Bible Dictionaries
Inquire, Inquiry

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

"to inquire," is translated "inquired" in Matthew 2:4; Acts 21:33 , RV (AV, "demanded"); in Luke 15:26; 18:36; Acts 4:7 (AV, "asked"); "inquired" (AV, "inquired") in John 4:52; "inquire" (AV, "inquire") in Acts 23:20; in Acts 23:34 it denotes "to learn by inquiry," AV, and RV, "when (he) understood;" elsewhere it is rendered by the verb "to ask," Acts 10:18,29; 23:19 . See ASK , UNDERSTAND.

"to seek," is rendered "inquire" in John 16:19; "inquire ... for" in Acts 9:11 . See ABOUT , B, Note, DESIRE , ENDEAVOR , GO , Note (2), a, REQUIRE , SEEK.

"to find by inquiry, to inquire through to the end" (dia, intensive, erotao, "to ask"), is used in Acts 10:17 .

"to examine, seek out, inquire thoroughly," is translated "inquire" in Matthew 10:11 , AV (RV, "search out"); in John 21:12 , "durst inquire," RV [AV, "(durst) ask"]; in Matthew 2:8 , RV, "search out" (AV, "search"). See ASK , SEARCH.

Notes: (1) Epizeteo, "to seek after or for" (epi, "after," zeteo, "to seek"), is rendered "inquire" in Acts 19:39 , AV (RV, "seek"). (2) Sunzeteo, "to search" or "examine together," is rendered "to inquire" in Luke 22:23 , AV (RV, "to question"). (3) Ekzeteo, "to seek out, search after," is rendered "have inquired" in 1 Peter 1:10 , AV (RV, "sought"). (4) Diaginosko, "to ascertain exactly," or "to determine," is rendered "inquire" in Acts 23:15 , AV (RV, "judge"). (5) Akriboo, "to learn by diligent or exact inquiry," is rendered "inquired diligently" and "had diligently inquired" respectively, in Matthew 2:7,16 , AV (RV, "learned carefully," and "had carefully learned"). (6) In 2 Corinthians 8:23 , the words "any inquire" are inserted to complete the meaning, lit., "whether about Titus."

primarily denotes "a search;" then, "an inquiry, a questioning, debate;" it forms part of a phrase translated by the verb "to inquire," in Acts 25:20 , RV, "how to inquire," lit. "(being perplexed as to) the inquiry." See QUESTION.