4441. punthanomai
Strong's Lexicon
punthanomai: to inquire, to ask, to learn by inquiry

Original Word: πυνθάνομαι
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: punthanomai
Pronunciation: poon-than'-om-ahee
Phonetic Spelling: (poon-than'-om-ahee)
Definition: to inquire, to ask, to learn by inquiry
Meaning: I ask, inquire, ascertain by inquiry, understand.

Word Origin: Middle voice of a primary verb, which only occurs in certain tenses.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Hebrew equivalent for "punthanomai," the concept of inquiry can be related to Hebrew words like "שָׁאַל" (sha'al - Strong's H7592), meaning "to ask" or "to inquire."

Usage: The verb "punthanomai" is used in the New Testament to describe the act of inquiring or asking questions to gain information. It often implies a deeper investigation or seeking to understand something more fully. This verb is typically used in contexts where individuals are seeking knowledge or clarification about a particular matter.

Cultural and Historical Background: In the Greco-Roman world, inquiry and the pursuit of knowledge were highly valued, especially in philosophical and educational contexts. The act of asking questions was a fundamental part of learning and teaching. In the Jewish context, inquiry was also a key aspect of religious and legal discussions, as seen in the rabbinic tradition of debate and interpretation of the Scriptures.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from a prim. root puth-
Definition
to inquire, by impl. to learn
NASB Translation
ask (1), asking (2), inquire (4), inquired (2), inquiring (1), learned (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 4441: πυνθάνομαι

πυνθάνομαι; imperfect ἐπυνθανομην; 2 aorist ἐπυθόμην; (cf. Curtius, § 328); a deponent verb; as in classical Greek from Homer down.

1. to inquire, ask: followed by an indirect question — with the indicative Acts 10:18; with the optative, John 13:24 R G; Luke 15:26; Luke 18:36; Acts 21:33; followed by a direct question, Acts 4:7; Acts 10:29; Acts 23:19; παρά τίνος τί (Buttmann, 167 (146)), John 4:52; παρά τίνος followed by an indirect question with the indicative Matthew 2:4; τί περί τίνος, Acts 23:20.

2. to ascertain by inquiry: followed by ὅτι, Acts 23:34 (A. V. understood).

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
ask, demand, inquire, understand.

Middle voice prolonged from a primary putho (which occurs only as an alternate in certain tenses); to question, i.e. Ascertain by inquiry (as a matter of information merely; and thus differing from erotao, which properly means a request as a favor; and from aiteo, which is strictly a demand for something due; as well as from zeteo, which implies a search for something hidden; and from deomai, which involves the idea of urgent need); by implication, to learn (by casual intelligence) -- ask, demand, enquire, understand.

see GREEK erotao

see GREEK aiteo

see GREEK zeteo

see GREEK deomai

Forms and Transliterations
επυθετο επύθετο ἐπύθετο επυνθανετο επυνθάνετο ἐπυνθάνετο επυνθανοντο επυνθάνοντο ἐπυνθάνοντο πυθέσθαι πυθομενος πυθόμενος πυνθανεσθαι πυνθάνεσθαι πυνθανομαι πυνθάνομαι πύξια πυξίον πυξίου πύξον epunthaneto epunthanonto eputheto epynthaneto epyntháneto epynthanonto epynthánonto epytheto epýtheto punthanesthai punthanomai puthomenos pynthanesthai pynthánesthai pynthanomai pynthánomai pythomenos pythómenos
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Matthew 2:4 V-IIM/P-3S
GRK: τοῦ λαοῦ ἐπυνθάνετο παρ' αὐτῶν
NAS: of the people, he inquired of them where
KJV: together, he demanded of
INT: of the people he inquired of them

Luke 15:26 V-IIM/P-3S
GRK: τῶν παίδων ἐπυνθάνετο τί ἂν
NAS: of the servants and [began] inquiring what
KJV: of the servants, and asked what
INT: of the servants he inquired what anyhow

Luke 18:36 V-IIM/P-3S
GRK: ὄχλου διαπορευομένου ἐπυνθάνετο τί εἴη
NAS: going by, he [began] to inquire what
KJV: pass by, he asked what
INT: a crowd passing along he asked what might be

John 4:52 V-AIM-3S
GRK: ἐπύθετο οὖν τὴν
NAS: So he inquired of them the hour when
KJV: Then enquired he of them
INT: He inquired therefore the

John 13:24 V-ANM
GRK: λέγει αὐτῷ πυθέσθαι τίς ἂν
INT: he says to him to ask who it

Acts 4:7 V-IIM/P-3P
GRK: τῷ μέσῳ ἐπυνθάνοντο Ἐν ποίᾳ
NAS: them in the center, they [began to] inquire, By what
KJV: in the midst, they asked, By what
INT: the midst they inquired In what

Acts 10:18 V-AIM-3P
GRK: καὶ φωνήσαντες ἐπυνθάνοντο εἰ Σίμων
NAS: and calling out, they were asking whether
KJV: And called, and asked whether Simon,
INT: and having called out they asked if Simon

Acts 10:29 V-PIM/P-1S
GRK: ἦλθον μεταπεμφθείς πυνθάνομαι οὖν τίνι
NAS: for. So I ask for what
KJV: as soon as I was sent for: I ask therefore
INT: I came having been sent for I inquire therefore for what

Acts 21:33 V-IIM/P-3S
GRK: δυσί καὶ ἐπυνθάνετο τίς εἴη
NAS: chains; and he [began] asking who
KJV: chains; and demanded who he was,
INT: two and inquired who he might be

Acts 23:19 V-IIM/P-3S
GRK: κατ' ἰδίαν ἐπυνθάνετο Τί ἐστιν
NAS: and stepping aside, [began] to inquire of him privately,
KJV: privately, and asked [him], What
INT: in private inquired What is it

Acts 23:20 V-PNM/P
GRK: τι ἀκριβέστερον πυνθάνεσθαι περὶ αὐτοῦ
NAS: they were going to inquire somewhat
KJV: though they would enquire somewhat
INT: something more earnestly to inquire concerning him

Acts 23:34 V-APM-NMS
GRK: ἐστὶν καὶ πυθόμενος ὅτι ἀπὸ
NAS: province he was, and when he learned that he was from Cilicia,
KJV: And when he understood that
INT: he is and having learned that from

Strong's Greek 4441
12 Occurrences


ἐπυνθάνετο — 5 Occ.
ἐπυνθάνοντο — 2 Occ.
ἐπύθετο — 1 Occ.
πυνθάνεσθαι — 1 Occ.
πυνθάνομαι — 1 Occ.
πυθέσθαι — 1 Occ.
πυθόμενος — 1 Occ.















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