verb
epilambemō
Greekἐπιλαμβάνομαι (epilambanomai)
Strong’sG1949
I seize, take hold of
stem epilamb-19 times in the New Testamentin 6 of 27 books8 forms occur
Translated as
What it means
ἐπι-λαμβάνω
[in LXX for חָזַק hi., אָחַז, etc.;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G1949 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidep-ee-lam-ban'-om-ahee
to seize (for help, injury, attainment, or any other purpose; literally or figuratively)
Frommiddle voice from G1909 and G2983;
King Jamescatch, lay hold (up-)on, take (by, hold of, on).
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Forms in the New Testament
| Form and the Greek behind it | What it is | Usually | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| epilambetōἐπιλαμβάνεται | happening now · he/she/itpresent middle indicative 3rd person singular | help | 2× |
| epilambetaἐπελάβετο | happened · he/she/itaorist middle indicative 3rd person singular | caught | 2× |
| epilambeleiaἐπιλάβωνται | happened · theyaorist middle subjunctive 3rd person plural | catch | 2× |
| epilambesarἐπιλαβοῦ | happened · youaorist middle imperative 2nd person singular | take hold of | 1× |
| epilamberaἐπιλαβέσθαι | happened · the “to …” formaorist middle infinitive | catch | 1× |
| epilamberatosἐπιλαβόμενος | happened · subjectaorist middle participle nominative singular masculine | took | 5× |
| epilamberatouἐπιλαβομένου | happened · of, belonging toaorist middle participle genitive singular masculine | took | 1× |
| epilamberatoisἐπιλαβόμενοι | happened · subjectaorist middle participle nominative plural masculine | seized | 5× |
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 86, by mood, including the ones the New Testament never uses
Statements — indicative mood, 4 occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | epilambemō | epilambeme | epilambemi | epilambema | epilambemē | epilambemelē |
| you 2nd person singular | epilambesō | epilambese | epilambesi | epilambesa | epilambesē | epilambeselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | epilambetō2×ἐπιλαμβάνεται | epilambete | epilambeti | epilambeta2×ἐπελάβετο | epilambetē | epilambetelē |
| we 1st person plural | epilambenō | epilambene | epilambeni | epilambena | epilambenē | epilambenelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | epilambevō | epilambeve | epilambevi | epilambeva | epilambevē | epilambevelē |
| they 3rd person plural | epilambelō | epilambele | epilambeli | epilambela | epilambelē | epilambelelē |
May, might — subjunctive mood, 2 occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | epilambemeiō | epilambemeia | epilambemeiē |
| you 2nd person singular | epilambeseiō | epilambeseia | epilambeseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | epilambeteiō | epilambeteia | epilambeteiē |
| we 1st person plural | epilambeneiō | epilambeneia | epilambeneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | epilambeveiō | epilambeveia | epilambeveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | epilambeleiō | epilambeleia2×ἐπιλάβωνται | epilambeleiē |
Commands — imperative mood, 1 occurrence
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | epilambesōr | epilambesar1×ἐπιλαβοῦ | epilambesēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | epilambetōr | epilambetar | epilambetēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | epilambevōr | epilambevar | epilambevēr |
| they 3rd person plural | epilambelōr | epilambelar | epilambelēr |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | epilambemoiō | epilambemoia |
| you 2nd person singular | epilambesoiō | epilambesoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | epilambetoiō | epilambetoia |
| we 1st person plural | epilambenoiō | epilambenoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | epilambevoiō | epilambevoia |
| they 3rd person plural | epilambeloiō | epilambeloia |
The “to …” form — infinitive, 1 occurrence
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| acts on or for itself middle voice | epilamberō | epilamberi | epilambera1×ἐπιλαβέσθαι | epilamberē |
Used as an adjective — participle, 11 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| acts on or for itself middle voice | epilamberōtos | epilamberitos | epilamberatos11×ἐπιλαβόμενος | epilamberētos |
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
epilamb 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
19 occurrences, every one of them listed
epilambetō“help”happening now · he/she/itpresent middle indicative 3rd person singular2×
Hebrews 2:16“helps”ouk gar dēpou angeloiu epilambetō, alla spermeu Abraam epilambetō.For surely it is not the angels He helps, but the descendants of Abraham.
Hebrews 2:16“help”ouk gar dēpou angeloiu epilambetō, alla spermeu Abraam epilambetō.For surely it is not the angels He helps, but the descendants of Abraham.
epilambeta“caught”happened · he/she/itaorist middle indicative 3rd person singular2×
Matthew 14:31“caught”eutheōs de tos Iēsus ekteinaratos tan cheiran epilambeta autou kai legatō auto; Oligopistor, eis tinem distazasa?Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and took hold of Peter. “You of little faith,” He said, “why did you doubt?”
Acts 21:33“arrested”tote engizaratos tos chiliarchos epilambeta autou kai keleuata dira halusiai duo, kai punthanete tinos atoiō kai tinem atō poiarētos.The commander came up and arrested Paul, ordering that he be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done.
epilambeleia“catch”happened · theyaorist middle subjunctive 3rd person plural2×
Luke 20:20“catch”Kai paratēraratois apostelala enkathetoin hupokrinerōtoin heautoin dikaioin arō, hina epilambeleia autou logou, hōste paradōara auton ta archa kai ta exousia tou hēgemōnou.So they watched Him closely and sent spies who pretended to be sincere. They were hoping to catch Him in His words in order to hand Him over to the rule and authority of the governor.
1 Timothy 6:19“take hold of”apothēsaurizarōtoin heautoi themelion kalon eis tem mellarōtem, hina epilambeleia tau ontōs zōau.treasuring up for themselves a firm foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
epilambesar“take hold of”happened · youaorist middle imperative 2nd person singular1×
1 Timothy 6:12“take hold of”agōnizesōr ton kalon agōnon tau pistiau, epilambesar tau aiōniau zōau, eis han kalisa kai homologasa tan kalan homologian enōpion polloiu marturoiu.Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made the good confession before many witnesses.
epilambera“catch”happened · the “to …” formaorist middle infinitive1×
Luke 20:26“catch”kai ouk ischuala epilambera tou rēmeu enantion tou laou, kai thaumazaratois epi ta apokrisia autou sigala.And they were unable to trap Him in His words before the people. And amazed at His answer, they fell silent.
epilamberatos“took”happened · subjectaorist middle participle nominative singular masculine5×
Mark 8:23“took”kai epilamberatos tau cheirau tou tuflou ekferata auton exō tau kōmau, kai ptuaratos eis teim ommeim autou, epititharatos tain cheirain auto, eperōtate auton; Ei tinem blepasō?So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. Then He spit on the man’s eyes and placed His hands on him. “Can you see anything?” He asked.
Luke 9:47“took”tos de Iēsus horarētos ton dialogismon tau kardiau autoiu epilamberatos paidiem histanata autem para heauto,But Jesus, knowing the thoughts of their hearts, had a little child stand beside Him.
Luke 14:4“took”tois de hēsuchazala. kai epilamberatos ieta auton kai apoluata.But they remained silent. Then Jesus took hold of the man, healed him, and sent him on his way.
Acts 9:27“took”Barnabaos de epilamberatos auton agata pros toin apostoloin, kai diēgeta autoi pōs en ta hoda horata ton kurion kai hoti lalata auto kai pōs en Damaska parrēsiazeta en te onome tou Iēsu.Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and described how Saul had seen the Lord, who had spoken to him on the road to Damascus, and how Saul had spoken boldly in that city in the name of Jesus.
Acts 23:19“took”epilamberatos de tau cheirau autou tos chiliarchos kai anachōraratos kata idian punthanete; Tinem atō hem echasō apangellara mi?The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside, and asked, “What do you need to tell me?”
epilamberatou“took”happened · of, belonging toaorist middle participle genitive singular masculine1×
Hebrews 8:9“took”ouk kata tan diathēkan han poiama toi patēroi autoiu en hēmera epilamberatou mu tau cheirau autoiu exagara autoin ek gēau Aiguptau, hoti autois ouk emmenala en ta diathēka mu, kamis amelama autoiu, legatō kurios.It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, because they did not abide by My covenant, and I disregarded them, declares the Lord.
epilamberatois“seized”happened · subjectaorist middle participle nominative plural masculine5×
Luke 23:26“seized”Kai hōs apagala auton, epilamberatois Simōnon tinon Kurēnaion ercherōton apo agrou epitithala auto ton stauron ferarō opisthen tou Iēsu.As the soldiers led Him away, they seized Simon of Cyrene on his way in from the country, and they put the cross on him to carry behind Jesus.
Acts 16:19“seized”Horaratois de tois kuriois autau hoti exerchata tas elpias tau ergasiau autoiu epilamberatois ton Paulon kai ton Silaon helkala eis tan agoran epi toin archōnoin,When the girl’s owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities in the marketplace.
Acts 17:19“took”epilamberatois tē autou epi ton Areion Pagon agala, legarōtois; Dunenō gnōskara tinas tas kainas houtas tas hupo su lalirōtas didachas?So they took Paul and brought him to the Areopagus, where they asked him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?
Acts 18:17“seized”epilamberatois de pantois Sōsthenon ton archisunagōgon tuptale emprosthen teu bēmeu; kai oudenem houteiu to Galliōno meleiate.At this, the crowd seized Sosthenes the synagogue leader and beat him in front of the judgment seat. But none of this was of concern to Gallio.
Acts 21:30“seized”kinita tē tas politas holas kai gineta sundromas tou laou, kai epilamberatois tou Paulou helkale auton exō teu hiereu, kai eutheōs kleiila tais thurais.The whole city was stirred up, and the people rushed together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut.