use presupposes this completed conquest. Believers sharing Christ’s victory Union with Christ makes overcoming the normal expectation of regenerate life. 1 John is categorical: Faith is not merely assent but a Spirit-enabled participation in Christ’s triumph: “Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” (1 John 5:5). Ethical mandate to conquer evil Paul applies νικάω to practical holiness: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). The imperative rests on gospel indicatives: believers already share Christ’s victory; therefore they wage war against hatred, vengeance, and injustice by Spirit-empowered goodness. Luke 11:22 supplies the warfare image: a stronger man “overpowers” the tyrant and redistributes plunder, foreshadowing gospel liberation. Spiritual warfare and cosmic conflict Revelation depicts a battlefield where victory and apparent defeat alternate. The saints “conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony” (Revelation 12:11), yet the beast “was permitted… to conquer them” (Revelation 13:7). The paradox clarifies that martyrdom can look like loss while securing ultimate triumph. The final verdict belongs to the Lamb who “will triumph over them” (Revelation 17:14). Promises to the overcomers in Revelation Seven messages to the churches (Revelation 2–3) attach specific rewards to “the one who overcomes”: These promises furnish a theology of perseverance: endurance proves genuine faith and will be honored publicly at Christ’s return (Revelation 21:7). Apparent defeats as instruments of victory Revelation 11:7 and Revelation 13:7 record moments when evil forces “overcome” God’s witnesses. Yet those very events trigger judgment on the oppressors and vindication of the saints (11:11-13; 14:9-11). The pattern mirrors the cross: Satan’s seeming triumph becomes his ruin. Historical and liturgical resonance Early Christian inscriptions often featured ΝΙΚΑ (“conquer”) under the sign of the cross, proclaiming Christ’s supremacy over pagan powers. The theme permeates hymnody (“Faith is the Victory,” “Crown Him with Many Crowns”) and martyr accounts, inspiring courage under persecution from the Roman arenas to modern mission fields. Pastoral and missional applications 1. Assurance: believers can face trials without fear, knowing Christ already “overcame the world.” Key passages for teaching and meditation John 16:33; Romans 12:21; 1 John 5:4-5; Revelation 2:7; Revelation 12:11; Revelation 21:7. νικάω therefore weaves together Christology, sanctification, and eschatology, calling every believer to live now in the certainty of the ultimate, irrevocable victory of God in Christ. Englishman's Concordance Luke 11:22 V-ASA-3SGRK: αὐτοῦ ἐπελθὼν νικήσῃ αὐτόν τὴν NAS: than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away KJV: shall come upon him, and overcome him, INT: than he having come upon [him] shall overcome him the John 16:33 V-RIA-1S Romans 3:4 V-FIA-2S Romans 12:21 V-PMM/P-2S Romans 12:21 V-PMA-2S 1 John 2:13 V-RIA-2P 1 John 2:14 V-RIA-2P 1 John 4:4 V-RIA-2P 1 John 5:4 V-PIA-3S 1 John 5:4 V-APA-NFS 1 John 5:5 V-PPA-NMS Revelation 2:7 V-PPA-DMS Revelation 2:11 V-PPA-NMS Revelation 2:17 V-PPA-DMS Revelation 2:26 V-PPA-NMS Revelation 3:5 V-PPA-NMS Revelation 3:12 V-PPA-NMS Revelation 3:21 V-PPA-NMS Revelation 3:21 V-AIA-1S Revelation 5:5 V-AIA-3S Revelation 6:2 V-PPA-NMS Revelation 6:2 V-ASA-3S Revelation 11:7 V-FIA-3S Revelation 12:11 V-AIA-3P Revelation 13:7 V-ANA Strong's Greek 3528 |
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