ἐπιλαμβάνομαιepilambánomai
to seize (for help, injury, attainment, or any other purpose; literally or figuratively)
Greek (New Testament) · G1949
Meanings
always middle in LXX and NT, to lay hold of: with genitive of person, Matthew 14:31, Acts 17:19, Acts 21:30, Acts 21:33; with acc person (not classical Greek), Luke 9:47, Luke 14:4, Luke 23:26, Acts 9:27, Acts 16:9, Acts 18:17; with genitive of thing, Mark 8:23, Acts 23:19, Hebrews 8:9 (LXX); with genitive of person et rei, Luke 20:20, Luke 20:26; τ. αἰωνίου (ὄντως) ζωῆς, 1 Timothy 6:12, 1 Timothy 6:19. Metaph. (as in Sirach 4:11), Hebrews 2:16.
Same root
- ἐπίepí · G1909properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive case), i.e. over, upon, etc.; of rest (with the dative case) at, on, etc.; of direction (with the accusative case) towards, upon, etc.
- λαμβάνωlambánō · G2983while G138 (αἱρέομαι) is more violent, to seize or remove))
- ἀνεπίληπτοςanepílēptos · G423not arrested, i.e. (by implication) inculpable
Where it appears
Appears 19 times in the Bible.
- Matthew 14:31 Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”
- Mark 8:23 Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. Then, spitting on the man’s eyes, he laid his hands on him and asked, “Can you see anything now?”
- Luke 9:47 But Jesus knew their thoughts, so he brought a little child to his side.
- Luke 14:4 When they refused to answer, Jesus touched the sick man and healed him and sent him away.
- Luke 20:20 Watching for their opportunity, the leaders sent spies pretending to be honest men. They tried to get Jesus to say something that could be reported to the Roman governor so he would arrest Jesus.
- Luke 20:26 So they failed to trap him by what he said in front of the people. Instead, they were amazed by his answer, and they became silent.
Source: G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), public domain.