verb
anairamō
Strong’sG337
I take up, abolish, murder
stem anair-24 times in the New Testamentin 5 of 27 books15 forms occur
What it means
A plain-English reading of the word, with the lexicons it draws on — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, and Liddell-Scott-Jones — right below it, in full.
AI Summary
Ἀναιρέω covers three related but distinct senses.
The first is to take up or pick up, used specifically of taking up a child, in the sense of adopting it 124.
The second is to abolish or make an end of something, used of things such as a law or requirement that is done away with 124.
The third is to kill or murder, used of persons who are put to death or slain 124.
Sources: 1 Abbott-Smith 2 Strong's 3 LSJ 4 Dodson. Condensed by anthropic/claude-sonnet-5 on 2026-09-23 — it may still misstate what these say; check them yourself if it matters to you.
The lexicons it was drawn from, in full:
Abbott-Smith — the 1922 lexicon entry, in full
ἀν-αιρέω, -ῶ
[in LXX for הרג hi., מֵת hi., נכה hi., etc.;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G337 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidan-ahee-reh'-o
to take up, i.e. adopt; by implication, to take away (violently), i.e. abolish, murder
Fromfrom G303 and (the active of) G138;
King Jamesput to death, kill, slay, take away, take up.
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
perfect ἀνῄρηκα (ἀνειρ-uncertain in Refs: — take up, ἀνελόντες ἀπὸ χθονός having raised the victim from the ground, so as to cut its throat (compare αὐερύω), Refs 8th c.BC+
2 take up and carry off, bear away, especially prizes, ἀέθλιαRefs 8th c.BC+
3 simply, take up, παῖδαRefs 5th c.BC+
4 take up bodies for burial, ἀνελόντες καὶ κατακλαύσαντεςRefs 5th c.BC+; more common in middle, see below Refs 5th c.BC+
II make away with, destroy, of men, kill, Refs 5th c.BC+; σὲ μὲν ἡμετέρα ψῆφος ἀ. Refs 5th c.BC+
II.2 of things, abrogate, annul, ὅρους ἀνεῖλον πολλαχῇ πεπηγόταςRefs 6th c.BC+; abolish, τὰς τῶν παρανόμων γραφάςRefs 4th c.BC+:— passive, ἀνῄρηνται ὀλιγαρχίαιRefs 5th c.BC+
II.3 destroy an argument, confute it, Refs 4th c.BC+; especially confute directly, opposed to διαιρέω (see. ἀναίρεσις 11.4)Refs 4th c.BC+; ἀ. ἑαυτὸν confute oneself, Refs 6th c.AD+
II.4 in argument, do away with, τὰς ὑποθέσειςRefs 5th c.BC+; deny, opposed to τιθέναι, Refs 2nd c.AD+
III appoint, ordain, of oracle's answer to inquiry, ὁ θεὸς αὐτοῖς ἀ. παραδοῦναιRefs 5th c.BC+: also with accusative et infinitive, ἢν τὸ χρηστήριον ἀνέλῃ μιν βασιλέα εἶναιRefs 5th c.BC+: absolutely, answer, give a response, ἀνεῖλε τὸ χρηστήριον Refs; ἀ. τι περί τινος give an oracle about a thing, Refs 5th c.BC+:—passive, Refs
B middle, take up for oneself, take up, pick up, οὐλοχύτας ἀνέλοντοRefs 8th c.BC+; achieve, win, ἀ. τὴν Ὀλυμπιάδα, τὴν νίκην, Refs 5th c.BC+; generally, ἀ. ἐπιφροσύνας take thought, Refs 8th c.BC+; in bad sense, ὄνειδος σπαργάνων ἀ.Refs 5th c.BC+; εἴ σ᾽ ἀνελοίμην if I should take thee into my service, Refs 8th c.BC+; σῖτα ἀ. get forage, Refs 5th c.BC+; ποινὴν τῆς Αἰσώπου ψυχῆς ἀ. exact vengeance for.., Refs
B.2 take up and carry off, snatch, κούρας ἀνέλοντο θύελλαιRefs 8th c.BC+; ἀνείλατο (for the formRefs 5th c.AD+
B.3 take up for burial Refs 5th c.BC+; of the ashes of the dead, πυρὸς ἀ. ἄθλιον βάροςRefs 5th c.BC+; of one still living, Refs 5th c.BC+:—passive, ἀναιρεθέντων τῶν νεκρῶν.. ὑγιὴς ἀνῃρέθηRefs
B.4 take up in one's arms, Refs 8th c.BC+: hence, take up new-born children, own them, Refs 5th c.BC+; take up an exposed child, Refs 4th c.BC+
B.5 conceive in the womb, with accusative, Refs 5th c.BC+
B.6 take up money at interest, Refs 4th c.BC+
B.7 take up a lease, Refs
B.8 withdraw money from a bank, etc., αὐτὸς ἀνελέσθωRefs
B.II take upon oneself, undertake, πόνουςRefs 5th c.BC+; πόλεμόν τινι war against one, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἀ. δημόσιον ἔργον undertake, contract for the execution of a work, Refs 5th c.BC+
B.II.2 accept as one's own, adopt, γνώμηνRefs 5th c.BC+; ἀ. φιλοψυχίην entertain a love for life, Refs
B.III rescind, cancel, συγγραφήν, συνθήκας, etc., Refs 4th c.BC+
H. G. Liddell, R. Scott, H. S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon (9th ed., 1925–1940) — digitised by the Perseus Digital Library and corrected and expanded by Tyndale House, Cambridge, via STEPBible-Data's TFLSJ table, CC BY 4.0. Covers all of Greek literature, not just the Bible.
Translated as
Every occurrence, sorted by the English it was actually given — the evidence for what the word means, not a gloss of it.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain — berean.bible.
Biblang forms
What the New Testament actually uses, first — the whole system this verb is built from is one click further down.
| Form and the Greek behind it | What it is | Usually | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| anairatōἀναιρεῖ | happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular | takes away | 1× |
| anairatiἀνελεῖ | will happen · he/she/itfuture active indicative 3rd person singular | destroy | 1× |
| anairasaἀνεῖλες | happened · youaorist active indicative 2nd person singular | killed | 1× |
| anairataἀνεῖλεν | happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular | killed | 2× |
| anairavaἀνείλατε | happened · yeaorist active indicative 2nd person plural | put … todeath | 1× |
| anairalaἀνεῖλαν | happened · theyaorist active indicative 3rd person plural | put … todeath | 1× |
| anairetaἀνείλατο | happened · he/she/itaorist middle indicative 3rd person singular | adopted | 1× |
| anairitaἀνῃρέθη | happened · he/she/itaorist passive indicative 3rd person singular | killed | 1× |
| anairaleiaἀνέλωσιν | happened · theyaorist active subjunctive 3rd person plural | kill | 3× |
| anairarōἀναιρεῖν | happening now · the “to …” formpresent active infinitive | kill | 1× |
| anairorōἀναιρεῖσθαι | happening now · the “to …” formpresent middle or passive infinitive | killed | 1× |
| anairaraἀνελεῖν | happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive | kill | 6× |
| anairiraἀναιρεθῆναι | happened · the “to …” formaorist passive infinitive | executed | 2× |
| anairarōntoiuἀναιρούντων | happening now · of, belonging topresent active participle genitive plural masculine | killing | 1× |
| anairorōntoiuἀναιρουμένων | happening now · of, belonging topresent middle or passive participle genitive plural masculine | put to death | 1× |
Every form the New Testament uses, in paradigm order. What the system can build beyond them — the whole of this verb, whether the text happens to use it or not — is in the tables below.
Every form the system can build — all 204, by mood, including the ones the New Testament never uses
Statements — indicative mood, 9 occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | anairamō | anairame | anairami | anairama | anairamē | anairamelē |
| you 2nd person singular | anairasō | anairase | anairasi | anairasa1×ἀνεῖλες | anairasē | anairaselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | anairatō1×ἀναιρεῖ | anairate | anairati1×ἀνελεῖ | anairata2×ἀνεῖλεν | anairatē | anairatelē |
| we 1st person plural | anairanō | anairane | anairani | anairana | anairanē | anairanelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | anairavō | anairave | anairavi | anairava1×ἀνείλατε | anairavē | anairavelē |
| they 3rd person plural | anairalō | anairale | anairali | anairala1×ἀνεῖλαν | anairalē | anairalelē |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | anairomō | anairome | anairomē | anairomelē |
| you 2nd person singular | anairosō | anairose | anairosē | anairoselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | anairotō | anairote | anairotē | anairotelē |
| we 1st person plural | anaironō | anairone | anaironē | anaironelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | anairovō | anairove | anairovē | anairovelē |
| they 3rd person plural | anairolō | anairole | anairolē | anairolelē |
acts on or for itself middle voice
| Who person | will happen future | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | anairemi | anairema |
| you 2nd person singular | anairesi | anairesa |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | anaireti | anaireta1×ἀνείλατο |
| we 1st person plural | anaireni | anairena |
| ye 2nd person plural | anairevi | anaireva |
| they 3rd person plural | anaireli | anairela |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | will happen future | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | anairimi | anairima |
| you 2nd person singular | anairisi | anairisa |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | anairiti | anairita1×ἀνῃρέθη |
| we 1st person plural | anairini | anairina |
| ye 2nd person plural | anairivi | anairiva |
| they 3rd person plural | anairili | anairila |
May, might — subjunctive mood, 3 occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | anairameiō | anairameia | anairameiē |
| you 2nd person singular | anairaseiō | anairaseia | anairaseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | anairateiō | anairateia | anairateiē |
| we 1st person plural | anairaneiō | anairaneia | anairaneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | anairaveiō | anairaveia | anairaveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | anairaleiō | anairaleia3×ἀνέλωσιν | anairaleiē |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | anairomeiō | anairomeiē |
| you 2nd person singular | anairoseiō | anairoseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | anairoteiō | anairoteiē |
| we 1st person plural | anaironeiō | anaironeiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | anairoveiō | anairoveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | anairoleiō | anairoleiē |
acts on or for itself middle voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | anairemeia |
| you 2nd person singular | anaireseia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | anaireteia |
| we 1st person plural | anaireneia |
| ye 2nd person plural | anaireveia |
| they 3rd person plural | anaireleia |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | anairimeia |
| you 2nd person singular | anairiseia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | anairiteia |
| we 1st person plural | anairineia |
| ye 2nd person plural | anairiveia |
| they 3rd person plural | anairileia |
Commands — imperative mood, no occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | anairasōr | anairasar | anairasēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | anairatōr | anairatar | anairatēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | anairavōr | anairavar | anairavēr |
| they 3rd person plural | anairalōr | anairalar | anairalēr |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | anairosōr | anairosēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | anairotōr | anairotēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | anairovōr | anairovēr |
| they 3rd person plural | anairolōr | anairolēr |
acts on or for itself middle voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | anairesar |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | anairetar |
| ye 2nd person plural | anairevar |
| they 3rd person plural | anairelar |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | anairisar |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | anairitar |
| ye 2nd person plural | anairivar |
| they 3rd person plural | anairilar |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | anairamoiō | anairamoia |
| you 2nd person singular | anairasoiō | anairasoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | anairatoiō | anairatoia |
| we 1st person plural | anairanoiō | anairanoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | anairavoiō | anairavoia |
| they 3rd person plural | anairaloiō | anairaloia |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | anairomoiō |
| you 2nd person singular | anairosoiō |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | anairotoiō |
| we 1st person plural | anaironoiō |
| ye 2nd person plural | anairovoiō |
| they 3rd person plural | anairoloiō |
acts on or for itself middle voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | anairemoia |
| you 2nd person singular | anairesoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | anairetoia |
| we 1st person plural | anairenoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | anairevoia |
| they 3rd person plural | anaireloia |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | anairimoia |
| you 2nd person singular | anairisoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | anairitoia |
| we 1st person plural | anairinoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | anairivoia |
| they 3rd person plural | anairiloia |
The “to …” form — infinitive, 10 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | anairarō1×ἀναιρεῖν | anairari | anairara6×ἀνελεῖν | anairarē |
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | anairorō1×ἀναιρεῖσθαι | anairorē | ||
| acts on or for itself middle voice | anaireri | anairera | ||
| acted on passive voice | anairiri | anairira2×ἀναιρεθῆναι |
Used as an adjective — participle, 2 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | anairarōntos1× | anairarintos | anairarantos | anairarēntos |
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | anairorōntos1× | anairorēntos | ||
| acts on or for itself middle voice | anairerintos | anairerantos | ||
| acted on passive voice | anairirintos | anairirantos |
Each is given in the form it takes as a subject. From there a participle carries the ordinary noun endings, in every case, number and gender — so these four columns are the whole of what the verb contributes.
How every form is built — the slots that make them
anair is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.
same in every form varies — every value shown
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
24 occurrences, every one of them listed
anairatō“takes away”happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular1×
Hebrews 10:9… hēkamō teu poiara tem thelēmem su; anairatō tem prōtem hina tem deuterem stēateia.… come to do Your will.” He takes away the first to establish the second.
anairati“destroy”will happen · he/she/itfuture active indicative 3rd person singular1×
2 Thessalonians 2:8“destroy”… tos anomos, hon tos kurios Iēsus anairati te pneume teu stomeu autou kai …And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of His mouth and annihilate by …
anairasa“killed”happened · youaorist active indicative 2nd person singular1×
Acts 7:28… anairara min sis thelasō hon tropon anairasa echthes ton Aiguption?… want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’
anairata“killed”happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular2×
Matthew 2:16“killed”… toiu magoiu thumita liōs, kai apostelarantos anairata pantoin toin paidoin toin en Bēthleem …… outwitted by the Magi, he was filled with rage. Sending orders, he put to death all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two …
Acts 12:2“executed”anairata de Iakōbon ton adelfon Iōannou machaira.He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.
anairava“put … todeath”happened · yeaorist active indicative 2nd person plural1×
Acts 2:23… theou ekdoton dia cheirau anomoiu prospēgarantois anairava,… by the hands of the lawless, put Him to death by nailing Him …
anairala“put … todeath”happened · theyaorist active indicative 3rd person plural1×
Acts 10:39… toiu Ioudaioiu kai Ierousalēm; hon kai anairala kremannuarantois epi xuleu.… and in Jerusalem. And although they put Him to death by hanging Him …
anaireta“adopted”happened · he/she/itaorist middle indicative 3rd person singular1×
Acts 7:21“adopted”ektithirantou de autou anaireta auton tas thugatras Faraō kai anatrefeta …When he was set outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and brought him up as her …
anairita“killed”happened · he/she/itaorist passive indicative 3rd person singular1×
Acts 5:36… prosklinita androiu arithmos hōs tetrakosioi; hos anairita, kai pantois hosois peithole auto dialuila …… hundred men joined him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and …
anairaleia“kill”happened · theyaorist active subjunctive 3rd person plural3×
Luke 22:2… archierevois kai tois grammatevois tem pōs anairaleia auton, fobole gar ton laon.… were looking for a way to put Jesus to death, for they feared …
Acts 9:24… hēmerau tē kai nuktau hopōs auton anairaleia;… the city gates in order to kill him.
Acts 23:21… mēte esthiara mēte pinara heōs hou anairaleia auton, kai nun alō hetoimois prosdechorōntois …… eat or drink until they have killed him; they are ready now, awaiting …
anairarō“kill”happening now · the “to …” formpresent active infinitive1×
Acts 16:27… fulakau sperantos tan machairan mellate heauton anairarō, nomizarōntos ekfeugarē toin desmioin.… his sword and was about to kill himself, presuming that the prisoners had …
anairorō“killed”happening now · the “to …” formpresent middle or passive infinitive1×
Acts 23:27“killed”… sullabiranton hupo toiu Ioudaioiu kai mellarōnton anairorō hupo autoiu epistēarantos sun te strateume …… man was seized by the Jews, and they were about to kill him when I came with my troops to rescue …
anairara“kill”happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive6×
Acts 5:33“kill”Tois de akouarantois diapriole kai boulole anairara autoin.… Council members heard this, they were enraged, and they resolved …
Acts 7:28mē anairara min sis thelasō hon tropon anairasa …Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian …
Acts 9:23… plērole hēmerais hikanais, sumbouleuela tois Ioudaiois anairara auton;… had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him,
Acts 9:29… pros toin Hellēnistoin; tois de epicheirale anairara auton.… Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him.
Acts 23:15… teu engizara auton hetoimois anō teu anairara auton.… more carefully. We are ready to kill him on the way.”
Acts 25:3… metapempeteia auton eis Ierousalēm, enedran poiarōntois anairara auton kata tan hodan.… they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way.
anairira“executed”happened · the “to …” formaorist passive infinitive2×
Luke 23:32“put to death”… kai heterois kakourgois duo sun auto anairira.Two others, who were criminals, were also led away to be executed with Jesus.
Acts 13:28… mēdenan aitian thanatou heuriskarantois aitela Pilaton anairira auton;… they asked Pilate to have Him executed.
anairarōntoiu“killing”happening now · of, belonging topresent active participle genitive plural masculine1×
Acts 22:20“killing”… suneudokarōntos kai fulassarōntos teim himatieim toiu anairarōntoiu auton.… garments of those who killed him.’
anairorōntoiu“put to death”happening now · of, belonging topresent middle or passive participle genitive plural masculine1×
Acts 26:10“put to death”… tan para toiu archierevoiu exousian labarantos, anairorōntoiu tē autoiu kataferama psēfan,… Jerusalem. With authority from the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were condemned to death, I cast my vote against them.