νικάω
To subdue (literally or figuratively)
Reading a lexicon entry
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Canonical witness: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
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What does νικάω (nikáō) mean in the Bible?
νικάω (nikáō) is a Greek word meaning "to subdue (literally or figuratively)". νικἀω, -ῶ (νίκη), [in LXX: Psa. Shows that good triumphs over evil through faithful obedience. This term runs through the canonical themes of Faith, Messiah.
Meaning
To overcome or conquer through decisive victory, often with eschatological significance in Revelation and John's epistles.
(νίκη), [in LXX: Psa.51:4 (זָכָה), Pro.6:25 frequently (חָמַד); in 4Mac ;] to conquer, prevail: absol., of Christ, Rev.3:21 6:2; C. inf., Rev.5:5; of Christians, Rev.2:7, 11 2:17, 26 3:5, 12 3:21 21:7; before ἐκ (RV, come victorious from), Rev.15:2; as law-term (cl.), Rom.3:4 (LXX); with accusative of person(s), Luk.11:22, Rev.11:7 13:7 ([WH], R, mg., om.); of Christ, Jhn.16:33 (τ. κόσμον), Rev.17:14; of Christians, 1Jn.4:4; τ. πονηρόν, 1Jn.2:13-14; αὐτόν (ref. to ὁ κατήγωρ, 1Jn.2:10), Rev.12:11; with accusative of thing(s), τὸν κόσμον, Jhn.16:33, 1Jn.5:4-5; τὸ κακόν, Rom.12:21; pass., μὴ νικῶ ὑπὸ τ. κακοῦ, ib. (cf. ὑπερ-νικάω).
Why This Word Matters
Shows that good triumphs over evil through faithful obedience. 1 John 2:12-14
Believers participate in Christ’s triumph over Satan, reinforcing confidence amid spiritual conflict. 1 John 5:1-5
Victory over the world is tied directly to faith in Christ. Romans 12:9-21
Grammatical Forms
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 12×
Indicative states a fact or reality 11×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 2×
Imperative command or strong request 2×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 28 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
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)
Canonical Themes
Biblical Occurrences
Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.
Appears In
Compound and idiomatic lexemes in which this word is a constituent. Follow a link to study the phrase and its other participating words.
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.
A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain