Word Study for G1155 (δανείζω)

daneízō /dan-ide'-zo/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom δάνειον

Meaningto loan on interest; reflexively, to borrow

KJV usageborrow, lend.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of daneízō — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word daneízō, represented by G1155, is defined as to loan on interest; reflexively, to borrow. It appears 4 times across 3 unique verses in the Bible. The term covers the complementary actions of lending and borrowing, often within the context of discipleship and ethical conduct.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, G1155 is central to teachings on generosity. It appears in the command to not turn away from someone who "would borrow" Matthew 5:42. The concept is further expanded in Luke's gospel, where believers are instructed to "lend, hoping for nothing again" as a reflection of their identity as "children of the Highest" Luke 6:35. This is contrasted with the world's standard, where "sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again" Luke 6:34.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide a broader context for the actions of lending and borrowing:

G1325 dídōmi (to give): Defined broadly as to give, bestow, or deliver, this word sets a general principle of giving. It is used in the command, "Give to him that asketh thee" Matthew 5:42.
G154 aitéō (to ask): This term means to ask, beg, or crave. It is often used in conjunction with receiving, as seen in "Give to him that asketh thee" Matthew 5:42.
G2309 thélō (to wish, be willing): Meaning to choose, prefer, or wish, this word describes the desire or intent behind an action. It is used to describe the person who "would borrow" in Matthew 5:42, indicating their desire or need.
G618 apolambánō (to receive): This word means to receive, often in full. It is used in Luke's teaching on lending to describe the expectation of sinners who lend in order to "receive as much again" Luke 6:34.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G1155 is focused on the ethics of discipleship.

Radical Generosity: The use of G1155 establishes a command for generosity that goes beyond simple reciprocity. Believers are told to lend without expecting anything in return Luke 6:35.
Imitating God's Character: This form of lending is directly tied to imitating God, who "is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil" Luke 6:35. The action is a practical outworking of being "children of the Highest."
A Higher Standard: The act of lending only to "receive as much again" is identified as the practice of "sinners" Luke 6:34, setting a clear distinction between worldly financial exchange and kingdom-based relationships.

Summary

In summary, G1155 is more than a term for a financial transaction; it is a key component of Christ's ethical teaching. It defines a standard of selfless giving and lending that is motivated by the character of God, not by the hope of return. Through its use in passages like Matthew 5:42 and Luke 6:34-35, the word illustrates a practical way that believers are called to be distinct from the world, reflecting divine generosity in their dealings with others.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as a verb across 4 occurrences, inflected in 4 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Aorist Active Subjunctive 2nd Plural 1×
Aorist Middle Infinitive 1×
Present Active Imperative 2nd Plural 1×
Present Active Indicative 3rd Plural 1×

Plural: More than one.
2nd: Second person — the one addressed ("you").
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Present: Action in progress or repeated — happening now or continually.
Aorist: Action viewed as a single whole — usually a simple past event.
Active: The subject performs the action.
Middle: The subject acts on or for itself.
Indicative: A plain statement of fact.
Imperative: A command or entreaty.
Subjunctive: Possibility or purpose — "might", "should".
Infinitive: The verb as a noun — "to do".

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 3 verses across 2 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Luke (2 verses); never once in the other 25.

Matthew

Luke

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.