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ἀναιρέω

anairéō

G337 verb

SILEX Entry

Root αἱρ- to take, to remove, to lift up

Definition

To take up, lift, or remove; in specific contexts, to do away with or abolish; frequently, to kill or put to death (often violently or by official action). The verb can express both literal and figurative removal, ranging from picking up or lifting something, to destroying, abolishing, or executing a person.

Semantic Range

to take up, to lift or pick up, to remove, to abolish, to do away with, to put to death, to kill (judicially or violently), to destroy, to execute, to adopt (rare)

Root / Etymology

From ἀνά (up, upon) and αἱρέω (to take, to seize). The compound emphasizes the sense of removal, lifting up, or taking away, with an active, forceful nuance.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, ἀναιρέω originally meant to take up or lift (often a physical object, such as a corpse from a battlefield). The meaning expanded to include 'remove' and 'take away' generally. In Hellenistic and Koine contexts, especially in the Septuagint and New Testament, the verb took on a transferred sense: to kill or destroy, often with an emphasis on official or sanctioned execution (e.g., judicial sentence, assassination, or combat). The sense 'abolish' or 'do away with' is used particularly for laws, practices, or obstacles. The English rendering 'put to death' covers the judicial or violent meaning, but the Greek may include broader senses of removal or abolishing, which can be obscured in translation. Differences between Septuagint and New Testament usage are mainly contextual; in both, violent removal or execution is common, but theological import differs by context. Related to αἱρέω, which broadly means 'to take' or 'to grasp.'

Translation Consistency

primary "kill" 17 occurrences

The dominant sense in usage is putting to death (violent or judicial), and P2 renderings overwhelmingly use "kill/killed." "Kill" is natural English and covers the core semantic range of doing away with or removing life; less common literal senses (lift up, take up, remove) are secondary and can be handled contextually.

Alternatives (7 occurrences):
"put to death" (3x) "took up" (1x) "those being put to death" (1x) "slay" (1x) "removes" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from ἀνά and (the active of) αἱρέομαι; to take up, i.e. adopt; by implication, to take away (violently), i.e. abolish, murder:--put to death, kill, slay, take away, take up.

Root Family

ἀναιρέω (anaireō) — to take, to remove, to lift up

Word Forms

15 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G337-13 ἀνελεῖν anelein V AOR ACT INF to kill to remove to kill 6
G337-14 ἀνέλωσιν anelosin V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P PL they kill they might remove they might kill 3
G337-04 ἀναιρεθῆναι anairethenai V AOR PASS INF that he should be put to death to be removed to be put to death 2
G337-10 ἀνεῖλεν aneilen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG he killed he removed he killed 2
G337-02 ἀναιρεῖν anairein V PRS ACT INF to kill to take up or remove to kill 1
G337-07 ἀνεῖλαν aneilan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL they slew they did away with they killed 1
G337-09 ἀνείλατο aneilato V AOR MID IND 3P SG took up took away for himself took up 1
G337-15 ἀνῃρέθη anerethe V AOR PASS IND 3P SG was killed was taken away was killed 1
G337-06 ἀναιρούντων anairounton V PRS ACT PTCP GEN M PL who were slaying of those removing who were killing 1
G337-01 ἀναιρεῖ anairei V PRS ACT IND 3P SG he/she removes he removes 1

Occurrences in Scripture

24 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G337-10 Matthew 2:16 ἀνεῖλεν aneilen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG killed he removed he killed
G337-14 Luke 22:2 ἀνέλωσιν anelosin V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P PL they might put Him to death they might remove they might kill
G337-04 Luke 23:32 ἀναιρεθῆναι anairethenai V AOR PASS INF to be put to death to be removed to be put to death
G337-08 Acts 2:23 ἀνείλατε aneilate V AOR ACT IND 2P PL you put to death you did away with you put to death
G337-13 Acts 5:33 ἀνελεῖν anelein V AOR ACT INF to kill to remove to kill
G337-15 Acts 5:36 ἀνῃρέθη anerethe V AOR PASS IND 3P SG was killed was taken away was killed
G337-09 Acts 7:21 ἀνείλατο aneilato V AOR MID IND 3P SG took up took away for himself took up
G337-13 Acts 7:28 ἀνελεῖν anelein V AOR ACT INF to kill to remove to kill
G337-11 Acts 7:28 ἀνεῖλες aneiles V AOR ACT IND 2P SG you killed you did away with you killed
G337-13 Acts 9:23 ἀνελεῖν anelein V AOR ACT INF to kill to remove to kill
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