WG: Prayer
Overview
The NT prayer concept involves seven Greek nouns and verbs that form a semantic cluster within Louw-Nida domain 33.012 (Ask For, Request). Each word carries a distinct emphasis — from general worship-address to specific need-based petition to bold intercession to solemn vow. They appear together most densely in 1 Tim 2:1 and Php 4:6, where Paul stacks multiple terms to indicate comprehensive prayer life.
Word Group Members
| Strong's |
Word |
Transliteration |
POS |
Occurrences |
Role in Concept |
Library Entry |
| G4335 |
προσευχή |
proseuchē |
f. noun |
37v |
General prayer/worship-address — broadest term |
TODO(need G4335 study) |
| G1162 |
δέησις |
deēsis |
f. noun |
17v |
Specific petition from felt need — supplication |
G1162 |
| G1783 |
ἔντευξις |
enteuxis |
f. noun |
2v |
Bold approach/audience — intercession |
G1783 |
| G2171 |
εὐχή |
euchē |
f. noun |
3v |
Wish/prayer/vow — includes solemn vow dimension |
G2171 |
| G2428 |
ἱκετηρία |
hiketēria |
f. noun |
1v |
Suppliant's posture — entreaty with olive-branch imagery |
TODO(need G2428 study) |
| G155 |
αἴτημα |
aitēma |
n. noun |
3v |
The thing requested — content of petition |
TODO(need G155 study) |
| G1189 |
δέομαι |
deomai |
verb |
22v |
To beg/beseech — root verb of deēsis |
TODO(need G1189 study) |
Relationships
Shared Roots
- δέησις (G1162) and δέομαι (G1189) — both from δέω "to lack, be in need"; the noun is the action-result of the verb
- ἔντευξις (G1783) and ἐντυγχάνω (G1793) — both from ἐν + τυγχάνω "to fall in with, approach"
- εὐχή (G2171) and εὔχομαι (G2172) — both from the root for "wish, pray"
- προσευχή (G4335) and προσεύχομαι (G4336) — both from πρός + εὔχομαι "pray toward [God]"
Co-occurrence (appear in same verses)
| Word A |
Word B |
Shared Verses |
Typical Context |
| G1162 deēsis |
G4335 proseuchē |
5v (29% of deēsis) |
Paired as "prayer and supplication" (Act 1:14, Eph 6:18, Php 4:6, 1Ti 2:1, 1Ti 5:5) |
| G1162 deēsis |
G1783 enteuxis |
1v (50% of enteuxis) |
Listed together in comprehensive prayer vocabulary (1Ti 2:1) |
| G1162 deēsis |
G2428 hiketēria |
1v (100% of hiketēria) |
Christ's prayers in Gethsemane (Heb 5:7) |
| G1162 deēsis |
G155 aitēma |
1v (33% of aitēma) |
"By prayer and supplication... let your requests be made known" (Php 4:6) |
| G4335 proseuchē |
G1783 enteuxis |
1v (50% of enteuxis) |
Four prayer terms together (1Ti 2:1) |
| G4335 proseuchē |
G155 aitēma |
1v (33% of aitēma) |
"Prayer and supplication... requests" (Php 4:6) |
Shared Hebrew Sources (LXX Bridge)
| Hebrew Word |
Strong's |
Greek Members Mapped |
Notes |
| תְּפִלָּה (tᵉphillâh) |
H8605 |
G4335 (57 co-occ), G1162 (25 co-occ) |
Primary OT prayer term maps to both the general and specific NT nouns |
| תְּחִנָּה (tᵉchinnâh) |
H8467 |
G1162 (13 co-occ), G4335 (10 co-occ) |
Grace-appeal maps more heavily to deēsis |
| רִנָּה (rinnâh) |
H7440 |
G1162 (10 co-occ), G4335 (5 co-occ) |
Cry of supplication leans toward deēsis |
Roles in the Concept
- General address: προσευχή (proseuchē) — prayer as worship-address to God; the umbrella term
- Need-based petition: δέησις (deēsis) — supplication arising from specific need or lack
- Bold intercession: ἔντευξις (enteuxis) — approaching God on behalf of others
- Solemn wish/vow: εὐχή (euchē) — prayer shading into vow or solemn wish
- Suppliant's entreaty: ἱκετηρία (hiketēria) — the posture of desperate appeal
- Content requested: αἴτημα (aitēma) — the specific thing asked for
- Verbal act: δέομαι (deomai) — the action of beseeching/begging
Key Passages Where Multiple Group Words Appear Together
- 1Ti 2:1 — [G1162 + G4335 + G1783] "supplications (deēseis), prayers (proseuchai), intercessions (enteuxeis), and giving of thanks, be made for all men"
- Php 4:6 — [G1162 + G4335 + G155] "by prayer (proseuchē) and supplication (deēsis) with thanksgiving let your requests (aitēmata) be made known unto God"
- Heb 5:7 — [G1162 + G2428] "when he had offered up prayers (deēseis) and supplications (hiketērias) with strong crying and tears"
- Eph 6:18 — [G1162 + G4335] "Praying always with all prayer (proseuchē) and supplication (deēsis) in the Spirit"
- Act 1:14 — [G1162 + G4335] "continued with one accord in prayer (proseuchē) and supplication (deēsis)"
Generated from: gather_word_group_data.py, search_strongs.py, lxx-map
Last updated: 2025-05-05