δανείζω

daneízō

G1155 verb

SILEX Entry

Root δανει- to lend, to borrow, to loan

Definition

To lend or to give something (usually money) with the expectation of repayment, frequently with interest; in some contexts, to borrow or to take a loan. The primary sense involves entering into a financial transaction in which property is temporarily transferred from one party to another with the understanding of future reimbursement.

Semantic Range

to lend (money or goods), to loan for interest, to borrow, to provide a loan, to take a loan

Root / Etymology

Derived from δάνειον (dáneion, 'a loan'), which in turn is from δάνος (dános), meaning 'loan' or 'gift.' The verb form reflects a causative or transactional action related to loans.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical and Hellenistic Greek, δανείζω primarily refers to lending money or goods with the expectation of repayment, commonly but not exclusively involving interest. The term can also be used in the middle or passive voice to indicate borrowing. In some contexts, such as legal or economic texts, it specifically denotes commercial lending for profit, but in broader use, it may simply refer to the act of giving or receiving a loan regardless of interest. In the Septuagint, δανείζω is regularly used to translate Hebrew root לוה (to borrow/lend), maintaining similar semantic flexibility. In the New Testament (see e.g., Matthew 5:42; Luke 6:34-35), it describes both lending and borrowing, sometimes with ethical nuances emphasizing generosity and the absence of charging interest (especially in the context of Israelite or Judean social norms, where usury was often discouraged among fellow Israelites). English Bible translations often alternate between "lend" and "borrow" depending on voice and context, but may omit the interest-related nuance unless the passage explicitly addresses it. The economic nuance of interest is strong in commercial or Greco-Roman contexts, but is secondary in some Jewish contexts where ethical behavior toward fellow Judeans or Israelites is foregrounded.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from δάνειον; to loan on interest; reflexively, to borrow:--borrow, lend.

Root Family

δανείζω (daneizō) — to lend, to borrow, to loan

Word Forms

4 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
G1155-03 δανίζετε danizete V PRS ACT IMP 2P PL lend Keep borrowing 1
G1155-04 δανίζουσιν danizousin V PRS ACT IND 3P PL lend they lend 1
G1155-02 δανίσητε danisete V AOR ACT SUBJ 2P PL you lend you should lend 1
G1155-01 δανίσασθαι danisasthai V AOR MID INF to borrow 1

Occurrences in Scripture

4 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
G1155-01 Matthew 5:42 δανίσασθαι danisasthai V AOR MID INF to borrow
G1155-02 Luke 6:34 δανίσητε danisete V AOR ACT SUBJ 2P PL you lend you should lend
G1155-04 Luke 6:34 δανίζουσιν danizousin V PRS ACT IND 3P PL lend they lend
G1155-03 Luke 6:35 δανίζετε danizete V PRS ACT IMP 2P PL lend Keep borrowing