← G5289 G5291 →

ὑποστρέφω

hypostréphō

G5290 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To return to a previous location or state; to come back from a place, often used of physical movement toward one's point of origin. In various contexts, also to turn back or to change direction, both literally (such as returning home or to a group) and figuratively (such as resuming a prior state or position).

Semantic Range

to return (to a place), to go back, to turn back (physically or figuratively), to resume a previous state, to retrace one's steps

Root / Etymology

From the preposition ὑπό ('under, beneath') and the verb στρέφω ('to turn'); literally meaning 'to turn under' but evolving into the sense of 'to return' or 'to turn back.' The prefix ὑπό often imparts a sense of downward movement or return beneath an origin.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Ἱn classical Greek, ὑποστρέφω is rare but found in later Greek literature, especially in Koine. In the Septuagint and New Testament, it is regularly used to describe persons or groups physically returning to a specific location after having departed (e.g., returning home, returning to a starting point), and can occasionally have a metaphorical sense of resuming a previous state. It stands in contrast with more general motion verbs (e.g., πορεύομαι 'to go'), emphasizing the critical aspect of reversal or retracing steps. English translations often render ὑποστρέφω simply as 'return' or 'turn back,' but these may not always capture the nuance of deliberate reversal or completed action associated with the term. In the Septuagint, it can echo Hebrew שׁוּב (shuv), which also has the sense of returning or turning. Not to be confused with ἀποστρέφω ('to turn away, to turn aside'), which has a divergent nuance of departure or avoidance rather than return.

Translation Consistency

primary "return" 33 occurrences

Covers the full, typical SILEX range — physical coming back, turning back, and resuming a prior state — while remaining natural English. 'Return' is a single-word base that cleanly maps to both literal and figurative uses and supports consistent inflection across all forms.

Alternatives (2 occurrences):
"turn back" (2x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from ὑπό and στρέφω; to turn under (behind), i.e. to return (literally or figuratively):--come again, return (again, back again), turn back (again).

Root Family

ὑποστρέφω (hypostrephō) — to turn back, to return, to go back

Root ὑποστρέφ- to turn (back), to return

Word Forms

13 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G5290-03 ὑπέστρεψαν upestrepsan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL returned they turned back they returned 10
G5290-04 ὑπέστρεψεν upestrepsen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG returned he returned he returned 6
G5290-06 ὑποστρέφειν upostrephein V PRS ACT INF return to return to return 4
G5290-10 ὑποστρέψαντες upostrepsantes V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL having returned having returned having returned 3
G5290-09 ὑποστρέψαι upostrepsai V AOR ACT INF to return to turn back to turn back 2
G5290-01 ὑπέστρεφον upestrephon V IMPF ACT IND 3P PL returned they were returning they were returning 2
G5290-12 ὑποστρέψασαι upostrepsasai V AOR ACT PTCP NOM F PL having returned having returned having returned 2
G5290-13 ὑποστρέψω upostrepso V FUT ACT IND 1P SG I will return I will return I will return 1
G5290-05 ὑπόστρεφε upostrephe V PRS ACT IMP 2P SG Return Keep returning Return 1
G5290-07 ὑποστρέφων upostrephon V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG returning returning returning 1

Occurrences in Scripture

35 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G5290-04 Luke 1:56 ὑπέστρεψεν upestrepsen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG returned he returned she returned
G5290-03 Luke 2:20 ὑπέστρεψαν upestrepsan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL returned they turned back they returned
G5290-06 Luke 2:43 ὑποστρέφειν upostrephein V PRS ACT INF returning to return to return
G5290-03 Luke 2:45 ὑπέστρεψαν upestrepsan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL they returned they turned back they returned
G5290-04 Luke 4:1 ὑπέστρεψεν upestrepsen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG returned he returned he returned
G5290-04 Luke 4:14 ὑπέστρεψεν upestrepsen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG returned he returned he returned
G5290-10 Luke 7:10 ὑποστρέψαντες upostrepsantes V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL returning having returned having returned
G5290-04 Luke 8:37 ὑπέστρεψεν upestrepsen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG returned he returned he returned
G5290-05 Luke 8:39 ὑπόστρεφε upostrephe V PRS ACT IMP 2P SG Return Keep returning Return
G5290-06 Luke 8:40 ὑποστρέφειν upostrephein V PRS ACT INF Iēsous returned to return returning
← G5289 Greek Lexicon G5291 →