προσδοκάω (prosdokaō)
prosdokaō
to look for
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 15 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb prosdokao means to look for something with expectation. It combines a prefix meaning "toward" with a root related to watching or observing. In the New Testament, it describes an active waiting rather than passive hope. Jesus uses this word when describing the servant who waits for his master’s return (Matthew 24:50), highlighting a state of readiness.
This term appears frequently in Luke and Acts, often connected with specific people or events. John the Baptist is asked if he is the Expected One (Luke 3:15). Simon Peter writes about waiting for new heavens and earth (2 Peter 3:13). The word carries a sense of focused attention on what is coming.
Translators usually render it "expect" or "wait for." Unlike general hope, this word implies a concrete anticipation. It appears in contexts where characters await deliverance or judgment. The usage shows that early Christians lived with their eyes fixed on future realities while navigating present circumstances.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word προσδοκάω describes an active, focused waiting. It is not a passive hope that drifts with time, but a steady gaze fixed on what God has promised. When Jesus spoke of the faithful servant, He highlighted this readiness as a mark of trust. You are invited to live with your eyes lifted toward His return, finding stability in the present by anchoring your heart in future realities.
This kind of expectation shapes how we treat others and ourselves. In Acts, we see people waiting for Jesus with eager welcome, while Peter urges believers to look for new heavens where righteousness dwells. This perspective does not remove us from daily life but gives it direction. As you navigate challenges, remember that this waiting is a shared hope across the church, connecting your current season to the eternal promise of God’s renewal.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 15 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- expecting5×
- are we to look for?3×
- he does expect2×
- we are awaiting,1×
- watching1×
- they were expecting1×
- looking for1×
- are waiting1×
- When were expecting1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- προσδοκῶντες3×
- προσδοκῶν3×
- προσδοκῶμεν;¶2×
- προσδοκᾷ2×
- προσεδόκων1×
- προσδοκῶντας1×
- προσδοκῶμεν;1×
- προσδοκῶμεν,1×
- προσδοκώντων1×
- Προσδοκῶντος1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 11:3
and said to him, “Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?”
John the Baptist uses this word to ask if Jesus is truly the promised One, showing that even great prophets sought clarity in doubt.
-
Luke 3:15
As the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he was the Christ,
The crowd’s expectation regarding John reveals how deeply people longed for divine intervention during times of political tension.
-
II Peter 3:13
But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
Peter connects this active looking directly to the promise of new heavens and earth, grounding Christian hope in God’s faithfulness rather than human effort.