φιλοπρωτεύω
philoprōteúō
G5383 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To seek or desire to be first, to aspire to prominence or preeminence within a group. Denotes an attitude or disposition characterized by a strong preference for being given priority, distinction, or leading status. Carries sense of striving for highest position, often with implication of personal ambition or self-serving motivation.
Semantic Range
to strive for preeminence, to be fond of first place, to seek leading status, to be ambitious for distinction, to desire to be foremost
Root / Etymology
From the compound of φίλος ('loving, having affinity for') and πρῶτος ('first, foremost'). The word is built transparently from these roots: φιλο- (philo-, 'love of') + πρωτεύω (proteuō, 'to be first'). Related to Greek terms for priority and prominence.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Attested rarely in Greek outside the New Testament and early Christian literature; its occurrence is especially marked in 3 John 9, describing one who seeks preeminence among a community or assembly (Diotrephes). The term implies not only the fact of holding first place, but the motivation or fondness for attaining that status. In Hellenistic and Koine contexts, φιλοπρωτεύω connotes a controversial or problematic aspiration to authority or recognition, contrasting with attitudes of humility or equality. In Classical Greek, more common ways of expressing ambition centered on verbs such as φιλοτιμέομαι. The sense of “love to have the preeminence” found in some English versions captures one contextual nuance but potentially over-theologizes the term; the Greek itself remains primarily concerned with personal ambition or fondness for being first, regardless of a religious context. The term is constructed in a Greek rather than Semitic pattern, and the closest parallels are other compound adjectives or verbs denoting affection or striving for a trait or position (cf. φιλοτιμία, φιλοσοφία, φιλαρχία).
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from a compound of φίλος and πρῶτος; to be fond of being first, i.e. ambitious of distinction:--love to have the preeminence.
Root Family
φιλοπρωτεύω (philoprōteuō) — to love being first, to seek preeminence, to strive for foremost status
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5383-01 |
φιλοπρωτεύων | philoproteuon | V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG |
who loves to be first | striving to be first | striving to be first | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5383-01 |
3 John 1:9 | φιλοπρωτεύων | philoproteuon | V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG |
who loves to be first | striving to be first | striving to be first |