grēgoreuō · keep awake, watch

What it means

grēgoreuō (γρηγορεύω) is a Greek word of the Bible that means “keep awake, watch”.

Stay awake; keep watch, be alert.

How to say it

Approximate pronunciation. Vowels sound as in Spanish (a as in father, e as in bed, i as in machine, o as in note, u as in rule); the syllable in bold is stressed. The voice is your device's.

Its senses in the Bible

1. To stay awake to keep watch.
2. To be alert and ready for when the Lord comes.
3. To be alive: "whether we are awake or asleep".

From Abbott-Smith (1922) · Thayer (1889)

How it is translated

The words this translation uses for it, most frequent first.

• keep watch ×17
• Be watchful ×1
• awake ×1
• keeping watch ×1
• kept watch ×1
• one who keeps watch ×1

Related words

Words of the same family, by Strong’s numbering.

Where it appears

• Matthew×6
• Mark×6
• Luke×1
• Acts×1
• 1 Corinthians×1
• Colossians×1
• 1 Thessalonians×2
• 1 Peter×1
• Revelation×3

• Matthew 24:42

  So keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.

• Matthew 24:43

  But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.

• Matthew 25:13

  So keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

• Matthew 26:38

  Then he says to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with me.”

• Matthew 26:40

  And he comes to the disciples and finds them sleeping, and says to Peter, “So you were not able to keep watch with me one hour?

• Matthew 26:41

  Keep watch and pray, so that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh weak.”

• Mark 13:34

  It is like a man away on a journey, who left his house and gave his slaves authority, to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to keep watch.

• Mark 13:35

  So keep watch, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or early in the morning;

• Mark 13:37

  And what I say to you I say to all: keep watch.”

• Mark 14:34

  And he says to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch.”

• Mark 14:37

  And he comes and finds them sleeping, and says to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Were you not able to keep watch one hour?

• Mark 14:38

  Keep watch and pray, so that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh weak.”

• Luke 12:37

  Happy are those slaves whom the master will find awake when he comes. Truly I tell you that he will gird himself and have them recline at table and will come and serve them.

• Acts 20:31

  Therefore keep watch, remembering that for three years night and day I did not cease to warn each one with tears.

• 1 Corinthians 16:13

  Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.

• Colossians 4:2

  Continue steadfastly in prayer, keeping watch in it with thanksgiving,

• 1 Thessalonians 5:6

  So then, let us not sleep as the rest do, but let us keep watch and be sober.

• 1 Thessalonians 5:10

  who died for us, so that whether we keep watch or sleep we may live together with him.

• 1 Peter 5:8

  Be sober, keep watch. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

• Revelation 3:2

  Keep watch, and strengthen what remains, which was about to die, for I have not found your works complete before my God.

• Revelation 3:3

  Remember, then, how you have received and heard, and keep it, and change your mind. If, then, you do not keep watch, I will come like a thief, and you will never know at what hour I will come upon you.

• Revelation 16:15

  (“Look, I am coming like a thief. Happy is the one who keeps watch and keeps his clothes, so that he may not walk around naked and they see his shame.”)