ἐπιστρέφω (G1994) — Greek Lexicon

← G1993 G1995 →

ἐπιστρέφω

epistréphō

G1994 verb

SILEX Entry

Root στρέφ- to turn, to return, to turn around

Definition

To turn (toward or back), to return, to change direction or orientation; in some contexts, to turn one’s attention, consideration, or allegiance. In moral or figurative contexts, can refer to a change in attitude or conduct, or a turning back to a prior state.

Semantic Range

to return (to a place or person), to turn toward, to turn back, to change direction, to pay attention to something, to convert (in the sense of turning toward a new allegiance or change in conduct)

Root / Etymology

From the preposition ἐπι- ('upon, toward') and the verb στρέφω ('to turn, turn about'). The compound indicates a turning toward or back to something/someone.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The verb ἐπιστρέφω appears in both literal and figurative senses in Koine Greek. In secular and Septuagintal/NT usage, it often means to turn back physically (e.g., return to a location, or turn around). In the Septuagint and New Testament, it is frequently used as a metaphor for returning or turning to a person or to God, sometimes translated in English Bibles as 'to convert.' However, the sense of religious or moral conversion is usually contextually inferred, not lexicalized. Unlike some English translations, the verb itself does not always contain a strictly religious or moral nuance—its base meaning concerns turning or returning. When used in contexts of religious allegiance (e.g., returning to God), the wider theme of 'conversion' is present by implication of the context, not intrinsically in the verb. Compared to the simple στρέφω ('to turn'), ἐπιστρέφω emphasizes turning toward or back to something specific. The verb is common in the LXX for Israelite or Judean ‘return’ to covenant fidelity or repentance. In Greco-Roman sources outside the biblical corpus, it covers a similar range of literal and figurative ‘turning.’

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from ἐπί and στρέφω; to revert (literally, figuratively or morally):--come (go) again, convert, (re-)turn (about, again).

Root Family

ἐπιστρέφω (epistrephō) — to turn, to return, to turn back, to change direction

Word Forms

19 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`G1994-13`	ἐπιστρέψας	epistrepsas	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	having turned	having turned back	6
`G1994-06`	ἐπιστραφεὶς	epistrapheis	`V AOR PASS PTCP NOM M SG`	having turned	having been turned back	3
`G1994-16`	ἐπιστρέψῃ	epistrepse	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG`	he returns	may turn back	3
`G1994-19`	ἐπιστρέψωσιν	epistrepsosin	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P PL`	they should turn	they might turn back	3
`G1994-15`	ἐπιστρεψάτω	epistrepsato	`V AOR ACT IMP 3P SG`	let him return	Let him turn back	3
`G1994-05`	ἐπέστρεψεν	epestrepsen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	returned	he/she turned back	2
`G1994-03`	ἐπέστρεψαν	epestrepsan	`V AOR ACT IND 3P PL`	they returned	they turned back	2
`G1994-11`	ἐπιστρέψαι	epistrepsai	`V AOR ACT INF`	of Elijah	to turn back	2
`G1994-08`	ἐπιστρέφειν	epistrephein	`V PRS ACT INF`	to turn	to turn back	2
`G1994-17`	ἐπιστρέψει	epistrepsei	`V FUT ACT IND 3P SG`	he will turn	he will turn back	1
`G1994-09`	ἐπιστρέφετε	epistrephete	`V PRS ACT IND 2P PL`	do you turn	you are turning back	1
`G1994-14`	ἐπιστρέψατε	epistrepsate	`V AOR ACT IMP 2P PL`	turn again	Turn back!	1
`G1994-04`	ἐπεστρέψατε	epestrepsate	`V AOR ACT IND 2P PL`	you turned	you turned back	1
`G1994-07`	ἐπιστραφήτω	epistrapheto	`V AOR PASS IMP 3P SG`		let him be turned back	1
`G1994-12`	ἐπιστρέψαντες	epistrepsantes	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL`	having returned	having turned back	1
`G1994-01`	ἐπεστράφητε	epestraphete	`V AOR PASS IND 2P PL`	you have returned	you were turned back	1
`G1994-18`	ἐπιστρέψω	epistrepso	`V FUT ACT IND 1P SG`		I will turn back	1
`G1994-02`	ἐπέστρεψα	epestrepsa	`V AOR ACT IND 1P SG`		I turned back	1
`G1994-10`	ἐπιστρέφουσιν	epistrephousin	`V PRS ACT PTCP DAT M PL`	turning	to the returning ones	1

Occurrences in Scripture

36 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`G1994-07`	Matthew 10:13	ἐπιστραφήτω	epistrapheto	`V AOR PASS IMP 3P SG`		let him be turned back
`G1994-18`	Matthew 12:44	ἐπιστρέψω	epistrepso	`V FUT ACT IND 1P SG`		I will turn back
`G1994-19`	Matthew 13:15	ἐπιστρέψωσιν	epistrepsosin	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P PL`		they might turn back
`G1994-15`	Matthew 24:18	ἐπιστρεψάτω	epistrepsato	`V AOR ACT IMP 3P SG`		Let him turn back
`G1994-19`	Mark 4:12	ἐπιστρέψωσιν	epistrepsosin	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P PL`	they should turn	they might turn back
`G1994-06`	Mark 5:30	ἐπιστραφεὶς	epistrapheis	`V AOR PASS PTCP NOM M SG`	turned around	having been turned back
`G1994-06`	Mark 8:33	ἐπιστραφεὶς	epistrapheis	`V AOR PASS PTCP NOM M SG`	having turned	having been turned back
`G1994-15`	Mark 13:16	ἐπιστρεψάτω	epistrepsato	`V AOR ACT IMP 3P SG`	turn back	Let him turn back
`G1994-17`	Luke 1:16	ἐπιστρέψει	epistrepsei	`V FUT ACT IND 3P SG`	he will turn	he will turn back
`G1994-11`	Luke 1:17	ἐπιστρέψαι	epistrepsai	`V AOR ACT INF`	of Elijah	to turn back
`G1994-03`	Luke 2:39	ἐπέστρεψαν	epestrepsan	`V AOR ACT IND 3P PL`	they returned	they turned back
`G1994-05`	Luke 8:55	ἐπέστρεψεν	epestrepsen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	returned	he/she turned back
`G1994-16`	Luke 17:4	ἐπιστρέψῃ	epistrepse	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG`	he returns	may turn back
`G1994-15`	Luke 17:31	ἐπιστρεψάτω	epistrepsato	`V AOR ACT IMP 3P SG`	let him return	Let him turn back
`G1994-13`	Luke 22:32	ἐπιστρέψας	epistrepsas	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	having turned	having turned back
`G1994-06`	John 21:20	ἐπιστραφεὶς	epistrapheis	`V AOR PASS PTCP NOM M SG`	turning around	having been turned back
`G1994-14`	Acts 3:19	ἐπιστρέψατε	epistrepsate	`V AOR ACT IMP 2P PL`	turn again	Turn back!
`G1994-03`	Acts 9:35	ἐπέστρεψαν	epestrepsan	`V AOR ACT IND 3P PL`	turned	they turned back
`G1994-13`	Acts 9:40	ἐπιστρέψας	epistrepsas	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	turning	having turned back
`G1994-05`	Acts 11:21	ἐπέστρεψεν	epestrepsen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	turned	he/she turned back
`G1994-08`	Acts 14:15	ἐπιστρέφειν	epistrephein	`V PRS ACT INF`	to turn	to turn back
`G1994-10`	Acts 15:19	ἐπιστρέφουσιν	epistrephousin	`V PRS ACT PTCP DAT M PL`	turning	to the returning ones
`G1994-12`	Acts 15:36	ἐπιστρέψαντες	epistrepsantes	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL`	having returned	having turned back
`G1994-13`	Acts 16:18	ἐπιστρέψας	epistrepsas	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	turned	having turned back
`G1994-11`	Acts 26:18	ἐπιστρέψαι	epistrepsai	`V AOR ACT INF`	to turn	to turn back
`G1994-08`	Acts 26:20	ἐπιστρέφειν	epistrephein	`V PRS ACT INF`	to turn	to turn back
`G1994-19`	Acts 28:27	ἐπιστρέψωσιν	epistrepsosin	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P PL`	turn	they might turn back
`G1994-16`	2 Corinthians 3:16	ἐπιστρέψῃ	epistrepse	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG`		may turn back
`G1994-09`	Galatians 4:9	ἐπιστρέφετε	epistrephete	`V PRS ACT IND 2P PL`	do you turn	you are turning back
`G1994-04`	1 Thessalonians 1:9	ἐπεστρέψατε	epestrepsate	`V AOR ACT IND 2P PL`	you turned	you turned back
`G1994-16`	James 5:19	ἐπιστρέψῃ	epistrepse	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG`	turns	may turn back
`G1994-13`	James 5:20	ἐπιστρέψας	epistrepsas	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	turns back	having turned back
`G1994-01`	1 Peter 2:25	ἐπεστράφητε	epestraphete	`V AOR PASS IND 2P PL`	you have returned	you were turned back
`G1994-13`	2 Peter 2:22	ἐπιστρέψας	epistrepsas	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	returns	having turned back
`G1994-02`	Revelation 1:12	ἐπέστρεψα	epestrepsa	`V AOR ACT IND 1P SG`		I turned back
`G1994-13`	Revelation 1:12	ἐπιστρέψας	epistrepsas	`V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG`		having turned back

← G1993 Greek Lexicon G1995 →