← G4334 G4336 →

προσευχή

proseuchḗ

G4335 noun

SILEX Entry

Root προσευχ- to pray, to address deity

Definition

An act of addressing deity or the divine—typically a petition, request, praise, thanksgiving, or confession—directed toward God as part of religious or cultic practice. The term may refer both to the spoken or silent act of prayer by an individual or group, and to a formalized prayer or set liturgical wording. In some contexts, particularly later Hellenistic and Roman periods, it can also designate a physical location set aside for prayer (a place of prayer, often outside a synagogue).

Semantic Range

prayer (act of communing with God), petition or supplication, formal liturgical prayer, place designated for prayer (oratory, meeting place for worship)

Root / Etymology

From the verb προσεύχομαι ('to pray, to address a deity'), formed by the verbal root προσευχ- plus the feminine nominal ending -ή.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, προσευχή is rare, but in the Hellenistic and Koine periods, it becomes the standard word for prayer, especially as a religious act directed toward the God of Israel. In the Septuagint, it is the usual rendering for several Hebrew terms for prayer (notably תְּפִלָּה [tefillah]). In Second Temple and New Testament contexts, it refers to individual or collective acts of communication with God and sometimes implies fixed or communal prayers. In a few cases in the diaspora, particularly in Acts (e.g., Acts 16:13,16), προσευχή signifies a place of prayer or worship, often associated with water and functioning similarly to—or in the absence of—a synagogue. Standard English translations as 'prayer' generally capture the central meaning but sometimes miss the possible reference to a specific location used by a community for prayer and worship. Unlike εὐχή (general vow or wish), προσευχή emphasizes formal address and collective religious character. Its use marks a distinctive trend in Jewish and early Christian communities of the Hellenistic period.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from προσεύχομαι; prayer (worship); by implication, an oratory (chapel):--X pray earnestly, prayer.

Root Family

προσευχή (proseuchē) — prayer, petition, address to deity

Word Forms

7 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
G4335-04 προσευχῇ proseuche N DAT F SG prayer you may be praying 13
G4335-06 προσευχῆς proseuches N GEN F SG prayer of prayer 6
G4335-02 προσευχαῖς proseuchais N DAT F PL prayers to prayers 6
G4335-07 προσευχῶν proseuchon N GEN F PL prayers of prayers 5
G4335-03 προσευχάς proseuchas N ACC F PL prayers prayers 3
G4335-05 προσευχὴν proseuchen N ACC F SG place of prayer a prayer 2
G4335-01 προσευχαί proseuchai N NOM F PL prayers prayers 2

Occurrences in Scripture

37 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
G4335-04 Matthew 17:21 προσευχῇ proseuche N DAT F SG you may be praying
G4335-06 Matthew 21:13 προσευχῆς proseuches N GEN F SG of prayer
G4335-04 Matthew 21:22 προσευχῇ proseuche N DAT F SG you may be praying
G4335-04 Mark 9:29 προσευχῇ proseuche N DAT F SG prayer you may be praying
G4335-06 Mark 11:17 προσευχῆς proseuches N GEN F SG of prayer of prayer
G4335-04 Luke 6:12 προσευχῇ proseuche N DAT F SG prayer you may be praying
G4335-06 Luke 19:46 προσευχῆς proseuches N GEN F SG of prayer of prayer
G4335-06 Luke 22:45 προσευχῆς proseuches N GEN F SG prayer of prayer
G4335-04 Acts 1:14 προσευχῇ proseuche N DAT F SG prayer you may be praying
G4335-02 Acts 2:42 προσευχαῖς proseuchais N DAT F PL prayers to prayers
← G4334 Greek Lexicon G4336 →