γαμέω
gaméō
G1060 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To enter into marriage, to take a spouse. In the active voice, generally refers to a man taking a wife (to marry a woman); in the passive or middle, can refer to either partner entering into the marriage relationship. Also used for the act of celebrating or performing a marriage. The semantic range includes contracting marriage, being given in marriage, and the social/legal aspects of wedlock.
Semantic Range
to marry (esp. of a man taking a wife), to be married (passive/middle, esp. of a woman being given in marriage), to wed, to contract marriage, to celebrate a wedding, to establish a marital union
Root / Etymology
From the noun γάμος (marriage, wedding), which is of uncertain etymology, possibly related to Proto-Indo-European *gem-, meaning 'to marry' or 'to join.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, γαμέω primarily denotes 'to marry' from the male perspective (to take a wife), while the passive or middle (γαμέομαι) is used of the woman (to be given in marriage). In the Septuagint and New Testament, this distinction is generally maintained, but the verb can more broadly indicate entering into marriage regardless of gender, particularly in later Koine. In Hellenistic and Roman contexts, γαμέω may refer both to the formal act of marriage as a social/legal institution and to the marital relationship itself. English translations tend to render as 'marry,' but this may obscure gendered nuances or the active/passive distinctions present in Greek. The term is distinct from μνηστεύω (to betroth, to engage), which refers specifically to the engagement or betrothal period, and from συμβιώνω (to cohabit), which may refer to an informal partnership. The semantic boundary between γαμέω and related terms can vary in literary and documentary sources.
Translation Consistency
'Marry' is the natural, common English verb that covers the full semantic range of γαμέω: a man taking a wife (to marry), either partner entering a marriage (to be married/get married), and the act/ceremony of wedding. It is the most frequent rendering in the P2 data and works for active, middle, and passive senses while sounding natural in translation.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from γάμος; to wed (of either sex):--marry (a wife).
Root Family
γαμ- (gaméō) — to marry, to give in marriage, to arrange marriage
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| G1061 | γαμίσκω | they were being given in marriage |
| G1062 | γάμος | of marriages |
| G1547 | ἐκγαμίζω | |
| G1548 | ἐκγαμίσκω |
Word Forms
18 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1060-10 |
γαμήσῃ | gamese | V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG |
marries | should marry | marries | 4 |
G1060-15 |
γαμοῦσιν | gamousin | V PRS ACT IND 3P PL |
marry | they marry | they marry | 4 |
G1060-04 |
γαμεῖν | gamein | V PRS ACT INF |
to marry | to take a wife in marriage | to marry | 3 |
G1060-06 |
γαμῆσαι | gamesai | V AOR ACT INF |
to marry | to enter into marriage | to marry | 2 |
G1060-07 |
γαμήσας | gamesas | V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG |
married | having taken a wife | having married | 2 |
G1060-13 |
γαμῶν | gamon | V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG |
marries | of marriages | marries | 2 |
G1060-01 |
ἐγάμησεν | egamesen | V AOR ACT IND 3P SG |
he had married | he married | he married | 1 |
G1060-02 |
ἐγάμουν | egamoun | V IMPF ACT IND 3P PL |
they were marrying | they were marrying | they were marrying | 1 |
G1060-03 |
ἔγημα | egema | V AOR ACT IND 1P SG |
I have married | I was taking a wife | I have married | 1 |
G1060-05 |
γαμείτωσαν | gameitosan | V PRS ACT IMP 3P PL |
let them marry | let them marry | let them marry | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
29 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1060-10 |
Matthew 5:32 | γαμήσῃ | gamese | V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG |
marries | should marry | marries |
G1060-10 |
Matthew 19:9 | γαμήσῃ | gamese | V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG |
marries | should marry | should marry |
G1060-07 |
Matthew 19:9 | γαμήσας | gamesas | V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG |
having married | having taken a wife | having married |
G1060-06 |
Matthew 19:10 | γαμῆσαι | gamesai | V AOR ACT INF |
to marry | to enter into marriage | to marry |
G1060-17 |
Matthew 22:25 | γήμας | gemas | V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG |
having married | having married | having married |
G1060-15 |
Matthew 22:30 | γαμοῦσιν | gamousin | V PRS ACT IND 3P PL |
marry | they marry | they marry |
G1060-14 |
Matthew 24:38 | γαμοῦντες | gamountes | V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL |
marrying | marrying | marrying |
G1060-01 |
Mark 6:17 | ἐγάμησεν | egamesen | V AOR ACT IND 3P SG |
he had married | he married | he married |
G1060-10 |
Mark 10:11 | γαμήσῃ | gamese | V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG |
marries | should marry | marries |
G1060-10 |
Mark 10:12 | γαμήσῃ | gamese | V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG |
marries | should marry | should marry |
G1060-15 |
Mark 12:25 | γαμοῦσιν | gamousin | V PRS ACT IND 3P PL |
marry | they marry | they marry |
G1060-03 |
Luke 14:20 | ἔγημα | egema | V AOR ACT IND 1P SG |
I have married | I was taking a wife | I have married |
G1060-13 |
Luke 16:18 | γαμῶν | gamon | V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG |
marries | of marriages | marries |
G1060-13 |
Luke 16:18 | γαμῶν | gamon-2 | V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG |
marries | of marriages | marries |
G1060-02 |
Luke 17:27 | ἐγάμουν | egamoun | V IMPF ACT IND 3P PL |
they were marrying | they were marrying | they were marrying |
G1060-15 |
Luke 20:34 | γαμοῦσιν | gamousin | V PRS ACT IND 3P PL |
marry | they marry | they marry |
G1060-15 |
Luke 20:35 | γαμοῦσιν | gamousin | V PRS ACT IND 3P PL |
marry | they marry | they marry |
G1060-09 |
1 Corinthians 7:9 | γαμησάτωσαν | gamesatosan | V AOR ACT IMP 3P PL |
let them marry | let them marry | let them marry |
G1060-06 |
1 Corinthians 7:9 | γαμῆσαι | gamesai | V AOR ACT INF |
to marry | to enter into marriage | to marry |
G1060-16 |
1 Corinthians 7:10 | γεγαμηκόσιν | gegamekosin | V PRF ACT PTCP DAT M PL |
married | to those having married | to those having married |
G1060-11 |
1 Corinthians 7:28 | γαμήσῃς | gameses | V AOR ACT SUBJ 2P SG |
you marry | you might marry | you marry |
G1060-18 |
1 Corinthians 7:28 | γήμῃ | geme | V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG |
she marries | may marry | she marries |
G1060-07 |
1 Corinthians 7:33 | γαμήσας | gamesas | V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG |
married | having taken a wife | having married |
G1060-08 |
1 Corinthians 7:34 | γαμήσασα | gamesasa | V AOR ACT PTCP NOM F SG |
who is married | having married | having married |
G1060-05 |
1 Corinthians 7:36 | γαμείτωσαν | gameitosan | V PRS ACT IMP 3P PL |
let them marry | let them marry | let them marry |
G1060-12 |
1 Corinthians 7:39 | γαμηθῆναι | gamethenai | V AOR PASS INF |
to be married | to be married | to be married |
G1060-04 |
1 Timothy 4:3 | γαμεῖν | gamein | V PRS ACT INF |
to marry | to take a wife in marriage | to marry |
G1060-04 |
1 Timothy 5:11 | γαμεῖν | gamein | V PRS ACT INF |
to marry | to take a wife in marriage | to marry |
G1060-04 |
1 Timothy 5:14 | γαμεῖν | gamein | V PRS ACT INF |
to marry | to take a wife in marriage | to marry |