Word Study for G2300 (θεάομαι)

theáomai /theh-ah'-om-ahee/ Ask about this word

Meaninga prolonged form of a primary verb; to look closely at, i.e. (by implication) perceive (literally or figuratively); by extension to visit

KJV usagebehold, look (upon), see. Compare ὀπτάνομαι.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of theáomai — 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 theáomai, represented by G2300, means to look closely at, perceive, or behold. As a prolonged form of a primary verb, it implies a careful and sustained observation. It appears 24 times in 24 unique verses, often describing an act of seeing that goes beyond a mere glance to a deeper perception or experience.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, G2300 is used in several key contexts. It is used by the apostles to describe their experience as eyewitnesses to Christ's life and glory, as in "we beheld his glory" John 1:14 and "which we have looked upon" 1 John 1:1. The word also describes the visual confirmation of a supernatural event, such as the disciples who had seen Jesus go into heaven Acts 1:11. Conversely, it can describe a more superficial kind of observation, such as performing acts "to be seen of men" Matthew 23:5, highlighting the motive of the one being watched. It is also used to state a profound theological truth: "No man hath seen God at any time" 1 John 4:12.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide nuance to the act of seeing and perceiving:

G1492 eídō (to see): This word can mean to see physically or to know something intellectually. It is used for seeing good works Matthew 5:16 but also for knowing with certainty, as in "we know that all things work together for good" Romans 8:28.
G3708 horáō (to discern clearly): Often used in parallel with G2300, this term emphasizes clear discernment, whether physical or mental. John combines these sensory experiences in his testimony: "which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon" 1 John 1:1.
G3140 martyréō (to be a witness, testify): This word highlights the outcome of having seen something significant. The act of seeing with G2300 often leads to testifying, as stated in 1 John 4:14: "And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world."

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G2300 is significant, particularly in establishing the basis of Christian faith.

Eyewitness Foundation: The word is crucial to the apostolic claim that their testimony is based on direct observation. John the Apostle repeatedly uses it to validate his message, stating what he and others have looked upon 1 John 1:1 and seen 1 John 4:14, grounding the gospel in historical reality.
Perceiving Divine Glory: G2300 is used not just for seeing a person, but for perceiving the divine reality in Jesus. When John writes, "we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father" John 1:14, he is describing a spiritual perception of Christ's true identity.
The Link Between Sight and Belief: The act of seeing is often presented as a catalyst for faith. After seeing the works of Jesus, many "believed on him" John 11:45. Conversely, a failure to believe those who had seen the risen Christ was cause for rebuke Mark 16:14, showing that this eyewitness seeing carried an expectation of being believed.

Summary

In summary, G2300 is more than a simple word for seeing. It conveys a sense of intentional, focused observation that leads to a deeper perception or understanding. From watching men perform acts for public approval Matthew 6:1 to the apostles beholding the glory of God in the flesh John 1:14, theáomai underscores that what is seen can be a powerful testimony, a basis for belief, and a revelation of divine truth.

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 24 occurrences, inflected in 15 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Aorist Middle Deponent Infinitive 4×
Aorist Middle Deponent Participle Nominative Singular Masculine 3×
Aorist Middle Deponent Indicative 1st Plural 2×
Aorist Middle Deponent Indicative 3rd Plural 2×
Aorist Middle Deponent Participle Nominative Plural Masculine 2×
Aorist Passive Infinitive 2×
2nd Aorist Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine 1×
Aorist Middle Deponent Imperative 2nd Plural 1×
Aorist Middle Deponent Indicative 2nd Plural 1×
Aorist Middle Deponent Indicative 3rd Singular 1×
Aorist Middle Deponent Participle Dative Plural Masculine 1×
Aorist Passive Indicative 3rd Singular 1×

+ 3 rarer forms

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Dative: The indirect object — often "to" or "for".
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
1st: First person — the speaker ("I"/"we").
2nd: Second person — the one addressed ("you").
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
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.
Passive: The subject is acted upon.
Middle Deponent: Middle in form but active in meaning.
Indicative: A plain statement of fact.
Imperative: A command or entreaty.
Infinitive: The verb as a noun — "to do".
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 24 verses across 7 of the 27 books. Most frequent in John (7 verses); never once in the other 20.

Matthew

Mark

Luke

John

Acts

Romans

1 John

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.