προμεριμνάω (promerimnaō)
promerimnaō
to worry beforehand
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb promerimnaō describes a specific kind of anxiety: being worried or anxious beforehand. It combines the prefix pro-, meaning "before," with merimnaō, which generally means to be concerned or distracted by cares. This creates a precise image of mental distress that anticipates future events rather than reacting to present ones.
Its single occurrence in the New Testament appears in Mark 13:11, where Jesus instructs his disciples not to worry about what they will say when arrested. The context highlights the tension between human instinct to prepare for crisis and the call to trust in divine guidance at the moment of need. By using this rare compound word, the text emphasizes the futility of trying to manage future uncertainties through anxious planning.
Because it appears only once, the word stands out as a unique descriptor for pre-emptive worry. It captures the human tendency to let future fears disrupt present peace, offering a specific lens through which to view the command to rely on the Spirit rather than one’s own foresight.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
This rare word describes a specific kind of anxiety: worrying about things that have not happened yet. It captures the heavy burden of trying to manage future uncertainties through anxious planning. When we let fear of tomorrow steal our peace today, we find ourselves exhausted by scenarios that may never occur.
Jesus addresses this directly in Mark 13:11. He tells His followers not to be anxious beforehand about what they will say when arrested. Instead, He points them to the Holy Spirit, who provides exactly what is needed in the moment. This shifts our focus from our own limited foresight to God’s sufficient guidance.
Trusting that God meets us in each hour allows us to lay down the weight of pre-emptive worry. You are not alone in facing the unknown. The same Spirit who guides those in crisis is available to you now, offering peace that does not depend on knowing what comes next.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- do be anxious beforehand1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- προμεριμνᾶτε1×
Key Verses
-
Mark 13:11
When they lead you away and deliver you up, don’t be anxious beforehand or premeditate what you will say, but say whatever will be given you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.
This verse uniquely pairs the command against pre-emptive anxiety with the promise of Holy Spirit guidance for the immediate moment.