προσεάω (proseaō)
proseaō
to permit
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb proseō means to allow someone to come near or to proceed. It is a simple term for granting permission, derived from words meaning "toward" and "to be able." In the New Testament, it appears only once, in Acts 16:7, where the narrative describes the Holy Spirit preventing Paul and his companions from entering Bithynia.
This single usage highlights its function as a divine gatekeeper. The text says they were not permitted to speak the word in Asia or Bithynia. Here, proseō carries significant theological weight, indicating that God’s will actively restricts access to certain places or tasks, redirecting the mission toward Macedonia instead.
Translators typically render this word as "permitted" or "allowed." It does not imply a casual suggestion but a definitive boundary set by authority. The verse serves as a clear example of how early Christian missionaries operated under direct spiritual guidance, accepting limitations as part of their journey.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word προσεάω (proseaō) simply means to permit or allow. It appears only once in the New Testament, in Acts 16:7. In that verse, Paul and his companions were not permitted by the Holy Spirit to enter Bithynia. This single usage shows that God actively restricts access to certain places or tasks. It is a definitive boundary set by divine authority.
When you face closed doors in your own life, this word offers comfort. It reminds us that restrictions are not always failures. Sometimes they are redirections. The early missionaries accepted these limitations as part of their journey. They trusted that God was guiding them toward where He wanted them to be.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- is permitting1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- προσεῶντος1×