verb
prosdokamō
Strong’sG4328
I expect, await
stem prosdok-16 times in the New Testamentin 4 of 27 books8 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
Expect, await, look for — used of anticipating a person's arrival or a future event, whether that anticipation is hopeful or fearful 1234. It takes a person as its object (waiting for someone to come or arrive) 13, a thing as its object (looking for or anticipating an event) 1, or an infinitive construction (expecting that something will happen or that one will do something) 13. It can also stand alone without an object, simply meaning to be in a state of expectation or waiting 1.
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
προσ-δοκάω, -ῶ
(the simple verb exists only in the forms δοκέω, -εύω), [in LXX: Ps 103 (104):27 (שׂבר pi.), etc.;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G4328 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidpros-dok-ah'-o
to anticipate (in thought, hope or fear); by implication, to await
Fromfrom G4314 and dokeuo (to watch);
King James(be in) expect(-ation), look (for), when looked, tarry, wait for.
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 προσδοκ-έω (which is sometimes found as falsa lectio, e.g. in Refs 2nd c.BC+future -ήσω: aorist -εδόκησα: perfect προσδεδόκηκα Refs 1st c.AD+:—expect, whether in hope or fear; mostly with infinitive future, expect that one will do or that a thing will be, Refs 5th c.BC+infinitive aorist and ἄν, that one would do or that a thing would be, Refs 5th c.BC+ expect his arrival, Refs 4th c.BC+
2 with infinitive present, think, suppose that one is doing or that a thing is, Refs 5th c.BC+: with infinitive perfect, think that a thing has been.. , Refs 5th c.BC+
3 with accusative of things, expect, look for a thing, Refs 5th c.BC+; π. τινά expect, wait for a person, Refs 5th c.BC+
4 absolutely, ἰλλὸς γεγένημαι προσδοκῶν from expectation, Refs 5th c.BC+; μηδεὶς.. προσδοκησάτω ἄλλως (i.e. τοῦτ᾽ ἔσεσθαι) Refs 5th c.BC+
5 passive, τὸ προσδοκώμενον, opposed to τὰ ἄελπτα, Refs 5th c.BC+
6 passive, also, ὁ Νικίου οἶκος προσεδοκᾶτο εἶναι.. ἑκατὸν ταλάντων was supposed to be worth.., Refs 5th c.BC+
7 hesitate, περί τινος Refs 1st c.AD+
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| prosdokatōπροσδοκᾷ | happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular | expect | 2× |
| prosdokanōπροσδοκῶμεν | happening now · wepresent active indicative 1st person plural | look for | 4× |
| prosdokaleπροσεδόκων | was happening · theyimperfect active indicative 3rd person plural | expecting | 1× |
| prosdokarōntosπροσδοκῶν | happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative singular masculine | expecting | 3× |
| prosdokarōntouΠροσδοκῶντος | happening now · of, belonging topresent active participle genitive singular masculine | waiting expectantly | 1× |
| prosdokarōntoisπροσδοκῶντες | happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative plural masculine | waiting for | 3× |
| prosdokarōntoinπροσδοκῶντας | happening now · objectpresent active participle accusative plural masculine | waiting for | 1× |
| prosdokarōntoiuπροσδοκώντων | happening now · of, belonging topresent active participle genitive plural masculine | waited | 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 86, by mood, including the ones the New Testament never uses
Statements — indicative mood, 7 occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | prosdokamō | prosdokame | prosdokami | prosdokama | prosdokamē | prosdokamelē |
| you 2nd person singular | prosdokasō | prosdokase | prosdokasi | prosdokasa | prosdokasē | prosdokaselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | prosdokatō2×προσδοκᾷ | prosdokate | prosdokati | prosdokata | prosdokatē | prosdokatelē |
| we 1st person plural | prosdokanō4×προσδοκῶμεν | prosdokane | prosdokani | prosdokana | prosdokanē | prosdokanelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | prosdokavō | prosdokave | prosdokavi | prosdokava | prosdokavē | prosdokavelē |
| they 3rd person plural | prosdokalō | prosdokale1×προσεδόκων | prosdokali | prosdokala | prosdokalē | prosdokalelē |
May, might — subjunctive mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | prosdokameiō | prosdokameia | prosdokameiē |
| you 2nd person singular | prosdokaseiō | prosdokaseia | prosdokaseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | prosdokateiō | prosdokateia | prosdokateiē |
| we 1st person plural | prosdokaneiō | prosdokaneia | prosdokaneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | prosdokaveiō | prosdokaveia | prosdokaveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | prosdokaleiō | prosdokaleia | prosdokaleiē |
Commands — imperative mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | prosdokasōr | prosdokasar | prosdokasēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | prosdokatōr | prosdokatar | prosdokatēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | prosdokavōr | prosdokavar | prosdokavēr |
| they 3rd person plural | prosdokalōr | prosdokalar | prosdokalēr |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | prosdokamoiō | prosdokamoia |
| you 2nd person singular | prosdokasoiō | prosdokasoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | prosdokatoiō | prosdokatoia |
| we 1st person plural | prosdokanoiō | prosdokanoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | prosdokavoiō | prosdokavoia |
| they 3rd person plural | prosdokaloiō | prosdokaloia |
The “to …” form — infinitive, no occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | prosdokarō | prosdokari | prosdokara | prosdokarē |
Used as an adjective — participle, 9 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | prosdokarōntos9×προσδοκῶν | prosdokarintos | prosdokarantos | prosdokarēntos |
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
prosdok 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
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
16 occurrences, every one of them listed
prosdokatō“expect”happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular2×
Matthew 24:50… doulou ekeinou en hēmera ha ouk prosdokatō kai en hōra ha ouk gnōskatō,… on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does …
Luke 12:46… doulou ekeinou en hēmera ha ouk prosdokatō kai en hōra ha ouk gnōskatō, …… on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does …
prosdokanō“look for”happening now · wepresent active indicative 1st person plural4×
Matthew 11:3… Sis asō tos erchorōntos ē heteron prosdokanō?… was to come, or should we look for someone else?”
Luke 7:19… Sis asō tos erchorōntos ē alloson prosdokanō?… was to come, or should we look for someone else?”
Luke 7:20… Sis asō tos erchorōntos ē alloson prosdokanō?… was to come, or should we look for someone else?’”
2 Peter 3:13“wait for”… gēan kainan kata tem epangelmem autou prosdokanō, en hoi dikaiosunas katoikatō.But in keeping with God’s promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.
prosdokale“expecting”was happening · theyimperfect active indicative 3rd person plural1×
Acts 28:6tois de prosdokale auton mellarō pimprēorō ē katapiptarō afnōs …The islanders were expecting him to swell up or suddenly …
prosdokarōntos“expecting”happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative singular masculine3×
Luke 1:21Kai ate tos laos prosdokarōntos ton Zacharion, kai thaumazale en te …Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he took …
Acts 3:5tos de epechate autoi prosdokarōntos tinem para autoiu labara.… the man gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.
Acts 10:24… tan Kaisareian. tos de Kornēlios ate prosdokarōntos autoin sunkalerantos toin sungenoin autou kai …… arrived in Caesarea, where Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his …
prosdokarōntou“waiting expectantly”happening now · of, belonging topresent active participle genitive singular masculine1×
Luke 3:15Prosdokarōntou de tou laou kai dialogizorōntoiu pantoiu …The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their …
prosdokarōntois“waiting for”happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative plural masculine3×
Luke 8:40… auton tos ochlos, ale gar pantois prosdokarōntois auton.… Him, for they had all been waiting for Him.
Acts 27:33“waited”… metalabara trofēau legarōntos; Tessareskaidekatan sēmeron hēmeran prosdokarōntois asitois diatelavō, mēdenem proslaberantois;… to eat: “Today is your fourteenth day in constant suspense, without taking any food.
2 Peter 3:14“waiting for”Dio, agapētoir, houteim prosdokarōntois spoudazavar aspilois kai amōmētois auto heuriskira …Therefore, beloved, as you anticipate these things, make every effort to be found at peace— spotless and blameless in His …
prosdokarōntoin“waiting for”happening now · objectpresent active participle accusative plural masculine1×
2 Peter 3:12“waiting for”prosdokarōntoin kai speudarōntoin tan parousian tau tou …… you anticipate and hasten the coming of the day of …
prosdokarōntoiu“waited”happening now · of, belonging topresent active participle genitive plural masculine1×
Acts 28:6“waited”… afnōs nekron. epi pollem de autoiu prosdokarōntoiu kai theōrarōntoiu mēdenem atopem eis auton …… up or suddenly drop dead. But after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their …