2206. zéloó
Strong's Lexicon
zéloó: To be zealous, to be jealous, to desire earnestly

Original Word: ζηλόω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: zéloó
Pronunciation: dzay-lo'-o
Phonetic Spelling: (dzay-lo'-o)
Definition: To be zealous, to be jealous, to desire earnestly
Meaning: (a) intrans: I am jealous, (b) trans: I am jealous of, with acc. of a person; I am eager for, am eager to possess, with acc. of a thing.

Word Origin: Derived from ζῆλος (zélos), meaning "zeal" or "jealousy."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: - H7065 קָנָא (qanah): To be jealous, zealous

- H7068 קִנְאָה (qin'ah): Jealousy, zeal

Usage: The Greek verb ζηλόω (zéloó) encompasses a range of emotions and actions related to intense desire or fervor. It can denote a positive zeal or enthusiasm for something good, such as spiritual gifts or righteous living. Conversely, it can also refer to negative jealousy or envy, where one covets what others have. The context in which ζηλόω is used often determines whether it carries a positive or negative connotation.

Cultural and Historical Background: In the Greco-Roman world, zeal was often seen as a virtue when directed towards noble causes, such as loyalty to one's city or the pursuit of wisdom. However, excessive zeal could lead to destructive jealousy or rivalry. In the Jewish context, zeal was associated with fervent devotion to God and His laws, as seen in the actions of figures like Phinehas (Numbers 25:11). The early Christian community was encouraged to be zealous for good works and spiritual growth, reflecting a transformation of the concept from mere passion to a disciplined pursuit of godliness.

HELPS Word-studies

Cognate: 2206 zēlóō (an onomatopoetic word, imitating the sound of boiling water) – properly, to bubble over because so hot (boiling); (figuratively) "to burn with zeal" (J. Thayer); "to be deeply committed to something, with the implication of accompanying desire – 'to be earnest, to set one's heart on, to be completely intent upon' " (L & N, 1, 25.76). See 2205 (zēlos).

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from zélos
Definition
to be jealous
NASB Translation
am jealous (1), becoming jealous (1), desire earnestly (2), eagerly seek (1), eagerly sought (1), earnestly desire (1), envious (1), jealous (2), seek (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 2206: ζηλεύω

ζηλεύω; equivalent to ζηλόω, which see;

1. to envy, be jealous: Simplicius in Epictetus c. 26, p. 131, Salinas edition. (c. 19, 2, p. 56, 34 Didot) οὐδείς τῶν τ' ἀγαθόν τό ἀνθρώπινον ζητούντων φθονει ζηλευει πότε.

2. in a good sense, to imitate emulously, strive after: ἔργα ἀρετῆς, οὐ λόγους, Demosthenes quoted in Stab. flor. app. 14, 7, iv. 384, Gaisf. edition; intransitive, to be full of zeal for good, be zealous: Revelation 3:19 L T Tr text WH, for Rec. ζήλωσον (cf. WH's Appendix, p. 171).

STRONGS NT 2206: ζηλόωζηλόω, ζήλῳ; 1 aorist ἐζήλωσα; present passive infinitive ζηλοῦσθαι; (ζῆλος, which see); the Sept. for קִנֵּא; to burn with zeal;

1. absolutely, to be heated or to boil (A. V. to be moved) with envy, hatred, anger: Acts 7:9; Acts 17:5 (where Griesbach omits ζηλώσαντες); 1 Corinthians 13:4; James 4:2; in a good sense, to be zealous in the pursuit of good, Revelation 3:19 R G Tr marginal reading (the aorist ζήλωσον marks the entrance into the mental state, see βασιλεύω, at the end; ἐζηλωσε, he was seized with indignation, 1 Macc. 2:24).

2. transitive, τί, to desire earnestly, pursue: 1 Corinthians 12:31; 1 Corinthians 14:1, 39, (Sir. 51:18; Thucydides 2, 37; Euripides, Hec. 255; Demosthenes 500, 2; others); μᾶλλον δέ, namely, ζηλοῦτε, followed by ἵνα, 1 Corinthians 14:1 (Buttmann, 237 (205); cf. Winer's Grammar, 577 (537)). τινα, a. to desire one earnestly, to strive after, busy oneself about him: to exert oneself for one (that he may not be torn from me), 2 Corinthians 11:2; to seek to draw over to one's side, Galatians 4:17 (cf. ἵνα, II. 1 d.); to court one's good will and favor, Proverbs 23:17; Proverbs 24:1; Psalm 36:1 ()1; so in the passive to be the object of the zeal of others, to be zealously sought after: Galatians 4:18 (here Tr marginal reading ζηλουσθε, but cf. WH. Introductory § 404).

b. to envy one: Genesis 26:14; Genesis 30:1; Genesis 37:11; Hesiod app. 310; Homer Cer. 168, 223; and in the same sense, according to some interpretations, in Acts 7:9; but there is no objection to considering ζηλώσαντες here as used absolutely (see 1 above (so A. V. (not R. V.))) and τόν Ἰωσήφ as depending on the verb ἀπέδοντο alone. (Compare: παραζηλόω.)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
covet earnestly

From zelos; to have warmth of feeling for or against -- affect, covet (earnestly), (have) desire, (move with) envy, be jealous over, (be) zealous(-ly affect).

see GREEK zelos

Forms and Transliterations
εζήλωκα εζήλωσα εζήλωσαν εζήλωσε ζηλευε ζήλευε ζηλοι ζηλοί ζηλοῖ ζηλοίς ζήλου ζηλουσθαι ζηλούσθαι ζηλοῦσθαι ζηλουσιν ζηλούσιν ζηλοῦσιν ζηλουτε ζηλούτε ζηλοῦτε ζηλούτω ζηλω ζηλῶ ζήλω ζηλών ζηλώσαι ζηλώσαί ζηλωσαντες ζηλώσαντες ζηλώσει ζηλώσεως ζηλώση ζηλώσης ζήλωσον ζηλώσω zeleue zēleue zḗleue zelo zelô zēlō zēlō̂ zeloi zeloî zēloi zēloî zelosantes zelṓsantes zēlōsantes zēlṓsantes zelousin zeloûsin zēlousin zēloûsin zelousthai zeloûsthai zēlousthai zēloûsthai zeloute zeloûte zēloute zēloûte
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Englishman's Concordance
Acts 7:9 V-APA-NMP
GRK: οἱ πατριάρχαι ζηλώσαντες τὸν Ἰωσὴφ
NAS: The patriarchs became jealous of Joseph
KJV: the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold
INT: the patriarchs having envied Joseph

Acts 17:5 V-APA-NMP
GRK: Ζηλώσαντες δὲ οἱ
NAS: But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along
KJV: which believed not, moved with envy,
INT: having become envious moreover the

1 Corinthians 12:31 V-PMA-2P
GRK: ζηλοῦτε δὲ τὰ
NAS: But earnestly desire the greater
KJV: But covet earnestly the best gifts:
INT: Be desirous of however the

1 Corinthians 13:4 V-PIA-3S
GRK: ἀγάπη οὐ ζηλοῖ ἡ ἀγάπη
NAS: is kind [and] is not jealous; love
KJV: charity envieth not;
INT: love not is envious love

1 Corinthians 14:1 V-PMA-2P
GRK: τὴν ἀγάπην ζηλοῦτε δὲ τὰ
NAS: yet desire earnestly spiritual
KJV: and desire spiritual
INT: love be desirous of moreover

1 Corinthians 14:39 V-PMA-2P
GRK: ἀδελφοί μου ζηλοῦτε τὸ προφητεύειν
NAS: my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy,
KJV: brethren, covet to prophesy,
INT: brothers of me be desirous to prophesy

2 Corinthians 11:2 V-PIA-1S
GRK: ζηλῶ γὰρ ὑμᾶς
NAS: For I am jealous for you with a godly
KJV: For I am jealous over you with godly
INT: I am jealous as to indeed you

Galatians 4:17 V-PIA-3P
GRK: ζηλοῦσιν ὑμᾶς οὐ
NAS: They eagerly seek
KJV: They zealously affect you, [but] not
INT: They are zealous after you not

Galatians 4:17 V-PSA-2P
GRK: ἵνα αὐτοὺς ζηλοῦτε
NAS: They eagerly seek you, not commendably,
KJV: you, that ye might affect them.
INT: that them you might be zealous after

Galatians 4:18 V-PNM/P
GRK: καλὸν δὲ ζηλοῦσθαι ἐν καλῷ
NAS: always to be eagerly sought in a commendable manner,
KJV: [it is] good to be zealously affected always
INT: good [it is] moreover to be zealous in a right [thing]

James 4:2 V-PIA-2P
GRK: φονεύετε καὶ ζηλοῦτε καὶ οὐ
NAS: [so] you commit murder. You are envious and cannot
KJV: and desire to have, and
INT: you kill and are desirous and not

Revelation 3:19 V-PMA-2S
GRK: καὶ παιδεύω ζήλευε οὖν καὶ
KJV: and chasten: be zealous therefore, and
INT: and discipline be you zealous therefore and

Strong's Greek 2206
12 Occurrences


ζήλευε — 1 Occ.
ζηλῶ — 1 Occ.
ζηλώσαντες — 2 Occ.
ζηλοῖ — 1 Occ.
ζηλοῦσιν — 1 Occ.
ζηλοῦσθαι — 1 Occ.
ζηλοῦτε — 5 Occ.















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