What does ἐπαίρω (epaírō) mean in the Bible?
Epairo means to lift up, raise, hoist, or set up, and the New Testament uses it in several concrete ways. Eyes are lifted toward Jesus, heaven, harvest fields, or Abraham's side.
Greek · G1869
ἐπαίρω
To raise up (literally or figuratively)
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ἐπαίρω G1869
Pronunciation epaírō
What does ἐπαίρω (epaírō) mean in the Bible?
Epairo means to lift up, raise, hoist, or set up, and the New Testament uses it in several concrete ways. Eyes are lifted toward Jesus, heaven, harvest fields, or Abraham's side.
Reader summary
Full entry for ἐπαίρω (G1869) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G1869?
The BSB source-word alignment has 19 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include He lifted up (2), lift up (2), they lifted up (2), exalts himself (1), has lifted up (1).
Where does ἐπαίρω (epaírō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 17:8. Its strongest book concentrations include Luke (6), Acts (5), John (4), 2 Corinthians (2).
What This Word Actually Means
Epairo means to lift up, raise, hoist, or set up, and the New Testament uses it in several concrete ways. Eyes are lifted toward Jesus, heaven, harvest fields, or Abraham's side. A voice can be raised in blessing or opposition. Hands can be lifted in blessing or prayer. Heads can be lifted in hope when redemption draws near. Arguments can be raised against the knowledge of God.
The word therefore should not be treated as a single devotional image. It names upward or heightened action, and the passage decides whether that action is humble prayer, hopeful attention, public speech, arrogant opposition, or ordinary physical lifting.
How the Bible Uses It
Epairo names lifting up in posture, speech, vision, blessing, hope, opposition, or physical action. Context determines whether the lifted thing is faithful, desperate, hostile, or ordinary.
- Luke.18.13
But the tax collector stood at a distance, unwilling even to lift up his eyes to heaven. Instead, he beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’
The tax collector will not lift his eyes to heaven. The withheld upward gaze displays humility and repentance.
- Luke.21.28
When these things begin to happen, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
Jesus tells His hearers to lift up their heads because redemption is drawing near. The lifted head is hope under eschatological pressure.
- Luke.24.50
When Jesus had led them out as far as Bethany, He lifted up His hands and blessed them.
Jesus lifts His hands and blesses His disciples. The bodily action frames departure with priestly blessing.
- John.4.35
Do you not say, ‘There are still four months until the harvest’? I tell you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are ripe for harvest.
Jesus commands His disciples to lift up their eyes and see the harvest. The upward gaze becomes mission perception.
- John.17.1
When Jesus had spoken these things, He lifted up His eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You.
Jesus lifts His eyes to heaven as He prays to the Father. The gesture belongs to filial communion and the hour of glory.
- Acts.2.14
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, lifted up his voice, and addressed the crowd: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen carefully to my words.
Peter lifts up his voice at Pentecost. The raised voice becomes public witness from Scripture to Christ.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It He lifted up 2× Luke 24:50, John 17:1
lift up 2× Luke 21:28, John 4:35
they lifted up 2× Acts 14:11, Acts 22:22
exalts himself 1× 2 Corinthians 11:20
has lifted up 1× John 13:18
he looked up 1× Luke 16:23
He was taken up 1× Acts 1:9
lifted up 1× Acts 2:14
lifting up 1× 1 Timothy 2:8
looked up 1× John 6:5
Looking up 1× Luke 6:20
raised 1× Luke 11:27
set up 1× 2 Corinthians 10:5
they hoisted 1× Acts 27:40
they looked up 1× Matthew 17:8
to lift up 1× Luke 18:13
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 17:8 ἐπάραντες to they looked up Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural Luke 6:20 ἐπάρας to Looking up Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular Luke 11:27 ἐπάρασά to raised Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Feminine Singular Luke 16:23 ἐπάρας to he looked up Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular Luke 18:13 ἐπᾶραι to to lift up Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active Luke 21:28 ἐπάρατε to lift up Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural Luke 24:50 ἐπάρας to He lifted up Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular John 4:35 ἐπάρατε to lift up Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural John 6:5 ἐπάρας to looked up Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular John 13:18 ἐπῆρεν to has lifted up Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 17:8
Aligned rows 19
Books represented 6
Matthew 1 Luke 6 John 4 Acts 5 2 Corinthians 2 1 Timothy 1
Source forms
ἐπάρας 5x eparas Luke 6:20, Luke 16:23, Luke 24:50, John 6:5
ἐπάραντες 2x eparantes Matthew 17:8, Acts 27:40
ἐπάρατε 2x eparate Luke 21:28, John 4:35
ἐπῆραν 2x epēran Acts 14:11, Acts 22:22
ἐπῆρεν 2x epēren John 13:18, Acts 2:14
ἐπαίρεται 1x epairetai 2 Corinthians 11:20
ἐπαιρόμενον 1x epairomenon 2 Corinthians 10:5
ἐπαίροντας 1x epairontas 1 Timothy 2:8
Parsing patterns
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular 5x Luke 6:20, Luke 16:23, Luke 24:50, John 6:5
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural 2x Luke 21:28, John 4:35
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural 2x Acts 14:11, Acts 22:22
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 2x John 13:18, Acts 2:14
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural 2x Matthew 17:8, Acts 27:40
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular 1x Acts 1:9
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active 1x Luke 18:13
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Feminine Singular 1x Luke 11:27
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Let the text define whether lifting expresses humility, hope, prayer, witness, or pride.
- Use posture language to serve the passage, not to create a formula for spiritual experience.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that epairo always means exaltation.
- Do not claim that a physical lifted posture proves the inner condition apart from context.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. Lift up physically or metaphorically; can mean becoming arrogant or prideful when used passively.
Strong's G1869
Lexical occurrences 19 verses Greek text appearances 19 times 16 shown below Word forms 4 forms 19 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Luke 16:23 Source Gloss
to raise up (literally or figuratively)
Extended definition Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Lift up physically or metaphorically; can mean becoming arrogant or prideful when used passively.
to lift up, raise: τ. ἀρτέμονα, Act.27:40; χεῖρας, Luk.24:50, 1Ti.2:8; κεφαλάς, Luk.21:28; ὀφθαλμούς, Mat.17:8, Luk.6:20 16:23 18:13, Jhn.4:35 6:5 17:1; φωνήν, Luk.11:27, Act.2:14 14:11 22:22; τ. πτέρναν (figuratively), Jhn.13:18. Pass., Act.1:9; metaphorically, to be lifted up with pride: 2Co.10:5 11:20.
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 19 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 17:8 Verb Aorist Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine
ἐπάραντες eparantev
I raise, lift up
Read verse Luke 6:20 Verb Aorist Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
ἐπάρας eparav
I raise, lift up
Read verse Luke 11:27 Verb Aorist Active Participle Nominative Singular Feminine
ἐπάρασά eparasa
I raise, lift up
Read verse Luke 16:23 Verb Aorist Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
ἐπάρας eparav
I raise, lift up
Read verse Luke 18:13 Verb Aorist Active Infinitive
ἐπᾶραι, eparai
I raise, lift up
Read verse Luke 21:28 Verb Second Person Plural Aorist Active Imperative
ἐπάρατε eparate
I raise, lift up
Read verse Luke 24:50 Verb Aorist Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
ἐπάρας eparav
I raise, lift up
Read verse John 4:35 Verb Second Person Plural Aorist Active Imperative
Ἐπάρατε eparate
I raise, lift up
Read verse John 6:5 Verb Aorist Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
ἐπάρας eparav
I raise, lift up
Read verse John 13:18 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἐπῆρεν ephren
I raise, lift up
Read verse John 17:1 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἐπῆρε ephren
I raise, lift up
Read verse Acts 1:9 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Passive Indicative
ἐπήρθη, ephrqh
I raise, lift up
Read verse Acts 2:14 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἐπῆρε ephren
I raise, lift up
Read verse Acts 14:11 Verb Third Person Plural Aorist Active Indicative
ἐπῆραν ephran
I raise, lift up
Read verse Acts 22:22 Verb Third Person Plural Aorist Active Indicative
ἐπῆραν ephran
I raise, lift up
Read verse Acts 27:40 Verb Aorist Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine
ἐπάραντες eparantev
I raise, lift up
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Grammatical Forms
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 4 Aligned forms 19 Tenses Aorist, Present Voices Active, Passive, Middle
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 10×
Aorist Active Luke 6:20 · Luke 16:23 · Luke 24:50 · John 6:5 · John 17:1 · Matt 17:8 · Acts 27:40 · Luke 11:27 8×
Present Middle 2 Cor 10:5 1×
Present Active 1 Tim 2:8 1×
Imperative command or strong request 2×
Aorist Active Luke 21:28 · John 4:35 2×
Indicative states a fact or reality 6×
Aorist Active John 13:18 · Acts 2:14 · Acts 14:11 · Acts 22:22 4×
Aorist Passive Acts 1:9 1×
Present Middle 2 Cor 11:20 1×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 1×
Aorist Active Luke 18:13 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 19 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
aorist 16 present 3
Voice
active 16 middle 2 passive 1
Mood
participle 10 indicative 6 imperative 2 infinitive 1
NT Occurrences
Matthew 17:8 ἐπάραντες aorist active participle participle Luke 6:20 ἐπάρας aorist active participle participle Luke 11:27 ἐπάρασά aorist active participle participle Luke 16:23 ἐπάρας aorist active participle participle Luke 18:13 ἐπᾶραι aorist active infinitive infinitive Luke 21:28 ἐπάρατε aorist active imperative imperative Luke 24:50 ἐπάρας aorist active participle participle John 4:35 ἐπάρατε aorist active imperative imperative John 6:5 ἐπάρας aorist active participle participle John 13:18 ἐπῆρεν aorist active indicative completed John 17:1 ἐπάρας aorist active participle participle Acts 1:9 ἐπήρθη aorist passive indicative completed Acts 2:14 ἐπῆρεν aorist active indicative completed Acts 14:11 ἐπῆραν aorist active indicative completed Acts 22:22 ἐπῆραν aorist active indicative completed Acts 27:40 ἐπάραντες aorist active participle participle 2 Corinthians 10:5 ἐπαιρόμενον present middle participle participle 2 Corinthians 11:20 ἐπαίρεται present middle indicative ongoing 1 Timothy 2:8 ἐπαίροντας present active participle participle
Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
literal raising of eyes to see, physical upward gaze
raising voice to speak or cry out with audible sound
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 19 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
ἐπαίρω is built from these roots:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
Epairo helps teachers see that upward movement in Scripture is not automatically pride and not automatically worship. The tax collector refuses to lift his eyes because he knows his need for mercy. Jesus lifts His eyes to the Father in prayer. Disciples must lift their eyes to the fields. The redeemed lift their heads in hope. Peter lifts his voice to bear witness.
Jesus lifts His hands to bless. Each scene is bodily and theological at once. The word invites readers to notice posture, but it also warns them to let the passage define the heart and purpose behind the lifted action.
Anchor passage
John.17.1
Doctrinal connections
- Luke 18:13: humility before God may be shown by eyes that refuse self-exalting confidence.
- Luke 21:28: hope lifts the head because redemption belongs to God's approaching deliverance.
- Luke 24:50: Jesus' lifted hands bless His disciples at the threshold of His ascension.
- John 4:35: lifted eyes teach mission perception under Jesus' direction.
- John 17:1: Jesus' lifted eyes belong to Son-Father communion in the hour of glory.
- Acts 2:14: Peter's lifted voice turns Pentecost attention toward Scripture and Christ.
Epairo combines upward motion with the object being lifted. The object matters: eyes, hands, head, voice, sail, thought, or self-exaltation each creates a different interpretive setting.
From Old to New Testament
Lifted hands, eyes, heads, and voices appear throughout Scripture as embodied responses to God, need, danger, blessing, and pride. Epairo gives New Testament scenes a concrete verb for those postures while keeping each passage's moral direction distinct.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain