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ὑποστρέφω

hypostréphō

G5290 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To return to a previous location or state; to come back from a place, often used of physical movement toward one's point of origin. In various contexts, also to turn back or to change direction, both literally (such as returning home or to a group) and figuratively (such as resuming a prior state or position).

Semantic Range

to return (to a place), to go back, to turn back (physically or figuratively), to resume a previous state, to retrace one's steps

Root / Etymology

From the preposition ὑπό ('under, beneath') and the verb στρέφω ('to turn'); literally meaning 'to turn under' but evolving into the sense of 'to return' or 'to turn back.' The prefix ὑπό often imparts a sense of downward movement or return beneath an origin.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Ἱn classical Greek, ὑποστρέφω is rare but found in later Greek literature, especially in Koine. In the Septuagint and New Testament, it is regularly used to describe persons or groups physically returning to a specific location after having departed (e.g., returning home, returning to a starting point), and can occasionally have a metaphorical sense of resuming a previous state. It stands in contrast with more general motion verbs (e.g., πορεύομαι 'to go'), emphasizing the critical aspect of reversal or retracing steps. English translations often render ὑποστρέφω simply as 'return' or 'turn back,' but these may not always capture the nuance of deliberate reversal or completed action associated with the term. In the Septuagint, it can echo Hebrew שׁוּב (shuv), which also has the sense of returning or turning. Not to be confused with ἀποστρέφω ('to turn away, to turn aside'), which has a divergent nuance of departure or avoidance rather than return.

Translation Consistency

primary "return" 33 occurrences

Covers the full, typical SILEX range — physical coming back, turning back, and resuming a prior state — while remaining natural English. 'Return' is a single-word base that cleanly maps to both literal and figurative uses and supports consistent inflection across all forms.

Alternatives (2 occurrences):
"turn back" (2x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from ὑπό and στρέφω; to turn under (behind), i.e. to return (literally or figuratively):--come again, return (again, back again), turn back (again).

Root Family

ὑποστρέφ- (hypostréphō) — to turn (back), to return

Root ὑποστρέφ- to turn (back), to return

Word Forms

13 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G5290-03 ὑπέστρεψαν upestrepsan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL returned they turned back they returned 10
G5290-04 ὑπέστρεψεν upestrepsen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG returned he returned he returned 6
G5290-06 ὑποστρέφειν upostrephein V PRS ACT INF return to return to return 4
G5290-10 ὑποστρέψαντες upostrepsantes V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL having returned having returned having returned 3
G5290-01 ὑπέστρεφον upestrephon V IMPF ACT IND 3P PL returned they were returning they were returning 2
G5290-09 ὑποστρέψαι upostrepsai V AOR ACT INF to return to turn back to turn back 2
G5290-12 ὑποστρέψασαι upostrepsasai V AOR ACT PTCP NOM F PL having returned having returned having returned 2
G5290-02 ὑπέστρεψα upestrepsa V AOR ACT IND 1P SG I returned I turned back I returned 1
G5290-05 ὑπόστρεφε upostrephe V PRS ACT IMP 2P SG Return Keep returning Return 1
G5290-07 ὑποστρέφων upostrephon V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG returning returning returning 1

Occurrences in Scripture

35 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G5290-04 Luke 1:56 ὑπέστρεψεν upestrepsen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG returned he returned she returned
G5290-03 Luke 2:20 ὑπέστρεψαν upestrepsan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL returned they turned back they returned
G5290-06 Luke 2:43 ὑποστρέφειν upostrephein V PRS ACT INF returning to return to return
G5290-03 Luke 2:45 ὑπέστρεψαν upestrepsan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL they returned they turned back they returned
G5290-04 Luke 4:1 ὑπέστρεψεν upestrepsen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG returned he returned he returned
G5290-04 Luke 4:14 ὑπέστρεψεν upestrepsen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG returned he returned he returned
G5290-10 Luke 7:10 ὑποστρέψαντες upostrepsantes V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL returning having returned having returned
G5290-04 Luke 8:37 ὑπέστρεψεν upestrepsen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG returned he returned he returned
G5290-05 Luke 8:39 ὑπόστρεφε upostrephe V PRS ACT IMP 2P SG Return Keep returning Return
G5290-06 Luke 8:40 ὑποστρέφειν upostrephein V PRS ACT INF Iēsous returned to return returning
G5290-10 Luke 9:10 ὑποστρέψαντες upostrepsantes V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL having returned having returned having returned
G5290-03 Luke 10:17 ὑπέστρεψαν upestrepsan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL returned they turned back they returned
G5290-13 Luke 11:24 ὑποστρέψω upostrepso V FUT ACT IND 1P SG I will return I will return I will return
G5290-04 Luke 17:15 ὑπέστρεψεν upestrepsen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG turned back he returned he returned
G5290-10 Luke 17:18 ὑποστρέψαντες upostrepsantes V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL who returned having returned having returned
G5290-09 Luke 19:12 ὑποστρέψαι upostrepsai V AOR ACT INF to return to turn back to turn back
G5290-01 Luke 23:48 ὑπέστρεφον upestrephon V IMPF ACT IND 3P PL returned they were returning they were returning
G5290-12 Luke 23:56 ὑποστρέψασαι upostrepsasai V AOR ACT PTCP NOM F PL having returned having returned having returned
G5290-12 Luke 24:9 ὑποστρέψασαι upostrepsasai V AOR ACT PTCP NOM F PL having returned having returned having returned
G5290-03 Luke 24:33 ὑπέστρεψαν upestrepsan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL they returned they turned back they returned
G5290-03 Luke 24:52 ὑπέστρεψαν upestrepsan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL returned they turned back they returned
G5290-03 Acts 1:12 ὑπέστρεψαν upestrepsan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL they returned they turned back they returned
G5290-01 Acts 8:25 ὑπέστρεφον upestrephon V IMPF ACT IND 3P PL returned they were returning they were returning
G5290-07 Acts 8:28 ὑποστρέφων upostrephon V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG returning returning returning
G5290-03 Acts 12:25 ὑπέστρεψαν upestrepsan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL returned they turned back they returned
G5290-04 Acts 13:13 ὑπέστρεψεν upestrepsen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG returned he returned he returned
G5290-06 Acts 13:34 ὑποστρέφειν upostrephein V PRS ACT INF to return to return to return
G5290-03 Acts 14:21 ὑπέστρεψαν upestrepsan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL they returned they turned back they returned
G5290-06 Acts 20:3 ὑποστρέφειν upostrephein V PRS ACT INF return to return to return
G5290-03 Acts 21:6 ὑπέστρεψαν upestrepsan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL returned they turned back they returned
G5290-11 Acts 22:17 ὑποστρέψαντι upostrepsanti V AOR ACT PTCP DAT M SG having returned to one having returned when I had returned
G5290-03 Acts 23:32 ὑπέστρεψαν upestrepsan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL they returned they turned back they returned
G5290-02 Galatians 1:17 ὑπέστρεψα upestrepsa V AOR ACT IND 1P SG I returned I turned back I returned
G5290-08 Hebrews 7:1 ὑποστρέφοντι upostrephonti V PRS ACT PTCP DAT M SG returning to the one returning to the one returning
G5290-09 2 Peter 2:21 ὑποστρέψαι upostrepsai V AOR ACT INF to turn back to turn back to turn back
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