ἀναμένω (anamenō)
anamenō
to await
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb anamenō means to wait for someone with a sense of expectation and trust. It appears only once in the New Testament, in 1 Thessalonians 1:10, where it describes how believers look forward to Jesus’ return from heaven. The word combines a prefix indicating upward or renewed action with a root meaning to stay or remain, suggesting a steadfast, patient waiting rather than passive idleness.
Lexical sources note that this term carries the nuance of confident anticipation, often linked to the Old Testament Hebrew verb qavah, which similarly conveys hopeful expectation. In its single biblical usage, it frames the Christian hope not as uncertain guessing but as a secure waiting for a promised deliverer. This distinguishes it from mere waiting; it is an active, trust-filled orientation toward a specific future event.
Translators typically render anamenō as "wait" or "await," capturing its straightforward yet profound meaning. The word’s rarity in the New Testament highlights its specific theological weight: it anchors the believer’s present life in the certainty of Christ’s coming, offering a model of endurance rooted in divine promise rather than human effort.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When life feels uncertain, it is easy to drift into anxiety about what comes next. The word anamenō offers a different path. It describes waiting with active trust, not passive idleness. This kind of waiting anchors the soul in the reality that God has already acted and will act again.
In 1 Thessalonians 1:10, believers are shown looking forward to Jesus’ return. This is not a vague hope but a confident expectation. It reminds us that our present struggles are held within a larger story of deliverance. We do not wait in fear, but in the steady assurance of His promise.
This perspective changes how we face daily challenges. Instead of being overwhelmed by the unknown, we rest in the certainty of Christ’s coming. It invites us to live with patience and peace, knowing that our hope is secure in Him alone.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- to await1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἀναμένειν1×
Key Verses
-
I Thessalonians 1:10
and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead: Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.
This verse uniquely uses anamenō to describe the believer's active, trusting expectation of Jesus' return as a source of deliverance from future wrath.