δεῦρο G1204
Adverb of motion meaning 'hither, come here'; used as an imperative interjection 'come!' and temporally as 'until now, to the present'.
A versatile Greek adverb rooted in spatial motion — 'hither' or 'to this place' — that developed into one of the most memorable imperative interjections in the New Testament. When Jesus cries δεῦρο to Lazarus at the tomb (John 11:43) or invites the rich young man to follow him (Matt 19:21; Mark 10:21; Luke 18:22), the word carries an urgency that echoes across languages: Spanish 'Ven,' French 'viens,' German 'komm.' In Romans 1:13 Paul extends the word into a temporal sense — 'until the present' — where Spanish renders it 'ahora' (now), revealing how a word of spatial approach can shade into temporal arrival.
Senses
1. come — An imperative interjection summoning someone to approach: 'Come!' Used by Jesus when calling Lazarus from the tomb (John 11:43), inviting the rich ruler to discipleship (Matt 19:21; Mark 10:21; Luke 18:22), and in God's command to Abraham to leave his country (Acts 7:3). Every major translation language renders it with a direct imperative of motion — Spanish 'Ven,' French 'viens,' German 'komm' — confirming its force as a summons rather than a mere spatial indicator. 8×
AR["تَعالَ", "تَعَالَ", "هَلُمَّ"]·ben["এখানে", "এদিকে", "এস", "এসো"]·DE["komm", "δεῦρο"]·EN["come"]·FR["viens"]·heb["בֹא", "בּוֹא", "הֵנָּה"]·HI["अअ", "आ"]·ID["Marilah", "keluarlah", "kemarilah", "marilah", "marilah,"]·IT["deuro", "vieni"]·jav["Mangga-mriki", "Sami-rawuh", "mrenea", "mrika", "mrika,", "rawuha", "rawuha,"]·KO["오라", "와라", "와서", "이리-오라", "이리로"]·PT["Vem", "vem", "vem,"]·RU["иди", "приходи", "приходи,", "сюда"]·ES["Ven", "Ven,", "aquí", "ven"]·SW["Njoo,", "njoo", "unifuate"]·TR["Gel", "buraya", "gel"]·urd["آ", "آؤ"]
2. present — A temporal extension of the spatial sense, meaning 'until now, up to the present moment.' In Romans 1:13 Paul writes that he was hindered 'until the present' (δεῦρο) from visiting Rome. Spanish shifts to 'ahora' (now) and English to 'present,' showing the semantic leap from place ('hither') to time ('to this point'), a natural metaphorical mapping found across Indo-European languages. 1×
AR["الآنَ"]·ben["এখন,"]·DE["komm"]·EN["present"]·FR["viens"]·heb["עַתָּה"]·HI["अब"]·ID["sekarang,"]·IT["vieni"]·jav["sapunika,"]·KO["지금"]·PT["agora"]·RU["сих-пор"]·ES["ahora"]·SW["sasa,"]·TR["şimdiye"]·urd["اب"]
Related Senses
H0935 1. come, arrive (Qal) (2413×)H3117 1. day, specific time (2231×)G1473 1. first person singular pronoun (2084×)H5704 1. until, unto, as far as (1238×)H3318 1. Qal: go out, depart, come forth (891×)H8141 1. year, unit of time (880×)H7725 1. to return, come/go back (Qal) (874×)H5927 1. go up, ascend (Qal) (779×)H7971 1. to send, dispatch (Qal) (701×)G2064 1. come / arrive (physical movement toward) (588×)H6258 1. and now (421×)G2250 1. day (388×)H5307 1. Qal: fall down physically (339×)H5375 1. Qal: to lift up, raise (330×)H5975 1. to stand, stand up (310×)H5750 1. again, more, further (288×)H5769 1. forever, to eternity (280×)H6256 1. time, period (264×)H2320 1. month, calendar period (260×)H0310a 2. after (temporal) (258×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
δεῦρο (Aeolic dialect δεῦρυ Refs 8th c.BC+, strengthened in Attic dialect δευρί Refs 5th c.BC+ in Attic dialect Inscrr., as Refs: late δευρεί Refs 4th c.AD+. adverb: __I of Place, hither, with all Verbs of motion, Refs 8th c.BC+; in pregnant sense with Verbs of rest, to [have come hither and] be here, δ. παρέστης Refs 5th c.BC+; τῆς δ. ὁδοῦRefs 5th c.BC+ __I.b later, here, τὰ δ., = sensible…