Bible Word Study
πεζεύω
pezeyō · I travel on foot
πεζεύω
I travel on foot
Definition
The verb πεζεύω means 'to travel on foot' or 'to go by land,' specifically contrasting with sea travel. In its single New Testament occurrence in Acts 20:13, it describes Paul's deliberate choice to travel overland from Troas to Assos, while his companions sailed by ship. This action highlights a planned separation for a portion of the journey, allowing Paul to meet his traveling party at a designated point. The term emphasizes the terrestrial, pedestrian nature of the movement, as opposed to sailing (πλέω).
Biblical Usage
πεζεύω is used only once in the New Testament, in Acts 20:13. In this narrative context, it describes a specific logistical decision within Paul's missionary travel plans. The usage is straightforward and descriptive, detailing the mode of transportation ('going by land') chosen for a segment of the journey from Troas to Assos, while others in his party took the ship.
Etymology
πεζεύω is derived from the adjective πεζός (G3979), meaning 'on foot' or 'pedestrian.' This root is itself related to πούς (G4228), the Greek word for 'foot.' The verb form directly conveys the action of traveling by means of one's feet, i.e., walking or journeying overland.
Semantic Range
In the ancient world, travel was broadly categorized by mode: by sea (πλέω) or by land (πεζεύω/ὁδοιπορέω). Choosing to travel 'by land' (πεζεύω) often implied a slower, more arduous, and sometimes more dangerous journey compared to sailing, depending on the terrain and roads. In Acts 20:13, Paul's decision to go on foot while his companions sailed may have been for personal reflection, ministry opportunities along the way, or simply to meet the ship at the next port, a common travel coordination method. πορεύομαι (G4198) — A more general term for 'to go' or 'to journey,' without specifying the mode of travel. ὁδοιπορέω (G3593) — Also means 'to travel' or 'to journey on a road,' closely related to πεζεύω but potentially emphasizing the path or road itself.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). Concordance and morphology data are derived from the interlinear Bible.
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]