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ἐπιχειρέω

epicheiréō

G2021 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To undertake, attempt, or set about a course of action, especially in the sense of taking initiative to begin or carry out a task; in general Greek usage, often with the nuance of intentional or purposeful engagement in some enterprise or endeavor. In some contexts, it refers to making an attempt (sometimes unsuccessful), taking in hand, or laying hold (figuratively) of a responsibility or task.

Semantic Range

to undertake, to attempt, to set out, to try, to take in hand, to make an effort, to engage in, to go about (doing something), to propose to act

Root / Etymology

From the preposition ἐπί ('on, upon') and the noun χείρ ('hand'), meaning literally 'to put the hand upon' something, thus developing the sense of 'to attempt, to undertake.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, ἐπιχειρέω appears in a variety of contexts, from military campaigns (to attempt an attack or undertaking) to legal and rhetorical settings (to take on a case or enterprise). By the Hellenistic period and in the New Testament, its semantic range narrows toward the sense of 'to attempt' or 'to undertake' an action, whether speaking, doing, or proposing to act. In the LXX (Septuagint), it is used for initiating or attempting specific actions, often in narratives with a focus on someone's intention (e.g., Nehemiah 6:9). In the New Testament, it typically describes the act of purposely setting out to do something (Luke 1:1, Acts 9:29, Acts 19:13), and sometimes the nuance of presumption or effort in the face of possible difficulty or opposition can be implied. Standard English translations ('undertake', 'attempt', 'set out', 'take in hand') are generally adequate, but often miss the underlying connotation of initiative or even risk in taking action. The word does not carry a specifically religious meaning, but rather is part of general Greek vocabulary for action and enterprise.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from ἐπί and χείρ; to put the hand upon, i.e. undertake:--go about, take in hand (upon).

Root Family

χειρ- (epicheiréō) — hand, take in hand, undertake, attempt

Root χειρ- hand, take in hand, undertake, attempt
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
G4400 προχειρίζομαι to appoint beforehand for oneself
G5501 χείρων of worse ones

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G2021-01 ἐπεχείρησαν epecheiresan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL attempted they undertook they undertook 2
G2021-02 ἐπεχείρουν epecheiroun V IMPF ACT IND 3P PL were attempting they were undertaking they were undertaking 1

Occurrences in Scripture

3 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G2021-01 Luke 1:1 ἐπεχείρησαν epecheiresan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL have undertaken they undertook undertook
G2021-02 Acts 9:29 ἐπεχείρουν epecheiroun V IMPF ACT IND 3P PL were attempting they were undertaking they were undertaking
G2021-01 Acts 19:13 ἐπεχείρησαν epecheiresan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL attempted they undertook they undertook
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