Acts 10:2

δεόμενος as simply “praying” is too narrow and not the most accurate rendering.

The verb δέομαι has a primary sense of “to be in want, to lack” (with genitive), from which the secondary sense “to entreat, beg, beseech” developed. In religious contexts, the latter often comes close to “praying,” but that is really a specialized usage of the more general “entreat, request.”

• “needing, lacking” (with genitive):

  • ὕδατος δεόμενος = “needing water.”

  • σοφίας δεόμενος = “lacking wisdom.”

• “begging, entreating, praying” (with genitive of thing asked, or accusative + infinitive of person + action):

  • ἐλέου δεόμενος = “begging for pity.”

  • θεοὺς δεόμενος = “entreating the gods.”

• General sense: “lacking, needing” → δεόμενος = “being in need” + genitive of thing needed

• Extended sense: “entreating, begging” → in sacred contexts, this can overlap with “praying,” but the core is “supplicating.”

Thus, glossing δεόμενος directly as “praying” would overspecify the meaning and obscure its broader semantic range.

(cf Slater, Abbott-Smith δέομαι)