Greek word · G4692

σπεύδω

speudō

to hasten

(1) Without an object: to hurry or hasten, e.g. Luke 2:16, 'they came hurrying'; Luke 19:5-6. (2) With an object: to hasten something, to make it come sooner, to speed it on. (3) By extension, to be eager for or strive for something.

Appears 6 times in 6 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

σπεύδω

[in LXX chiefly for מָהַר pi., also for בָּהַל pi., hi., etc. ;]

1. most frequently intrans., to hasten: with inf. (as frequently in cl.), Acts 20:16; ptcp. with indic., Luke 2:16; with imperat., Luke 19:5-6; σπεῦσον κ. ἔξελθε, Acts 22:18

2. Trans., with accusative;

(a) to hasten, urge on, accelerate (as Hom., Od., xix, 137; Eur., Med., 152; Sirach 33:8 (Sirach 36:8): 2 Peter 3:12, R, mg. (cf. Mayor and ICC, in l, but see infr.);

(b) to desire eagerly (find., Pyth., iii, 110; Eur., Suppl., 161; Isa 165): 2Pe, l.with, R, txt. (but see supr.).†

(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 2 Peter 3:12

Range of meaning

(1) Without an object: to hurry or hasten, e.g. Luke 2:16, 'they came hurrying'; Luke 19:5-6. (2) With an object: to hasten something, to make it come sooner, to speed it on. (3) By extension, to be eager for or strive for something. BDAG lists 2 Peter 3:12 under the object sense, with 'strive for' as a possible alternative.

Against the English

KJV 'hasting unto' adds 'unto' and so turns it into 'hurrying toward' the day. WEB 'earnestly desiring' takes the third sense and leaves out any idea of affecting the timing. BSB, ESV and NASB 'hasten' and NIV 'speed its coming' keep the plain sense of the Greek, with 'the coming' as the object.

How it drifted

Some translators have been uneasy with the idea that believers could affect when God's day arrives, and preferred 'desire' or 'hurry toward.' The grammar and the Jewish background both favour the stronger sense.

Used elsewhere in the period

Sirach 36:7 in the Greek Old Testament prays 'hasten the time (speuson kairon) and remember the oath,' asking God to speed up the time of deliverance. Isaiah 60:22 has 'I the LORD will hasten it in its time.' The rabbis debated whether Israel's repentance could bring redemption sooner (b. Sanhedrin 97b-98a). 4 Ezra 4:38-39 asks whether the end is held back 'because of the sins of those who dwell on the earth.' In the New Testament, Acts 3:19-20 says to repent 'so that times of refreshing may come.' 2 Clement 12:6 links believers' conduct to the kingdom's coming.

From the study of Acts 20:16

Range of meaning

To hurry or hasten (moving quickly). Also to be eager for something, or to strive to bring it about.

Against the English

'Was in a hurry' (BSB, NIV), 'was hastening' (WEB, ESV), 'hasted' (KJV). All are accurate. The supplied interlinear gloss 'he was hastened' is passive and misleading, because the Greek form is active.

Used elsewhere in the period

Luke 2:16 (the shepherds 'came in haste'); Luke 19:5–6 (Zacchaeus 'hurry and come down'); Acts 22:18 ('hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly'); 2 Pet 3:12 ('hastening the coming of the day of God'). Also common in the Septuagint.

From the study of Acts 22:18

Range of meaning

σπεύδω: to hurry, hasten, be eager. ἐν τάχει: "with speed," an everyday Greek phrase meaning "quickly, without delay" (Luke 18:8; Acts 12:7; 25:4; Rev 1:1).

Against the English

KJV "make haste … quickly," BSB "Hurry! … quickly," NIV "Quick! … immediately." Most keep both urgency words. Some modern paraphrases drop one and lose the doubling.

Used elsewhere in the period

Luke uses σπεύδω of the shepherds hurrying (Luke 2:16) and Zacchaeus hurrying down (19:5–6), and ἐν τάχει of the angel telling Peter "Get up quickly" when he escapes from prison (Acts 12:7).

Where it appears

Luke · 3

  1. Luke 2:16 σπεύσαντες having hurried

    So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the Baby, who was lying in the manger.

  2. Luke 19:5 σπεύσας having hurried

    When Jesus came to that place, He looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, hurry down, for I must stay at your house today.”

    Here: "Hurry!" The Greek is "having hurried, come down," one urgent action. Verse 6 repeats the exact words: "having hurried, he came down."

  3. Luke 19:6 σπεύσας having hurried

    So Zacchaeus hurried down and welcomed Him joyfully.

Acts · 2

  1. Acts 20:16 ἔσπευδεν he was hastened

    Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, because he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.

    Here: 'He was hurrying.' The imperfect tense shows an ongoing urgency that ran through the whole voyage. The verb is active: Paul is pressing on, not being pushed.

  2. Acts 22:18 σπεῦσον do make haste

    and saw the Lord saying to me, ‘Hurry! Leave Jerusalem quickly, because the people here will not accept your testimony about Me.’

    Here: A sharp, one-word command: "Hurry!" The command form calls for one decisive action, not an ongoing attitude.

2 Peter · 1

  1. 2 Peter 3:12 σπεύδοντας hastening

    as you anticipate and hasten the coming of the day of God, when the heavens will be destroyed by fire and the elements will melt in the heat.

    Here: Here it takes a direct object ('the coming'), so most naturally means 'hastening it' or 'speeding it on.' A secondary sense, 'eagerly striving for,' is possible. Either way it is active, not passive waiting.

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