ὁδεύω (hodeuō)
hodeuō
to journey
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb hodeuō means to travel or journey along a path. It appears only once in the New Testament, in Luke 10:33, where it describes the Samaritan traveler going down the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. The word focuses on the physical act of making one’s way through space rather than the spiritual state of the traveler.
Its root relates to the idea of a road or path, connecting it to other terms for walking or traveling in Scripture. In this single instance, the action is neutral and descriptive; it simply notes that someone was moving along a route. The context highlights movement as a precondition for encountering need, setting the stage for the parable’s lesson on mercy.
Translators typically render hodeuō as "went" or "was going," capturing the straightforward sense of transit. Because the word occurs so rarely in Christian writings, it serves as a precise marker of location and motion within the narrative flow. Its simplicity underscores how ordinary travel can become the setting for extraordinary compassion.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word hodeuō simply describes the act of traveling along a road. In Luke’s account, it marks the physical movement of the Samaritan as he makes his way from Jerusalem to Jericho. This ordinary transit becomes the stage for an unexpected encounter with human suffering.
God often meets us in the midst of our daily routines and commutes. The Samaritan did not plan this moment; he was simply going about his journey when he saw a man in need. Your own paths may hold similar opportunities to show mercy, even when you are focused on reaching your destination.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- journeying1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ὁδεύων1×
Key Verses
-
Luke 10:33
But a certain Samaritan, as he traveled, came where he was. When he saw him, he was moved with compassion,
This verse uses the word to establish the physical movement of the Samaritan that places him in a position to encounter the injured man.