Word Study for G2045 (ἐρευνάω)

ereunáō /er-yoo-nah'-o/ Ask about this word

Rootapparently from ἐρέω (through the idea of inquiry)

Meaningto seek, i.e. (figuratively) to investigate

KJV usagesearch.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ereunáō — 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 ereunáō, represented by G2045, means to seek or figuratively to investigate. It appears 6 times across 6 unique verses in the Bible, consistently denoting a deep and purposeful examination rather than a casual glance.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, G2045 is applied to both divine and human actions. Jesus commands his listeners to Search the scriptures, as they testify of him John 5:39. The word describes the activity of the Holy Spirit, who searcheth all things, even the "deep things of God" 1 Corinthians 2:10. This divine searching extends to the hearts of humanity, as God is he that searcheth the hearts Romans 8:27. In Revelation, Christ is identified as he which searcheth the reins and hearts to give to each person according to their works Revelation 2:23. It is also used to describe the prophets searching to understand the Spirit's testimony about Christ's sufferings and glory 1 Peter 1:11.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the context and purpose of this investigation:

G1124 graphḗ (scripture): This refers to holy Writ and is the object of the command to search in John 5:39. The investigation is focused on the sacred texts.
G1097 ginṓskō (to "know"): This is often the goal of searching. The churches will know that Christ is the one who searches hearts Revelation 2:23, and the one who searches hearts knows the mind of the Spirit Romans 8:27.
G1213 dēlóō (to make plain): The prophets were searching to understand what the Spirit did signify, or make plain, about Christ's coming 1 Peter 1:11. The search is an effort to grasp what is being revealed.
G1380 dokéō (to think; to seem): In the context of searching the scriptures, people think they have eternal life in them, which prompts the investigation John 5:39.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G2045 is significant, highlighting different facets of knowledge and revelation.

Divine Scrutiny: The word is used to describe God's omniscience. He searcheth the innermost parts of a person, their "reins and hearts," to administer justice and intercession (Romans 8:27, Revelation 2:23).
Active Inquiry: Believers are not passive recipients but are called to actively search the scriptures to find the testimony concerning Christ John 5:39. This implies a responsibility for diligent study.
The Spirit's Role in Revelation: The Holy Spirit searcheth all things and reveals them to believers, connecting the act of searching with the process of divine revelation 1 Corinthians 2:10.

Summary

In summary, G2045 ereunáō is a powerful term for intensive investigation. It encapsulates the divine action of God knowing the depths of the human heart and the Spirit penetrating the deep things of God. At the same time, it serves as a command for humanity to diligently study the scriptures to understand the revelation they contain, particularly the testimony of Jesus Christ.

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

Present Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine 2×
Aorist Active Imperative 2nd Singular 1×
Present Active Indicative 2nd Plural 1×
Present Active Indicative 3rd Singular 1×
Present Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
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.
Indicative: A plain statement of fact.
Imperative: A command or entreaty.
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 6 verses across 5 of the 27 books. Most frequent in John (2 verses); never once in the other 22.

John

Romans

1 Corinthians

1 Peter

Revelation

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.