What does εὔχομαι (eúchomai) mean in the Bible?
G2172 means to pray or wish. Its seven New Testament uses show both senses and require the object of desire to remain explicit.
Greek · G2172
εὔχομαι
To wish; by implication, to pray to God
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εὔχομαι G2172
Pronunciation eúchomai
What does εὔχομαι (eúchomai) mean in the Bible?
G2172 means to pray or wish. Its seven New Testament uses show both senses and require the object of desire to remain explicit.
Reader summary
Full entry for εὔχομαι (G2172) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G2172?
The BSB source-word alignment has 7 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include [and] prayed for (1), could wish that (1), I pray that (1), I wish (1), our prayer is for (1).
Where does εὔχομαι (eúchomai) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Acts 26:29. Its strongest book concentrations include 2 Corinthians (2), Acts (2), 3 John (1), James (1).
What This Word Actually Means
G2172 means to pray or wish. Its seven New Testament uses show both senses and require the object of desire to remain explicit. Paul wishes before God that Agrippa and the other hearers would share his faith without his chains. Sailors long for daybreak during the storm. Romans 9:3 voices Paul's impossible, grief-filled wish concerning his fellow Israelites.
In 2 Corinthians, prayer seeks the church's right conduct and restoration. James commands believers to pray for one another in a setting of confession and healing, while 3 John expresses concern for Gaius's well-being and health in relation to his prospering soul. The verb does not turn every wish into a promise, guarantee every requested outcome, or make bodily prosperity the measure of spiritual faithfulness.
How the Bible Uses It
The seven uses range from longing and counterfactual wishing to explicit prayer for conversion, right conduct, restoration, healing, and a friend's well-being. Context decides whether English should emphasize wish or prayer.
- Act.26.29
“Short time or long,” Paul replied, “I wish to God that not only you but all who hear me this day may become what I am, except for these chains.”
Paul desires the hearers' conversion while explicitly excluding his chains from the wish.
- Act.27.29
Fearing that we would run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daybreak.
The storm produces urgent longing for daylight and safety.
- Rom.9.3
For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my own flesh and blood,
The unfulfilled wish communicates grief; the surrounding argument does not present Paul as Israel's substitute.
- 2Co.13.7
Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong, but that you will do what is right, even if we appear to have failed.
The church's obedience matters more than the ministers' appearance of success.
- 2Co.13.9
In fact, we rejoice when we are weak but you are strong, and our prayer is for your perfection.
Prayer seeks the congregation's restoration rather than ministerial self-display.
- Jas.5.16
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail.
Prayer for healing is placed within mutual confession and righteous community life.
- 3Jn.1.2
Beloved, I pray that in every way you may prosper and enjoy good health, as your soul also prospers.
John's prayer expresses care for Gaius's whole well-being without creating a guaranteed prosperity formula.
Passage context
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It [and] prayed for 1× Acts 27:29
could wish that 1× Romans 9:3
I pray that 1× 3 John 1:2
I wish 1× Acts 26:29
our prayer is for 1× 2 Corinthians 13:9
pray 1× James 5:16
we pray 1× 2 Corinthians 13:7
Show sample aligned rows
Acts 26:29 Εὐξαίμην to I wish Verb - Aorist Optative Middle - 1st Person Singular Acts 27:29 ηὔχοντο to [and] prayed for Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Plural Romans 9:3 ηὐχόμην to could wish that Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Singular 2 Corinthians 13:7 Εὐχόμεθα to we pray Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Plural 2 Corinthians 13:9 εὐχόμεθα to our prayer is for Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Plural James 5:16 εὔχεσθε* to pray Verb - Present Imperative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural 3 John 1:2 εὔχομαί to I pray that Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Acts 26:29
Aligned rows 7
Books represented 5
Acts 2 Romans 1 2 Corinthians 2 James 1 3 John 1
Source forms
Εὐξαίμην 1x Euxaimēn Acts 26:29
εὔχεσθε* 1x euchesthe James 5:16
εὔχομαί 1x euchomai 3 John 1:2
εὐχόμεθα 1x euchometha 2 Corinthians 13:9
Εὐχόμεθα 1x Euchometha 2 Corinthians 13:7
ηὐχόμην 1x ēuchomēn Romans 9:3
ηὔχοντο 1x ēuchonto Acts 27:29
Parsing patterns
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Plural 2x 2 Corinthians 13:7, 2 Corinthians 13:9
Verb - Aorist Optative Middle - 1st Person Singular 1x Acts 26:29
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Singular 1x Romans 9:3
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Plural 1x Acts 27:29
Verb - Present Imperative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural 1x James 5:16
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Singular 1x 3 John 1:2
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Ask whether the verse voices a wish, a prayer, or a commanded practice before applying it.
- Bring real desires before God without turning them into guaranteed outcomes.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim every G2172 wish is a divine promise.
- Do not claim Romans 9:3 makes Paul a substitute for Israel.
- Do not claim James 5:16 guarantees automatic healing.
- Do not claim 3 John 2 promises health and wealth to every believer.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. Prayer expressing desire or wish directed toward God, distinct from petition or supplication.
Strong's G2172
Lexical occurrences 7 verses Greek text appearances 7 times Word forms 3 forms 7 references Verse guides 0 guides
Source Gloss
to wish; by implication, to pray to God
Extended definition Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Prayer expressing desire or wish directed toward God, distinct from petition or supplication.
to pray: with accusative of thing(s), 2Co.13:9; with dative of person(s), τ. θεῷ, Act.26:29; before πρὸς τ. θεόν, 2Co.13:7; with accusative and inf., Act.27:29, 3Jn.2; before ὑπέρ, Jas.5:16; ηὐχόμην εἶναι (On imperfect here, see ICC, in l, Lft., Phm 13), Rom.9:3 (Cremer, 718).
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
7 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Acts 26:29 Verb First Person Singular Aorist Middle Deponent Optative
Εὐξαίμην euxaimhn
I pray, wish
Read verse Acts 27:29 Verb Third Person Plural Imperfect Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
ηὔχοντο huconto
I pray, wish
Read verse Romans 9:3 Verb First Person Singular Imperfect Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
ηὐχόμην hucomhn
I pray, wish
Read verse 2 Corinthians 13:7 Verb First Person Singular Present Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
εὔχομαι eucomai
I pray, wish
Read verse 2 Corinthians 13:9 Verb First Person Plural Present Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
εὐχόμεθα, eucomeqa
I pray, wish
Read verse James 5:16 Verb Second Person Plural Present Middle or Passive Deponent Imperative
εὔχεσθε eucesqe
I pray, wish
Read verse 3 John 1:2 Verb First Person Singular Present Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
εὔχομαί eucomai
I pray, wish
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Grammatical Forms
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 3 Aligned forms 7 Tenses Present, Aorist, Imperfect Voices Middle
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Indicative states a fact or reality 5×
Present Middle 2 Cor 13:7 · 2 Cor 13:9 · 3 John 1:2 3×
Imperfect Middle Acts 27:29 · Rom 9:3 2×
Optative wish or remote possibility 1×
Aorist Middle Acts 26:29 1×
Imperative command or strong request 1×
Present Middle Jas 5:16 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 7 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
present 4 imperfect 2 aorist 1
Voice
middle 7
Mood
indicative 5 optative 1 imperative 1
NT Occurrences
Acts 26:29 Εὐξαίμην aorist middle optative optative Acts 27:29 ηὔχοντο imperfect middle indicative background Romans 9:3 ηὐχόμην imperfect middle indicative background 2 Corinthians 13:7 εὐχόμεθα present middle indicative ongoing 2 Corinthians 13:9 εὐχόμεθα present middle indicative ongoing James 5:16 εὔχεσθε present middle imperative imperative 3 John 1:2 εὔχομαί present middle indicative ongoing
Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Word Origins
εὔχομαι is a primary verb - no further derivation.
For the Preacher and Teacher
G2172 invites believers to examine both the content and posture of desire. Paul wants hearers to share his faith, but he does not pretend his wish guarantees their response. His anguish in Romans 9 is so deep that he can voice an impossible counterfactual without becoming anyone's redeemer. In Corinth, prayer seeks the church's right conduct and restoration rather than the ministers' visible approval.
James joins prayer for healing to mutual confession, and John cares for a friend's bodily well-being without making health a covenantal entitlement. A faithful teacher should distinguish prayer from mere preference, wish from promise, and compassionate longing from control. The verb gives language for bringing real desires into view, but God's will, the wider passage, and the good of others govern how those desires are understood and applied.
Anchor passage
Act.26.29
Doctrinal connections
- Act.26.29 - Paul desires that every hearer share his faith without his chains.
- Rom.9.3 - an impossible wish expresses grief without creating another mediator.
- 2Co.13.7 - prayer seeks the church's right conduct rather than the ministers' appearance.
- 2Co.13.9 - prayer seeks restoration while ministers accept apparent weakness.
- Jas.5.16 - mutual confession and prayer belong together in the pursuit of healing.
- 3Jn.1.2 - pastoral concern includes health and well-being without promising prosperity.
The seven forms include indicative, optative, and imperative uses. That distribution matches the contextual range from wish and longing to prayer and command. Grammar helps identify posture, but the desired object and addressee remain decisive.
From Old to New Testament
Biblical prayers regularly voice lament, petition, blessing, and desire before God. Those patterns help frame G2172 only when each New Testament sentence retains its own requested good and limits.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain