Word Study for G1522 (εἰσακούω)

eisakoúō /ice-ak-oo'-o/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom εἰς and ἀκούω

Meaningto listen to

KJV usagehear.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of eisakoúō — 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 eisakoúō, represented by G1522, means to listen to or hear. It is formed from the words εἰς (eis) and ἀκούω (akoúō). Appearing 6 times across 5 unique verses in scripture, its usage is specific and significant, often denoting a direct response to a prayer or supplication.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, G1522 is used to confirm that a prayer has been acknowledged by God. An angel tells Zacharias, "thy prayer is heard" Luke 1:13, and similarly informs Cornelius, "thy prayer is heard" Acts 10:31. The word describes the successful intercession of Christ, who "was heard in that he feared" after offering up prayers and supplications Hebrews 5:7. Conversely, it is used in a cautionary sense, warning believers not to assume they will be heard for their "much speaking" Matthew 6:7. It also appears where God states that a people will not hear him, highlighting a refusal to listen 1 Corinthians 14:21.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words clarify the context of being heard, particularly in relation to prayer:

G1162 déēsis (a petition:--prayer, request, supplication): This word for petition is directly linked to being heard, as when the angel confirms to Zacharias that his prayer has been answered Luke 1:13.
G4335 proseuchḗ (prayer (worship)): This term for prayer as an act of worship is also confirmed as being heard by God, as seen in the case of Cornelius Acts 10:31.
G4336 proseúchomai (to pray to God, i.e. supplicate, worship): The verb for praying is used in the context of how one should pray, contrasting effective prayer with the "vain repetitions" of those who think they will be heard for their many words Matthew 6:7.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G1522 centers on the nature of divine communication.

God's Responsiveness: The word affirms that God is attentive to the prayers of the righteous. This is explicitly stated in the angelic messages to Zacharias and Cornelius, confirming that their prayers have been received and remembered by God (Luke 1:13, Acts 10:31).
The Efficacy of Christ's Prayer: Its use in Hebrews 5:7 is profound, showing that even Christ in his humanity "offered up prayers and supplications" and "was heard." This underscores the reality of his suffering and his perfect relationship with the Father.
The Conditions for Being Heard: The term is used to teach that being heard by God is not automatic. It is contrasted with the empty practice of "much speaking" Matthew 6:7 and is linked to reverence, as Christ "was heard in that he feared" Hebrews 5:7.

Summary

In summary, G1522 provides a specific focus on the concept of being heard, especially by God. While it appears infrequently, its usage is powerful, marking pivotal moments where prayers are answered for figures like Zacharias and Cornelius. It serves not only to affirm God's attentiveness but also to define the conditions for effective prayer, as exemplified by Christ's own supplications and contrasted with meaningless repetition. The word illustrates the crucial difference between merely speaking and being truly listened to by God.

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 5 occurrences, inflected in 4 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Aorist Passive Indicative 3rd Singular 2×
Aorist Passive Participle Nominative Singular Masculine 1×
Future Middle Deponent Indicative 3rd Plural 1×
Future Passive Indicative 3rd Plural 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Future: Action yet to take place.
Aorist: Action viewed as a single whole — usually a simple past event.
Passive: The subject is acted upon.
Middle Deponent: Middle in form but active in meaning.
Indicative: A plain statement of fact.
Participle: A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.

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 5 verses across 5 of the 27 books. 5 books tie for most frequent (1 verse each); never once in the other 22.

Matthew

Luke

Acts

1 Corinthians

Hebrews

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.