English · KJV
G4024

περιζώννυμι

perizṓnnymi /per-id-zone'-noo-mee/ Ask about this word
Rootfrom περί and ζώννυμι
Meaningto gird all around, i.e. (middle voice or passive) to fasten on one's belt (literally or figuratively)
KJV usagegird (about, self).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of perizṓnnymi — 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 perizṓnnymi, represented by G4024, means to gird all around, or to fasten on one's belt. Derived from περί and ζώννυμι, it appears 8 times across 7 unique verses in the Bible. The term is used both literally to describe the act of getting dressed for action and figuratively to convey a state of readiness, service, and spiritual preparedness.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical usage, G4024 consistently communicates a sense of preparation for a task. It appears as a direct command for immediate action, as when the angel tells Peter to Gird thyself and put on his sandals to escape prison Acts 12:8. It is also used figuratively to describe a state of spiritual alertness, with believers commanded to let their loins be girded about Luke 12:35 and to stand firm having their loins girt about with truth Ephesians 6:14. The term also defines a posture of service, seen when a servant is instructed to gird thyself, and serve me Luke 17:8, and in the profound reversal where the returning lord will gird himself to serve his watchful servants Luke 12:37.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help illuminate the concept of being girded for readiness and service:

  • G3751 osphŷs (loin): This is the part of the body that is girded, representing the core of a person's strength and readiness. Paul uses this imagery when he tells believers to have their loins girt about with truth Ephesians 6:14.
  • G1247 diakonéō (to serve): This word for service is directly linked to the act of girding. The act of girding oneself is the preparation needed to serve a master Luke 17:8.
  • G1127 grēgoreúō (watch): Being girded is often paired with a state of watchfulness. The lord finds his servants watching, and in response, he girds himself to serve them Luke 12:37.
  • G2223 zṓnē (a belt): This is the instrument used for girding. Heavenly beings, such as the Son of man and the seven angels, are described as being girt with a golden girdle (Revelation 1:13, Revelation 15:6).

Theological Significance

The theological significance of G4024 is centered on the believer's posture before God and the world.

  • Spiritual Readiness: The instruction to "Let your loins be girded about" is a call to constant spiritual vigilance and preparedness for the Lord's return. It is an active, not a passive, state of waiting Luke 12:35.
  • Prepared for Service: Girding oneself is the essential first step for service. This applies both to the believer's duty to serve Luke 17:8 and to Christ's own example as a master who takes the posture of a servant for his people Luke 12:37.
  • Armored in Truth: In the spiritual armor of God, having the loins girt about with truth is the foundational element that holds everything else in place, signifying that a believer's strength and readiness are rooted in divine truth Ephesians 6:14.
  • Divine Authority: The image of Christ and angels girt with golden girdles signifies their holy status, authority, and preparation to carry out God's divine will and judgment (Revelation 1:13, Revelation 15:6).

Summary

In summary, G4024 is far more than a simple instruction to fasten a belt. It is a powerful biblical metaphor for a life of readiness, vigilance, and service. From the command to Peter to prepare for freedom Acts 12:8 to the image of believers girding themselves with truth Ephesians 6:14, the word consistently calls for a state of preparedness. It ultimately points to the character of Christ, the master who girds himself not for his own comfort but to serve his people.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists one rendering for this word. It is counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the number is how many of them use it. Select it to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as a verb across 7 occurrences, inflected in 7 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • ζῶσαι
  • περιζωσάμενοι
  • περιζωσάμενος
  • περιζώσεται
  • περιεζωσμένον
  • περιεζωσμένοι
  • περιεζωσμέναι

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

G3751 ὀσφῦς the loin (externally), i.e. the hip G1247 διακονέω to be an attendant, i.e. wait upon (menially or as a host, friend, or (figuratively) teacher) G1127 γρηγορεύω to keep awake, i.e. watch (literally or figuratively) G2223 ζώνη a belt

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 7 verses across 4 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Luke (3 verses); never once in the other 23.

3
Luke
1
Acts
1
Ephesians
2
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, by grammatical form, 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.