G4352 — προσκυνέω (proskynéō)¶

Core Data¶

Strong's: G4352
Original: προσκυνέω
Transliteration: proskynéō
Pronunciation: pros-koo-neh'-o
Part of Speech: Verb
Root: G4314 (πρός, toward) + probable derivative of G2965 (κύων, dog — meaning to kiss, like a dog licking a hand)
Occurrences: 54 unique verses (65 tokens) in NT
First Occurrence: Mat 2:2 — "are come to worship him"
Hapax Legomenon: No

Lexicon Definition¶

Properly, to kiss the hand to (toward) one, in token of reverence. Among the Orientals, especially the Persians, to fall upon the knees and touch the ground with the forehead as an expression of profound reverence ("to make a salam"). In the NT, by kneeling or prostration to do homage (to one) or make obeisance, whether in order to express respect or to make supplication.

Two main uses: - a. Homage shown to men of superior rank - b. Homage rendered to God, the ascended Christ, heavenly beings, and demons

Sept. very often for הִשְׁתַּחֲוָה (to prostrate oneself, H7812 שָׁחָה shachah).

(Thayer's Greek Lexicon; from tool output)

Louw-Nida Semantic Domain¶

Domain 017.005: Stances — Prostrate as an Act of Reverence or Supplication
Domain 053.007: Religious Activities — Worship, Reverence
Cognate in domain: G4353 προσκυνητής (proskynētēs) — worshipper

UBS Semantic Domains¶

Code	Domain Label	Notes
053	Religious Activities	`search_relationships.py` keeps proskyneo in the worship/reverence field, matching its dominant NT use for homage offered to God, Christ, or false objects of worship.
017	Stances and Events Related to Stances	The tool also preserves the bodily-prostration component inherent in the verb.

Domain Neighbors (017.005 — Prostrate as Act of Reverence)¶

Strong's	Lemma	Total vv	Primary KJV
G2827	κλίνω (klínō)	4	lay, bowed down
G4098	πίπτω (píptō)	42	fell, fell down
G4363	προσπίπτω (prospíptō)	5	fell down before

Translation Distribution (KJV)¶

KJV renders proskynéō almost exclusively as "worship/worshipped." All 54 unique verses carry this sense — no significant alternate translations exist.

Translation (forms)	Verses	%
worship / worshipped / worshipping	~54	~100%

Distribution by Book¶

Book	Count	Per 100 Verses
Revelation	22	5.4
Matthew	13	1.2
John	7	0.8
Hebrews	2	0.7
Acts	4	0.4
Luke	3	0.3
Mark	2	0.3
1 Corinthians	1	0.2

Revelation dominates (41% of all occurrences; highest density by far). Matthew concentrates on Jesus receiving worship. Absent from Paul's epistles except 1 Cor 14:25 and the Hebrews quote.

Semantic Categories¶

1. Prostration Before Jesus — Healing / Petition¶

Individuals fall before Jesus while making a verbal request; the act signals recognition of his authority and desperate need.

Mat 8:2 — "there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean"
Mat 9:18 — "there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead"
Mat 15:25 — "Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me"
Mark 5:6 — "But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him"

2. Recognition of Divine Sonship¶

Worship that confesses who Jesus is — the magi, disciples after miracles, the healed blind man.

Mat 2:2, 2:11 — magi come "to worship him" (the newborn King of the Jews); "fell down, and worshipped him"
Mat 14:33 — after walking on water: "they worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God"
John 9:38 — healed blind man: "Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him"
Mat 28:9, 28:17 — post-resurrection: "they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him"

3. The True Worship Discourse (John 4)¶

Jesus redefines worship as spiritual and universal rather than geographic — the decisive NT statement on the nature of worship.

John 4:20 — "Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship"
John 4:23 — "the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth"
John 4:24 — "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth"

4. The Exclusive Worship Command¶

Satan's temptation and Jesus' definitive response quoting Deut 6:13 — proskynéō reserved for God alone.

Mat 4:9 — Satan: "All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me"
Mat 4:10 — "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve"
Luke 4:7 — "If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine"

5. Heavenly Throne Room Worship (Revelation)¶

Recurring pattern: elders, angels, and creatures fall before the throne and worship God or the Lamb.

Rev 4:10 — "The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever"
Rev 7:11 — "all the angels... fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God"
Rev 11:16 — "the four and twenty elders... fell upon their faces, and worshipped God"
Rev 19:4 — "the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne"

6. Eschatological False Worship¶

Revelation's counterpoint: the earth worships the beast, the dragon, and idols; angels explicitly forbid worshipping them.

Rev 13:4 — "they worshipped the dragon... they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast?"
Rev 13:8 — "all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him" (the beast)
Rev 14:9, 14:11 — "If any man worship the beast and his image... they have no rest day nor night"
Rev 9:20 — "repented not... that they should not worship devils, and idols"
Rev 19:10, 22:9 — angel refuses John's worship: "See thou do it not... worship God"

Common Collocations¶

Word	Strong's	Co-vv	Typical Pattern
λέγω (légō)	G3004	22x	"worshipped him, saying..." — prostration accompanies verbal confession
θεός (theós)	G2316	15x	"worship God" — direct object
πίπτω (píptō)	G4098	12x	"fell down and worshipped" — physical prostration made explicit
ἔρχομαι (érchomai)	G2064	11x	"came and worshipped" — intentional approach to worship
θηρίον (thēríon)	G2342	8x	"worship the beast" — Revelation's eschatological rival
Ἰησοῦς (Iēsoûs)	G2424	7x	Jesus as object of worship
κύριος (kýrios)	G2962	7x	"worship the Lord"
εἰκών (eikṓn)	G1504	6x	"worship the image [of the beast]"
θρόνος (thrónos)	G2362	5x	throne room setting (Revelation)
χάραγμα (cháragma)	G5480	5x	"worship the beast and his mark"

Word Family / Cognates¶

G4353 προσκυνητής (proskynētēs) — worshipper (NT hapax: John 4:23 "true worshippers")

Synonyms¶

search_relationships.py surfaced posture / homage overlaps rather than strict lexical synonyms: - G518 ἀπαγγέλλω (apanggello) — reporting/announcing language linked through public acts of homage - G2128 εὐλογητός (eulogētos) — blessed / worthy of praise; overlap in reverential settings - G2578 κάμπτω (kamptō) — bend the knee; bodily posture aligned with worship - G2955 κατακύπτω (katakyptō) — bow down; lowered posture associated with reverence - G1968 ἐπιπίπτω (epipiptō) — fall upon / fall before; physical gesture adjacent to prostration scenes - G5013 ταπεινόω (tapeinoō) — humble / abase; internal or enacted lowering corresponding to worshipful submission

Antonyms¶

No antonyms were returned by search_relationships.py for G4352.

Easily Confused Words¶

Word	Strong's	Shared KJV Translation	Key Difference
שָׁחָה (shachah)	H7812	worship, worshipped	Primary OT equivalent; covers prostration before men AND God; same physical act, broader social usage
σέβομαι (sébomai)	G4576	worship, to worship	Internal reverence/piety, especially of Gentile "God-fearers" (Acts 13:43); no required physical prostration
λατρεύω (latreúō)	G3000	to worship, serve	Priestly/hired service; distinguished in Mat 4:10 itself: "worship (proskynéō) the Lord... him only shalt thou serve (latreúō)"
σεβάζομαι (sebázomai)	G4573	worshipped	Used once (Rom 1:25) of idolatry — "worshipped and served the creature"; mostly LXX/literary
δόξα (dóxa)	G1391	worship	Occasional KJV gloss; core meaning is "glory" — only overlaps in doxological contexts

Hebrew Source (via LXX)¶

Hebrew	Strong's	LXX Co-occ	PMI	Notes
שָׁחָה (shachah)	H7812	155	6.94	Primary OT equivalent — to bow down, prostrate oneself (before men and God)
עָבַד (abad)	H5647	31	4.01	To serve/work; overlaps in "worship and serve" contexts
קָדַד (qadad)	H6915	15	7.04	To bow the head; found in bow-and-worship pairs
סְגִד (segid)	H5457	10	6.91	Aramaic worship word (Daniel 3 — golden image)
סָגַד (sagad)	H5456	4	7.04	Hebrew cognate of segid; to prostrate in homage

H7812 shachah is the dominant LXX source (155 alignments), making TR-shachah-proskyneo the natural trace.