Lexical Summary
heuriskó: To find, discover, obtain
Original Word:εὑρίσκω
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:heuriskó
Pronunciation:hyoo-REES-ko
Phonetic Spelling:(hyoo-ris'-ko,)
KJV: find, get, obtain, perceive, see
NASB:found, find, finds, finding, get, obtained, proved
Word Origin:[a prolonged form of a primary heuro hyoo'-ro, which (together with another cognate form) heureo hyoo-reh'-o is used for it in all the tenses except the present and imperfect]
1. to find
{literally or figuratively}
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
find, get, obtain
A prolonged form of a primary heuro (hyoo'-ro), which (together with another cognate form) heureo (hyoo-reh'-o) is used for it in all the tenses except the present and imperfect to find (literally or figuratively)
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origina prim. verb
Definitionto find
NASB Translationfind (48), finding (9), finds (10), found (104), get (1), obtained (1), proved (1), regarded (1).
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 2147: εὑρίσκωεὑρίσκω; imperfect
εὕρισκον (
Mark 14:55 (
RGT);
Luke 19:48 (
RGT);
Acts 7:11 (except
TrWH)) and more rarely
ηὕρισκον (cf. Kühner, § 343, i. 825f (especially
Veitch, under the word at the end) and references under
εὐδοκέω); future
εὑρήσω; perfect
εὕρηκα; 1 aorist
ἑύρησα (which aorist, unknown to the earlier Greeks, occurs in
Aesop fab. 131 (f. 41 edition Furia, p. 333 edition Cor.);
Manetho, 5, 137 and in Byzantine writings; cf.
Lob. ad Phryn., p. 721;
Winers Grammar, 86 (82); (cf.
Buttmann, 36 (31))),
Revelation 18:14Rec.; 2 aorist
εὗρον, 1 person plural in
Alex. form
LWHs Appendix, p. 164;
Buttmann, 39 (34);
Winers Grammar, § 13, 1 (see
ἀπέρχομαι))
εὕραμεν,
Luke 23:2TTrWH, 3 person plural
εὗραν,
Luke 8:35TrWH;
Acts 5:10Tr (in the
Sept. often
εὕροσαν); passive, present
ἑυρίσκομαι; imperfect 3 person singular
εὑρίσκετο,
Hebrews 11:5RG,
ηὑρίσκετοLTTrWH (cf. Bleek and Delitzsch at the passage (
Veitch, as above)); 1 aorist
εὑρέθην; future
εὑρεθήσομαι; 2 aorist middle
ἑυρομην and later
εὑράμην (
Hebrews 9:12 (cf. references above (on 2 aorist active))); the
Sept. numberless times for
מָצָא, sometimes for
הִשִּׂיג to attain to, and for Chaldean
שְׁכַח; (from
Homer down);
to find; i. e.
1. properly,to come upon, hit upon, to meet with;
a. after searching,to find a thing sought: absolutely, opposed toζητεῖν,Matthew 7:7;Luke 11:9f (ζητεῖκαίεὑρήσεις,Epictetus diss. 4, 1, 51);τινα,Matthew 2:8;Mark 1:37;Luke 2:45;Acts 11:26 ();;2 Corinthians 2:13 ();2 Timothy 1:17;Revelation 20:15, etc.;οὐχεὑρίσκετο, he had vanished,Hebrews 11:5; with a specification of place added:πέραν with the genitiveJohn 6:25;ἐν with the dativeActs 5:22;εὑρέθηεἰς,Acts 8:40 (seeεἰς, C. 2); with the accusative of the thing,Matthew 7:14;Matthew 13:46;Matthew 18:13;Luke 24:3;John 10:9;Acts 7:11;Romans 7:18Rec., etc.; followed by indirect discourse,Luke 5:19;οὐχεὑρέθησαν, had disappeared,Revelation 16:20, cf.Revelation 18:21; with the dative of advantage,Revelation 20:11; followed byἐν with the dative of place,Matthew 21:19;Revelation 12:8.τινα orτίζητεῖνκαίοὐχεὑρίσκειν:Matthew 12:43;Matthew 26:60;Mark 14:55;Luke 11:24;Luke 13:6;John 7:34;Revelation 9:6 (2 Kings 2:17;Nehemiah 7:64;Psalm 9:36 ();Ecclesiastes 7:29;Ezekiel 22:30;Ezekiel 26:21Ald.;Complutensian;Hosea 2:7);γῆκαίτάἐναὐτῇἔργαεὑρεθήσεταιshall be found namely, for destruction, i. e. will be unable to hide themselves from the doom decreed them by God,2 Peter 3:10TrWH, after the strange but improbable reading of manuscriptsא B and other authorities; (seeWH. Introductory § 365 and Appendix at the passage).b. without previous search,to find (by chance), to fall in with:τινα,Matthew 18:28;Matthew 27:32;John 1:41 (), ();;Acts 13:6;Acts 18:2;Acts 19:1;Acts 28:14; followed byἐν with the dative of place,John 2:14.τί,Matthew 13:44;Matthew 17:27;Luke 4:17;John 12:14;Acts 17:23; followed byἐν, with the dative of place,Matthew 8:10;Luke 7:9.c.εὑρίσκωτινα orτί with a predicate accusative is used of those who come or return to a place, the predicate participle or adjective describing the state or condition in which the person or thing met with is found, or the action which one is found engaged in: with an adjective,Acts 5:10;2 Corinthians 9:4;2 Corinthians 12:20; with a participle (cf.Buttmann, 301 (258)),Matthew 12:44;Matthew 20:6;Matthew 21:2;Matthew 24:46;Matthew 26:40, 43;Mark 11:2;Mark 13:36;Mark 14:37, 40;Luke 2:12;Luke 7:10;Luke 8:35;Luke 11:25;Luke 12:37, 43;Luke 19:30;Luke 23:2;Luke 24:2, 33;Acts 5:23;Acts 9:2;Acts 10:27;Acts 21:2;Acts 24:12, 18;Acts 27:6; followed byκαθώς,Mark 14:16;Luke 19:32;Luke 22:13; followed by a predicate substantive to whichὄντα must be supplied,Acts 24:5 (cf.Winers Grammar, § 45, 6 b.;Buttmann, 304 (261)).
2. tropically, "to find by inquiry, thought, examination, scrutiny, observation, hearing; to find out by practice and experience," i. e.to see, learn, discover, understand:κατηγορίαν,Luke 6:7 (TTr textWHκατηγορεῖν);τινα followed by participle in the predicate,Acts 23:29; byὅτι,Romans 7:21; after an examination (πειράζειν),τινα (τί) with a predicate adjective (participle),Revelation 3:2; of a judge:αἰτίανθανάτου,Acts 13:28;αἰτίαν,κακόν,ἀδίκημαἐντίνι,John 18:38;John 19:4, 6;Acts 23:9;Acts 24:20; after a computation, with an accusative of the price or measure,Acts 19:19;Acts 27:28; after deliberation,τότίποιήσωσι,Luke 19:48;τόπῶςκολάσωνταιαὐτούς,Acts 4:21. Passiveἑυρίσκομαιto be found, i. e.to be seen, be present:Luke 9:36 (Genesis 18:31); often like the Hebrewנִמְצָאto be discovered, recognized, detected, to show oneself out, of one's character or state as found out by others (men, God, or both) (cf.Winer's Grammar, § 65, 8):εὑρέθηἐνγαστρίἔχουσα,Matthew 1:18;ἵναεὑρεθῶσικαθώςκαίἡμεῖς,2 Corinthians 11:12;εὑρέθημοιἡἐντολήεἰςθάνατον namely,οὖσα, the commandment, as I found by experience, brought death to me,Romans 7:10; add,Luke 17:18 (none showed themselves as having returned);Acts 5:39;1 Corinthians 4:2;1 Corinthians 15:15;2 Corinthians 5:3;Galatians 2:17;1 Peter 1:7;Revelation 5:4;τίνι, the dative of the person taking cognizance and judging (Winers Grammar, § 31, 10;Buttmann, 187 (162)),2 Peter 3:14 (add2 Corinthians 12:20, yet cf.Buttmann, the passage cited and § 133, 14;Winer's Grammar, § 31, 4 a.);ἵναεὑρεθῶἐναὐτῷ i. e.ἐνΧριστῷ, namely,ὤν,Philippians 3:9;σχήματιεὑρεθείςὡςἄνθρωπος,Philippians 2:7 (8) (Josephus,b. j. 3, 6, 1; so the Latinincenior,Cicero, de amic. 19, 70; reperior, Tuscul. i. 39, 94).εὑρίσκεινΘεόν (opposed toζητεῖναὐτόν, seeζητέω, 1 c. (cf.ἐκζητέω, a.)),to get knowledge of, come to know, God,Acts 17:27;εὑρίσκεται (ὁΘεός)τίνι, discloses the knowledge of himself to one, Wis. 1:2; cf. Grimm, exgt. Hdb. at the passage (who refers toPhilo, monarch. i. § 5;Origen contra Celsus 7, 42). On the other hand, in the O. T.εὑρίσκεταιὁΘεός is usedof God heaving prayer, granting aid implored (1 Chronicles 28:9;2 Chronicles 15:2, 4, 15;Jeremiah 36:13 ()); hence,εὑρέθην (L andTr in bracketsWH marginal reading addἐν)τοῖςἐμέμήζητοῦσι,Romans 10:20 fromIsaiah 65:1, means, according to Paul's conception,I granted the knowledge and deliverance of the gospel.3. Middle, as in Greek writings,to find for oneself, to acquire, get, obtain, procure:λύτρωσιν,Hebrews 9:12; contrary to better Greek usage, the active is often used in the Scriptures in the same sense (cf.Buttmann, 193 (167);Winer's Grammar, 18; 33 (32) n.):τήνψυχήν,Matthew 10:39;Matthew 16:25;ἀνάπαυσιν, (Sir. 11:19)ταῖςψυχαῖςὑμῶν,Matthew 11:29;μετανοίαςτόπον, place for recalling the decision, changing the mind (of his father),Hebrews 12:17 (cf.Winer's Grammar, 147 (139));σκήνωματῷΘεῷ, opportunity of building a house for God,Acts 7:46;χάρινεὕρωμεν, grace, favor,Hebrews 4:16;χάρινπαράτῷΘεῷ,Luke 1:30;ἐνώπιον,τοῦΘεοῦ,Acts 7:46;ἔλεοςπαράκυρίου,2 Timothy 1:18; (בֲּעֵינֵיחֵןמָצָא,Genesis 6:8;Genesis 18:3;Genesis 30:27;Genesis 32:6;Exodus 33:12;Deuteronomy 24:1, etc.; 1 Esdr. 8:4). (Compare:ἀνευρίσκω.)
Topical Lexicon
Scope and DistributionThe verb εὑρίσκω occurs 176 times in the Greek New Testament, ranging from the infancy narrative (Matthew 1:18) to the final judgment scenes of Revelation (Revelation 20:15). It serves as the primary term for every form of “finding,” whether literal discovery (Luke 2:45), intellectual recognition (Romans 7:21), moral examination (1 Peter 1:7), or eschatological verdict (Revelation 20:11–15). Its flexibility allows writers to describe human activity, divine initiative, and heavenly assessment with a single word-family.
Human Seeking and Divine Response
The Lord repeatedly summons people to seek with the promise of discovery. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find” (Matthew 7:7). The assurance resurfaces inLuke 11:9–10 and supports the evangelistic promise inJohn 10:9: “He will come in and go out and find pasture.” The verb thus undergirds the biblical conviction that diligent pursuit of God’s will is rewarded by gracious disclosure.
Found by God: Salvation Themes
Salvation is often portrayed as God’s finding of the lost rather than humanity’s achievement:
•Luke 19:10: “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
•Luke 15:4–6: The shepherd “goes after the one that is lost until he finds it… ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’”
•Luke 15:8–10 and 15:24, 32 echo the same refrain with the lost coin and the prodigal son: “was lost and is found.”
The emphasis rests on divine initiative, highlighting grace as the decisive factor in redemption.
Finding in the Ministry of Jesus
1. Recruitment of disciples: Andrew “found” Simon (John 1:41), Philip “found” Nathanael (John 1:45); the chain reaction of personal discovery spreads the gospel.
2. Miraculous provisions: Jesus “found a young donkey” to fulfil Zechariah’s prophecy (John 12:14), underscoring sovereign orchestration of events.
3. Moral inspection: In the Passion accounts Pilate repeatedly asserts, “I find no basis for a charge against Him” (John 18:38; 19:4, 6), attesting to the Lord’s sinlessness even in a pagan court.
Parabolic Teaching
The verb shapes Christ’s parables about value and joy:
•Matthew 13:44–46: A man “finds” treasure; a merchant “finds” a pearl. Both sell all to possess what they have discovered, illustrating the incomparable worth of the kingdom.
•Matthew 18:13: If the shepherd “finds” the lost sheep, “he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine.”
These parables teach that authentic discovery of Christ’s reign produces radical re-orientation and celebration.
Apostolic Mission and Church Growth
Acts employs εὑρίσκω to describe evangelistic progress and providential meetings:
•Acts 11:26: Barnabas “found” Saul, enabling the missionary partnership that shaped early Gentile outreach.
•Acts 16:13–14 (Lydia is “found” at prayer) reflects divine guidance in pioneer settings.
•Acts 19:19: New believers burned magic scrolls “they found,” demonstrating tangible repentance.
Pauline Theology: Examination and Justification
Paul often turns the term toward self-assessment before God:
•Romans 4:1: What did Abraham “find” regarding the flesh? Answer: justification by faith.
•Philippians 3:9: Paul’s goal is to “be found in Him,” not with self-made righteousness but the righteousness that comes through faith in Christ.
•2 Corinthians 12:20–21 warns Corinth that Paul does not wish to “find” them in sin; the word thus frames apostolic accountability.
Eschatological Verdicts
Revelation intensifies εὑρίσκω for final judgment:
•Revelation 3:2: Sardis must complete its works, “for I have not found your deeds complete.”
•Revelation 20:11–15: Names not “found” in the book of life are cast into the lake of fire.
• Conversely, the redeemed are “found blameless” (Revelation 14:5), echoing Peter’s call to “be diligent… so that He may find you in peace, spotless and blameless” (2 Peter 3:14).
Moral Testing and Integrity
1 Peter 1:7 envisions faith “more precious than gold” being “found to result in praise, glory, and honor.” The passive forms (εὑρεθῇ) stress divine evaluation, showing that final discovery lies with God, not human opinion.
Pastoral Application
Believers are urged to pursue spiritual disciplines in which discovery is promised: prayer (Hebrews 4:16, “so that we may find grace”), Scripture search (Acts 17:11), and acts of service where Christ is “found” in the needy (cf.Matthew 25:40 principle).
Historical and Liturgical Notes
Early patristic writers seized on εὑρίσκω to underline God’s search for humanity. For example, the Shepherd of Hermas paraphrasesLuke 15 to motivate repentance. The liturgy of the lost sheep became a baptismal motif: the catechumen, once “lost,” is now “found” within the fold.
Summary
εὑρίσκω threads through the New Testament as a dynamic indicator of discovery—sometimes by humans, decisively by God, ultimately by Christ at His return. It thus calls every reader to active seeking, humble openness to being found, and readiness for the final assessment where what is truly discovered will last forever.
Forms and Transliterations
ευραμεν εὕραμεν ευραμενος ευράμενος εὑράμενος εύρε εύρέ έυρε ευρεθείη ευρεθεις ευρεθείς εὑρεθεὶς ευρεθείσαν ευρεθείσας ευρεθείσιν ευρεθέν ευρεθέντα ευρεθέντας ευρεθέντες ευρεθέντος ευρεθη ευρεθή ευρέθη εὑρεθῇ εὑρέθη ευρεθημεν ευρέθημεν εὑρέθημεν Ευρεθην ευρέθην Εὑρέθην ευρεθηναι ευρεθήναι εὑρεθῆναι ευρέθης ευρεθησαν ευρέθησαν εὑρέθησαν ευρεθησεται ευρεθήσεται ευρεθήσεταί εὑρεθήσεται ευρεθήση ευρεθησομεθα ευρεθησόμεθα εὑρεθησόμεθα ευρεθήσονται ευρεθητε ευρεθήτε εὑρεθῆτε ευρεθω ευρεθώ εὑρεθῶ ευρεθώσι ευρεθωσιν ευρεθώσιν εὑρεθῶσιν ευρειν ευρείν εὑρεῖν ευρεν εύρεν εὗρεν ευρες εύρες εὗρες εύρετε ευρέτωσαν ευρη εύρη εὕρῃ ευρηκα εύρηκα εύρηκά εὕρηκα εὕρηκά Ευρηκαμεν ευρήκαμεν Εὑρήκαμεν εύρηκας εύρηκάς ευρήκατε εύρηκέ εύρηκεν ευρηκεναι ευρηκέναι εὑρηκέναι ευρηκώς εύρηνται εύρης ευρησει ευρήσει εὑρήσει ευρησεις ευρήσεις εὑρήσεις ευρησετε ευρήσετε ευρήσετέ εὑρήσετε εὑρήσετέ ευρησομεν ευρήσομεν εὑρήσομεν ευρήσουσι ευρήσουσί ευρησουσιν ευρήσουσιν εὑρήσουσιν εύρηται ευρητε εύρητε εὕρητε ευρισκει ευρίσκει εὑρίσκει ευρίσκειν ευρίσκεται ευρίσκετε ευρίσκετο ευρίσκη ευρισκομεθα ευρισκόμεθα εὑρισκόμεθα ευρισκομεν ευρίσκομεν εὑρίσκομεν ευρισκόμενοι ευρισκομένου ευρισκον ευρίσκον εύρισκον εὑρίσκον εὕρισκον ευρίσκοντα ευρίσκονται ευρισκοντες ευρίσκοντες εὑρίσκοντες ευρίσκοντος ευρίσκουσα ευρίσκουσι ευρίσκουσιν ευρισκω ευρίσκω εὑρίσκω ευρίσκων εύροι ευροιεν εύροιεν εὕροιεν εύροιμι εύροιτε ευρομεν εύρομεν εὕρομεν έυρομεν ευρον εύρον εύρόν εὗρον εὗρόν ευρόντα ευροντες ευρόντες εὑρόντες ευροσάν εύροσαν εύροσάν ευρουσα ευρούσα ευρούσά εὑροῦσα ευρουσαι ευρούσαι εὑροῦσαι ευρούσαις ευρω εύρω εὕρω ευρωμεν εύρωμεν εὕρωμεν ευρων ευρών εὑρών εὑρὼν εύρωσι ευρωσιν εύρωσιν εὕρωσιν ηυρέθη ηυρισκετο ηὑρίσκετο ηυρισκον ηύρισκον ηὕρισκον euramen euramenos eure eurē eurein eureka eurēka Eurekamen Eurēkamen eurekenai eurēkenai euren eures euresei eurēsei eureseis eurēseis euresete eurēsete euresomen eurēsomen euresousin eurēsousin eurete eurēte eurethe eurethē euretheis eurethemen eurethēmen Eurethen Eurethēn eurethenai eurethēnai eurethesan eurethēsan eurethesetai eurethēsetai eurethesometha eurethēsometha eurethete eurethēte euretho eurethō eurethosin eurethōsin euriskei eurisketo ēurisketo eurisko euriskō euriskomen euriskometha euriskon ēuriskon euriskontes euro eurō euroien euromen eurōmen euron eurōn eurontes eurosin eurōsin eurousa eurousai heuramen heúramen heuramenos heurámenos heure heurē heúrei heúrēi heurein heureîn heureka heurēka heúreka heúreká heúrēka heúrēká Heurekamen Heurēkamen Heurḗkamen heurekenai heurekénai heurēkenai heurēkénai heuren heûren heures heûres heuresei heurēsei heurḗsei heureseis heurēseis heurḗseis heuresete heurēsete heurḗsete heurḗseté heuresomen heurēsomen heurḗsomen heuresousin heurēsousin heurḗsousin heurete heurēte heúrete heúrēte heurethe heurethē heuréthe heuréthē heurethêi heurethē̂i heuretheis heuretheìs heurethemen heurethēmen heuréthemen heuréthēmen Heurethen Heurethēn Heuréthen Heuréthēn heurethenai heurethênai heurethēnai heurethē̂nai heurethesan heurethēsan heuréthesan heuréthēsan heurethesetai heurethēsetai heurethḗsetai heurethesometha heurethesómetha heurethēsometha heurethēsómetha heurethete heurethête heurethēte heurethē̂te heuretho heurethô heurethō heurethō̂ heurethosin heurethôsin heurethōsin heurethō̂sin heuriskei heurískei heurisketo hēurisketo heurisko heuriskō heurísko heurískō heuriskomen heurískomen heuriskometha heuriskómetha heuriskon heurískon heúriskon hēuriskon heuriskontes heurískontes heuro heurō heúro heúrō heuroien heúroien heuromen heurōmen heúromen heúrōmen heuron heurōn heurṓn heurṑn heûron heûrón heurontes heuróntes heurosin heurōsin heúrosin heúrōsin heurousa heuroûsa heurousai heuroûsai heyrísketo hēyrísketo heýriskon hēýriskonLinks
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