OlivePress
Pressing the Word of God for Deeper Understanding.
Greek · G5177 · unreviewed

τυγχάνω

To obtain/happen

These lexicon entries are being actively developed. If you notice missing content, incorrect definitions, or have suggestions, we'd love to hear from you. Share a note on our Connect page and include a screenshot if helpful.

τυγχάνω G5177
Pronunciation tynchánō

What does τυγχάνω (tynchánō) mean in the Bible?

τυγχάνω (tynchánō) is a Greek word meaning "to obtain/happen". τυγχάνω [in LXX: Deu.

Full entry for τυγχάνω (G5177) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to obtain/happen
Extended definition

To hit the mark or obtain/happen; opposite of missing the target entirely.

ITrans.
1to hit (opposite to ἁμαρτάνω, to miss the mark: Hom., Xen., al.).
2to hit upon, light upon;
aof persons, to meet with, fall in with: absol., ptcp., ὁ τυχών, a chance person, anyone (Lat. quivis), οὐ τυχών, not common or ordinary, Act.19:11 28:2;
bof things, to reach, get, obtain: with genitive of thing(s) Luk.20:35, Act.24:3 26:22 27:3, 2Ti.2:10 Heb.8:6 11:35.
IIIntrans., to happen; of things, to happen, chance, befall: impers., εἰ τύχοι, it may be, perhaps, 1Co.14:10 15:37; so ptcp., τυχόν (old accusative absol.; see M, Pr., 74), 1Co.16:6 (cf. ἐν-, ὑπερ-εν-, ἐπι-, παρα-, συν-τυγχάνω). τυχόν, adv., see: τυγχάνω
Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Grammatical Forms

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

Tenses
Aorist Present Perfect
Voices
Active
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 2×
Aorist Active Luke 20:35 · Acts 27:3 2×
Optative wish or remote possibility 2×
Aorist Active 1 Cor 14:10 · 1 Cor 15:37 2×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 2×
Aorist Active 2 Tim 2:10 · Heb 11:35 2×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 5×
Aorist Active Acts 19:11 · Acts 26:22 · Acts 28:2 · 1 Cor 16:6 4×
Present Active Acts 24:2 1×
Indicative states a fact or reality 1×
Perfect Active Heb 8:6 1×
12 total occurrences across all forms in the biblical text Morphology: MorphGNT SBLGNT — CC BY-SA 3.0
Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 12 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect
resultant 1 subjunctive 2 infinitive 2 participle 5 optative 2
Tense
aorist 10 present 1 perfect 1
Voice
active 12
Mood
participle 5 optative 2 subjunctive 2 infinitive 2 indicative 1
NT Occurrences
Luke 20:35 τυχεῖν aorist active infinitive infinitive Acts 19:11 τυχούσας aorist active participle participle Acts 24:2 τυγχάνοντες present active participle participle Acts 26:22 τυχὼν aorist active participle participle Acts 27:3 τυχεῖν aorist active infinitive infinitive Acts 28:2 τυχοῦσαν aorist active participle participle 1 Corinthians 14:10 τύχοι aorist active optative optative 1 Corinthians 15:37 τύχοι aorist active optative optative 1 Corinthians 16:6 τυχὸν aorist active participle participle 2 Timothy 2:10 τύχωσιν aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Hebrews 8:6 τέτυχεν perfect active indicative resultant Hebrews 11:35 τύχωσιν aorist active subjunctive subjunctive

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.

Biblical Witnesses
Acts 19:11 extraordinary tynchánō Participle · Aorist Active
Describing something not common or ordinary, emphasizing exceptional occurrence
Acts 24:3 obtain tynchánō
Transitive use meaning to reach or obtain something, to acquire benefits
Hebrews 11:35 obtain tynchánō Subjunctive · Aorist Active
Securing or obtaining something desired, used with genitive of thing acquired
1 Corinthians 14:10 happen tynchánō Optative · Aorist Active
Intransitive use expressing contingency, meaning it may be or perhaps occur
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 19 — The Word of the Lord Grows Mightily in Ephesus Acts 28 — Paul in Rome: The Kingdom Proclaimed Without Hindrance

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

Full license details