ζωογονέω

I preserve alive

Definition

The verb ζωογονέω means to preserve alive, keep from death, or sustain life. In its two New Testament occurrences, it carries the core sense of saving or sparing life from destruction. In Luke 17:33, Jesus uses it metaphorically in the paradoxical statement about losing or saving one's life in the context of discipleship. In Acts 7:19, Stephen employs it literally, describing Pharaoh's policy to kill Israelite infants, contrasting it with God's purpose to 'preserve alive' His people. The word implies not just passive survival but active deliverance and continuation of life.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only twice in the New Testament, in two distinct contexts. In Luke 17:33, it is used in a spiritual, paradoxical teaching of Jesus about self-denial and ultimate salvation: 'Whoever seeks to preserve (ζωογονέω) his life will lose it.' In Acts 7:19, it is used in Stephen's historical recounting of Exodus, referring to Pharaoh's cruel edict and the contrasting divine intent: 'He dealt craftily with our race and forced our fathers to expose their infants, so that they would not be preserved alive (ζωογονέω).' One usage is metaphorical and theological, the other is literal and historical.

Etymology

Derived from the combination of two Greek roots: ζῶον (zōon), meaning 'living creature' or 'life,' and γονεύς (goneus), related to γεννάω (gennaō, 'to beget' or 'bring forth'). Literally, it means 'to bring living beings into existence' or 'to engender life.' Over time, its meaning broadened from the specific act of giving birth to the more general sense of preserving or sustaining life that is already in existence, which is its sense in the New Testament.

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant as it connects physical preservation with spiritual salvation. In Luke 17:33, it is central to Jesus's teaching on the cost of discipleship, where the attempt to 'preserve' one's earthly life leads to eternal loss, while losing it for Christ's sake leads to true, eternal life. It highlights the biblical theme that God is the ultimate preserver of life, both physically (as in the Exodus narrative of Acts 7:19) and spiritually. Understanding this Greek term enriches the reading of these passages by emphasizing that the 'life' in view is not merely biological existence but one's whole being, destined for either destruction or salvation.

In the Greco-Roman world, the word could be used in contexts of animal husbandry, medicine, or general care for living things. The use in Acts 7:19 directly engages with the cultural and political context of infanticide and population control, a practice known in the ancient world. The term's use to describe Pharaoh's failed policy underscores a powerful cultural contrast: human rulers may seek to destroy life, but God's sovereign purpose is to preserve and multiply it, a core theme in the Exodus story.

σῴζω (sōzō, G4982) — A broader term for 'save' or 'rescue,' encompassing physical deliverance and, more prominently, spiritual salvation. ζωοποιέω (zōopoieō, G2227) — Means 'to make alive' or 'give life,' often with a focus on imparting life, especially spiritual or resurrection life, rather than preserving existing life. διατηρέω (diatēreō, G1301) — Means 'to keep carefully' or 'preserve,' but without the specific connotation of preserving 'life' itself.

Word Details

Scripture References