προσκυνέω
proskuneō
to worship
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
SupportedThe Greek word "proskuneō" (G4352) is a verb that means "to worship." It is used 60 times in the Bible, indicating its significance in the text. In its most basic sense, "proskuneō" involves the act of showing reverence or homage to a person or thing, often accompanied by physical actions such as bowing or prostrating oneself. The range of usage for "proskuneō" is broad, encompassing various contexts such as worshiping God (e.g., Matthew 2:2, 8; 14:33), worshiping idols (e.g., Matthew 4:9-10), and even paying homage to human authorities (e.g., Matthew 2:2). This versatility suggests that the concept of worship is multifaceted and can be applied in different ways depending on the context. The significance of "proskuneō" lies in its association with the idea of reverence and submission. In the biblical context, worshiping God is not just a matter of external actions, but also involves a deep sense of devotion and surrender to His will. By examining the usage of "proskuneō," we can gain a better understanding of the importance of worship in the biblical narrative and its implications for our relationships with God and others.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
60 total occurrences across the text — showing 50
“Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him.”
Matthew 2:8He sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go and search diligently for the young child. When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him.”
Matthew 2:11They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Matthew 4:9He said to him, “I will give you all of these things, if you will fall down and worship me.”
Matthew 4:10Then Jesus said to him, “Get behind me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.’ ”
Matthew 8:2Behold, a leper came to him and worshiped him, saying, “Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean.”
Matthew 9:18While he told these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.”
Matthew 14:33Those who were in the boat came and worshiped him, saying, “You are truly the Son of God!”
Matthew 15:25But she came and worshiped him, saying, “Lord, help me.”
Matthew 18:26The servant therefore fell down and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you all!’
Matthew 20:20Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, kneeling and asking a certain thing of him.
Matthew 28:9As they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” They came and took hold of his feet, and worshiped him.
Matthew 28:17When they saw him, they bowed down to him, but some doubted.
Mark 5:6When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and bowed down to him,
Mark 15:19They struck his head with a reed, and spat on him, and bowing their knees, did homage to him.
Luke 4:7If you therefore will worship before me, it will all be yours.”
Luke 4:8Jesus answered him, “Get behind me Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.’ ”
Luke 24:52They worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,
John 4:20Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.”
John 4:20Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.”
John 4:21Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour comes, when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, will you worship the Father.
John 4:22You worship that which you don’t know. We worship that which we know; for salvation is from the Jews.
John 4:22You worship that which you don’t know. We worship that which we know; for salvation is from the Jews.
John 4:23But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to be his worshipers.
John 4:23But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to be his worshipers.
John 4:24God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
John 4:24God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
John 9:38He said, “Lord, I believe!” and he worshiped him.
John 12:20Now there were certain Greeks among those that went up to worship at the feast.
Acts 7:43You took up the tabernacle of Moloch, the star of your god Rephan, the figures which you made to worship. I will carry you away beyond Babylon.’
Acts 8:27He arose and went; and behold, there was a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship.
Acts 10:25When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell down at his feet, and worshiped him.
Acts 24:11seeing that you can verify that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship at Jerusalem.
1 Corinthians 14:25And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed. So he will fall down on his face and worship God, declaring that God is among you indeed.
Hebrews 1:6When he again brings in the firstborn into the world he says, “Let all the angels of God worship him.”
Hebrews 11:21By faith, Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.
Revelation 3:9Behold, I give some of the synagogue of Satan, of those who say they are Jews, and they are not, but lie—behold, I will make them to come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.
Revelation 4:10the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives forever and ever, and throw their crowns before the throne, saying,
Revelation 5:14The four living creatures said, “Amen!” Then the elders fell down and worshiped.
Revelation 7:11All the angels were standing around the throne, the elders, and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before his throne, and worshiped God,
Revelation 9:20The rest of mankind, who were not killed with these plagues, didn’t repent of the works of their hands, that they wouldn’t worship demons, and the idols of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of stone, and of wood; which can’t see, hear, or walk.
Revelation 11:1A reed like a rod was given to me. Someone said, “Rise, and measure God’s temple, and the altar, and those who worship in it.
Revelation 11:16The twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God’s throne, fell on their faces and worshiped God,
Revelation 13:4They worshiped the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”
Revelation 13:4They worshiped the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”
Revelation 13:8All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been killed.
Revelation 13:12He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. He makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed.
Revelation 13:15It was given to him to give breath to it, to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause as many as wouldn’t worship the image of the beast to be killed.
Revelation 14:7He said with a loud voice, “Fear the Lord, and give him glory; for the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and the springs of waters!”
Revelation 14:9Another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a great voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead, or on his hand,