What does ἀνακύπτω (anakýptō) mean in the Bible?
G352 describes straightening up or rising from a bent posture. In John 8 it appears as Jesus straightens up before speaking to the accusers and again before addressing the woman.
Greek · G352
ἀνακύπτω
To straighten up
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through the Connect page. Screenshots are helpful.
ἀνακύπτω G352
Pronunciation anakýptō
What does ἀνακύπτω (anakýptō) mean in the Bible?
G352 describes straightening up or rising from a bent posture. In John 8 it appears as Jesus straightens up before speaking to the accusers and again before addressing the woman.
Reader summary
Full entry for ἀνακύπτω (G352) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G352?
The BSB source-word alignment has 4 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include stand up (2), He straightened up (1), straightened up (1).
Where does ἀνακύπτω (anakýptō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Luke 13:11. Its strongest book concentrations include John (2), Luke (2).
What This Word Actually Means
G352 describes straightening up or rising from a bent posture. In John 8 it appears as Jesus straightens up before speaking to the accusers and again before addressing the woman. Because this scene belongs to a textual-history-sensitive passage, the safest teaching use is modest and context-bound. The word can help readers notice the measured pace of the scene: Jesus does not answer the trap on their terms, and His words expose sin without denying mercy.
It should not become the basis for doctrine by itself, nor should the gesture be overinterpreted. Where the passage is read and taught, G352 serves observation, not speculation, and keeps attention on Jesus' words.
How the Bible Uses It
G352 marks Jesus straightening up in John 8. Because the passage has textual-history questions, the companion keeps claims modest and uses the word for close observation of the received scene.
- John.8.7
When they continued to question Him, He straightened up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to cast a stone at her.”
Jesus straightens up before answering the accusers. In this textual-history-sensitive scene, the word supports observation of His measured response.
- John.8.10
Then Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are your accusers? Has no one condemned you?”
Jesus straightens up before addressing the woman. The repeated movement frames words that expose sin while refusing condemnation without repentance.
Passage context
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 stand up 2× Luke 13:11, Luke 21:28
He straightened up 1× John 8:7
straightened up 1× John 8:10
Show sample aligned rows
Luke 13:11 ἀνακύψαι to stand up Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active Luke 21:28 ἀνακύψατε to stand up Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural John 8:7 ἀνέκυψεν to He straightened up Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular John 8:10 ἀνακύψας to straightened up Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Luke 13:11
Aligned rows 4
Books represented 2
Luke 2 John 2
Source forms
ἀνακύψαι 1x anakypsai Luke 13:11
ἀνακύψας 1x anakypsas John 8:10
ἀνακύψατε 1x anakypsate Luke 21:28
ἀνέκυψεν 1x anekypsen John 8:7
Parsing patterns
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural 1x Luke 21:28
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 1x John 8:7
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active 1x Luke 13:11
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular 1x John 8:10
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Acknowledge the textual-history sensitivity of John 7:53-8:11 when teaching from this scene.
- Use Jesus' posture as observation and let His words carry the theological claim.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not build doctrine on G352 or on Jesus' gesture in this passage.
- Do not use the scene to minimize sin or to deny mercy; Jesus' own words hold both together.
Pastoral applicationPassage context
Evidence Summary
Greek word. to straighten up
Strong's G352
Lexical occurrences 2 verses Greek text appearances 4 times Word forms 2 forms 2 references Verse guides 0 guides
Source Gloss
to straighten up
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
4 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Luke 13:11 Verb Aorist Active Infinitive
ἀνακύψαι anakuyai
I raise myself, look up
Read verse Luke 21:28 Verb Second Person Plural Aorist Active Imperative
ἀνακύψατε anakuyate
I raise myself, look up
Read verse John 8:7 Verb Aorist Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
ἀνακύψας anakuyav
I raise myself, look up
Read verse John 8:10 Verb Aorist Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
ἀνακύψας anakuyav
I raise myself, look 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 2 Aligned forms 2 Tenses Aorist Voices Active
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 1×
Aorist Active Luke 13:11 1×
Imperative command or strong request 1×
Aorist Active Luke 21:28 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 4 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
aorist 4
Voice
active 4
Mood
participle 2 infinitive 1 imperative 1
NT Occurrences
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)
Word Origins
ἀνακύπτω 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
G352 can help readers notice the pace of John 8, but it must be handled carefully. The passage has textual-history sensitivity, so this companion does not use the word as a foundation for doctrine. Within the received scene, Jesus straightens up before answering the accusers and again before speaking to the woman. The movement frames speech that refuses the trap, exposes sin, and sends the woman away with a command to leave sin.
Teachers should use the word as an observational aid. The passage's theological weight rests on Jesus' words and the scene's context, not on the posture alone.
Anchor passage
John.8.7
Doctrinal connections
- John.8.7 - Jesus straightens up before answering the accusers. In this textual-history-sensitive scene, the word supports observation of His measured response.
- John.8.10 - Jesus straightens up before addressing the woman. The repeated movement frames words that expose sin while refusing condemnation without repentance.
To straighten up or rise upright is a reviewed display gloss for G352. In this John-focused companion, the local discourse foregrounding data shows 2 John use(s), with tense patterns summarized as Aorist 2. Use these grammar signals as support for reading the passage, not as a replacement for context.
From Old to New Testament
The broader Scripture connection should remain modest: measured response, judgment, and mercy is visible in the cited passages, while the full theological claim must come from each passage's context rather than from the word alone.
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