Lexical Summary proakouó: To hear beforehand, to be informed in advance Original Word: προακούω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance hear before. From pro and akouo; to hear already,i.e. Anticipate -- hear before. see GREEK pro see GREEK akouo NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom pro and akouó Definition to hear beforehand NASB Translation previously heard (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4257: προακούωπροακούω: 1 aorist 2 person plural προηκούσατε: to hear before: τήν ἐλπίδα, the hoped for salvation, before its realization, Colossians 1:5 (where cf. Lightfoot). (Herodotus, Xenophon, Plato, Demosthenes, others.) Topical Lexicon Semantic Focus Strong’s Greek 4257 expresses an action of hearing that has already taken place. The verb looks back to a prior proclamation that still governs the present. Its nuance is more than bare audition; it recalls a decisive reception of truth that now shapes belief, love, and hope. Occurrence Colossians 1:5 is the sole New Testament use: “the hope stored up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel” (Berean Standard Bible). The aorist tense situates the hearing at the time of the Colossians’ conversion, while the prefix “pro-” underscores its priority over the current moment. Historical Context: Colossae and the Lycus Valley Colossae lay in Asia Minor, evangelized during Paul’s long Ephesian ministry (Acts 19:10). Epaphras, a native of the city (Colossians 1:7), had carried the gospel there. By the time Paul writes from prison, the congregation is established yet threatened by syncretistic teaching. Reminding the believers that they have “previously heard” the authentic gospel ties them to the apostolic foundation laid years before and safeguards them against later innovations. Pauline Emphasis on Hearing and Hope 1. Hearing as the Gateway to Faith: “So then, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). Guarding the Original Gospel against Novel Intrusions By stressing that the Colossians had once for all heard the genuine word of truth, Paul equips them to test every competing voice (Colossians 2:4, Colossians 2:8). The verb therefore functions polemically: the true gospel predates and outranks later speculations. Ministerial Lessons • A preacher’s first delivery of the gospel can set a course for decades. Practical Discipleship Applications • Encourage believers to rehearse the foundational truths they first embraced. Relation to the Broader Biblical Motif of Hearing Scripture repeatedly links hearing with covenant response (Deuteronomy 6:4, Matthew 13:9). The prefix “pro-” in 4257 situates this motif within redemptive history: God’s word precedes and shapes every stage of the believer’s journey. Thus the verb stands as a miniature testimony to the initiative of divine revelation. Connection with Salvation History and Eschatology The hope stored in heaven is eschatological, yet it was introduced at the moment of conversion. The past hearing secures the future inheritance (1 Peter 1:4-5). This temporal linkage highlights the unity of God’s saving plan from first proclamation to final glory. Concluding Observations Strong’s 4257 reminds the Church that the apostolic gospel, once heard, remains the unalterable standard for faith and life. By anchoring believers to their original reception of the word of truth, Scripture both honors God’s prior work and equips the saints for steadfastness amid shifting cultural and theological winds. Forms and Transliterations προηκουσατε προηκούσατε proekousate proekoúsate proēkousate proēkoúsateLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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