Lexical Summary episkeptomai: To visit, to look after, to care for Original Word: ἐπισκέπτομαι Strong's Exhaustive Concordance visit, look out forMiddle voice from epi and the base of skopos; to inspect, i.e. (by implication) to select; by extension, to go to see, relieve -- look out, visit. see GREEK epi see GREEK skopos Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1980: ἐπισκέπτομαιἐπισκέπτομαι; future 3 person singular ἐπισκέψεται, Luke 1:78 Tr marginal reading WH; 1 aorist ἐπεσκεψάμην; from Herodotus down; the Sept. often for פָּקַד; to look upon or after, to inspect, examine with the eyes; a. τινα, in order to see how he is, i. e. to visit, go to see one: Acts 7:23; Acts 15:36, (Judges 15:1); the poor and afflicted, James 1:27; the sick, Matthew 25:36, 43, (Sir. 7:35; Xenophon, mem. 3, 11, 10; Plutarch, mor., p. 129 c. (de sanirate praecept. 15 at the beginning); Lucian, philops. 6, and in medical writers). b. Hebraistically, to look upon in order to help or to benefit, equivalent to to look after, have a care for, provide for, of God: τινα, Luke 7:16; Hebrews 2:6 (Genesis 21:1; Exodus 4:31; Psalm 8:5; Psalm 79:15 c. to look (about) for, look out (one to choose, employ, etc.): Acts 6:3. STRONGS NT 1980a: ἐπισκευάζωἐπισκευάζω: to furnish with things necessary; middle, to furnish oneself or for oneself: ἐπισκευασάμενοι, having gathered and made ready the things necessary for the journey, Acts 21:15 L T Tr WH, for R G ἀποσκευασάμενοι (which see in its place). Topical Lexicon ConceptStrong’s Greek 1980 describes an intentional, personal visitation that carries an element of active care or oversight. Far more than a social call, the word signals purposeful involvement that brings blessing, deliverance, supervision, or evaluation. Whether used of God or of believers, it portrays love expressed through presence. Old Testament Echoes The Septuagint regularly employs ἐπισκέπτομαι to translate the Hebrew פָּקַד (pāqad). In the Old Testament this root merges two ideas—visiting and accounting. The Lord “visits” Sarah with life-giving power (Genesis 21:1), “visits” His people to redeem them from Egypt (Exodus 4:31), yet also “visits” in judgment (Exodus 32:34). Every New Testament occurrence draws on this rich backdrop: divine initiative that either rescues or assesses. Divine Visitation in the Gospel Inauguration Luke begins and frames his Gospel with the vocabulary of visitation, anchoring Jesus’ ministry in God’s covenant fidelity. • Luke 1:68: “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has visited and redeemed His people.” These texts portray the incarnation as God personally arriving with saving power—He does not send mere messages; He comes Himself. Pastoral Oversight and Congregational Care Acts extends the term to apostolic ministry. Peter instructs the church: “Brothers, select from among you seven men… whom we may appoint over this responsibility” (Acts 6:3). The verb translated “select” is literally “visit” (ἐπισκέπτομαι), conveying more than a democratic tally; it is a discerning shepherd’s inspection to match servants with need. Stephen’s own account (Acts 7:23) recalls Moses, who “decided to visit his brothers,” picturing leadership that begins with compassionate presence. Later, Paul says to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city” (Acts 15:36). Missionary follow-up is not optional; genuine gospel work revisits disciples to assess welfare and strengthen faith. God’s Initiative Among the Nations James highlights divine visitation of Gentiles through the gospel: “Simon has described how God first visited the Gentiles to take from them a people for His name” (Acts 15:14). This visitation culminates Old Testament hope that all nations would be blessed in Abraham. Pure Religion: Visiting the Vulnerable James distills true piety into practical visitation: “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world” (James 1:27). The church mirrors God’s own character when it moves toward the helpless with tangible care. Eschatological Assurance and Warning Hebrews 2:6 cites Psalm 8:4: “What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You care for him?” God’s ongoing “care” (ἐπισκέπτομαι) guarantees that humanity’s destiny will be fulfilled in Christ. Conversely, Jesus’ parable of the sheep and goats warns that failure to “visit” the sick and imprisoned equals failure to minister to the King Himself (Matthew 25:36, 25:43). The same verb that heralds divine mercy exposes counterfeit faith. Ministry Implications 1. Incarnational Presence: Gospel work requires personal engagement. Programs cannot replace visitation that listens, weeps, and serves. Summary Strong’s Greek 1980 encapsulates God’s pattern: He sees, comes, and acts. Believers, conformed to Christ, are called to replicate that pattern—present, attentive, and active—until the final visitation when “the Chief Shepherd appears” (1 Peter 5:4) to reward those who have shepherded others as He first shepherded them. Forms and Transliterations επέσκεμμαι επεσκεμμένοι επεσκεμμένων επεσκέπη επεσκέπησαν επέσκεπται επεσκεύασεν επεσκεψάμην επεσκέψαντο επεσκεψασθε επεσκέψασθε επεσκέψασθέ ἐπεσκέψασθέ επεσκεψατο επεσκέψατο ἐπεσκέψατο επεσκέψω επισκεπέντες επισκεπή επισκεπήναι επισκεπήσεται επισκεπτεσθαι επισκέπτεσθαι ἐπισκέπτεσθαι επισκέπτεται επισκεπτη επισκέπτη ἐπισκέπτῃ επισκεπτόμενος επισκέπτωμαι επισκέπτωνταί επισκευάζη επισκευάσαι επισκευασάμενοι επισκεφθήσεται επίσκεψαι επίσκεψαί επισκεψασθαι επισκέψασθαι ἐπισκέψασθαι επισκεψασθε επισκέψασθε ἐπισκέψασθε επισκεψάσθω επισκέψει επισκεψεται επισκέψεται ἐπισκέψεται επισκέψεως επισκέψη επισκέψηται επισκέψηταί επίσκεψιν επίσκεψις επισκέψομαι επισκέψωμαι επισκεψωμεθα ἐπισκεψώμεθα epeskepsasthe epesképsasthé epeskepsato epesképsato episkepsasthai episképsasthai episkepsasthe episképsasthe episkepsetai episképsetai episkepsometha episkepsōmetha episkepsṓmetha episkepte episkeptē episképtei episképtēi episkeptesthai episképtesthaiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Matthew 25:36 V-AIM-2PGRK: ἠσθένησα καὶ ἐπεσκέψασθέ με ἐν NAS: Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, KJV: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was INT: I was sick and you visited me in Matthew 25:43 V-AIM-2P Luke 1:68 V-AIM-3S Luke 1:78 V-FIM-3S Luke 7:16 V-AIM-3S Acts 6:3 V-AMM-2P Acts 7:23 V-ANM Acts 15:14 V-AIM-3S Acts 15:36 V-ASM-1P Hebrews 2:6 V-PIM/P-2S James 1:27 V-PNM/P Strong's Greek 1980 |