Zeal
ζῆλοςStrong’s G2205zēlos
Appears in 16 verses of the New Testament
In short
Zēlos is the Greek word usually translated “zeal”, “jealousy” and “fury”. It appears in 16 verses of the New Testament.
“And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.”
Meaning
Usually translated “zeal”, “jealousy” and “fury”. Open the dictionary entry below for the full range of meaning, with the verses it cites.
How it's translated
- zeal 6
- jealousy 5
- with jealousy 3
- in jealousy 1
- fury 1
Word-by-word English from the STEPBible tagged text.
Where it's used most
- 2 Corinthians 5
- Acts 2
- Romans 2
- James 2
- John 1
- 1 Corinthians 1
9 books in all.
Explore in Scripture
- Acts 5:17Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation,
- Acts 13:45But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.
- Romans 10:2For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
- Romans 13:13Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
- 1 Corinthians 3:3For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
- 2 Corinthians 7:7And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more.
Greek dictionary
ζῆλος zēlos · zeal
ζῆλος, -ου, ὁ and in late Gk., also -εος, τό (2Co.9:2, Php.3:6), [in LXX for קִנְאָה, Num.25:11, al. ;] 1. zeal: 2Co.7:11 9:2; κατά ζῆλος, Php.3:6; with genitive obj., Jhn.2:17 (LXX), Rom.10:2; before ὑπέρ, 2Co.7:7; with genitive subj., θεοῦ, 2Co.11:2; πυρός, Heb.10:27 (cf. Isa.26:11, Wis.5:18, and cf. Westc., in l). 2. jealousy: Rom.13:13, 1Co.3:3 3:2 2Co.12:20, Gal.5:20 (WH, txt, RV), Jas.3:14, 16; πλησθῆναι ζήλου Act.5:17 13:45; pl., ζῆλοι (see B1., § 32, 6), Gal.5:20, WH, mg.† (AS)
From STEPBible’s Greek lexicon (based on Abbott-Smith).
Webster's 1828 Dictionary
How the English word “zeal” was understood when the King James Version was still the common Bible of English readers.
ZEAL, noun
[Gr., Latin ]
Passionate ardor in the pursuit of any thing. In general, zeal is an eagerness of desire to accomplish or obtain some object, and it may be manifested either in favor of any person or thing, or in opposition to it, and in a good or bad cause.
- “They have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge” Romans 10:2
Noah Webster, An American Dictionary of the English Language (1828). Verse references are checked against the KJV. Read the full entry.
Verses are from the King James Version. Word meanings come from the original Greek, not from any one translation.