To pray
προσεύχομαιStrong’s G4336proseuchomai
Appears in 82 verses of the New Testament
In short
Proseuchomai is the Greek word usually translated “praying”, “do pray” and “pray”. It appears in 82 verses of the New Testament.
“Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:”
Meaning
Usually translated “praying”, “do pray” and “pray”. Open the dictionary entry below for the full range of meaning, with the verses it cites.
How it's translated
- praying 22
- do pray 15
- to pray 11
- he prayed 7
- having prayed 7
- he was praying 4
- you may pray 3
- i may pray 2
Word-by-word English from the STEPBible tagged text.
Where it's used most
- Luke 18
- Acts 16
- Matthew 14
- Mark 11
- 1 Corinthians 6
- James 4
15 books in all.
Explore in Scripture
- 2 Thessalonians 3:1In contextFinally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:
- 1 Timothy 2:8In contextI will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
- Jude 1:20In contextBut ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
- Matthew 5:44But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
- Matthew 6:5And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
- Matthew 6:6But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
All 82 verses, by book
Greek dictionary
προσεύχομαι proseuchomai · to pray
προσ-εύχομαι [in LXX chiefly for פָּלַל hith. ;] to pray (always of prayer to God, or in cl., to gods): absol., Mat.6:5-7, 9 14:23 19:13 26:36, 39 26:41, 44, Mrk.1:35 6:46 11:24-25 13:33 (WH, E, txt., om.) Mrk.14:32, 38-39 Luk.1:10 3:21 5:16 6:12 9:18, 28-29 11:1-2 18:1, 10 22:44 (WH, E, mg., om.), Act.1:24 6:6 9:11 10:9, 30 11:5 12:12 13:3 14:23 16:25 20:36 21:5 22:17 28:8, 1Co.11:4-5 14:14, 1Th.5:17, 1Ti.2:8, Jas.5:13, 18; before λέγων, Mat.26:39, 42, Luk.22:41; with dative instr., 1Co.11:5 14:14-15; μακρά, Mat.23:14 (WH, R, txt., om.), Mrk.12:40, Luk.20:47; ἐν πνεύματι (ἁγίῳ), Eph.6:18, J …
From STEPBible’s Greek lexicon (based on Abbott-Smith).
Webster's 1828 Dictionary
How the English word “pray” was understood when the King James Version was still the common Bible of English readers.
PRAY, verb intransitive
[Latin precor; proco; this word belongs to the same family as preach and reproach; Heb. to bless, to reproach; rendered in, to curse; properly, to reproach, to rail at or upbraid. In Latin the word precor signifies to supplicate good or evil, and precis signifies a prayer and a curse. See Imprecate.]
- To ask with earnestness or zeal, as for a favor, or for something desirable; to entreat; to supplicate.“PRAY for them who despitefully use you and persecute you” Matthew 5:44
- To petition; to ask, as for a favor; as in application to a legislative body.
- In worship, to address the Supreme Being with solemnity and reverence, with adoration, confession of sins, supplication for mercy, and thanksgiving for blessings received.“When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly” Matthew 6:6
- I pray that is, I pray you tell me, or let me know, is a common mode of introducing a question.
All definitions and other forms of “pray”
PRAY, verb transitive
To supplicate; to entreat; to urge.
- “We pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God” 2 Corinthians 5:20
- In worship, to supplicate; to implore; to ask with reverence and humility.“Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee” Acts 8:22
- To petition.
- To ask or intreat in ceremony or form.
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.