### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek verb ἐπιφέρω (epiphérō, `{{G2018}}`) is a compound word derived from the preposition ἐπί (epí, meaning "upon," "to," or "in addition to") and the verb φέρω (phérō, `{{G5342}}`, meaning "to bear," "carry," or "bring"). This etymological foundation gives ἐπιφέρω a core meaning of "to bear upon" or "to bring upon/to." Its semantic range extends to several nuanced applications:
1. **To bring forth or disclose:** To make something known that was previously hidden, such as a confession or practice.
2. **To bring against (judicially):** To present an accusation, charge, or a legal complaint against someone. This is a prominent use in the New Testament.
3. **To inflict or impose:** To bring a burden, suffering, or punishment upon someone.
4. **To add or superimpose:** To bring in something as an additional or superimposed factor, though this sense is less common in the New Testament occurrences.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
ἐπιφέρω appears in the New Testament in several significant contexts, primarily highlighting its judicial or revelatory senses:
* **[[Acts 19:18]]**: "Many also of those who had believed kept coming, confessing and disclosing their practices." Here, ἐπιφέρω is used in the sense of "bringing forth" or "disclosing" their deeds, emphasizing the public and open nature of their repentance and confession. This points to a spiritual bringing-to-light.
* **[[Acts 25:18]]**: "When the accusers stood up, they brought no charge against him of such things as I was supposing." In this judicial setting, Festus notes that Paul's accusers "brought no charge" (οὐδὲν ἐπέφερον) concerning the serious crimes Festus had anticipated. This clearly illustrates the legal sense of bringing an accusation or charge.
* **[[Romans 2:15]]**: "who show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them." Here, ἐπιφέρω describes the internal process of the conscience "bringing charges" (κατηγορούντων ἢ καὶ ἀπολογουμένων) against one's own thoughts or actions. This is a powerful metaphor for the internal judicial process within the human heart.
* **[[Jude 1:9]]**: "But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare to pronounce against him a reviling judgment, but said, 'The Lord rebuke you!'" In this verse, Michael "did not dare to bring" (οὐκ ἐτόλμησεν ἐπενεγκεῖν) a condemnatory judgment against the devil. This highlights the concept of divine authority and the restraint even of angelic beings in pronouncing judgment, leaving it to God.
### Related Words & Concepts
The semantic field of ἐπιφέρω intersects with several other Greek words, particularly those related to accusation, judgment, and disclosure:
* φέρω (phérō, `{{G5342}}`): The base verb, meaning "to bear," "carry," or "bring." Understanding φέρω is essential for grasping the core action implied by ἐπιφέρω.
* κατηγορέω (katēgoreō, `{{G2723}}`): To accuse, to bring a charge against. This verb is a close synonym to the judicial sense of ἐπιφέρω, particularly as seen in [[Acts 25:18]] and [[Romans 2:15]].
* ἀπολογέομαι (apologeomai, `{{G626}}`): To make a defense, to speak in defense. This word often appears in contrast to κατηγορέω or the accusatory sense of ἐπιφέρω, as seen in [[Romans 2:15]].
* ἐπιτίθημι (epitithēmi, `{{G2007}}`): To lay upon, put upon, impose. While ἐπιφέρω emphasizes the act of "bringing" or "carrying" something to a state of being upon, ἐπιτίθημι focuses more on the act of "placing" or "laying" something onto. Both share the ἐπί prefix and a sense of superimposition.
### Theological Significance
The various uses of ἐπιφέρω carry significant theological weight:
* **Confession and Transparency:** In [[Acts 19:18]], the "bringing forth" of evil practices underscores the necessity of genuine repentance, which involves open confession and a turning away from sin. This highlights the transformative power of the Gospel that leads believers to transparency before God and the community.
* **Divine Justice and Human Accountability:** The predominant judicial use of ἐπιφέρω (e.g., [[Acts 25:18]], [[Jude 1:9]]) reinforces the biblical theme of divine justice. It illustrates that accusations, whether human or spiritual, are subject to a higher standard of truth and judgment. The restraint of Michael in [[Jude 1:9]] serves as a profound theological lesson on deferring ultimate judgment to God, emphasizing His sole prerogative in meting out condemnation.
* **The Law and Conscience:** [[Romans 2:15]] is particularly insightful, revealing the internal witness of the conscience as it "brings charges" or defends. This passage speaks to the inherent moral awareness God has placed within humanity, demonstrating that even apart from explicit written law, humanity possesses an internal witness to God's moral standards. This internal ἐπιφέρω of the conscience prepares the way for understanding the need for grace and redemption.
### Summary
ἐπιφέρω (epiphérō, `{{G2018}}`) is a Greek verb signifying "to bear upon" or "to bring upon/to." Its usage in the New Testament reveals a dual emphasis: the act of disclosing or bringing forth hidden truths, as seen in the confession of sins in [[Acts 19:18]], and more frequently, the judicial act of bringing an accusation or charge against someone. This latter sense is evident in legal contexts like [[Acts 25:18]], where no charge was brought against Paul, and in the profound theological statement of [[Romans 2:15]], where the conscience itself is depicted as bringing charges. Furthermore, [[Jude 1:9]] demonstrates the concept of refraining from bringing a reviling judgment, underscoring the divine prerogative in judgment. Thus, ἐπιφέρω encapsulates themes of truth's revelation, the processes of justice and accountability, and the intrinsic moral function of the human conscience before God.
TRV