Quick Definition
ζάω v. I live
Strong's Definition
a primary verb; to live (literally or figuratively)
KJV Usage: life(-time), (a-)live(-ly), quick
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb | impf. ἔζην | ἀναζάω · ἀναζωπυρέω · ζωγρέω · ζωή · ζῳογονέω · ζῷον · συζάω · συζωοποιέω
23.88 · Physiological Processes and States · Live, Die
to be alive, to live to be in existence, having life, not dead In some figurative expressions ζάω[a] and ζωή may involve serious complications in reference. For example, in JHN 6:51 the expression ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ἄρτος ὁ ζῶν ‘I am the living bread’ may be understood in some languages as bread which has some living objects in it, namely, bread which is being eaten by worms or weevils. It may therefore be necessary to say ‘I am that bread which gives life.’
In a number of languages there is no noun-like word for ‘life.’ It may therefore be necessary to change all passages which speak of ‘life’ into a corresponding expression using a verb-like form meaning ‘to live.’
MAT 4:4 · MAT 16:16 · MAT 22:32 · MAT 26:63 · MAT 27:63 · MRK 5:23 · MRK 12:27 · LUK 2:36 · LUK 4:4 · LUK 10:28 · LUK 20:38 · LUK 20:38 · LUK 24:5 · JHN 4:10 · JHN 4:11 · JHN 4:50 · JHN 4:51 · JHN 4:53 · JHN 6:51 · JHN 6:51 · JHN 6:57 · JHN 6:57 · JHN 6:57 · JHN 6:58 · JHN 7:38 · JHN 11:26 · JHN 14:19 · JHN 14:19 · ACT 7:38 · ACT 10:42 · ACT 14:15 · ACT 17:28 · ACT 22:22 · ACT 25:24 · ACT 28:4 · ROM 1:17 · ROM 6:13 · ROM 7:1 · ROM 7:2 · ROM 7:3 · ROM 7:9 · ROM 8:13 · ROM 9:26 · ROM 10:5 · ROM 12:1 · ROM 14:7 · ROM 14:8 · ROM 14:8 · ROM 14:8 · ROM 14:9 · ROM 14:11 · 1CO 7:39 · 1CO 9:14 · 1CO 15:45 · 2CO 1:8 · 2CO 3:3 · 2CO 4:11 · 2CO 5:15 · 2CO 5:15 · 2CO 6:9 · 2CO 6:16 · 2CO 13:4 · GAL 3:11 · GAL 3:12 · GAL 5:25 · PHP 1:21 · PHP 1:22 · 1TH 1:9 · 1TH 3:8 · 1TH 4:15 · 1TH 4:17 · 1TH 5:10 · 1TI 3:15 · 1TI 4:10 · 1TI 5:6 · 2TI 4:1 · HEB 2:15 · HEB 3:12 · HEB 4:12 · HEB 7:8 · HEB 7:25 · HEB 9:14 · HEB 9:17 · HEB 10:20 · HEB 10:31 · HEB 10:38 · HEB 12:9 · HEB 12:22 · JAS 4:15 · 1PE 1:3 · 1PE 1:23 · 1PE 2:4 · 1PE 2:5 · 1PE 4:5 · 1PE 4:6 · 1JN 4:9 · REV 1:18 · REV 1:18 · REV 3:1 · REV 4:9 · REV 4:10 · REV 7:2 · REV 10:6 · REV 13:14 · REV 15:7 · REV 19:20
23.93 · Physiological Processes and States · Live, Die
to come back to life, to live again, to be resurrected, resurrection to come back to life after having once died In a number of languages there is a difficulty involved in formulating some expression for ‘resurrection’ or ‘living again,’ since such a phrase may refer to what is technically known as metempsychosis, that is to say, the rebirth of the soul in another existence, a belief which is widely held in a number of areas of south Asia. This problem may be avoided in some languages by speaking of ‘his body will live again’ or ‘his body will come back to life’ or ‘he will be the same person when he lives again.’
MAT 9:18 · MRK 16:11 · LUK 15:32 · LUK 24:23 · JHN 5:25 · JHN 11:25 · ACT 1:3 · ACT 9:41 · ACT 20:12 · ACT 25:19 · ROM 14:9 · 2CO 13:4 · REV 2:8 · REV 20:4 · REV 20:5
41.2 · Behavior and Related States · Behavior, Conduct
to live, to conduct oneself, to behave to conduct oneself, with the particular manner specified by the context In 2TI 3:12 ζάω does not refer to physiological existence, but rather to the manner in which a person behaves or conducts himself in relationship to other persons and to God.
LUK 15:13 · ACT 26:5 · ROM 6:2 · ROM 6:10 · ROM 6:10 · ROM 6:11 · ROM 8:12 · ROM 8:13 · GAL 2:14 · GAL 2:19 · GAL 2:20 · GAL 2:20 · GAL 2:20 · GAL 2:20 · COL 2:20 · COL 3:7 · 2TI 3:12 · TIT 2:12 · 1PE 2:24
1 The phrase ὁ ἄρτος ὁ ζῶν is probably best interpreted as a type of transform of the phrase ὁ ἄρτος τῆς ζωῆς in JHN 6:48 and accordingly may be best translated as ‘bread that gives life’ or ‘bread that causes life.’
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ζάω zaō 140x
to live, to be possessed of vitality, to exercise the functions of life, Mt. 27:63; Acts 17:28; τὸ ζῆν, life, Heb. 2:15; to have means of subsistence, 1 Cor. 9:14; to live, to pass existence in a specific manner, Lk. 2:36; 15:13; to be instinct with life and vigor; hence, ζῶν, living, an epithet of God, in a sense peculiar to Himself; ἐλπὶς ζῶσα, a living hope vigor and constancy, 1 Pet. 1:3; ὕδωρ ζῶν, living water in respect of a full and unfailing flow, Jn. 4:10, 11; to be alive with cheered and hopeful feelings, 1 Thess. 3:8; to be alive in a state of salvation from spiritual death, 1 Jn. 4:9
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
ζάω, -ῶ,
[in LXX chiefly for חיה (most freq. ptcp., ζῶν, inf., ζῆν, for חַי);]
prop., to live, be alive (v. Syn., s.v. βίος; in cl. usually of animal life, but sometimes of plants, as Arist., Eth. N, i, 7, 12): Ac 20:12, Ro 7:1-3, I Co 7:39, Re 19:20, al.; ἐν αὐτῷ ζῶμεν, Ac 17:28; ἐμοὶ τὸ ζῆν Χριστός, Phl 1:21; διὰ παντὸς τοῦ ζῆν (M, Pr., 215, 249), He 2:15; ὃ δὲ νῦν ζῶ ἐν σαρκί, Ga 2:20; ζῇ ἐν ἐμοὶ Χριστός, Ga 2:20; (ὁ) ζῶν, of God (אֵל חַי and cognate phrases, Jos 3:10, Ho 2:1 (1:10), Is 37:4, al.; v. DCG, ii, 39a), Mt 16:16, Jo 6:57, Ro 9:26, I Th 1:9, He 3:12, Re 7:2, al.; in juristic phrase, ζῶ ἐγώ (חַי־אָנִי, Nu 14:21, al.), as I live, Ro 14:11; ζῆν ἐπ’ ἄρτῳ, Mt 4:4, al.; ἐκ, I Co 9:14; of coming to life, Mk 16:[11], Ro 6:10 14:9, II Co 13:4; opp. to νεκρός, Re 1:18 2:8; metaph., Lk 15:32; ζῆν ἐκ νεκρῶν, Ro 6:13; of the spiritual life of Christians, Lk 10:28, Jo 5:25, Ro 1:17 8:13; εἰς τ. αἰῶνα, Jo 6:51, 58; σὺν Χριστῷ, I Th 5:10; ὄνομα ἔχεις ὅτι ζῇς, Re 3:1.
As sometimes in cl., = βιόω, to live, pass one's life: Lk 2:36, Ac 26:5, Ro 7:9, Col 2:20; ἐν πίστει, Ga 2:20; ἐν τ. ἁμαρτίᾳ, Ro 6:2; εὐσεβῶς, II Ti 3:12; ἀσώτως, Lk 15:13; c. dat. (cl.), ἑαυτῳ (Field, Notes, 164), Ro 14:7, II Co 5:15; τ. θεῷ, Lk 20:38, Ro 6:10, 11, Ga 5:25; τ. Χριστῷ, II Co 5:15; τ. δικαιοσύνῃ, I Pe 2:24; πνεύματι, Ga 5:25; κατὰ σάρκα, Ro 8:12, 13;
Of inanimate things, metaph.: ὕδωρ ζῶν (i.e. springing water, as opp. to still water), in a spiritual sense, Jo 4:10, 11 7:38 (DCG, ii, 39 f.): ἐλπὶς ζῶσα, I Pe 1:3; ὁδὸς ζῶσα, He 10:20 (cf. ἀνα-, συν-ζάω; Cremer, 270, 721).
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ζάω (zaō) — to live. ζῶ (contraction from ζώω: ζάω only in Grammars, [Refs 4th c.AD+]; imperative ζῆ [Refs 5th c.BC+] see at {ζῆ}; optative ζῴη; infinitive ζῆν: imperfect ἔζων [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἔζην in most codices of [Refs 4th c.BC+]; 3rd.pers. plural ἔζων [Refs 5th c.BC+]: future ζήσω [Refs 5th c.BC+]: aorist 1 ἔζησα [Refs 5th c.BC+]: perfect ἔζηκα [Refs 4th c.BC+]aorist and perfect are mostly supplied from βιόω.- Exc. participle ζῶντος, [Refs 8th c.BC+] always uses the Epic dialect Ionic dialect Lyric poetry present ζώω (also in [Refs 5th c.BC+]; subjunctive ζώῃ [Refs 5th c.BC+], contraction ζῷ [Refs]; Cretan dialect δώω [Refs]; infinitive ζωέμεναι, -έμεν, [Refs 8th c.BC+]: imperfect ἔζωον [Refs 8th c.BC+]; Ionic dialect ζώεσκον [Refs 8th c.BC+]aorist 1 ἔζωσα (ἐπ-) [Refs 5th c.BC+]; infinitive ζῶσαι [Refs]: perfect participle ἐζωκότα [Refs]; infinitive ζόειν [Refs 7th c.BC+]: imperfect ζόεν [Refs 3rd c.BC+]. (Root g[uglide]iē-, g[uglide]iō- also in βίος and ὑγιής (which see).)
I. properly of animal life, live, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; also of plants, τὸ ζῆν κοινὸν εἶναι φαίνεται καὶ τοῖς φυτοῖς [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἐλέγχιστε ζωόντων vilest of living men, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ῥεῖα ζώοντες living at ease, of the gods, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ζῶν κατακαυθῆναι to be burnt alive, [Refs 5th c.BC+] whereby men live in comfort, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἐπὶ τοῖς αἰσχίστοις ἔργοις, ἐπὶ τοῖς παροῦσιν ἀγαθοῖς, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; also ζῆν ἀπό τινος to live on a thing, [NT+6th c.BC+]: with participle, ζῆν συκοφαντῶν [Refs 5th c.BC+] for oneself, uncertain reading in [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὸ ζῆν,= ζωή, [NT+5th c.BC+]; also, a living, τὸ ζ. οὐκ ἔχομεν [Refs 3rd c.AD+]; ζήτω ὁ βασιλεύς long live the king, [LXX]; βασιλεῦ, εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ζῆθι[LXX]; asseverations, ζῶ ἐγώ, καὶ ζῶν τὸ ὄνομά μου, καί.. [LXX]; ζῇ κύριος, εἰ.., ὅτι..,[LXX]
I.2. ={βιόω}, live, pass one's life, with accusative cognate, ζώεις δ᾽ ἀγαθὸν βίον [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἐκ τῶν ἄλλων ὧν ἔζης from the other acts of your life, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
I.3. aorist 1 ἔζησα, causal, quicken, ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ σου ζῆσόν με [LXX]
II. live in the fullest sense, δι᾽ ὧν ζῆν ἐπιστάμεθα [Refs 5th c.BC+]; in religious or mystical sense, [NT], cf. Ramsay Cilies and Bishoprics [Refs]; θεὸς ζῶν [LXX]: frequently metaphorically of things, to be in full vigour, ὄλβος ζώει μάσσων [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀεὶ ζῇ ταῦτα [νόμιμα] [Refs]; τὰς ξυμφορὰς τῶν βουλευμάτων ζώσας μάλιστα have most living power, [NT+5th c.BC+]; ζῶσα φλόξ living fire, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὕδωρ ζῶν spring water, [LXX+NT+1st c.BC+] ζῶ (contraction from ζώω: ζάω only in Grammars, [Refs 4th c.AD+]; imperative ζῆ [Refs 5th c.BC+] see at {ζῆ}; optative ζῴη; infinitive ζῆν: imperfect ἔζων [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἔζην in most codices of [Refs 4th c.BC+]; 3rd.pers. plural ἔζων [Refs 5th c.BC+]: future ζήσω [Refs 5th c.BC+]: aorist 1 ἔζησα [Refs 5th c.BC+]: perfect ἔζηκα [Refs 4th c.BC+]aorist and perfect are mostly supplied from βιόω.- Exc. participle ζῶντος, [Refs 8th c.BC+] always uses the Epic dialect Ionic dialect Lyric poetry present ζώω (also in [Refs 5th c.BC+]; subjunctive ζώῃ [Refs 5th c.BC+], contraction ζῷ [Refs]; Cretan dialect δώω [Refs]; infinitive ζωέμεναι, -έμεν, [Refs 8th c.BC+]: imperfect ἔζωον [Refs 8th c.BC+]; Ionic dialect ζώεσκον [Refs 8th c.BC+]aorist 1 ἔζωσα (ἐπ-) [Refs 5th c.BC+]; infinitive ζῶσαι [Refs]: perfect participle ἐζωκότα [Refs]; infinitive ζόειν [Refs 7th c.BC+]: imperfect ζόεν [Refs 3rd c.BC+]. (Root g[uglide]iē-, g[uglide]iō- also in βίος and ὑγιής (which see).)
I. properly of animal life, live, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; also of plants, τὸ ζῆν κοινὸν εἶναι φαίνεται καὶ τοῖς φυτοῖς [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἐλέγχιστε ζωόντων vilest of living men, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ῥεῖα ζώοντες living at ease, of the gods, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ζῶν κατακαυθῆναι to be burnt alive, [Refs 5th c.BC+] whereby men live in comfort, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἐπὶ τοῖς αἰσχίστοις ἔργοις, ἐπὶ τοῖς παροῦσιν ἀγαθοῖς, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; also ζῆν ἀπό τινος to live on a thing, [NT+6th c.BC+]: with participle, ζῆν συκοφαντῶν [Refs 5th c.BC+] for oneself, uncertain reading in [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὸ ζῆν,= ζωή, [NT+5th c.BC+]; also, a living, τὸ ζ. οὐκ ἔχομεν [Refs 3rd c.AD+]; ζήτω ὁ βασιλεύς long live the king, [LXX]; βασιλεῦ, εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ζῆθι[LXX]; asseverations, ζῶ ἐγώ, καὶ ζῶν τὸ ὄνομά μου, καί.. [LXX]; ζῇ κύριος, εἰ.., ὅτι..,[LXX]
I.2. ={βιόω}, live, pass one's life, with accusative cognate, ζώεις δ᾽ ἀγαθὸν βίον [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἐκ τῶν ἄλλων ὧν ἔζης from the other acts of your life, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
I.3. aorist 1 ἔζησα, causal, quicken, ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ σου ζῆσόν με [LXX]
II. live in the fullest sense, δι᾽ ὧν ζῆν ἐπιστάμεθα [Refs 5th c.BC+]; in religious or mystical sense, [NT], cf. Ramsay Cilies and Bishoprics [Refs]; θεὸς ζῶν [LXX]: frequently metaphorically of things, to be in full vigour, ὄλβος ζώει μάσσων [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀεὶ ζῇ ταῦτα [νόμιμα] [Refs]; τὰς ξυμφορὰς τῶν βουλευμάτων ζώσας μάλιστα have most living power, [NT+5th c.BC+]; ζῶσα φλόξ living fire, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὕδωρ ζῶν spring water, [LXX+NT+1st c.BC+]