Greek word · G2206

ζηλόω

zēloō

be eager

To burn with zeal or ardour. Depending on context: (1) to strive eagerly for something good; (2) to be devoted or protective, as in God's covenant "jealousy"; (3) to be jealous of or envy a rival.

Appears 11 times in 10 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ζηλόω, -ῶ

[in LXX chiefly for קָנָא pi. ;]

1. to burn with envy or jealousy, to be jealousy: absol., Acts 7:9 17:5, 1 Corinthians 13:4, James 4:2 (R, mg., cf. Mayor, in l).

2. to seek or desire eagerly: with accusative of thing(s), 1 Corinthians 12:31 14:1 14:39 (cf. Sirach 50:18, Wisdom of Solomon 1:12); with accusative of person(s), 2 Corinthians 11:2, Galatians 4:17; pass., Galatians 4:18.†

(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 Corinthians 13:4

Range of meaning

To burn with zeal or ardour. Depending on context: (1) to strive eagerly for something good; (2) to be devoted or protective, as in God's covenant "jealousy"; (3) to be jealous of or envy a rival.

Against the English

"Envy" (BSB, KJV, WEB, NIV), "be jealous" (NASB, NLT). Both fit sense (3). What English cannot show is that this is the same verb Paul uses positively in 12:31 and 14:1 ("eagerly desire" spiritual gifts).

Used elsewhere in the period

Negative: Acts 7:9 (Joseph's brothers "being jealous"); Jas 4:2. The noun zēlos is joined with strife in 1 Cor 3:3 ("there is jealousy and strife among you") and in Gal 5:20. Positive: 1 Cor 12:31; 14:1, 39. In the Septuagint God is a "jealous" (zēlōtēs) God (Exod 20:5).

From the study of James 4:2

Range of meaning

To be zealous or burn with intense commitment, which can be good ('earnestly desire the greater gifts', 1 Cor 12:31). It can also mean being jealous or envious of a rival. The root pictures heat, something boiling. In the bad sense it is competitive: resentment that someone else has what you want, and a drive to get it.

Against the English

BSB, WEB and ESV: 'covet'; KJV: 'desire to have'; NASB 1995: 'are envious'; YLT: 'are zealous'; NLT: 'jealous'. 'Covet' is too quiet and too inward. Zēloō is rivalrous and hot, closer to 'seethe with envy'.

How it drifted

'Covet' became the English word for the tenth commandment. Applying it to zēloō blurs two different Greek verbs. In the Greek commandment, 'covet' is epithumeō, the verse's first verb. Zēloō adds something else: the burning jealousy of rivals.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the LXX it is used for the 'zeal' of Phinehas and Elijah (Num 25:11–13; 1 Kgs 19:10), which became a model for later Jewish 'zealots' who used violence for God's cause. It is also used for envy of a rival: Rachel envied Leah (Gen 30:1); the patriarchs, 'jealous' of Joseph, sold him (Acts 7:9). James uses the noun zēlos twice just before this verse: 'bitter jealousy and selfish ambition' (3:14, 16), 'there will be disorder and every vile practice.'

From the study of 1 Corinthians 14:1

Range of meaning

To burn with zeal. Positively: to strive eagerly for, admire, emulate. Negatively: to be jealous of or envy. The same burning energy can be holy or ugly depending on its object and motive.

Against the English

BSB 'eagerly desire', ESV/NASB 'earnestly desire', KJV 'desire', YLT 'seek earnestly'. 'Desire' is too quiet. The Greek suggests passion, even rivalry.

Used elsewhere in the period

LXX Num 25:11: Phinehas was 'zealous with my zeal'. 1 Macc 2:26–27: Mattathias was 'zealous for the law'. In 1 Corinthians: their 'jealousy (zēlos) and strife' (3:3); love 'does not envy' (ou zēloi, 13:4); 'be zealous for the greater gifts' (12:31); 'you are zealots of spirits' (zēlōtai pneumatōn, 14:12); 'be zealous to prophesy' (14:39).

Where it appears

Acts · 2

  1. Acts 7:9 ζηλώσαντες having envied

    Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him

    Here: An aorist participle, here giving the reason for the sale: "because they were jealous/envious". The verb is taken straight from Genesis 37:11 in the Greek Old Testament, where Joseph's brothers "were jealous of him" over his dreams and their father's favour.

  2. Acts 17:5 Ζηλώσαντες Having become jealous

    The Jews, however, became jealous. So they brought in some troublemakers from the marketplace, formed a mob, and sent the city into an uproar. They raided Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas, hoping to bring them out to the people.

    Here: A burning, possessive zeal that has turned hostile. The aorist participle marks the moment it flared up, after watching converts, God-fearers and leading women go over to Paul (v.4). It is the trigger for everything else in the sentence.

1 Corinthians · 4

  1. 1 Corinthians 12:31 ζηλοῦτε do be desirous of

    But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way.

    Here: An intense, ongoing, plural zeal: "all of you, keep burning for". The word carries heat and can tip into rivalry, and the same form can be read as a command or as a description ("you are zealous for").

  2. 1 Corinthians 13:4 ζηλοῖ, is envious,

    Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

    Here: To burn with ardour. Here it is the bad kind: jealous rivalry over someone else's gifts or standing. Paul uses the same verb positively in 12:31 and 14:1 ("eagerly desire" the gifts), so the echo is pointed.

  3. 1 Corinthians 14:1 ζηλοῦτε do earnestly desire

    Earnestly pursue love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.

    Here: Be passionately eager for. The same verb can mean jealousy: the Corinthians' rivalry is called zēlos in 3:3, and love 'does not envy' (ou zēloi) in 13:4. Paul takes their competitive zeal and points it somewhere else.

  4. 1 Corinthians 14:39 ζηλοῦτε do earnestly desire

    So, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.

2 Corinthians · 1

  1. 2 Corinthians 11:2 ζηλῶ I am jealous as to

    I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. For I promised you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.

    Here: I burn with protective, possessive passion for you. Present tense: this is how Paul feels right now, as he writes. It is the feeling of someone whose rightful claim is under threat, not petty envy.

Galatians · 3

  1. Galatians 4:17 ζηλοῦσιν ζηλοῦτε. They are zealous after, you may be zealous after.

    Those people are zealous for you, but not in a good way. Instead, they want to isolate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them.

  2. Galatians 4:18 ζηλοῦσθαι to be zealous

    Nevertheless, it is good to be zealous if it serves a noble purpose—at any time, and not only when I am with you.

James · 1

  1. James 4:2 ζηλοῦτε covet

    You crave what you do not have; you kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask.

    Here: To burn with zeal or jealous rivalry toward someone who has what you want. It is hot and competitive, not a quiet wish. It echoes the 'bitter jealousy' (zēlos) of 3:14 and 3:16.

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