"to live, to be possessed of vitality, to exercise the functions of life, Mt. 27:63; Acts 17:28; τὸ ζῆν, life, Heb. 2:15; to have means of subsistence, 1 Cor. 9:14; to live, to pass existence in a specific manner, Lk. 2:36; 15:13; to be instinct with life and vigor; hence, ζῶν, li..."
Definition and meaning
to live, to be possessed of vitality, to exercise the functions of life, Mt. 27:63; Acts 17:28; τὸ ζῆν, life, Heb. 2:15; to have means of subsistence, 1 Cor. 9:14; to live, to pass existence in a specific manner, Lk. 2:36; 15:13; to be instinct with life and vigor; hence, ζῶν, living, an epithet of God, in a sense peculiar to Himself; ἐλπὶς ζῶσα, a living hope vigor and constancy, 1 Pet. 1:3; ὕδωρ ζῶν, living water in respect of a full and unfailing flow, Jn. 4:10, 11; to be alive with cheered and hopeful feelings, 1 Thess. 3:8; to be alive in a state of salvation from spiritual death, 1 Jn. 4:9
In the original Greek the word is written: ζάω
Historical context
Rome had controlled Judea since 63 BC. Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple into one of the most magnificent structures in the ancient world — and simultaneously murdered members of his own family. The common people paid multiple layers of taxation and were politically powerless. Into that world a carpenter from Galilee began teaching that the kingdom of God had arrived.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of zao (G2198) across the King James Bible.
But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.
And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.
But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.
Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.
And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.
He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.
And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.
And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity;
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Common questions
Strong's G2198 (zao) is a Greek word that means: to live, to be possessed of vitality, to exercise the functions of life, Mt. 27:63; Acts 17:28; τὸ ζῆν, life, Heb. 2:15; to have means of subsistence, 1 Cor. 9:14; to live, to pass existence in a spec... It appears 127 times in the King James Bible.
The word zao (G2198) appears 127 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G2198 is zao, a Greek word defined as: to live, to be possessed of vitality, to exercise the functions of life, Mt. 27:63; Acts 17:28; τὸ ζῆν, life, Heb. 2:15; to have means of subsistence,. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
zao is a Greek word found in the New Testament.