Lexicon
phobeó: To fear, be afraid, reverence
Original Word: φοβέω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: phobeó
Pronunciation: fo-beh'-o
Phonetic Spelling: (fob-eh'-o)
Definition: To fear, be afraid, reverence
Meaning: I fear, dread, reverence, am afraid, terrified.
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
to fear
From phobos; to frighten, i.e. (passively) to be alarmed; by analogy, to be in awe of, i.e. Revere -- be (+ sore) afraid, fear (exceedingly), reverence.
see GREEK phobos
HELPS Word-studies
Cognate: 5399 phobéō – to fear, withdraw (flee) from, avoid. See 5401 (phobos).
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
phobosDefinitionto put to flight, to terrify, frighten
NASB Translationafraid (39), am afraid (2), awestruck (1), fear (27), feared (5), fearful (2), fearing (6), fears (2), frightened (7), have...fear (1), respects (1), terrified (1).
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 5399: φοβέωφοβέω,
φόβῳ: passive, present
φοβοῦμαι; imperfect
ἐφοβούμην; 1 aorist
ἐφοβήθην; future
φοβηθήσομαι; (
φόβος); from
Homer down;
to terrify, frighten, Wis. 17:9;
to put to flight by terrifying (to scare away). Passive:
1. to be put to flight, to flee (Homer).
2. to fear, be afraid; the Sept. very often for יָרֵא; absolutely to be struck with fear, to be seized with alarm: of those who fear harm or injury, Matthew 10:31; Matthew 14:30; Matthew 25:25; Mark 5:33, 36; Mark 10:32; Mark 16:8; Luke 8:50; Luke 12:7, 32; John 12:15; John 19:8; Acts 16:38; Acts 22:29; (Romans 13:4); Hebrews 13:6; 1 John 4:18; opposed to ὑψηλοφρονεῖν, Romans 11:20; of those startled by strange sights or occurrences, Matthew 14:27; Matthew 17:7; Matthew 28:5, 10; Mark 6:50; Luke 1:13, 30; Luke 2:10; Luke 9:34; ( L in brackets); John 6:19, 20; Acts 18:9; Acts 27:24 (but in the last two passages perhaps the exhortation has a wider reference); Revelation 1:17; with σφόδρα added, Matthew 17:6; Matthew 27:54; of those struck with amazement, (Matthew 9:8 L T Tr WH); Mark 5:15; Luke 5:10; Luke 8:25, 35. with an accusative of the contents (cognate accusative) (see ἀγαπάω, under the end): φόβον μέγαν, literally, to 'fear a great fear,' fear exceedingly, Mark 4:41; Luke 2:9 (1 Macc. 10:8); φόβον αὐτῶν, the fear which they inspire (see φόβος, 1), 1 Peter 3:14 (Isaiah 8:12; τοῦ Τανταλου, to be filled with the same fear as Tantalus, Schol. ad Euripides, Or. 6); with the synonymous πτόησιν (which see), 1 Peter 3:6. τινα, to fear one, be afraid of one, lest he do harm, be displeased, etc.: Matthew 10:26; Matthew 14:5; Matthew 21:26, 46; Mark 11:18, 32 (cf. Buttmann, § 151, 11); ; Luke 19:21; Luke 20:19; Luke 22:2; John 9:22; Acts 5:26 (cf. Buttmann, § 139, 48; Winer's Grammar, 505 (471)); ; Romans 13:3; Galatians 2:12; τόν Θεόν, God, the judge and avenger, Matthew 10:28; Luke 12:5; Luke 23:40 (Exodus 1:17, 21; 1 Samuel 12:18); τί, to fear danger from something, Hebrews 11:23, 27; to fear (dread to undergo) some suffering, Revelation 2:10. in imitation of the Hebrew (מִן יָרֵא), followed by ἀπό τίνος (cf. Buttmann, § 147, 3): Matthew 10:28; Luke 12:4 (Jeremiah 1:8, 17; Jeremiah 10:2; Leviticus 26:2; 1 Macc. 2:62 1 Macc. 8:12; Judges 5:23), as in the Greek writings, φοβοῦμαι μή, to fear lest, with the subjunctive aorist: Acts ( L T Tr WH); ; μήπως, lest perchance, Acts 27:29 (here L μήπω (which see 2), others μήπου (which see)); 2 Corinthians 11:3; 2 Corinthians 12:20; φοβηθῶμεν (equivalent to let us take anxious care) μήποτε τίς δοκῇ, lest anyone may seem (see δοκέω, 2 at the end), Hebrews 4:1; φοβοῦμαι ὑμᾶς, μήπως κεκοπίακα, Galatians 4:11 (see μήπως, 1 b.); φοβοῦμαι with an infinitive to fear (i. e. hesitate) to do something (for fear of harm), Matthew 1:20; Matthew 2:22; Mark 9:32; Luke 9:45 (for numerous examples in the Greek writings from Aeschylus down see Passow, under the word, 2, vol. ii., p. 2315{a}; (Liddell and Scott, under the word, Buttmann, II. 4)). 3. to reverence, venerate, to treat with deference or reverential obedience: τινα, Mark 6:20; Ephesians 5:33; τόν Θεόν, used of his devout worshippers, Luke 1:50; Luke 18:2, 4; Acts 10:2, 22, 35; (Colossians 3:22 Rec.); 1 Peter 2:17; Revelation 14:7; Revelation 19:5; also τόν κύριον, Colossians 3:22 (G L T Tr WH); Revelation 15:4; τό ὄνομα τοῦ Θεοῦ, Revelation 11:18 (Deuteronomy 4:10; Deuteronomy 5:29; Deuteronomy 6:2, 13, 14; Deuteronomy 13:4; Deuteronomy 14:22(23); Proverbs 3:7; Psalm 33:10 (), and many other passages; very often in Sir., cf. Wahl, Clavis Apocr. V. T., under the word, at the end); οἱ φοβούμενοι τόν Θεόν specifically, of proselytes: Acts 13:16, 26 (see σέβω). Compare: ἐκφοβέω. [SYNONYMS: ἐκπλήσσεσθαι to be astonished, properly, to be struck with terror, of a sudden and startling alarm; but, like our astonish in popular use, often employed on comparatively slight occasions, and even then with strengthening particles (as σφόδρα Matthew 19:25, ὑπερπερισσῶς Mark 7:37); πτόειν to terrify, to agitate with fear; τρέμειν, to tremble, predominantly physical; φόβειν to fear, the general term; often used of a protracted state. Cf. Schmidt, chapter 139.]
Topical Lexicon
Word Origin: Derived from φόβος (phobos), meaning "fear" or "terror."Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • יָרֵא (yare', Strong's 3372): Often translated as "fear" or "revere," this Hebrew term is used similarly to φοβέω in the context of fearing God or showing reverence.
• פָּחַד (pachad, Strong's 6342): This term can denote dread or terror, akin to the more negative connotations of φοβέω.
• חָרַד (charad, Strong's 2729): Meaning "to tremble" or "to be afraid," it reflects the physical manifestation of fear or awe.
In summary, φοβέω encompasses a range of meanings from fear and terror to reverence and awe, depending on the context. It is a significant concept in understanding the relationship between humanity and the divine, as well as interpersonal relationships within a biblical framework.
Usage: The term φοβέω is used in various contexts in the New Testament, ranging from the fear of God, fear of man, or fear of circumstances. It can denote both a negative fear, such as terror or dread, and a positive fear, such as reverence or awe.
Context: • General Overview: In the New Testament, φοβέω is frequently used to describe the human response to divine encounters or revelations. It is a common reaction to the presence of God or His messengers, often leading to a deeper understanding or transformation.
• Fear of God: In a positive sense, φοβέω is associated with the fear of the Lord, which is considered the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). This type of fear is characterized by reverence, awe, and respect for God's majesty and holiness. For example, in Acts 9:31, the early church is described as "walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit."
• Fear of Man or Circumstances: In a more negative sense, φοβέω can describe the fear of persecution, danger, or human authority. Jesus often addressed this type of fear, encouraging His followers to trust in God rather than be afraid of earthly threats. In Matthew 10:28, Jesus instructs, "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul."
• Reverence and Respect: Beyond fear, φοβέω can also imply a deep respect or reverence, particularly in relationships. For instance, Ephesians 5:33 advises, "However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband."
• Transformation through Fear: Encounters with the divine often lead to a transformative fear that results in worship and obedience. In Revelation 14:7, the call to "Fear God and give Him glory" is a summons to worship and acknowledge God's sovereignty.
Forms and Transliterations
εφοβείσθε εφοβειτο εφοβείτο ἐφοβεῖτο εφοβηθη εφοβηθή εφοβήθη ἐφοβήθη εφοβήθημεν εφοβήθην εφοβήθης εφοβηθησαν εφοβηθήσαν εφοβήθησαν ἐφοβήθησαν εφοβήθητε εφοβουμην εφοβούμην ἐφοβούμην εφοβουντο εφοβούντο ἐφοβοῦντο πεφόβησθε φοβεισθαι φοβείσθαι φοβείσθαί φοβεῖσθαι φοβείσθε φοβείσθέ φοβεῖσθε φοβείσθω φοβείται φοβη φοβή φοβῇ φοβηθεις φοβηθείς φοβηθεὶς φοβηθεισα φοβηθείσα φοβηθεῖσα φοβηθεντες φοβηθέντες φοβηθη φοβηθή φοβηθῇ φοβηθήναι φοβηθήναί φοβηθης φοβηθής φοβηθῇς φοβηθήσεσθε φοβηθήσεται φοβηθήση φοβήθηση φοβηθησομαι φοβηθήσομαι φοβηθησόμεθα φοβηθήσονται φοβηθήσονταί φοβηθητε φοβηθήτε φοβηθῆτε φοβήθητε φοβηθήτω φοβηθήτωσαν φοβηθώ φοβηθωμεν φοβηθώμεν φοβηθῶμεν φοβηθώσι φοβηθώσιν φοβήσαι φοβήσθε φοβηται φοβήται φοβῆται φοβου φοβού φοβοῦ φόβου φοβουμαι φοβούμαι φοβοῦμαι φοβουμεθα φοβούμεθα φοβουμεναι φοβούμεναι φοβουμενοι φοβούμενοι φοβούμενοί φοβουμενοις φοβουμένοις φοβουμενος φοβούμενος φοβουμένους φοβουμένων φοβούνται φοβώνται φοβώνταί ephobeito ephobeîto ephobethe ephobēthē ephobḗthe ephobḗthē ephobethesan ephobēthēsan ephobḗthesan ephobḗthēsan ephoboumen ephoboumēn ephoboúmen ephoboúmēn ephobounto ephoboûnto phobe phobē phobêi phobē̂i phobeisthai phobeîsthai phobeisthe phobeîsthe phobetai phobêtai phobētai phobē̂tai phobethe phobēthē phobethêi phobēthē̂i phobetheis phobetheìs phobethêis phobētheis phobētheìs phobēthē̂is phobetheisa phobetheîsa phobētheisa phobētheîsa phobethentes phobethéntes phobēthentes phobēthéntes phobethes phobēthēs phobethesomai phobethḗsomai phobēthēsomai phobēthḗsomai phobethete phobethête phobēthēte phobēthē̂te phobḗthete phobḗthēte phobethomen phobethômen phobēthōmen phobēthō̂men phobou phoboû phoboumai phoboûmai phoboumenai phoboúmenai phoboumenoi phoboúmenoi phoboúmenoí phoboumenois phobouménois phoboumenos phoboúmenos phoboumetha phoboúmethaLinks
Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts
