Lexical Summary ektenós: Earnestly, fervently, intensely Original Word: ἐκτενῶς Strong's Exhaustive Concordance fervently. Adverb from ektenes; intently -- fervently. see GREEK ektenes HELPS Word-studies Cognate: 1619 ektenṓs (an adverb) – properly, fully-stretched, i.e. describing the verbal idea as extended out, to its necessary (full) potential ("without slack"); strenuously, without undue let up (as "completely taut"). See 1618 (ektenēs). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originadverb from ektenés Definition intently, fervently NASB Translation fervently (3). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1619: ἐκτενῶςἐκτενῶς, adverb, earnestly, fervently: Acts 12:5 L T Tr WH; ἀγαπᾶν, 1 Peter 1:22. (Jonah 3:8; Joel 1:14; 3Macc. 5:9. Polybius etc. Cf. Lob. ad Phryn., p. 311; (Winer's Grammar, 25; 463 (431)).) Topical Lexicon Overview The adverb ἐκτενῶς describes an action carried out with sustained, intense effort. Its two New Testament occurrences portray the believers’ inner life expressed in outward action—unceasing intercession and wholehearted love—revealing a pattern for Christian practice. Occurrences in Scripture Acts 12:5 and 1 Peter 1:22 supply the only canonical attestations. Both passages place the adverb at a climactic point, underscoring behavior that cannot be casual or intermittent. • Acts 12:5 – “So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.” Semantic Nuances and Background In classical Greek, the root imagery evokes the stretching of a muscle to its limit or a runner reaching forward to the finish. Carried into biblical usage, it suggests the whole person “stretched out” toward God or toward others—mind, will, and emotion working in concert without slackening. The Septuagint occasionally mirrors this sense in expressions of earnest supplication (for example, 2 Maccabees 14:37), preparing Jewish readers for its New Covenant application. Earnest Prayer in Acts 12:5 Luke presents the early assembly meeting a crisis—not by political maneuvering, but by persistent, corporate petition. The imprisonment of Peter threatened the fledgling church’s leadership, yet the believers responded “ἐκτενῶς.” Their unrelenting prayer becomes instrumental in the ensuing angelic deliverance (Acts 12:7–11). The narrative links fervent prayer with divine intervention, modeling confidence in God’s sovereignty while affirming human responsibility to pray. Fervent Love in 1 Peter 1:22 Peter addresses dispersed Christians facing social marginalization. Having rooted their identity in the “imperishable seed” (1 Peter 1:23), he commands love that is “ἐκτενῶς”—not sporadic politeness but a love that stretches beyond comfort zones. The participle “having purified your souls” grounds this love in regeneration; the imperative charges believers to translate that inner purity into continuous, sacrificial affection within the covenant community. Historical and Ecclesial Echoes Early patristic writers recognized the strategic weight of ἐκτενῶς. Ignatius of Antioch urged the Ephesians to “pray unceasingly for other men; for there is hope of repentance so that they may attain to God” (Ign. Eph. 10.1), reflecting Acts 12:5. Likewise, the Didache exhorts believers to “love those who hate you,” extending 1 Peter’s call to strenuous love. These texts reveal a living tradition in which fervent prayer and love marked authentic discipleship. Doctrinal and Ministry Significance 1. Perseverance in Prayer: ἐκτενῶς underscores that prayer is not merely an initial response but a sustained labor until God’s purposes unfold (Colossians 4:12). Pastoral Applications • Corporate Prayer Meetings: Acts 12 commends gatherings that contend together for God’s intervention. Regular, focused seasons of intercession cultivate unity and expectancy. Summary ἐκτενῶς appears sparingly yet bears strategic weight. It frames the church’s response to external threat and internal mandate: unfaltering prayer and unflagging love. The Spirit-inspired choice of this adverb calls every generation to ministries that refuse half-measures, embodying the wholehearted devotion of the Savior who “loved them to the end” (John 13:1). Forms and Transliterations εκτενως εκτενώς ἐκτενῶς εκτήκουσαν εξετηκόμην εξέτηξας εξέτηξέ ektenos ektenôs ektenōs ektenō̂sLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Acts 12:5 AdvGRK: δὲ ἦν ἐκτενῶς γινομένη ὑπὸ NAS: for him was being made fervently by the church INT: moreover was fervent made by 1 Peter 1:22 Adv |