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ἐπικαλέομαι

epikaléomai

G1941 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To call upon, to address by name, to invoke or appeal (especially for aid, protection, witness, or judgment), or to give a name to someone (assign a title or surname). Most commonly, to publicly or solemnly call upon a deity or higher authority, whether in prayer, supplication, or testimony. In mediopassive forms, can mean to be named or designated as (to bear a particular name or title).

Semantic Range

to invoke, to call upon for help, to appeal to as witness or authority, to give a name or title to, to be addressed as or bear a name, to entreat, to bestow a surname

Root / Etymology

Compound of the preposition ἐπί (upon, over) and the verb καλέω (to call, name, summon). The mediopassive form ἐπικαλέομαι is the standard Koine development for reflexive or reciprocal senses.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical and Hellenistic Greek, ἐπικαλέομαι covers both the act of invoking a deity (in prayer or formal oath) and the action of assigning a name or title to a person (to name or to surname). In the Septuagint and New Testament, it frequently refers to calling upon the name of God (regularly with phrases like 'to call upon the name of the Lord'), indicating invocation for help, acknowledgment, or worship—echoing Hebrew liturgical and legal formulae. The verb is also used for giving a person an additional name or title, for example, 'he was called...'—often reflecting biblical naming or titling customs. English translations often render the term as 'call on,' 'invoke,' or 'summon,' but sometimes confine it to prayer, thus narrowing its broader Greek usage. It is important to distinguish ἐπικαλέομαι (to call upon, as for appeal or invocation) from καλέω (plainly to call or summon), as the compound often introduces a sense of formal address, appeal, or naming. The action of being 'called' or 'named' by a particular title (mediopassive: 'to be called') is common in birth or naming narratives. Early Greek inscriptions and papyri show both naming and invocation senses; the religious meaning became especially prominent in Jewish and early Christian contexts.

Translation Consistency

primary "call" 23 occurrences

epikaleomai most commonly means to call upon or invoke (e.g., “call on the name of the Lord”) and in mediopassive forms to be called/named. "Call" is simple, natural English and covers the primary senses (call upon for help/witness, call by name/be called), supporting consistent rendering across all forms.

Alternatives (7 occurrences):
"appealed" (2x) "named" (1x) "having invoked for" (1x) "appeal" (1x) "invoking" (1x) "having been named" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

middle voice from ἐπί and καλέω; to entitle; by implication, to invoke (for aid, worship, testimony, decision, etc.):--appeal (unto), call (on, upon), surname.

Root Family

ἐπικαλέομαι (epikaleomai) — to call upon, to invoke, to name

Root καλέω to call, to summon, to name

Word Forms

22 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G1941-17 ἐπικαλουμένους epikaloumenous V PRS MID PTCP ACC M PL call upon those calling upon calling upon 3
G1941-14 ἐπικαλούμενον epikaloumenon V PRS MID PTCP ACC M SG calling on one invoking calling on 3
G1941-12 ἐπικαλοῦμαι epikaloumai V PRS MID IND 1P SG call I call upon I call upon 2
G1941-08 ἐπικαλεσαμένου epikalesamenou V AOR MID PTCP GEN M SG having appealed of the one having called upon of the one having called upon 2
G1941-10 ἐπικαλέσηται epikalesetai V AOR MID SUBJ 3P SG calls he/she might call upon for oneself might call upon for oneself 2
G1941-06 ἐπικαλεῖται epikaleitai V PRS PASS IND 3P SG is called is called upon is called 2
G1941-07 ἐπικαλεσάμενος epikalesamenos V AOR MID PTCP NOM M SG calling on having invoked for himself having invoked for himself 1
G1941-13 ἐπικαλουμένοις epikaloumenois V PRS MID PTCP DAT M PL who call to those invoking invoking 1
G1941-19 ἐπικέκληται epikekletai V PRF PASS IND 3P SG is called has been named has been named 1
G1941-18 ἐπικέκλησαι epikeklesai V PRF MID IND 2P SG you have appealed you have invoked you have appealed 1

Occurrences in Scripture

30 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G1941-01 Matthew 10:25 ἐπεκάλεσαν epekalesan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL they have called they called upon they called
G1941-03 Acts 1:23 ἐπεκλήθη epeklethe V AOR PASS IND 3P SG was called was named was called
G1941-10 Acts 2:21 ἐπικαλέσηται epikalesetai V AOR MID SUBJ 3P SG calls on he/she might call upon for oneself might call upon for oneself
G1941-20 Acts 4:36 ἐπικληθεὶς epikletheis V AOR PASS PTCP NOM M SG who was called having been named who was called
G1941-14 Acts 7:59 ἐπικαλούμενον epikaloumenon V PRS MID PTCP ACC M SG calling on one invoking calling on
G1941-17 Acts 9:14 ἐπικαλουμένους epikaloumenous V PRS MID PTCP ACC M PL who call on those calling upon calling upon
G1941-17 Acts 9:21 ἐπικαλουμένους epikaloumenous V PRS MID PTCP ACC M PL who called those calling upon calling upon
G1941-06 Acts 10:5 ἐπικαλεῖται epikaleitai V PRS PASS IND 3P SG is called is called upon is called upon
G1941-15 Acts 10:18 ἐπικαλούμενος epikaloumenos V PRS PASS PTCP NOM M SG was called being called upon being called
G1941-06 Acts 10:32 ἐπικαλεῖται epikaleitai V PRS PASS IND 3P SG is called is called upon is called
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