What does ἀνακλίνω (anaklínō) mean in the Bible?
This verb can describe laying someone down or having people recline, with the object and setting showing the action's purpose. Mary lays the newborn Jesus in a manger.
Greek · G347
ἀνακλίνω
This verb can describe laying someone down or having people recline, with the object and setting showing the action's purpose. Mary lays the newborn Jesus in a manger.
Reading a lexicon entry
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ἀνακλίνωG347
Pronunciationanaklínō
What does ἀνακλίνω (anaklínō) mean in the Bible?
Reader summary
Full entry for ἀνακλίνω (G347) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G347?
The BSB source-word alignment has 6 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include laid (1), to have [the people] sit (1), to share the banquet (1), to sit down (1), will have them recline at the table (1).
Where does ἀνακλίνω (anaklínō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 8:11. Its strongest book concentrations include Luke (3), Matthew (2), Mark (1).
What This Word Actually Means
This verb can describe laying someone down or having people recline, with the object and setting showing the action's purpose. Mary lays the newborn Jesus in a manger. Jesus directs the crowds to sit down before distributing the loaves and fish. In His teaching about watchful servants, the returning master has them recline at the table and serves them. An infant's placement, a crowd's preparation for food and a striking promised reversal of service therefore share a verb without sharing an identical scene.
The movement helps readers picture what happens. Its theological importance comes from the person, provision or promise in the passage. Reclining is not itself a spiritual achievement, and the verb does not turn every place of rest into a banquet promise.
How the Bible Uses It
The verb links a newborn's placement, a crowd's meal preparation and a master's remarkable service to watchful servants. Each subject and object determine the movement's significance.
- Luke.2.7
And she gave birth to her firstborn, a Son. She wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Mary lays her firstborn Son in a manger after wrapping Him, a concrete action within Luke's birth account.
- Matt.14.19
And He directed the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He spoke a blessing. Then He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.
The crowds sit down before Jesus blesses and distributes the food, organizing the narrated feeding rather than prescribing a devotional posture.
- Luke.12.37
Blessed are those servants whom the master finds on watch when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve and will have them recline at the table, and he himself will come and wait on them.
The master has watchful servants recline and then serves them, the surprising action within Jesus' call to readiness.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itlaid1×Luke 2:7
to have [the people] sit1×Mark 6:39
to share the banquet1×Matthew 8:11
to sit down1×Matthew 14:19
will have them recline at the table1×Luke 12:37
will recline at the table1×Luke 13:29
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 8:11ἀνακλιθήσονταιtoto share the banquetVerb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person PluralMatthew 14:19ἀνακλιθῆναιtoto sit downVerb - Aorist Infinitive PassiveMark 6:39ἀνακλῖναι*toto have [the people] sitVerb - Aorist Infinitive ActiveLuke 2:7ἀνέκλινενtolaidVerb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularLuke 12:37ἀνακλινεῖtowill have them recline at the tableVerb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularLuke 13:29ἀνακλιθήσονταιtowill recline at the tableVerb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowMatthew 8:11
Aligned rows6
Books represented3
Matthew2Mark1Luke3
Source forms
ἀνακλιθήσονται2xanaklithēsontaiMatthew 8:11, Luke 13:29
ἀνακλιθῆναι1xanaklithēnaiMatthew 14:19
ἀνακλῖναι*1xanaklinaiMark 6:39
ἀνακλινεῖ1xanaklineiLuke 12:37
ἀνέκλινεν1xaneklinenLuke 2:7
Parsing patterns
Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Plural2xMatthew 8:11, Luke 13:29
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular1xLuke 2:7
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active1xMark 6:39
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Passive1xMatthew 14:19
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular1xLuke 12:37
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Encourage readiness without promising that resting itself earns the master's service.
- Let the feeding account direct attention to Jesus rather than a seating ritual.
Avoid claiming...
- The verb does not establish a universally required prayer or meal posture.
- Mary's laying Jesus down does not by itself announce a banquet or Eucharistic practice.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. To recline at table for a meal, the posture of hospitality and fellowship in ancient dining customs.
Strong'sG347
Lexical occurrences6 versesGreek text appearances8 timesWord forms2 forms6 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkLuke 12:35-48Source Gloss
to lean back
Extended definitionSource: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
To recline at table for a meal, the posture of hospitality and fellowship in ancient dining customs.
to lay upon, lean against, hence,
ato lay down: Luk.2:7;
bto make to recline: Mrk.6:39, WH, mg., Luk.12:37. Pass., to lie back, recline: Mat.8:11 14:19, Luk.13:29.
Synonymsἀνάκειμαι (which see), ἀναπίπτω
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpusGreek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
8 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 8:11Verb Third Person Plural Future Passive Indicative
ἀνακλιθήσονταιanakliqhsontai
I make to recline, I recline at a table
Read verseMatthew 14:19Verb Aorist Passive Infinitive
ἀνακλιθῆναιanakliqhnai
I make to recline, I recline at a table
Read verseMark 6:39Verb Aorist Active Infinitive
ἀνακλῖναιanaklinai
I make to recline, I recline at a table
Read verseLuke 2:7Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἀνέκλινενaneklinen
I make to recline, I recline at a table
Read verseLuke 7:36Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Passive Indicative
ἀνεκλίθη.anekliqh
I make to recline, I recline at a table
Read verseLuke 9:15Verb Third Person Plural Aorist Active Indicative
ἀνέκλινανaneklinan
I make to recline, I recline at a table
Read verseLuke 12:37Verb Third Person Singular Future Active Indicative
ἀνακλινεῖanaklinei
I make to recline, I recline at a table
Read verseLuke 13:29Verb Third Person Plural Future Passive Indicative
ἀνακλιθήσονταιanakliqhsontai
I make to recline, I recline at a table
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 groups2Aligned forms6TensesFuture, AoristVoicesPassive, Active
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Indicativestates a fact or reality4×
Future PassiveMatt 8:11 · Luke 13:292×
Aorist ActiveLuke 2:71×
Future ActiveLuke 12:371×
Infinitiveverbal noun — the action in abstract2×
Aorist PassiveMatt 14:191×
Aorist ActiveMark 6:391×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 6 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
aorist3future3
Voice
active3passive3
Mood
indicative4infinitive2
NT Occurrences
Matthew 8:11ἀνακλιθήσονταιfuture passive indicativeprospectiveMatthew 14:19ἀνακλιθῆναιaorist passive infinitiveinfinitiveMark 6:39ἀνακλῖναιaorist active infinitiveinfinitiveLuke 2:7ἀνέκλινενaorist active indicativecompletedLuke 12:37ἀνακλινεῖfuture active indicativeprospectiveLuke 13:29ἀνακλιθήσονταιfuture passive indicativeprospective
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
Master reclines at table to be served by watchful servants
Righteous from all nations recline at table in God's kingdom
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 6 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
ἀνακλίνω is built from these roots:
For the Preacher and Teacher
Luke's accounts show why a verb's range must remain responsive to its object. A mother lays her newborn down, while a master has servants recline to receive his service. Neither scene is clarified by forcing the same English meal expression into both. Matthew's feeding account adds another purpose: the seated crowd is ready to receive food Jesus gives through the disciples.
The action prepares the scene but does not create the provision. In Luke 12, watchfulness and the master's unexpected service belong together within Jesus' teaching. Attention to this movement helps hearers see personal care and surprising hospitality without inventing a required bodily posture for faith. The passage's speaker and promise, rather than a reclining technique, guide the response.
Anchor passage
Luke.12.37
Doctrinal connections
- Luke 2:6-7 makes the newborn's placement part of the narrated birth circumstances.
- Matthew 14:19-20 joins the seated crowd to provision that leaves them satisfied.
- Mark 6:39 places organized groups on green grass before the feeding.
- Luke 12:35-38 links readiness with the master's remarkable service to his servants.
- Matthew 8:11 describes people coming from east and west to the kingdom's banquet.
- Luke 13:29 similarly speaks of people taking places at the kingdom's table.
The Greek comparator records both laying down and making people recline. The local BSB renders the action according to its object and setting, which prevents a single rigid English gloss.
From Old to New Testament
Psalm 23:5 speaks of a prepared table, while Luke 12:37 describes the returning master's service. Both passages portray provision through their own words; the comparison is thematic and does not establish a shared verb or an identical scene.