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Greek · G4337 · unreviewed

προσέχω

To watch out

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προσέχω G4337
Pronunciation proséchō

What does προσέχω (proséchō) mean in the Bible?

προσέχω (proséchō) is a Greek word meaning "to watch out". προσ-έχω [in LXX for קָשַׁב hi. Commands continual vigilance against hypocrisy.

Full entry for προσέχω (G4337) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to watch out
Extended definition

To turn one's mind toward something; to attend carefully with focused mental and spiritual vigilance.

1to turn to, bring to (frequently ναῦν, expressed or understood, to bring to port, land; Hdt., al.).
2τ. νοῦν, before dative, to turn one's mind to, attend to; in Xen. and later writers with νοῦν omitted (El., § 53, 1; 81, 1): Act.8:6 16:14, Heb.2:1, 2Pe.1:19; in sense of caring or providing for, Act.20:28; π. ἑαυτῷ, to give heed to oneself (M, Pr., 157; cf. Gen.24:6, Exo.10:28, al.): Luk.17:3 21:34, Act.5:35; id. before ἀπό (M, Pr., 102; B1., § 34, 11; 40, 3; see: βλέπω), Luk.12:1; (without dative) Mat.7:15 10:17 16:6, 11-12, Luk.20:46 (cf. Sir.6:13, al.); before μή, with inf. (M, Pr., 193; Bl., § 69, 4), Mat.6:1.
3to attach or devote oneself to: with dative of person(s), Act.8:10-11, 1Ti.4:1; with dative of thing(s), 1Ti.1:4 3:8 4:13 6:3 T (-ερχ-, WH, R), Tit.1:14, Heb.7:13.
Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Why This Word Matters
Commands continual vigilance against hypocrisy. 1 Timothy 4:11-16
Calls believers to continual vigilance. Acts 16:11-15
Describes Lydia’s active response to the gospel message. Luke 20:45–47
Scripture ministry requires sustained focus and intentional effort. Luke 21:34–36
Grammatical Forms

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

Tenses
Present Imperfect Perfect
Voices
Active
Imperative command or strong request 12×
Present Active Matt 6:1 · Matt 7:15 · Matt 10:17 · Matt 16:6 · Matt 16:11 · Luke 12:1 · Luke 17:3 · Luke 20:46 · Luke 21:34 · Acts 5:35 · Acts 20:28 · 1 Tim 4:13 12×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 4×
Present Active Matt 16:12 · Acts 16:14 · 1 Tim 1:4 · Heb 2:1 4×
Indicative states a fact or reality 4×
Imperfect Active Acts 8:6 · Acts 8:10 · Acts 8:11 3×
Perfect Active Heb 7:13 1×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 4×
Present Active 1 Tim 4:1 · Titus 1:14 · 2 Pet 1:19 · 1 Tim 3:8 4×
24 total occurrences across all forms in the biblical text Morphology: MorphGNT SBLGNT — CC BY-SA 3.0
Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 23 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect
resultant 1 imperative 11 background 3 infinitive 4 participle 4
Tense
present 19 imperfect 3 perfect 1
Voice
active 23
Mood
imperative 11 infinitive 4 participle 4 indicative 4
NT Occurrences
Matthew 6:1 Προσέχετε present active imperative imperative Matthew 7:15 Προσέχετε present active imperative imperative Matthew 10:17 προσέχετε present active imperative imperative Matthew 16:11 προσέχετε present active imperative imperative Matthew 16:12 προσέχειν present active infinitive infinitive Luke 12:1 Προσέχετε present active imperative imperative Luke 17:3 προσέχετε present active imperative imperative Luke 20:46 Προσέχετε present active imperative imperative Luke 21:34 Προσέχετε present active imperative imperative Acts 5:35 προσέχετε present active imperative imperative Acts 8:10 προσεῖχον imperfect active indicative background Acts 8:11 προσεῖχον imperfect active indicative background Acts 8:6 προσεῖχον imperfect active indicative background Acts 16:14 προσέχειν present active infinitive infinitive Acts 20:28 προσέχετε present active imperative imperative 1 Timothy 1:4 προσέχειν present active infinitive infinitive 1 Timothy 3:8 προσέχοντας present active participle participle 1 Timothy 4:1 προσέχοντες present active participle participle 1 Timothy 4:13 πρόσεχε present active imperative imperative Titus 1:14 προσέχοντες present active participle participle Hebrews 2:1 προσέχειν present active infinitive infinitive Hebrews 7:13 προσέσχηκεν perfect active indicative resultant 2 Peter 1:19 προσέχοντες present active participle participle

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)

Biblical Occurrences

Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.

New Testament Witnesses
1 Timothy 4:11-16 devote proséchō Imperative · Present Active
To apply oneself continually and attentively.
Acts 16:11-15 Attentive proséchō Infinitive · Present Active
To pay attention or give heed.
Luke 20:45–47 προσέχετε proséchō Imperative · Present Active
beware
Luke 21:34–36 προσέχω proséchō Imperative · Present Active
pay careful attention
Additional Occurrences
Luke 20:45–47 προσέχετε proséchō
Beware, pay attention
Luke 21:25–36 προσέχετε proséchō
Be on guard
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.

οἶνος · πολύς · προσέχω G3631, G4183, G4337
not devoted to much wine
προσέχω · ἑαυτοῦ G4337, G1438
pay attention to yourselves, watch yourselves
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.

Acts 16 — The Gospel Enters Macedonia: Opened Hearts, Broken Chains, and Household Faith Acts 20 — Paul’s Farewell Charge to Shepherd the Church of God Luke 21 — The Widow’s Gift, Jerusalem’s Fall, and Watchfulness before the Son of Man Matthew 10 — The Mission of the Twelve, Costly Witness, and Allegiance to Christ Matthew 16 — The Confession of the Christ, the Church Christ Builds, and the Cross-Shaped Way of Discipleship Matthew 7 — Kingdom Discernment, the Narrow Way, and the Wise Builder

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

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

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

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