Greek · G2212, G1492 · unreviewed

ἐζήτει ἰδεῖν

To seek · to perceive: see

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Words in this compound — expand to study each participant

ζητέω G2212 to seek
Pronunciation zētéō
To seek actively and intentionally, often implying desire, striving, or demanding rather than passive searching.
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εἴδω G1492 to perceive: see
Pronunciation eídō
Knowledge gained through direct perception or experience, distinct from intellectual understanding.
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What does ἐζήτει ἰδεῖν (ezētei idein) mean in the Bible?

ζητέω · εἴδω is a Greek word meaning "was seeking to see".

Full entry for ἐζήτει ἰδεῖν (G2212, G1492) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

was seeking to see
Grammatical Forms

How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.

Tenses
Imperfect Present Future Aorist
Voices
Active Passive
Indicative states a fact or reality 75×
Present Active Matt 28:5 · Mark 16:6 · Luke 24:5 · John 1:38 · John 5:44 · John 6:26 · John 7:19 · John 8:37 · John 8:40 · John 16:19 · John 18:4 · John 18:7 · John 18:8 · Acts 10:21 · 2 Cor 13:3 · Matt 18:12 36×
Imperfect Active Matt 26:59 · Mark 11:18 · Mark 12:12 · Mark 14:1 · Mark 14:55 · Luke 5:18 · Luke 6:19 · Luke 11:16 · Luke 19:47 · Luke 22:2 · John 5:18 · John 7:1 · John 7:11 · John 7:30 · John 10:39 · John 11:8 27×
Future Active John 7:34 · John 7:36 · John 8:21 · John 13:33 · Luke 13:24 · Rev 9:6
Aorist Active Luke 20:19 · Acts 16:10 · 2 Tim 1:17
Future Passive Luke 12:48
Present Passive 1 Cor 4:2
Imperfect Passive Heb 8:7
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 26×
Present Active Matt 2:20 · Matt 12:46 · Matt 12:47 · Matt 21:46 · Mark 8:11 · John 6:24 · Acts 10:19 · Rom 10:3 · Gal 2:17 · 1 Thess 2:6 · Matt 7:8 · Luke 11:10 · Luke 13:6 · Luke 13:7 · John 7:18 · John 8:50 26×
Imperative command or strong request 12×
Present Active Matt 6:33 · Matt 7:7 · Luke 11:9 · Luke 12:29 · Luke 12:31 · 1 Cor 14:12 · Col 3:1 · 1 Cor 7:27 · 1 Cor 10:24 10×
Aorist Active Acts 9:11 · 1 Pet 3:11
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract
Present Active Matt 2:13 · Acts 17:27
Aorist Active Luke 19:10
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose
Aorist Active Luke 17:33
Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 291 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect
prospective 1 resultant 240 subjunctive 10 infinitive 11 participle 29
Tense
perfect 256 pluperfect 34 future 1
Voice
active 291
Mood
indicative 241 participle 29 infinitive 11 subjunctive 10
NT Occurrences
Matthew 6:32 οἶδεν perfect active indicative resultant Matthew 6:8 οἶδεν perfect active indicative resultant Matthew 7:11 οἴδατε perfect active indicative resultant Matthew 9:4 εἰδὼς perfect active participle participle Matthew 9:6 εἰδῆτε perfect active subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 15:12 Οἶδας perfect active indicative resultant Matthew 20:22 οἴδατε perfect active indicative resultant Matthew 20:25 Οἴδατε perfect active indicative resultant Matthew 21:27 οἴδαμεν perfect active indicative resultant Matthew 22:16 οἴδαμεν perfect active indicative resultant Matthew 22:29 εἰδότες perfect active participle participle Matthew 24:36 οἶδεν perfect active indicative resultant Matthew 24:42 οἴδατε perfect active indicative resultant Matthew 24:43 ᾔδει pluperfect active indicative resultant Matthew 25:12 οἶδα perfect active indicative resultant Matthew 25:13 οἴδατε perfect active indicative resultant Matthew 25:26 ᾔδεις pluperfect active indicative resultant Matthew 26:2 Οἴδατε perfect active indicative resultant Matthew 26:70 οἶδα perfect active indicative resultant Matthew 26:72 οἶδα perfect active indicative resultant Matthew 26:74 οἶδα perfect active indicative resultant Matthew 27:18 ᾔδει pluperfect active indicative resultant Matthew 27:65 οἴδατε perfect active indicative resultant Matthew 28:5 οἶδα perfect active indicative resultant Mark 1:24 οἶδά perfect active indicative resultant Mark 1:34 ᾔδεισαν pluperfect active indicative resultant Mark 2:10 εἰδῆτε perfect active subjunctive subjunctive Mark 4:13 οἴδατε perfect active indicative resultant Mark 4:27 οἶδεν perfect active indicative resultant Mark 5:33 εἰδυῖα perfect active participle participle Mark 9:6 ᾔδει pluperfect active indicative resultant Mark 10:19 οἶδας perfect active indicative resultant Mark 10:38 οἴδατε perfect active indicative resultant Mark 10:42 Οἴδατε perfect active indicative resultant Mark 11:33 οἴδαμεν perfect active indicative resultant Mark 12:14 οἴδαμεν perfect active indicative resultant Mark 12:24 εἰδότες perfect active participle participle Mark 13:32 οἶδεν perfect active indicative resultant Mark 13:33 οἴδατε perfect active indicative resultant Mark 13:35 οἴδατε perfect active indicative resultant +251 more occurrences

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 Pictures (Robertson)

A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.

1 Corinthians 10 — Learn from Israel, Flee Idolatry, and Seek the Good of Others for God’s Glory 1 Corinthians 13 — The More Excellent Way of Love Acts 17 — The Gospel Reasoned from Scripture and Proclaimed to the Nations Colossians 3 — Raised with Christ: Putting Off the Old Life and Putting On the New John 10 — The Good Shepherd, the Door, and the Son One with the Father John 14 — The Way, the Truth, and the Life, the Father Revealed in the Son, and the Promise of the Spirit John 15 — The True Vine, Abiding Fruitfulness, Christlike Love, and the World’s Hatred John 18 — The Arrested King: Betrayal, Sovereign Surrender, Denial, Trial, and the Kingdom Not of This World John 19 — The Crucified King: Behold the Man, Behold Your King, It Is Finished, and the Pierced Son John 20 — The Risen Lord: Empty Tomb, Eyewitness Faith, Peace, Mission, Spirit, Thomas, and the Purpose of the Gospel John 21 — The Risen Lord Restores, Commissions, Shepherds, and Testifies through His Witness John 7 — The Feast, the Divided Crowd, and the Living Water of Jesus Luke 11 — Prayer, Kingdom Conflict, True Hearing, and the Exposure of Hypocrisy Luke 12 — Fear God, Confess Christ, Seek the Kingdom, and Be Ready Luke 19 — The Son of Man Seeks the Lost, Receives the Kingly Kingdom, and Weeps over Jerusalem Luke 23 — The Innocent King Condemned, Crucified with Transgressors, and Buried in Hope Matthew 12 — The Lord of the Sabbath, the Servant of the Lord, and the Crisis of Unbelief Matthew 18 — Kingdom Humility, Care for the Little Ones, Discipline, and Forgiveness in Christ’s Community Matthew 25 — Readiness, Stewardship, and the Final Judgment of the Son of Man Matthew 6 — Hidden Righteousness, the Father’s Reward, and Seeking First the Kingdom Matthew 7 — Kingdom Discernment, the Narrow Way, and the Wise Builder Matthew 9 — Authority to Forgive, Mercy for Sinners, and Compassion for the Harvest

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

Sources