Word Study for G4377 (προσφωνέω)

prosphōnéō /pros-fo-neh'-o/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom πρός and φωνέω

Meaningto sound towards, i.e. address, exclaim, summon

KJV usagecall unto, speak (un-)to.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of prosphōnéō — 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 prosphōnéō, represented by G4377, is defined as "to sound towards, i.e. address, exclaim, summon:--call unto, speak (un-)to." It is formed from the words πρός and φωνέω. This specific term appears 8 times across 7 unique verses in the Bible, signifying a deliberate act of communication directed at an individual or a group.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, G4377 is used to denote a call that initiates a significant action or response. Jesus called his disciples to him before he chose and named the twelve apostles Luke 6:13. He also called a woman to him before healing her of her infirmity Luke 13:12. The word describes Paul as he spake to a crowd to gain their silence and attention (Acts 21:40, Acts 22:2). It is also used in a parable to describe children calling to their fellows in the marketplace (Matthew 11:16, Luke 7:32) and by Pilate, who spake again to the crowd in his desire to release Jesus Luke 23:20.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related Greek words help clarify the action of speaking and calling:

G3004 légō (to "lay" forth, i.e. relate): This word often follows G4377, indicating the content of the address. After Paul spake to the people, the text notes him "saying" Acts 21:40.
G2036 épō (to speak or say): Similar to G3004, this describes the words spoken after a summons. Jesus called the woman to him and then said unto her that she was loosed from her infirmity Luke 13:12.
G191 akoúō (to hear): This is the direct response to being spoken to. The crowd kept silent when they heard that Paul spake to them in the Hebrew tongue Acts 22:2.
G3687 onomázō (to name, i.e. assign an appellation): This action can follow a call. Jesus first called his disciples and then named a select group of them apostles Luke 6:13.

Theological Significance

The use of G4377 carries specific functional weight in the text. It often serves to mark a pivotal moment.

A Call to Divine Purpose: The word is used when Jesus summons individuals for a specific, transformative purpose. This is seen when he called his disciples to establish the apostleship Luke 6:13 and when he called the woman to perform a healing Luke 13:12.
An Act of Public Address: G4377 is employed when a figure of authority addresses a crowd. Paul spake to the people to begin his defense Acts 21:40, and Pilate spake to the multitudes regarding Jesus Luke 23:20.
Illustrative Communication: The term is used in a parable to illustrate a point. The children calling to each other in the marketplace is used to describe the unresponsiveness of the generation (Matthew 11:16, Luke 7:32).

Summary

In summary, G4377 is not merely a word for speaking but rather for a targeted address or summons. It signifies an intentional act of "sounding towards" someone to get their attention, deliver a message, or initiate an event. From the authoritative call of Christ that leads to apostleship and healing, to the public orations of Paul and Pilate, the word consistently highlights a direct and purposeful communication. Even in its parabolic use, it emphasizes a call expecting a response.

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

Aorist Active Indicative 3rd Singular 4×
Imperfect Active Indicative 3rd Singular 1×
Present Active Participle Dative Plural Neuter 1×
Present Active Participle Nominative Plural Neuter 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Dative: The indirect object — often "to" or "for".
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Neuter: Neuter grammatical gender.
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Present: Action in progress or repeated — happening now or continually.
Imperfect: Ongoing or repeated action in the past — "was doing".
Aorist: Action viewed as a single whole — usually a simple past event.
Active: The subject performs the action.
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 7 verses across 3 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Luke (4 verses); never once in the other 24.

Matthew

Luke

Acts

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.