4482. rheó

Lexical Summary

rheó: To flow, to run

Original Word: ῥέω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: rheó
Pronunciation: hreh'-o
Phonetic Spelling: (hreh'-o)
KJV: flow
NASB: flow
Word Origin: [a primary verb, for some tenses of which a prolonged form rheuo hryoo'-o is used]

1. to flow ("run", as water)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

flow.

A primary verb; for some tenses of which a prolonged form rheuo (hryoo'-o) is used to flow ("run"; as water) -- flow.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a prim. verb
Definition
to flow
NASB Translation
flow (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 4482: ῤέω

ῤέω: future ῥεύσω (in Greek writing more common ῤεύσομαι, see Winers Grammar, 89 (85); (Buttmann, 67 (59)); cf. Lob. ad Phryn., p. 739); ((Sanskritsru; cf. Latinfluo; English stream; Curtius, § 517)); from Homer down; the Sept. for זוּב; to flow: John 7:38. (Compare: παραρρέω.)

Topical Lexicon

Overview

Strong’s Greek 4482 occurs once in the New Testament, at John 7:38, where Jesus promises that “streams of living water will flow from within” the believer. The verb evokes movement, abundance, and life-giving power, serving as a theological bridge between Old Testament promises of divine refreshment and the New Testament fulfillment in the Messiah and the Holy Spirit.

Biblical Setting in John 7:38

• Spoken on “the last and greatest day of the feast” (John 7:37), a climactic moment of the Feast of Tabernacles when priests poured water at the altar to commemorate God’s provision in the wilderness.
• Jesus stands and cries out, identifying Himself as the true source of that long-anticipated water.
• John immediately explains, “He was speaking about the Spirit” (John 7:39), grounding the promise in the soon-to-come Pentecostal outpouring.

Old Testament Background

• Exodus 17:6 and Numbers 20:11 portray water gushing from the rock—prefiguring Christ (1 Corinthians 10:4).
• Isaiah repeatedly foretells spiritual effusion: “I will pour water on the thirsty land” (Isaiah 44:3); “With joy you will draw water from the springs of salvation” (Isaiah 12:3).
• Ezekiel envisions a river flowing from the temple, bringing life wherever it goes (Ezekiel 47:1-12).
• Zechariah announces a day when “living water will flow out of Jerusalem” (Zechariah 14:8).

These prophecies converge in John 7:38, identifying believers as the new locus from which divine life flows.

Theological Significance

1. Christological: Jesus is the fountainhead (Jeremiah 2:13), mediating living water to all who come to Him (John 4:10).
2. Pneumatological: The flowing water explicitly symbolizes the Holy Spirit’s indwelling and ministry (John 7:39).
3. Ecclesiological: The Church, comprised of Spirit-filled believers, becomes a channel of God’s life to the world (Acts 1:8; Acts 2:17).
4. Eschatological: Anticipates the river of life proceeding “from the throne of God and of the Lamb” (Revelation 22:1).

Patterns of Divine Provision

• Abundance: The verb pictures an ongoing, unstinting flow, not a trickle (cf. Psalm 36:8-9).
• Transformation: Wherever this water goes, deserts bloom (Isaiah 35:7), symbolizing regenerated hearts (Titus 3:5).
• Mission: The flow is outward—“from within him”—underscoring that Spirit-filled believers are not reservoirs but conduits (John 20:21-22).

Historical Reception

• Early Church Fathers (e.g., Irenaeus, Tertullian) linked John 7:38 to baptism and the Eucharist, emphasizing the Spirit’s ongoing distribution of grace.
• Patristic homilies during the Feast of Tabernacles readings stressed fulfillment in Christ, encouraging congregations to seek the Spirit’s fullness.

Ministry Applications

• Preaching: Present Christ as the sole source of living water; invite hearers to drink by faith (Revelation 22:17).
• Discipleship: Encourage believers to cultivate Spirit-led lives so that living water may “flow” in deeds of righteousness (Galatians 5:22-23).
• Pastoral Care: Offer John 7:38 as hope for those spiritually dry, assuring them of Christ’s sufficiency.
• Missions: Spirit-empowered witness is a natural overflow of the inward spring (John 4:14; Acts 4:31).

Worship and Prayer

Believers may pray Psalm 42:1-2 alongside John 7:38, longing for deeper saturation by the Spirit, and sing hymns of living water (“There Is a Fountain,” “Like a River Glorious”) that celebrate perpetual divine refreshment.

Practical Counsel

1. Receive: Trust in Jesus daily; the flow begins with faith (John 7:38a).
2. Remain: Abide in Christ to maintain an unobstructed channel (John 15:4).
3. Release: Allow the Spirit’s gifts and fruit to bless others; generosity keeps the stream from stagnating (2 Corinthians 9:6-8).
4. Refresh: Regular Scripture intake and corporate worship keep the waters clear (Ephesians 5:18-20).

Conclusion

Strong’s 4482 encapsulates the dynamic, life-giving ministry of the Holy Spirit, sourced in Christ and expressed through believers. The solitary New Testament occurrence is therefore not marginal but pivotal, summarizing the gospel promise that God’s own life will eternally flow through His people to a thirsty world.

Forms and Transliterations

ερρύησαν ρέη ρείτω ρέον ρέουσα ρέουσαν ρεούσης ρευσάτωσαν ρευσουσιν ρεύσουσιν ῥεύσουσιν ρέων ρυήσεται ρυήσονται reusousin rheusousin rheúsousin

Englishman's Concordance

John 7:38 V-FIA-3P
GRK: κοιλίας αὐτοῦ ῥεύσουσιν ὕδατος ζῶντος
NAS: From his innermost being will flow rivers
KJV: his belly shall flow rivers of living
INT: belly of him will flow of water living

Strong's Greek 4482
1 Occurrence

ῥεύσουσιν — 1 Occ.