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Greek verb · G2065

ἐρωτάω

erotaoer-o-tah'-o

to ask, question; In late Gk. (Milligan

62 uses in the Greek text, one for each word STEP Bible has tagged with this key

Concordance spelling: erōtáō

Word page · Part of the concordance, one page for every word of the Hebrew and Greek text. Strong's G2065is this word's number in James Strong's 1890 index of the King James Bible.

  • 10 of 27
    New Testament books
  • 20
    spellings
  • 2
    meanings

The definition in full

Strong's key (1890) · G2065

to interrogate; by implication, to request

The King James renders it: ask, beseech, desire, intreat, pray.

James Strong, The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890), public domain. Strong indexed the King James text, and this site quotes his entry as that index.

Summary

erotao is rendered "to ask, question; In late Gk. (Milligan". It stands 62 times in the Greek text, across ten books.

  • Twenty-seven of the uses stand in John, more than in any other book.
  • The lexicon lists two meanings for it, beginning with "to ask, question".
  • Its first use in canonical order opens the ledger below.Matthew 15:23But Jesus did not answer a word. So His disciples came and urged Him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”
  • The Greek text spells it twenty different ways.

The first use

But Jesus did not answer a word. So His disciples came and urged Him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”

Matthew 15:23ἠρώτουν

The first use, in the order of the New Testament's books.

Where the word stands

Twenty-seven of the word's sixty-two uses are in John.

The other 17 New Testament books never use the word.

What the word means

The word carries two meanings: to ask, question, and In late Gk. (Milligan.

Each meaning, and the words it is translated by

The English STEP Bible gives each use, word by word, and how many times.
to ask, question(cl.): absol., Luk.19:31 22:68, Jhn.8:7 with accusative of person(s), Jhn.9:21 16:19, 30 8:21; before λέγων, Mat.16:13, Luk.23:3,...Tagged as
  • asked6
  • they asked5
  • to ask3
  • We implore3
  • were asking3
  • do ask2
  • He asked2
  • I implore2

and 21 more, 47 uses in all

WhereMatthew 16:13When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi…
In late Gk. (MilliganTagged as
  • they were asking4
  • was asking4
  • Will ask3
  • I beg of2
  • I ask1
  • were imploring1
WhereMatthew 15:23But Jesus did not answer a word. So His disciples came and urged Him, “Send her away…

The words built on the same word-part

Each word below begins with the same letters this one begins with. A shared word-part shows a family. It does not settle what any one of them means, so each word carries its own uses on its own page. Scholars call that shared part the stem.

All 62, in canonical order

Every use, in order

Every use, grouped by book, with its verse.

20 spellings and their grammar

STEP Bible tags every word of the Hebrew and Greek text with its spelling and its grammar. Both lists below count the rows printed underneath, written out in English, with the code beside each one as it was tagged.

How it is spelled

  • ἐρωτῶ9
  • ἠρώτησαν8
  • ἠρώτων7
  • ἠρώτα6
  • ἠρώτησεν6
  • ἐρωτᾷ5
  • ἐρωτήσω5
  • Ἐρωτῶμεν3
  • ἐρωτᾷς2
  • ἐρωτᾶν1
  • ἐρωτῆσαι1
  • ἐρωτῆσαί1

and 8 more spellings in the ledger below.

The grammar of each form

  • verb · present active, indicative · 1st person singular9V-PAI-1S
  • verb · aorist active, indicative · 3rd person plural8V-AAI-3P
  • verb · imperfect active, indicative · 3rd person plural8V-IAI-3P
  • verb · aorist active, indicative · 3rd person singular6V-AAI-3S
  • verb · imperfect active, indicative · 3rd person singular6V-IAI-3S
  • verb · future active, indicative · 1st person singular4V-FAI-1S
  • verb · present active, indicative · 1st person plural3V-PAI-1P
  • verb · present active, indicative · 3rd person singular3V-PAI-3S
  • verb · aorist active, infinitive (“to…”)2V-AAN
  • verb · present active, indicative · 2nd person singular2V-PAI-2S
  • verb · present active, subjunctive · 3rd person singular2V-PAS-3S
  • verb · aorist active, command · 2nd person plural1V-AAM-2P

Matthew

four uses
  • But Jesus did not answer a word. So His disciples came and urged Him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”

    Matthew 15:23

    • ἠρώτουνerotounverb · imperfect active, indicative · 3rd person pluraltagged: were imploring
  • When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He questioned His disciples: “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

    Matthew 16:13

    • ἠρώταerotaverb · imperfect active, indicative · 3rd person singulartagged: He was questioning
  • “Why do you ask Me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”

    Matthew 19:17

    • ἐρωτᾷςerotasverb · present active, indicative · 2nd person singulartagged: you ask
  • “I will also ask you one question,” Jesus replied, “and if you answer Me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

    Matthew 21:24

    • ἐρωτήσωerotesoverb · future active, indicative · 1st person singulartagged: Will ask

Mark

three uses
  • As soon as Jesus was alone with the Twelve and those around Him, they asked Him about the parable.

    Mark 4:10

    • ἠρώτωνerotonverb · imperfect active, indicative · 3rd person pluraltagged: they were asking
  • Now she was a Greek woman of Syrophoenician origin, and she kept asking Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.

    Mark 7:26

    • ἠρώταerotaverb · imperfect active, indicative · 3rd person singulartagged: was asking
  • “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. “Seven,” they replied.

    Mark 8:5

    • ἠρώταerotaverb · imperfect active, indicative · 3rd person singulartagged: He was asking

Luke

fifteen uses
  • After Jesus had left the synagogue, He went to the home of Simon, whose mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever. So they appealed to Jesus on her behalf,

    Luke 4:38

    • ἠρώτησανerotesanverb · aorist active, indicative · 3rd person pluraltagged: they appealed
  • Jesus got into the boat belonging to Simon and asked him to put out a little from shore. And sitting down, He taught the people from the boat.

    Luke 5:3

    • ἠρώτησενerotesenverb · aorist active, indicative · 3rd person singulartagged: He asked
  • When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to ask Him to come and heal his servant.

    Luke 7:3

    • ἐρωτῶνerotonverb · present active, participle · nominative (subject) · masculine singulartagged: begging
  • Then one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to eat with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.

    Luke 7:36

    • Ἠρώταerotaverb · imperfect active, indicative · 3rd person singulartagged: Was asking
  • Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to depart from them, because great fear had taken hold of them. So He got into the boat and started back.

    Luke 8:37

    • ἠρώτησενerotesenverb · aorist active, indicative · 3rd person singulartagged: asked
  • But they did not understand this statement. It was veiled from them so that they could not comprehend it, and they were afraid to ask Him about it.

    Luke 9:45

    • ἐρωτῆσαιerotesaiverb · aorist active, infinitive (“to…”)tagged: to ask
  • As Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee invited Him to dine with him; so He went in and reclined at the table.

    Luke 11:37

    • ἐρωτᾷerotaverb · present active, indicative · 3rd person singulartagged: asked
  • But one after another they all began to make excuses. The first one said, ‘I have bought a field, and I need to go see it. Please excuse me.’

    Luke 14:18

    • ἐρωτῶerotoverb · present active, indicative · 1st person singulartagged: I beg of
  • Another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out. Please excuse me.’

    Luke 14:19

    • ἐρωτῶerotoverb · present active, indicative · 1st person singulartagged: I beg of
  • And if he is unable, he will send a delegation while the other king is still far off, to ask for terms of peace.

    Luke 14:32

    • ἐρωτᾷerotaverb · present active, indicative · 3rd person singulartagged: he asks
  • ‘Then I beg you, father,’ he said, ‘send Lazarus to my father’s house,

    Luke 16:27

    • ἐρωτῶerotoverb · present active, indicative · 1st person singulartagged: I implore
  • If anyone asks, ‘Why are you untying it?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it.’”

    Luke 19:31

    • ἐρωτᾷerotaverb · present active, subjunctive · 3rd person singulartagged: shall ask
  • “I will also ask you a question,” Jesus replied. “Tell Me:

    Luke 20:3

    • ἐρωτήσωerotesoverb · future active, indicative · 1st person singulartagged: Will ask
  • And if I ask you a question, you will not answer.

    Luke 22:68

    • ἐρωτήσωerotesoverb · aorist active, subjunctive · 1st person singulartagged: I shall ask
  • So Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied.

    Luke 23:3

    • ἠρώτησενerotesenverb · aorist active, indicative · 3rd person singulartagged: asked

John

twenty-seven uses
  • And this was John’s testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?”

    John 1:19

    • ἐρωτήσωσινerotesosinverb · aorist active, subjunctive · 3rd person pluraltagged: they may ask
  • “Then who are you?” they inquired. “Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.”

    John 1:21

    • ἠρώτησανerotesanverb · aorist active, indicative · 3rd person pluraltagged: they asked
  • asked him, “Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

    John 1:25

    • ἠρώτησανerotesanverb · aorist active, indicative · 3rd person pluraltagged: they asked
  • Meanwhile the disciples urged Him, “Rabbi, eat something.”

    John 4:31

    • ἠρώτωνerotonverb · imperfect active, indicative · 3rd person pluraltagged: were asking
  • So when the Samaritans came to Him, they asked Him to stay with them, and He stayed two days.

    John 4:40

    • ἠρώτωνerotonverb · imperfect active, indicative · 3rd person pluraltagged: they were asking
  • When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged Him to come down and heal his son, who was about to die.

    John 4:47

    • ἠρώταerotaverb · imperfect active, indicative · 3rd person singulartagged: was asking
  • “Who is this man who told you to pick it up and walk?” they asked.

    John 5:12

    • ἠρώτησανerotesanverb · aorist active, indicative · 3rd person pluraltagged: They asked
  • and His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

    John 9:2

    • ἠρώτησανerotesanverb · aorist active, indicative · 3rd person pluraltagged: asked
  • So the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. The man answered, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see.”

    John 9:15

    • ἠρώτωνerotonverb · imperfect active, indicative · 3rd person pluraltagged: were asking
  • and asked, “Is this your son, the one you say was born blind? So how is it that he can now see?”

    John 9:19

    • ἠρώτησανerotesanverb · aorist active, indicative · 3rd person pluraltagged: they asked
  • But how he can now see or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him. He is old enough to speak for himself.”

    John 9:21

    • ἐρωτήσατεerotesateverb · aorist active, command · 2nd person pluraltagged: do ask
  • They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and requested of him, “Sir, we want to see Jesus.”

    John 12:21

    • ἠρώτωνerotonverb · imperfect active, indicative · 3rd person pluraltagged: they were asking
  • And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever—

    John 14:16

    • ἐρωτήσωerotesoverb · future active, indicative · 1st person singulartagged: will ask
  • Now, however, I am going to Him who sent Me; yet none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’

    John 16:5

    • ἐρωτᾷerotaverb · present active, indicative · 3rd person singulartagged: asks
  • Aware that they wanted to question Him, Jesus said to them, “Are you asking one another why I said, ‘In a little while you will not see Me, and then after a little while you will see Me’?

    John 16:19

    • ἐρωτᾶνerotanverb · present active, infinitive (“to…”)tagged: to ask
  • In that day you will no longer ask Me anything. Truly, truly, I tell you, whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you.

    John 16:23

    • ἐρωτήσετεeroteseteverb · future active, indicative · 2nd person pluraltagged: you will ask
  • In that day you will ask in My name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf.

    John 16:26

    • ἐρωτήσωerotesoverb · future active, indicative · 1st person singulartagged: will implore
  • Now we understand that You know all things and that You have no need for anyone to question You. Because of this, we believe that You came from God.”

    John 16:30

    • ἐρωτᾷerotaverb · present active, subjunctive · 3rd person singulartagged: may ask
  • I ask on their behalf. I do not ask on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those You have given Me; for they are Yours.

    John 17:9

    • ἐρωτῶerotoverb · present active, indicative · 1st person singulartagged: am praying
    • ἐρωτῶerotoverb · present active, indicative · 1st person singulartagged: do I pray
  • I am not asking that You take them out of the world, but that You keep them from the evil one.

    John 17:15

    • ἐρωτῶerotoverb · present active, indicative · 1st person singulartagged: I do ask
  • I am not asking on behalf of them alone, but also on behalf of those who will believe in Me through their message,

    John 17:20

    • ἐρωτῶerotoverb · present active, indicative · 1st person singulartagged: do I ask
  • Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about His disciples and His teaching.

    John 18:19

    • ἠρώτησενerotesenverb · aorist active, indicative · 3rd person singulartagged: questioned
  • Why are you asking Me? Ask those who heard My message. Surely they know what I said.”

    John 18:21

    • ἐρωτᾷςerotasverb · present active, indicative · 2nd person singulartagged: do you ask
    • ἐρώτησονerotesonverb · aorist active, command · 2nd person singulartagged: do ask
  • It was the day of Preparation, and the next day was a High Sabbath. In order that the bodies would not remain on the cross during the Sabbath, the Jews asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies removed.

    John 19:31

    • ἠρώτησανerotesanverb · aorist active, indicative · 3rd person pluraltagged: asked
  • Afterward, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus (but secretly for fear of the Jews), asked Pilate to let him remove the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission, so he came and removed His body.

    John 19:38

    • ἠρώτησενerotesenverb · aorist active, indicative · 3rd person singulartagged: asked

Acts

seven uses
  • So when they came together, they asked Him, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”

    Acts 1:6

    • ἠρώτωνerotonverb · imperfect active, indicative · 3rd person pluraltagged: were asking
  • When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money.

    Acts 3:3

    • ἠρώταerotaverb · imperfect active, indicative · 3rd person singulartagged: was asking
  • So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay for a few days.

    Acts 10:48

    • ἠρώτησανerotesanverb · aorist active, indicative · 3rd person pluraltagged: they asked
  • They came to appease them and led them out, requesting that they leave the city.

    Acts 16:39

    • ἠρώτωνerotonverb · imperfect active, indicative · 3rd person pluraltagged: they were asking
  • When they asked him to stay for a while longer, he declined.

    Acts 18:20

    • ἐρωτώντωνerotontonverb · present active, participle · genitive (“of”) · masculine pluraltagged: When are asking
  • So the centurion took him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner sent and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to tell you.”

    Acts 23:18

    • ἠρώτησενerotesenverb · aorist active, indicative · 3rd person singulartagged: he asked
  • He answered, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul to the Sanhedrin tomorrow on the pretext of acquiring more information about him.

    Acts 23:20

    • ἐρωτῆσαίerotesaiverb · aorist active, infinitive (“to…”)tagged: to ask

Philippians

one use
  • Yes, and I ask you, my true yokefellow, to help these women who have labored with me for the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.

    Philippians 4:3

    • ἐρωτῶerotoverb · present active, indicative · 1st person singulartagged: I ask

1 Thessalonians

two uses
  • Finally, brothers, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus to live in a way that is pleasing to God, just as you have received from us. This is how you already live, so you should do so all the more.

    1 Thessalonians 4:1

    • ἐρωτῶμενerotomenverb · present active, indicative · 1st person pluraltagged: we implore
  • But we ask you, brothers, to acknowledge those who work diligently among you, who preside over you in the Lord and give you instruction.

    1 Thessalonians 5:12

    • Ἐρωτῶμενerotomenverb · present active, indicative · 1st person pluraltagged: We implore

2 Thessalonians

one use
  • Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to Him, we ask you, brothers,

    2 Thessalonians 2:1

    • Ἐρωτῶμενerotomenverb · present active, indicative · 1st person pluraltagged: We implore

1 John

one use
  • If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he should ask God, who will give life to those who commit this kind of sin. There is a sin that leads to death; I am not saying he should ask regarding that sin.

    1 John 5:16

    • ἐρωτήσῃeroteseverb · aorist active, subjunctive · 3rd person singulartagged: he may implore

2 John

one use
  • And now I urge you, dear lady—not as a new commandment to you, but one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another.

    2 John 1:5

    • ἐρωτῶerotoverb · present active, indicative · 1st person singulartagged: I implore

Where it leads

How the numbers are counted

Every count on this page comes from STEP Bible's tagged Hebrew and Greek text, the same text the ledger prints. A use is counted once each time the tagging marks a word with this key.

Spellings are counted as the Greek text spells them, with the sentence's own punctuation taken off the word first, so a form that ends a clause is not counted as a second spelling.

Hebrew and Greek text, word tagging and grammar: STEP Bible (www.STEPBible.org), Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0. Their grammar codes are written out in English here and shown as tagged beside each one.

Meaning and senses: STEP Bible TBESG (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0), the Brief lexicon based on Abbott-Smith (1922).

Dictionary key: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890, public domain). English verse text: Berean Standard Bible (public domain, 2023).

Revised 2026-09-05. Every cited work, the sources registry →