Biblical Lexicon

κρούω G2925

V-PPA-DMS | 9× in 1 sense

To knock (at a door); to strike a door seeking entry, used both literally and as a metaphor for persistent prayer or divine visitation.

Means to knock or strike at a door seeking entry. In the New Testament, krouo carries both a literal and a richly metaphorical sense. Jesus' teaching 'knock and it will be opened to you' (Matt 7:7-8; Luke 11:9-10) makes knocking a vivid image for persistent, expectant prayer. In the parable of the shut door, the master's servants knock awaiting his return (Luke 12:36), and in Acts 12:13-16 Peter knocks at the gate after his miraculous release from prison — a scene of almost comic surprise. Most strikingly, Revelation 3:20 portrays Christ standing at the door and knocking, inverting the metaphor so that the divine seeks entry into the human heart. Spanish 'llamar' (to call/knock) and German 'klopfen' (to knock) both preserve the core physical action.

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Senses

1. knock (at a door) — To knock or strike at a door seeking admission. Greek krouo (from a root meaning 'to strike') is specialized in the NT for the act of knocking on a door. Jesus' instruction 'knock and it will be opened' (Matt 7:7-8; Luke 11:9-10) makes the gesture a metaphor for persistent, faith-filled prayer. Luke 12:36 uses it for servants awaiting their master's return, and Acts 12:13-16 provides a vivid literal scene where Peter knocks at Mary's gate after angelic deliverance from prison. The most theologically charged use is Revelation 3:20, where Christ himself stands at the door and knocks, seeking fellowship. Spanish 'llamar/golpear' and German 'klopfen' both convey the physical act of rapping at a door. 9×

PHYSICAL_ACTION › Physical Impact › Striking and Reference

AR["أَقْرَعُ", "الْقارِعِ", "اُقْرَعوا", "اِقرَعوا", "تَطْرُقُونَ", "طَارِقٍ", "قارِعِ", "قَرَعَ", "يَطْرُقُ"]·ben["আঘাত-করছি;", "টোকা-দিতে", "টোকা-দিলে", "ঠক্‌ঠক্‌-কর", "ঠক্‌ঠক্‌-করলে", "ঠক্‌ঠক্‌-করে", "দরজায়-আঘাত-কর", "দরজায়-আঘাতকারীকে", "ধাক্কা-দিতে"]·DE["klopfen", "klopft"]·EN["I-knock", "having-knocked", "knock", "knocking", "to-knock"]·FR["frapper"]·heb["דִּפְקוּ", "דָּפַק", "דּוֹפֵק", "דוֹפַק", "לִדְפֹּק"]·HI["खटखटाओ", "खटखटाता-हूँ;", "खटखटाते", "खटखटाते-हुए", "खटखटाने", "खटखटाने-पर", "खटखटाने-वाले", "खटखटानेवाले-को"]·ID["ketuklah", "mengetuk", "mengetuk;", "yang-mengetuk"]·IT["bussare", "krouō"]·jav["Kawula-ndhodhog", "Thothok", "ingkang-thothog-lawang", "ingkang-thothok-thothok", "thothog-lawang", "thothog-lawanga", "thothok-thothoka", "thothok;"]·KO["두드리기를", "두드리는-자", "두드리는-자에게", "두드리라", "두드리며", "두드리시면", "두드리자", "두드린다"]·PT["a-bater", "batei", "bato", "que-bate"]·RU["постучавшего", "постучавшему", "стучать", "стучащему", "стучите", "стучу;"]·ES["a-golpear", "llamad", "llamando", "llamo", "que-llama", "que‒llama"]·SW["a-bishaye,", "abishaye", "akibisha", "bisheni", "bisheni,", "kubisha", "kubisha;", "ninabisha;"]·TR["vuranaçılacaktır", "vurun", "vuruyorum", "çalan", "çalana", "çalmaya", "çalın", "çalınca"]·urd["دستک-دیتا", "دستک-دیتا-ہوں", "دستک-دیتے-ہوئے", "کھٹکھٹاؤ", "کھٹکھٹاتے-ہی", "کھٹکھٹانا", "کھٹکھٹانے-والے"]

Matt 7:7, Matt 7:8, Luke 11:9, Luke 11:10, Luke 12:36, Luke 13:25, Acts 12:13, Acts 12:16, Rev 3:20

BDB / Lexicon Reference

κρούω, future -σω Refs 5th c.BC+: aorist Refs 6th c.BC+: perfect Refs 5th c.BC+ —middle, aorist Refs 5th c.BC+:—passive, aorist Refs 3rd c.BC+: perfect κέκρουμαι (ἀπο-) Refs 5th c.BC+:—strike, smite, Refs 5th c.BC+; κρούσας δὲ πλευρὰ [τῶν ἵππων] Refs 5th c.BC+; also εἰς τὴν χεῖρα τοῖς δακτύλοις κ. with the fingers, Refs 2nd c.AD+ tickles, Refs 4th c.BC+ __2 strike one against another, strike…