Greek word · G1783

ἔντευξις

enteuxis

intercession

From entynchanō, 'to meet with, approach, appeal to.' The noun means a meeting or audience, a conversation, and especially a formal petition submitted to a ruler or official. In Christian use, prayer as approaching God. It appears in the New Testament only here and 1 Tim 4:5.

Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Greek New Testament. · Updated November 15, 2026

What it means

ἐν-τευξις, -εως, ἡ

(ἐντυγχάνω, which see), [in LXX: 2Ma.4:3 * ;]

1. a lighting upon, meeting with.

2. conversation.

3. a petition (in this sense common in π.; cf. Deiss., BS, 121 f., 146; MM, Exp., iii): 1 Timothy 4:5; p1., 1 Timothy 2:1.†

SYN.: δέησις (which see) (AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of 1 Timothy 2:1

Range of meaning: From entynchanō, 'to meet with, approach, appeal to.' The noun means a meeting or audience, a conversation, and especially a formal petition submitted to a ruler or official. In Christian use, prayer as approaching God. It appears in the New Testament only here and 1 Tim 4:5.
Against the English: Most English versions say 'intercessions,' which a modern reader hears as a separate kind of prayer specifically for other people. The Greek word does not carry 'on behalf of others' in itself. In 4:5 the same word refers to the prayer said over food. Here the 'on behalf of' comes from huper ('for all people'), which applies to all four nouns equally.
How it drifted: English 'intercession' (from Latin intercedere, 'to step between') narrowed toward praying for others. Modern church usage then made 'intercessor' a special prayer role. The Greek word is about approaching a superior with a request, not about whose need is being raised.
Used elsewhere in the period: In Ptolemaic Egypt, enteuxis was the technical term for a petition addressed directly to the king. Hundreds of such petitions survive on papyrus (see Moulton & Milligan). The verb is used of the Spirit and of Christ pleading before God (Rom 8:27, 34; Heb 7:25) and of appealing to a ruler (Acts 25:24).

From the study of 1 Timothy 4:5

Range of meaning: A meeting or encounter, an audience with someone, and especially a petition presented to a person in authority. From there it came to mean prayer, intercession or a request made to God.
Against the English: BSB, KJV, WEB, NIV, ESV: "prayer." YLT: "intercession." "Prayer" is accurate and better here than "intercession", because modern English uses "intercession" for praying on behalf of other people, and that is not the point at a meal.
Used elsewhere in the period: In Egyptian papyri from the Ptolemaic period, enteuxis is the technical term for a formal petition addressed to the king. 2 Maccabees 4:8 uses it for an audience or petition before a king. In the New Testament the noun occurs only here and in 1 Tim 2:1, where it appears beside "requests, prayers... thanksgivings." The related verb entynchanō is used for the Spirit and Christ interceding (Rom 8:27, 34).

Where it appears

1 Timothy · 2

1 Timothy 2:1 ἐντεύξεις, intercessions,

First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be offered for everyone—

Here: Literally 'a meeting with, an approach to' someone. In everyday Greek, the standard word for a formal petition put before a king or official. Here: bringing a case before God, the true King, on people's behalf.
1 Timothy 4:5 ἐντεύξεως.¶ prayer.

because it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

Here: "Prayer": literally an approach to someone powerful to make a request. Here it is the prayer said over a meal, which v. 4 calls "thanksgiving." It is the believer's answer to God's word.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.