Lexical Summary hallomai: To leap, to spring up Original Word: ἅλλομαι Strong's Exhaustive Concordance leap, spring up. Middle voice of apparently a primary verb; to jump; figuratively, to gush -- leap, spring up. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom a prim. root hal- Definition to leap NASB Translation leaped (1), leaping (1), springing (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 242: ἅλλομαιἅλλομαι; imperfect ἡλλόμην; aorist ἡλάμην and ἡλόμην (Alexander Buttmann (1873) Ausf. Spr. ii., p. 108; (Winers Grammar, 82 (79); Buttmann, 54 (47))); to leap (Latinsalio): Acts 3:8; Acts 14:10 (Rec. ἥλλετο; G L T Tr WH ἥλατο); to spring up, gush up, of water, John 4:14 (as in Latinsalire, Vergil ecl. 5, 47; Suetonius, Octav. 82). (Compare: ἐξάλλομαι, ἐφάλλομαι.) Topical Lexicon Meaning and ImageryStrong’s Greek 242 portrays a vigorous upward motion—whether the sudden leap of a healed body or the lively surge of living water. The word carries connotations of vitality, freedom, and newly released power, images that Scripture employs to communicate both physical and spiritual transformation. Occurrences in the New Testament Acts 3:8 records Peter’s first public miracle after Pentecost: “And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and he went into the temple courts with them, walking and leaping and praising God” (Berean Standard Bible). The formerly lame beggar does not merely walk; he erupts in joyous leaps, dramatizing the completeness of Christ’s healing power now active through His apostles. John 4:14 uses the verb figuratively. Jesus tells the Samaritan woman, “The water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life”. Here the upward surge pictures the continuous, self-propelling life of the Spirit within the believer. Acts 14:10 repeats the theme of restorative power. Paul commands the crippled man in Lystra, “Stand up on your feet!” and “At that the man sprang up and began to walk”. Again, the leap is both proof and proclamation of the gospel. Old Testament Echoes Isaiah foretold a day when “the lame will leap like a deer” (Isaiah 35:6). That prophetic background frames each New Testament occurrence: messianic restoration has arrived. Likewise, the imagery of water springing up recalls wellsprings promised in Isaiah 58:11 and Zechariah 14:8, grounding Jesus’ words in established prophetic hope. Christological and Soteriological Significance 1. Validation of Messiahship: Physical leaping authenticates Jesus’ messianic credentials and the authority He delegates to His apostles (Matthew 11:4-5). Ecclesiological and Missional Implications The leap of healed bodies became a visible sign that the age of the Spirit had dawned, galvanizing evangelistic witness. Both Jerusalem (Acts 3) and the Gentile city of Lystra (Acts 14) see identical manifestations, underscoring the gospel’s reach “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The church’s mission therefore includes both proclamation and demonstration of Christ’s restorative power. Practical Application for Believers • Expectant Faith: The instant response of the lame men challenges believers to trust Christ’s authority without reservation. Historical Reflection Early Christian writers highlighted these passages to illustrate the continuity between apostolic miracles and Jesus’ own works, reinforcing the reliability of eyewitness testimony. The medieval church often depicted the Acts 3 healing in art to symbolize the soul’s liberation from sin. Modern missions draw on the same narratives to emphasize holistic ministry—addressing body and soul alike. Conclusion Whether breaking the silence of a beggar’s lifelong paralysis or bubbling unseen within the heart of a new disciple, the action captured by Strong’s Greek 242 showcases the dynamic life of God bursting into human experience. Each occurrence invites the reader to recognize, rejoice in, and rely upon the risen Lord whose power still causes hearts—and sometimes bodies—to leap. Forms and Transliterations αλείται αλλομένοις αλλομενος αλλόμενος ἁλλόμενος αλλομενου αλλομένου ἁλλομένου αλλομένους ηλατο ήλατο ἥλατο ήλλετο ηλλόμην allomenos allomenou elato ēlato hallomenos hallómenos hallomenou halloménou helato hēlato hḗlatoLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance John 4:14 V-PPM/P-GNSGRK: πηγὴ ὕδατος ἁλλομένου εἰς ζωὴν NAS: of water springing up to eternal KJV: of water springing up into INT: a spring of water springing up into life Acts 3:8 V-PPM/P-NMS Acts 14:10 V-AIM-3S Strong's Greek 242 |