zēloō · be jealous, desire

What it means

zēloō (ζηλόω) is a Greek word of the Bible that means “be jealous, desire”.

Be jealous, envious; desire eagerly, be zealous for.

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 burn with envy against someone for what he has or is.
2. To long for something or someone with all your heart.

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

How it is translated

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

• earnestly desire ×3
• be zealous ×2
• I am jealous ×1
• They are zealous for ×1
• are jealous ×1
• becoming jealous ×1
• envy ×1
• jealous of ×1

Related words

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

Where it appears

• Acts×2
• 1 Corinthians×4
• 2 Corinthians×1
• Galatians×3
• James×1

• Acts 7:9

  And the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt; and God was with him

• Acts 17:5

  But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the marketplace idlers, and forming a mob, were stirring up the city; and attacking the house of Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people.

• 1 Corinthians 12:31

  But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way.

• 1 Corinthians 13:4

  Love is patient, is kind; love does not envy; love does not brag, is not puffed up;

• 1 Corinthians 14:1

  Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.

• 1 Corinthians 14:39

  So then, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.

• 2 Corinthians 11:2

  For I am jealous for you with God’s jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to the Messiah.

• Galatians 4:17

  They are zealous for you, not for good; rather, they want to exclude you, so that you may be zealous for them.

• Galatians 4:18

  Now it is good to be zealous for what is good always, and not only when I am present with you.

• James 4:2

  You desire and do not have; you murder and are jealous and cannot obtain; you fight and wage war. You do not have because you do not ask.

And 1 more times.