αἰτ-έω G0154
To ask for, request (in prayer or of people); in stronger register: to demand, require with authority or insistence.
The Greek verb aiteo covers the full spectrum of asking, from humble petition to forceful demand. In its dominant sense (61 of 70 NT occurrences), it is the standard word for requesting — 'ask, and it shall be given to you' (Matt 7:7), praying to the Father for daily needs (Matt 6:8), or approaching someone for help (Matt 5:42). Spanish pedir, French demander, and German bitten all cluster around the polite-request register. But a distinct minority of uses (9 occurrences) carry unmistakable force: the crowd demanding Barabbas (Matt 27:20), the people of Tyre and Sidon 'asking for' peace because they depended on Herod's country for food (Acts 12:20), and the mother of James and John pressing a bold claim before Jesus (Matt 20:20). The shift from petition to demand is subtle but real, and translators sometimes mark it with stronger vocabulary.
Senses
1. ask for, request — To ask for, request, or petition — the standard sense of making a request either of God in prayer or of a human being, carrying a tone of genuine need, hope, or humble petition. This core sense (61 occurrences) appears in Jesus' great invitation 'ask and it will be given to you' (Matt 7:7-8), the reassurance that 'your Father knows what you need before you ask him' (Matt 6:8), and the command to generosity: 'give to the one who asks you' (Matt 5:42). Spanish pedir/pedimos, French demander, and German bitten converge on the polite, expectant register. James 1:5-6 crystallizes the sense: 'if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask (aiteo) God,' with faith and not doubting. 61×
AR["تَسأَلوهُ", "تَطلُبونَ", "تَطلُبونَهُ", "تَطْلُبَانِ", "تَطْلُبُوا", "تَطْلُبُونَ", "طَلَبَ", "نَطلُبْ", "نَطْلُبَ", "يَطْلُبُونَ"]·ben["চাই", "চাইতে", "চাইল", "চাইলেন", "চাও", "চাও,", "চাওয়ার", "ῃτήσατο-মিনতি-করলেন"]·DE["bitten", "bittet"]·EN["ask", "asked", "asked-for", "to-ask", "we-ask", "you-are-asking", "you-ask"]·FR["demander"]·heb["בִּקֵּשׁ", "לִ-שְׁאֹל", "מְבַקְּשִׁים", "נְבַקֵּשׁ", "נִשְׁאַל", "שְׁאֹל", "שׁוֹאֲלִים", "תְבַקְּשׁוּ", "תִּשְׁאֲלוּ"]·HI["तुम-माँगो", "माँगते-हो", "माँगने", "माँगने-से", "माँगा", "माँगो", "माँगोगे", "मांगते-हो", "मांगा", "मांगें", "मांगो", "हम-माँगें"]·ID["Kamu-meminta,", "kami-minta", "kamu-meminta,", "kamu-minta", "kita-minta", "kita-minta,", "meminta"]·IT["chiedere"]·jav["kawula-nyuwun", "kawula-sedaya-nyuwun", "nyuwun", "nyuwun,", "panjenengan-nyuwun", "panjenengan-nyuwun,", "panjenengan-sedaya-nyuwun"]·KO["구하고,", "구하기-전에", "구하면", "구한다,", "구했다", "요청하기를", "요청하는지", "요청하리라", "요청하였다", "요청했다", "우리-가-구하면"]·PT["a-pedir", "pedirdes", "pedirmos", "pedirmos,", "pedis", "pediu"]·RU["попросил", "попросили", "попросим", "попросите", "просил", "просим", "просим,", "просите", "просите,", "просить"]·ES["a-pedir", "pedimos", "pedir", "pedís", "pidamos", "pidiereis", "pidió", "pidáis", "te-pidamos"]·SW["akaomba", "akauliza", "aliomba", "katika", "kumwomba", "kuomba", "mkaomba", "mnaomba", "mtakachomwomba", "mtakachoniomba", "mtakachoomba", "tukuombe", "tunaomba"]·TR["dilerseniz", "istedi", "istemeniz", "istemeye", "istersek", "isterseniz", "istersiniz", "istiyorsunuz"]·urd["درخواست-کی", "مانگا", "مانگتے-ہو", "مانگتے-ہو٬", "مانگنا", "مانگنے", "مانگو", "مانگیں", "مانگیں،", "مانگے"]
Matt 5:42, Matt 6:8, Matt 7:7, Matt 7:8, Matt 7:9, Matt 7:10, Matt 7:11, Matt 20:22, Matt 21:22, Matt 27:58, Mark 6:22, Mark 6:23 (+38 more)
2. demand, require — To demand, require, or press a claim with urgency, authority, or insistence — a stronger register of asking where the petitioner acts from a position of pressure or entitlement rather than humble submission. With 9 occurrences, this sense surfaces when the chief priests persuade the crowd to 'demand' (aiteo) Barabbas (Matt 27:20), when the voices of the crowd 'demanding' Jesus' crucifixion prevail (Luke 23:23, 25), when the mother of Zebedee's sons approaches Jesus 'asking' — yet with a boldness that amounts to a claim (Matt 20:20), and when the Tyrians and Sidonians 'ask for' peace from Herod Agrippa because their country depended on his for food (Acts 12:20). Spanish pidieran/pedian and German bittet do not always mark the shift, but the narrative contexts make the demanding force unmistakable. 9×
AR["طالِبينَ", "طالِبَةً", "طَالِبِينَ", "طَلَبوا", "طَلَبُوا", "كانوا-يَطْلُبونَهُ", "يَطْلُبُوا"]·ben["চাইছিল", "চাইতে", "চাইল", "চাইলেন", "চায়", "চাহিয়া"]·DE["bittet"]·EN["asking", "demanding", "they-asked", "they-should-ask-for", "they-were-asking", "they-were-asking-for"]·FR["demander"]·heb["בִּקְשׁוּ", "יִשְׁאֲל-וּ", "מְבַקְשִׁים", "מְבַקֶּשֶׁת", "שָׁאֲלוּ"]·HI["मअनगति-हुइ", "माँगते-थे", "माँगते-हुए", "माँगतेहुए", "मांगते-थे", "मांगा", "मांगें"]·ID["meminta", "menuntut", "mereka-minta"]·IT["chiedere"]·jav["nyuwun", "piyambakipun-sedaya-nyuwun", "tiyang-tiyang-punika-nyuwun"]·KO["구하며", "구했다", "요구하도록", "요구하며", "요구했던", "요청하며"]·PT["pedindo", "pediram", "pedissem"]·RU["попросили", "просили", "прося", "требуя"]·ES["pedían", "pidiendo", "pidieran", "pidieron"]·SW["-", "kitu", "wakaomba", "wakiomba", "waliomba", "waombe"]·TR["istediler", "istesinler", "isteyerek", "istiyorlardı"]·urd["مانگا", "مانگتی-ہوئی", "مانگتے-تھے", "مانگتے-ہوئے", "مانگیں"]
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)H7592 1. ask, inquire, question (96×)H3034 1. give thanks, praise (Hifil) (94×)G1321 1. teach, instruct actively (92×)H3789 2. Qal active: write, compose (89×)G1125 1. to write, compose (a letter or document) (84×)H5046 2. Hifil: to declare, proclaim (79×)H7892a 1. song, musical composition (78×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
αἰτ-έω (Aeolic dialect αἴτημι Refs 5th c.BC+, Ionic dialect imperfect αἴτεονRefs 5th c.BC+future αἰτήσω: aorist ᾔτησα: perfect ᾔτηκαNT: pluperfect ᾐτήκειRefs 2nd c.AD+perfect passive ᾔτημαι, etc.:—ask, beg, absolutely, Refs 8th c.BC+ __2 mostly with accusative of things, ask for, demand, Refs 8th c.BC+; ὁδὸν αἰ. ask leave to depart, Refs 8th c.BC+; αἰ. τινί τι to ask something for one,Refs 5th…