ἐφικνέομαι
ephiknéomai
G2185 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To come to, arrive at, or reach (a place, goal, or person); to attain, in both physical and figurative senses. The word primarily refers to the act of physically reaching or arriving at a destination or objective, but can also denote attaining an abstract goal or result.
Semantic Range
to arrive at (a place or person), to reach (physically), to attain (a goal, result, or state), to achieve, to reach mentally or figuratively
Root / Etymology
From the preposition ἐπί (upon, towards) and a cognate of ἥκω (to have come, to arrive). The compound reflects the sense of arriving 'upon' a place, person, or goal. The precise relationship to ἥκω is morphological as a present middle form with prefixed preposition.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The verb ἐφικνέομαι appears in both classical and Koine Greek, with its earliest attestations in classical literature (e.g., Herodotus, Plato) meaning 'to reach' or 'arrive at' both literally and figuratively (e.g., reaching a place, attaining knowledge, achieving an objective). In Hellenistic and New Testament Greek, the word continues this pattern, typically describing reaching a physical place or attaining something non-physical (like righteousness or a goal). In the New Testament, its occurrence is rare and limited to contexts of attaining or reaching (e.g., a goal or level of understanding). Standard English translations such as 'reach,' 'attain,' or 'arrive at' capture most basic senses, but can omit the figurative sense of striving toward and achieving a non-physical goal, which is common in Greek philosophical and rhetorical literature. The verb is distinct from ἥκω which simply means 'to come' or 'have arrived,' while ἐφικνέομαι implies arrival with respect to a point of contact, goal, or result. The related noun ἐφίκτη ('one who attains') is rare in the Koine period.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ἐπί and a cognate of ἥκω; to arrive upon, i.e. extend to:--reach.
Root Family
ἐφικνέομαι (ephikneomai) — to reach, to attain, to arrive
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2185-01 |
ἐφικέσθαι | ephikesthai | V AOR MID INF |
to reach | to reach | to reach | 1 |
G2185-02 |
ἐφικνούμενοι | ephiknoumenoi | V PRS MID PTCP NOM M PL |
reaching | those reaching | those reaching | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2185-01 |
2 Corinthians 10:13 | ἐφικέσθαι | ephikesthai | V AOR MID INF |
to reach | to reach | to reach |
G2185-02 |
2 Corinthians 10:14 | ἐφικνούμενοι | ephiknoumenoi | V PRS MID PTCP NOM M PL |
reaching | those reaching | those reaching |