verb
nikamō
Strong’sG3528
I conquer, overcome
stem nik-28 times in the New Testamentin 5 of 27 books16 forms occur
What it means
A plain-English reading of the word, with the lexicons it draws on — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, and Liddell-Scott-Jones — right below it, in full.
AI Summary
νικάω means to conquer, overcome, prevail, or win the victory 1234. It is used of gaining victory in a struggle or contest generally 3, and in the New Testament especially of Christ overcoming the world and his enemies, and of Christians overcoming evil, the evil one, and the world through faith 13. The passive form is used the opposite way, of being overcome or mastered by evil 1.
The word is also used as a legal term meaning to win one's case, that is, to be found in the right or prevail when put on trial or judged 13.
Sources: 1 Abbott-Smith 2 Strong's 3 LSJ 4 Dodson. Condensed by anthropic/claude-sonnet-5 on 2026-09-23 — it may still misstate what these say; check them yourself if it matters to you.
The lexicons it was drawn from, in full:
Abbott-Smith — the 1922 lexicon entry, in full
νικάω, -ῶ
(< νίκη), [in LXX: Ps 50 (51):4 (זכה), Pr 6:25 freq. (חמד); freq. in IV Mac;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G3528 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidnik-ah'-o
to subdue (literally or figuratively)
Fromfrom G3529;
King Jamesconquer, overcome, prevail, get the victory.
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
Ionic dialect νικέω NT+4th c.BC+; Aeolic dialect νίκημι Refs 3rd c.BC+; also in imperfect νίκη conjecture in Refs 5th c.BC+: Epic dialect imperfect 1st pers. plural νικάσκομεν Refs 8th c.BC+future -ήσω, later -ήσομαιRefs 4th c.AD+; Doric dialect 2nd pers. singular νικαξῇ variant in Refs 3rd c.BC+perfect νενίκηκα, etc.: (νίκη):
I absolutely, conquer, prevail in battle, in the games, or in any contest, Refs 8th c.BC+; ὁ νικήσας the conqueror,Refs 5th c.BC+; ὁ νικηθείς the conquered, Refs 8th c.BC+; ἐνίκησα καὶ δεύτερος καὶ τέταρτος ἐγενόμην I won the first prize [at Olympia], etc., Refs 5th c.BC+: present frequently in sense, to be (or be proclaimed) conqueror, Refs 5th c.BC+; νικᾶν πᾶσι τοῖς κριταῖς or ἑνὶ κριτῇ in their opinion, Refs 5th c.BC+; πολὺ ν. win a decisive victory, Refs 5th c.BC+ in boxing, Refs 8th c.BC+; ἵππῳ Refs 5th c.BC+ he won all the bouts, Refs 8th c.BC+; τὰ κοῦφα, τὰ μείζοναν., Refs 5th c.BC+; ναυμαχίαν, μάχας, Refs 5th c.BC+ to be conqueror in the Olympian games, Refs 5th c.BC+; πολλοὺς ἀγῶνας οὐ παγκρατίῳ μόνον, κτλ., Refs 1st c.AD+; Ὀλυμπίασι παῖδας στάδιον ν. conquer in the boys' race in the stadium at Olympia, Refs 4th c.BC+ Diog.Cyn. cited in Refs 3rd c.AD+: also in Attic dialect Inscrr. with genitive, Λεωντὶς ἀνδρῶν ἐνίκα Refs win a victory, Refs 5th c.BC+; also ν. τρίποδα win it, Refs 4th c.BC+
I.2 prevail, be superior, μύθοισιν, ἔγχεϊ, Refs 8th c.BC+; κάλλει ἐνίκα (i.e. κρητήρ) Refs 8th c.BC+: with participle, εὐεργετῶν ν. Refs 5th c.BC+
I.3 of opinions, etc., βουλὴ κακὴ νίκησεν the evil counsel prevailed, Refs 8th c.BC+; ἐκ τῆς νικώσης [γνώμης] according to the prevailing opinion, vote of the majority, Refs 5th c.BC+is carried, Refs 5th c.BC+: frequently of orators, νικᾷ.. ὁ κακὸς ἐν πλήθει λέγων Refs 5th c.BC+ it was resolved, with infinitive, ἐνίκα μὴ ἐκλιπεῖν τὴν πόλιν it was carried not.., Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐνίκησε.. λοιμὸν εἰρῆσθαι it was the prevailing opinion that.., Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐν δημοκρατίᾳ νικᾷ ζῆν it is preferable.., Refs 5th c.BC+
I.4 with infinitive, succeed in.., ἐνίκησε σκορπίσαι Refs
I.5 as law-term, ν. τὴν δίκην win one's cause, Refs 5th c.BC+; νικήσεις ἐν τῷ κρίνεσθαί σε NT:—passive, with genitive, αἴ κα νικαθῇ τῶν ἐνεχύρων Refs 5th c.BC+; see below 11.
II with accusative, conquer, vanquish, Ἕκτορα Refs 8th c.BC+; πάντα ν. ἄνδρα.. κακοῖσιν surpass him in miseries, Refs 5th c.BC+; μὴ φῦναι τὸν ἅπαντα νικᾷ λόγον excels the whole account, NT+5th c.BC+:—passive, ἔστιν ἃ τῶν ἄθλων δὶς ἕκαστος ἐνικήθη Refs 5th c.BC+: with participle, ν. ἀλεξόμενός τινα Refs
II.b as law-term Refs 8th c.BC+:—passive, ἧ δέ κα νικαθῇ Refs; also of objects in dispute, damages, etc., recover, Refs:—passive, to be assigned, adjudicated, Refs
II.2 generally, overpower, especially of passions, etc., νόον νίκησε νεοίη Refs 8th c.BC+; βαρεῖαν ἡδονὴν νικᾶτέ με grievous is the pleasure ye win prevailing over me, Refs 5th c.BC+infinitive, μηδ᾽ ἡ βία σε.. νικησάτω τοσόνδε μισεῖν let not violence prevail on thee to.., Refs weighs with me more than enmity, from the comparable force in νικᾷ, Refs
II.3 passive, to be vanquished, Refs 8th c.BC+participle νικηθείς (see. above Refs; νικᾶσθαι ὕπνῳ, κέρδεσιν, Refs 5th c.BC+ with genitive of comparison, to be inferior, yield to, Refs 5th c.BC+; ξείνων νενίκανται θύραι the doors give way to the guests, Refs 5th c.BC+
H. G. Liddell, R. Scott, H. S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon (9th ed., 1925–1940) — digitised by the Perseus Digital Library and corrected and expanded by Tyndale House, Cambridge, via STEPBible-Data's TFLSJ table, CC BY 4.0. Covers all of Greek literature, not just the Bible.
Translated as
Every occurrence, sorted by the English it was actually given — the evidence for what the word means, not a gloss of it.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain — berean.bible.
Biblang forms
What the New Testament actually uses, first — the whole system this verb is built from is one click further down.
| Form and the Greek behind it | What it is | Usually | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| nikatōνικᾷ | happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular | overcomes | 1× |
| nikasiνικήσεις | will happen · youfuture active indicative 2nd person singular | prevail | 1× |
| nikatiνικήσει | will happen · he/she/itfuture active indicative 3rd person singular | conquer | 2× |
| nikamaἐνίκησα | happened · Iaorist active indicative 1st person singular | conquered | 1× |
| nikataἐνίκησεν | happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular | conquered | 1× |
| nikalaἐνίκησαν | happened · theyaorist active indicative 3rd person plural | conquered | 1× |
| nikamēνενίκηκα | has happened · Iperfect active indicative 1st person singular | overcome | 1× |
| nikavēνενικήκατε | has happened · yeperfect active indicative 2nd person plural | overcome | 3× |
| nikateiaνικήσῃ | happened · he/she/itaorist active subjunctive 3rd person singular | conquer | 2× |
| nikasōrνίκα | happening now · youpresent active imperative 2nd person singular | overcome | 1× |
| nikosōrνικῶ | happening now · youpresent middle or passive imperative 2nd person singular | overcome | 1× |
| nikaraνικῆσαι | happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive | conquer | 1× |
| nikarōntosνικῶν | happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative singular masculine | conquers | 8× |
| nikarōntoνικῶντι | happening now · to, forpresent active participle dative singular masculine | conquers | 2× |
| nikarōntoinνικῶντας | happening now · objectpresent active participle accusative plural masculine | conquered | 1× |
| nikarantasνικήσασα | happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative singular feminine | overcome | 1× |
Every form the New Testament uses, in paradigm order. What the system can build beyond them — the whole of this verb, whether the text happens to use it or not — is in the tables below.
Every form the system can build — all 140, by mood, including the ones the New Testament never uses
Statements — indicative mood, 11 occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | nikamō | nikame | nikami | nikama1×ἐνίκησα | nikamē1×νενίκηκα | nikamelē |
| you 2nd person singular | nikasō | nikase | nikasi1×νικήσεις | nikasa | nikasē | nikaselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | nikatō1×νικᾷ | nikate | nikati2×νικήσει | nikata1×ἐνίκησεν | nikatē | nikatelē |
| we 1st person plural | nikanō | nikane | nikani | nikana | nikanē | nikanelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | nikavō | nikave | nikavi | nikava | nikavē3×νενικήκατε | nikavelē |
| they 3rd person plural | nikalō | nikale | nikali | nikala1×ἐνίκησαν | nikalē | nikalelē |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | nikomō | nikome | nikomē | nikomelē |
| you 2nd person singular | nikosō | nikose | nikosē | nikoselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | nikotō | nikote | nikotē | nikotelē |
| we 1st person plural | nikonō | nikone | nikonē | nikonelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | nikovō | nikove | nikovē | nikovelē |
| they 3rd person plural | nikolō | nikole | nikolē | nikolelē |
May, might — subjunctive mood, 2 occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | nikameiō | nikameia | nikameiē |
| you 2nd person singular | nikaseiō | nikaseia | nikaseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | nikateiō | nikateia2×νικήσῃ | nikateiē |
| we 1st person plural | nikaneiō | nikaneia | nikaneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | nikaveiō | nikaveia | nikaveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | nikaleiō | nikaleia | nikaleiē |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | nikomeiō | nikomeiē |
| you 2nd person singular | nikoseiō | nikoseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | nikoteiō | nikoteiē |
| we 1st person plural | nikoneiō | nikoneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | nikoveiō | nikoveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | nikoleiō | nikoleiē |
Commands — imperative mood, 2 occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | nikasōr1×νίκα | nikasar | nikasēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | nikatōr | nikatar | nikatēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | nikavōr | nikavar | nikavēr |
| they 3rd person plural | nikalōr | nikalar | nikalēr |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | nikosōr1×νικῶ | nikosēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | nikotōr | nikotēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | nikovōr | nikovēr |
| they 3rd person plural | nikolōr | nikolēr |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | nikamoiō | nikamoia |
| you 2nd person singular | nikasoiō | nikasoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | nikatoiō | nikatoia |
| we 1st person plural | nikanoiō | nikanoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | nikavoiō | nikavoia |
| they 3rd person plural | nikaloiō | nikaloia |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | nikomoiō |
| you 2nd person singular | nikosoiō |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | nikotoiō |
| we 1st person plural | nikonoiō |
| ye 2nd person plural | nikovoiō |
| they 3rd person plural | nikoloiō |
The “to …” form — infinitive, 1 occurrence
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | nikarō | nikari | nikara1×νικῆσαι | nikarē |
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | nikorō | nikorē |
Used as an adjective — participle, 12 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | nikarōntos11×νικῶν | nikarintos | nikarantos1× | nikarēntos |
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | nikorōntos | nikorēntos |
Each is given in the form it takes as a subject. From there a participle carries the ordinary noun endings, in every case, number and gender — so these four columns are the whole of what the verb contributes.
How every form is built — the slots that make them
nik is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.
same in every form varies — every value shown
Words built on the same stem
Other words sharing the exact same stem — not merely related in meaning.
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
28 occurrences, every one of them listed
nikatō“overcomes”happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular1×
1 John 5:4… pantem tem gennorēntem ek tou theou nikatō ton kosmon. kai houtas atō tas …because everyone born of God overcomes the world. And this is the …
nikasi“prevail”will happen · youfuture active indicative 2nd person singular1×
Romans 3:4“prevail”… dikaiiseia en toi logoi su kai nikasi en te krinorō sin.… You speak and victorious when You judge.”
nikati“conquer”will happen · he/she/itfuture active indicative 3rd person singular2×
Revelation 11:7“conquer”… abussau poiati meta autoiu polemon kai nikati autoin kai apoktenati autoin.… from the Abyss will wage war with them, and will overpower and kill them.
Revelation 17:14“conquer”… teu arnieu polemali, kai tem arniem nikati autoin, hoti kurios kurioiu atō kai …They will make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will triumph over them, because He is Lord of lords and King of …
nikama“conquered”happened · Iaorist active indicative 1st person singular1×
Revelation 3:21“conquered”… en to throno mu, hōs kamis nikama kai kathizama meta tou patrou mu …To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His …
nikata“conquered”happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular1×
Revelation 5:5“conquered”… presbuteroiu legatō mi; Mē klaiasōr; idou nikata tos leontos tos ek tau fulau …… of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah …
nikala“conquered”happened · theyaorist active indicative 3rd person plural1×
Revelation 12:11kai autois nikala auton dia tem haimem teu arnieu …They have conquered him by the blood of the …
nikamē“overcome”has happened · Iperfect active indicative 1st person singular1×
John 16:33… kosmo thlipsian echavō, alla tharsavōr, mis nikamē ton kosmon.… tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!”
nikavē“overcome”has happened · yeperfect active indicative 2nd person plural3×
1 John 2:13… apo archau; grafamō vi, neaniskoir, hoti nikavē ton ponēron.… you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written …
1 John 2:14… tou theou en vi menatō kai nikavē ton ponēron.… abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
1 John 4:4… ek tou theou avō, teknieim, kai nikavē autoin, hoti megoteros atō tos en …… children, are from God and have overcome them, because greater is He who …
nikateia“conquer”happened · he/she/itaorist active subjunctive 3rd person singular2×
Luke 11:22epan de ischuroteros autou epercharantos nikateia auton, tan panoplian autou airatō epi …But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor …
Revelation 6:2… stefanos, kai exerchata nikarōntos kai hina nikateia.… he rode out to overcome and conquer.
nikasōr“overcome”happening now · youpresent active imperative 2nd person singular1×
Romans 12:21mē nikosōr hupo teu kakoseu, alla nikasōr en te agathe tem kakosem.… not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
nikosōr“overcome”happening now · youpresent middle or passive imperative 2nd person singular1×
Romans 12:21mē nikosōr hupo teu kakoseu, alla nikasōr en …Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with …
nikara“conquer”happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive1×
Revelation 13:7… poiara polemon meta toiu hagioiu kai nikara autoin, kai dōita aute exousias epi …… war against the saints and to conquer them, and it was given authority …
nikarōntos“conquers”happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative singular masculine8×
1 John 5:5tinos de atō tos nikarōntos ton kosmon ei mē tos pisteuarōntos …Who then overcomes the world? Only he who believes …
Revelation 2:11“conquers”… tem pneumem legatō tai ekklēsai. tos nikarōntos ouk mē adikiteia ek tou thanatou …… hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who overcomes will not be harmed by the second death.
Revelation 2:26“conquers”kai tos nikarōntos kai tos tērarōntos achri teleu teim …And to the one who overcomes and continues in My work until the end, I will …
Revelation 3:5“conquers”tos nikarōntos houtōs peribaleti en himatiei leukei, kai …Like them, he who overcomes will be dressed in white. And I will …
Revelation 3:12“conquers”tos nikarōntos poiami auton stulon en to nao …The one who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of My …
Revelation 3:21“conquers”tos nikarōntos dōami auto kathizara meta mu en …To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to sit with Me on My throne …
Revelation 6:2“conquering”… kai dōita auto stefanos, kai exerchata nikarōntos kai hina nikateia.… he was given a crown, and he rode out to overcome and conquer.
Revelation 21:7“conquers”tos nikarōntos klēronomati houteim, kai emi auto theos …… overcomes will inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he …
nikarōnto“conquers”happening now · to, forpresent active participle dative singular masculine2×
Revelation 2:7“conquers”… tem pneumem legatō tai ekklēsai. to nikarōnto dōami auto esthiara ek teu xuleu …… ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to eat from the tree of life …
Revelation 2:17“conquers”… tem pneumem legatō tai ekklēsai. to nikarōnto dōami auto teu manna teu kruptorēnteu, …… ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will give the hidden manna. I will also give him a white …
nikarōntoin“conquered”happening now · objectpresent active participle accusative plural masculine1×
Revelation 15:2… thalassan hualinan migorēntan pure, kai toin nikarōntoin ek teu thēreu kai ek tau …… beside which stood those who had conquered the beast and its image and …
nikarantas“overcome”happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative singular feminine1×
1 John 5:4… kai houtas atō tas nikas tas nikarantas ton kosmon, tas pistias nu;… this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith.