προλαμβάνω (prolambanō)
prolambanō
to take beforehand
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb prolambanō literally means to take something beforehand. In Mark 14:8, it describes an act that anticipates a future need; Jesus praises a woman for preparing his body for burial before the event actually occurs. Here, the word carries the sense of acting in advance to meet a necessity.
In other contexts, the meaning shifts toward being overtaken or surprised. Galatians 6:1 uses the passive form to describe someone who is caught or overtaken by a fault. This usage suggests a sudden encounter with a situation one did not plan for, highlighting how the action can happen without warning.
The word combines a prefix meaning "before" with a verb meaning "to take." This structure allows it to cover both proactive anticipation and reactive surprise. Translators often choose between "anticipate," "forestall," or "overtake" depending on whether the subject is acting first or being caught off guard.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Greek word prolambanō captures two distinct movements of life: acting in advance and being overtaken by surprise. In Mark 14:8, a woman anoints Jesus’ body before His burial. She does not wait for the event to happen; she meets a future need with present action. This shows that faith often involves preparing our hearts and hands before the moment arrives.
Yet the word also appears in Galatians 6:1 in its passive form, describing someone caught off guard by sin. Here, it reminds us that we can be surprised by failure just as easily as we can anticipate joy. The same root covers both our proactive love and our sudden vulnerability. This duality invites us to live with both readiness and humility.
When we study this word, we see that God values both our foresight and our dependence on grace. We are called to prepare for what is coming while trusting Him when we are overtaken by circumstances beyond our control. This balance keeps our faith grounded in reality rather than fantasy.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- takes first1×
- shall be overcome1×
- She came beforehand1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- προέλαβεν1×
- προλημφθῇ1×
- προλαμβάνει1×
Key Verses
-
Mark 14:8
She has done what she could. She has anointed my body beforehand for the burying.
The word highlights the woman’s proactive love, as she anoints Jesus’ body before His death to meet a future need.
-
Galatians 6:1
Brothers, even if a man is caught in some fault, you who are spiritual must restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, looking to yourself so that you also aren’t tempted.
The passive form describes being caught off guard by sin, emphasizing human vulnerability and the need for gentle restoration.
-
I Corinthians 11:21
For in your eating each one takes his own supper first. One is hungry, and another is drunken.
This usage illustrates selfish anticipation, where individuals take their share first, disrupting the communal meal.