Word Study for G1949 (ἐπιλαμβάνομαι)

epilambánomai /ep-ee-lam-ban'-om-ahee/ Ask about this word

Meaningmiddle voice from ἐπί and λαμβάνω; to seize (for help, injury, attainment, or any other purpose; literally or figuratively)

KJV usagecatch, lay hold (up-)on, take (by, hold of, on).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of epilambánomai — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word epilambánomai, represented by G1949, means to seize, catch, or lay hold upon. It appears 20 times across 18 unique verses in the Bible. The term is versatile, describing actions taken for help, for injury, or for the purpose of spiritual attainment. Its meaning ranges from a literal, physical grasp to a figurative, determined pursuit.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical narratives, G1949 is used to convey a variety of intentions. It depicts divine rescue, as when Jesus stretched forth his hand and caught a doubting Peter from sinking into the water Matthew 14:31. It can also show human support, such as when Barnabas took Saul and brought him to the apostles, vouching for his conversion Acts 9:27. Conversely, it describes hostile actions, such as when an angry mob took Paul and drew him out of the temple Acts 21:30 or when spies tried to take hold of Jesus' words to entrap him Luke 20:20. The word is also used to describe Christ's incarnation, stating that he took on him the seed of Abraham Hebrews 2:16.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the context and purpose of the action of seizing:

G5495 cheír (the hand): This word is often paired with G1949 to specify the means of seizing. It highlights direct physical contact, whether for help, as when Jesus took a blind man by the hand to heal him Mark 8:23, or for guidance, as when God took Israel by the hand to lead them out of Egypt Hebrews 8:9.
G1670 helkýō (to drag): This term can follow G1949 to describe the forceful action that comes after a hostile seizure. For example, after Paul and Silas were caught, they were then drew them into the marketplace Acts 16:19.
G1806 exágō (to lead forth): In contrast to a forceful dragging, this word often denotes a purpose of deliverance or guidance. God took Israel by the hand specifically to lead them out of Egypt Hebrews 8:9, showing a benevolent intention behind the act of taking hold.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G1949 is significant, highlighting key spiritual concepts.

Spiritual Attainment: The command to "lay hold on eternal life" (1 Timothy 6:12; 1 Timothy 6:19) frames the Christian walk as an active pursuit. It is connected to fighting the good G2570 fight of faith G4102, portraying eternal life G2222 as a prize to be intentionally seized.
Divine Intervention: The term powerfully illustrates God's direct intervention. Jesus catching Peter is a picture of his readiness to save those with wavering faith Matthew 14:31. Similarly, Barnabas took him Acts 9:27 and acted as an agent of the church to bring a new believer into the community.
Incarnational Identification: A profound theological truth is conveyed when Hebrews states that Christ took on him the seed of Abraham, not the nature of angels Hebrews 2:16. This deliberate act of "taking on" humanity is central to his ability to serve as a redeemer.

Summary

In summary, G1949 is a dynamic verb that moves beyond a simple physical grasp. It captures a wide spectrum of actions, from a hostile seizure Acts 18:17 and a gentle, healing touch Luke 14:4 to a life-saving rescue Matthew 14:31. Theologically, it defines the believer's active responsibility to lay hold on eternal life 1 Timothy 6:12 and, most importantly, articulates the foundational truth that Christ took on human nature in order to bring about salvation Hebrews 2:16.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as a verb across 19 occurrences, inflected in 8 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

2nd Aorist Middle Deponent Participle Nominative Plural Masculine 5×
2nd Aorist Middle Deponent Participle Nominative Singular Masculine 5×
2nd Aorist Middle Deponent Indicative 3rd Singular 2×
2nd Aorist Middle Deponent Subjunctive 3rd Plural 2×
Present Middle Or Passive Deponent Indicative 3rd Singular 2×
2nd Aorist Middle Deponent Imperative 2nd Singular 1×
2nd Aorist Middle Deponent Infinitive 1×
2nd Aorist Middle Deponent Participle Genitive Singular Masculine 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Genitive: Possession or source — often "of".
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
2nd: Second person — the one addressed ("you").
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Present: Action in progress or repeated — happening now or continually.
Aorist: Action viewed as a single whole — usually a simple past event.
Middle: The subject acts on or for itself.
Middle Deponent: Middle in form but active in meaning.
Middle Or Passive: Can be read as middle or passive; context decides.
Indicative: A plain statement of fact.
Imperative: A command or entreaty.
Subjunctive: Possibility or purpose — "might", "should".
Infinitive: The verb as a noun — "to do".
Participle: A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.

Related Words

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 18 verses across 6 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Acts (7 verses); never once in the other 21.

Matthew

Mark

Luke

Acts

1 Timothy

Hebrews

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.