verb
zēlamō
Greekζηλόω (zēloō)
Strong’sG2206
I am jealous, eager for
stem zēl-11 times in the New Testamentin 5 of 27 books8 forms occur
Translated as
What it means
ζηλόω, -ῶ,
[in LXX chiefly for קנא pi.;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G2206 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saiddzay-lo'-o
to have warmth of feeling for or against
Fromfrom G2205;
King Jamesaffect, covet (earnestly), (have) desire, (move with) envy, be jealous over, (be) zealous(-ly affect).
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Forms in the New Testament
| Form and the Greek behind it | What it is | Usually | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| zēlamōζηλῶ | happening now · Ipresent active indicative 1st person singular | jealous | 1× |
| zēlatōζηλοῖ | happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular | envy | 1× |
| zēlavōζηλοῦτε | happening now · yepresent active indicative 2nd person plural | covet | 1× |
| zēlalōζηλοῦσιν | happening now · theypresent active indicative 3rd person plural | make much of | 1× |
| zēlaveiōζηλοῦτε | happening now · yepresent active subjunctive 2nd person plural | zealous | 1× |
| zēlavōrζηλοῦτε | happening now · yepresent active imperative 2nd person plural | desire | 3× |
| zēlerōζηλοῦσθαι | happening now · the “to …” formpresent middle infinitive | zealous | 1× |
| zēlaratoisζηλώσαντες | happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative plural masculine | jealous | 2× |
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 172, by mood, including the ones the New Testament never uses
Statements — indicative mood, 4 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 | zēlamō1×ζηλῶ | zēlame | zēlami | zēlama | zēlamē | zēlamelē |
| you 2nd person singular | zēlasō | zēlase | zēlasi | zēlasa | zēlasē | zēlaselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | zēlatō1×ζηλοῖ | zēlate | zēlati | zēlata | zēlatē | zēlatelē |
| we 1st person plural | zēlanō | zēlane | zēlani | zēlana | zēlanē | zēlanelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | zēlavō1×ζηλοῦτε | zēlave | zēlavi | zēlava | zēlavē | zēlavelē |
| they 3rd person plural | zēlalō1×ζηλοῦσιν | zēlale | zēlali | zēlala | zēlalē | zēlalelē |
acts on or for itself middle voice
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | zēlemō | zēleme | zēlemi | zēlema | zēlemē | zēlemelē |
| you 2nd person singular | zēlesō | zēlese | zēlesi | zēlesa | zēlesē | zēleselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | zēletō | zēlete | zēleti | zēleta | zēletē | zēletelē |
| we 1st person plural | zēlenō | zēlene | zēleni | zēlena | zēlenē | zēlenelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | zēlevō | zēleve | zēlevi | zēleva | zēlevē | zēlevelē |
| they 3rd person plural | zēlelō | zēlele | zēleli | zēlela | zēlelē | zēlelelē |
May, might — subjunctive mood, 1 occurrence
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | zēlameiō | zēlameia | zēlameiē |
| you 2nd person singular | zēlaseiō | zēlaseia | zēlaseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | zēlateiō | zēlateia | zēlateiē |
| we 1st person plural | zēlaneiō | zēlaneia | zēlaneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | zēlaveiō1×ζηλοῦτε | zēlaveia | zēlaveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | zēlaleiō | zēlaleia | zēlaleiē |
acts on or for itself middle voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | zēlemeiō | zēlemeia | zēlemeiē |
| you 2nd person singular | zēleseiō | zēleseia | zēleseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | zēleteiō | zēleteia | zēleteiē |
| we 1st person plural | zēleneiō | zēleneia | zēleneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | zēleveiō | zēleveia | zēleveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | zēleleiō | zēleleia | zēleleiē |
Commands — imperative mood, 3 occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | zēlasōr | zēlasar | zēlasēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | zēlatōr | zēlatar | zēlatēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | zēlavōr3×ζηλοῦτε | zēlavar | zēlavēr |
| they 3rd person plural | zēlalōr | zēlalar | zēlalēr |
acts on or for itself middle voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | zēlesōr | zēlesar | zēlesēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | zēletōr | zēletar | zēletēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | zēlevōr | zēlevar | zēlevēr |
| they 3rd person plural | zēlelōr | zēlelar | zēlelēr |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | zēlamoiō | zēlamoia |
| you 2nd person singular | zēlasoiō | zēlasoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | zēlatoiō | zēlatoia |
| we 1st person plural | zēlanoiō | zēlanoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | zēlavoiō | zēlavoia |
| they 3rd person plural | zēlaloiō | zēlaloia |
acts on or for itself middle voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | zēlemoiō | zēlemoia |
| you 2nd person singular | zēlesoiō | zēlesoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | zēletoiō | zēletoia |
| we 1st person plural | zēlenoiō | zēlenoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | zēlevoiō | zēlevoia |
| they 3rd person plural | zēleloiō | zēleloia |
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 | zēlarō | zēlari | zēlara | zēlarē |
| acts on or for itself middle voice | zēlerō1×ζηλοῦσθαι | zēleri | zēlera | zēlerē |
Used as an adjective — participle, 2 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | zēlarōtos | zēlaritos | zēlaratos2× | zēlarētos |
| acts on or for itself middle voice | zēlerōtos | zēleritos | zēleratos | zēlerētos |
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
zēl 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
Where it appears
11 occurrences, every one of them listed
zēlamō“jealous”happening now · Ipresent active indicative 1st person singular1×
2 Corinthians 11:2“jealous”zēlamō gar vin theou zēlo, harmozema gar vin heno anēro parthenan hagnan paristanara to Christo;I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. For I promised you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.
zēlatō“envy”happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular1×
1 Corinthians 13:4“envy”Tas agapas makrothumatō, chrēsteuetō tas agapas, ouk zēlatō tas agapas, ouk perpereuetō, ouk fusiitō,Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
zēlavō“covet”happening now · yepresent active indicative 2nd person plural1×
James 4:2“covet”epithumavō, kai ouk echavō; foneuavō kai zēlavō, kai ouk dunevō epitunchanara; machevō kai polemavō. ouk echavō dia tem mē aiterō vin;You crave what you do not have; you kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask.
zēlalō“make much of”happening now · theypresent active indicative 3rd person plural1×
Galatians 4:17“make much of”zēlalō vin ouk kalōs, alla ekkleiara vin thelalō, hina autoin zēlaveiō.Those people are zealous for you, but not in a good way. Instead, they want to isolate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them.
zēlaveiō“zealous”happening now · yepresent active subjunctive 2nd person plural1×
Galatians 4:17“zealous”zēlalō vin ouk kalōs, alla ekkleiara vin thelalō, hina autoin zēlaveiō.Those people are zealous for you, but not in a good way. Instead, they want to isolate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them.
zēlavōr“desire”happening now · yepresent active imperative 2nd person plural3×
1 Corinthians 12:31“earnestly desire”zēlavōr de teim charismeim teim megotereim. kai ēti kata huperbolan hodan vi deiknuamō.But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way.
1 Corinthians 14:1“strive for”Diōkavōr tan agapan, zēlavōr de teim pneumatikeim, mallon de hina profēteuaveiō.Earnestly pursue love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.
1 Corinthians 14:39“desire”hōste, adelfoir mu, zēlavōr tem profēteuarō, kai tem lalarō mē kōluavōr glōssai;So, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.
zēlerō“zealous”happening now · the “to …” formpresent middle infinitive1×
Galatians 4:18“zealous”kalem de zēlerō en kale pantote, kai mē monem en te pareiarō min pros vin,Nevertheless, it is good to be zealous if it serves a noble purpose — at any time, and not only when I am with you.
zēlaratois“jealous”happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative plural masculine2×
Acts 7:9“jealous”Kai tois patriarchois zēlaratois ton Iōsēf apodōela eis Aiguptan; kai ate tos theos meta autou,Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him
Acts 17:5“jealous”zēlaratois de tois Ioudaiois kai proslamberatois toiu agoraioiu anēroin tinoin ponēroin kai ochlopoiaratois thorubale tan politan, kai efistanaratois ta oikia Iasōnou zētale autoin proagara eis ton dēmon;The Jews, however, became jealous. So they brought in some troublemakers from the marketplace, formed a mob, and sent the city into an uproar. They raided Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas, hoping to bring them out to the people.