1914. epiblepó

Lexical Summary

epiblepó: To look upon, to regard, to gaze at

Original Word: ἐπιβλέπω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: epiblepó
Pronunciation: eh-pee-BLEH-po
Phonetic Spelling: (ep-ee-blep'-o)
KJV: look upon, regard, have respect to
NASB: had regard, look, pay special attention
Word Origin: [from G1909 (ἐπί - over) and G991 (βλέπω - see)]

1. to gaze at (with favor, pity or partiality)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

look upon, regard, have respect for.

From epi and blepo; to gaze at (with favor, pity or partiality) -- look upon, regard, have respect to.

see GREEK epi

see GREEK blepo

HELPS Word-studies

1914 epiblépō (from 1909 /epí, "on, fitting" intensifying 991 /blépō, "look, fix the eyes upon") – properly, look upon with focused attention; give special regard to (apt consideration), as the sight moves the beholder.

1914 /epiblépō ("to regard, respect") suggests a favorable viewing – a "preferred" noticing, giving special attention ("to notice especially," L & N, 1, 24.12).

["This compound verb is common in medical writers for carefully examining the patient" (WP, 2, 134).]

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from epi and blepó
Definition
to look on (with favor)
NASB Translation
had regard (1), look (1), pay special attention (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 1914: ἐπιβλέπω

ἐπιβλέπω: 1 aorist ἐπέβλεψα; in the Sept. often for הִבִּיט and פָּנָה, also for רָאָה; to turn the eyes upon, to look upon, gaze upon (ἐπί upon (cf. ἐπί, D. 2)): ἐπί τινα, contextually, to look upon one with a feeling of admiration and respect, to look up to, regard, James 2:3; contextually, to look upon in pity for the sake of giving aid, equivalent to to have regard for, to regard, Luke 9:38 (where for ἐπίβλεψον (RL) and ἐπιβλέψαι (G T) write (with Tr WH ἐπιβλέψαι, 1 aorist active infinitive; cf. Bornemann, Schol. ad loc, and above in δέομαι, 3 a. (also Buttmann, 273 (234) note)); ἐπί τήν ταπείνωσιν τίνος, Luke 1:48; often in the O. T. in the same sense, as 1 Samuel 1:11; 1 Samuel 9:16; Psalm 24:16 (); Psalm 68:17 (); Tobit 3:3, etc. (In Greek writings from Sophocles and Plato down, both literally and figuratively.)

Topical Lexicon

Essence of the Term

Strong’s Greek 1914 conveys the idea of turning the eye toward someone or something with deliberate attention, often carrying an overtone of gracious concern or special regard. The action is more than a casual glance; it is an intentional, value-laden look that recognizes need, worth, or status.

Biblical Occurrences

1. Luke 1:48 – In Mary’s Magnificat the term underscores divine condescension: “For He has looked with favor on the humble state of His servant”. The verb frames the entire song as a celebration of God’s fidelity to humble believers and His covenant promises to Israel.
2. Luke 9:38 – A distraught father pleads, “Teacher, I beg You to look upon my son, for he is my only child.” The request assumes that Christ’s compassionate attention will translate into decisive help, revealing a living faith in both His empathy and authority.
3. James 2:3 – The church is warned, “and if you look with favor on the one wearing fine clothes…” This negative example exposes the danger of allowing outward distinctions to dictate our regard, contrasting sharply with God’s impartial care in Luke 1:48.

Theological Significance

1. Divine Favor toward the Lowly
• Mary’s hymn shows that God’s salvific plan progresses through His gracious notice of the marginalized. The verb marks the turning point where private devotion meets redemptive history.
2. Christ’s Compassionate Gaze
• In Luke 9:38 the father is confident that one look from Jesus carries the power of deliverance. Christ’s attention is never sterile observation; it is an active conduit of mercy.
3. Impartiality as a Moral Imperative
• James converts the word into a corrective: believers must refuse the temptation to allot honor based on external wealth. God’s gracious eye becomes the standard for the church’s ethical vision.

Practical Ministry Implications

• Pastoral Care: Leaders are called to imitate God’s deliberate regard by noticing the overlooked—widows, orphans, newcomers, the economically disadvantaged—and responding with tangible support.
• Worship: Congregational prayer can echo Mary’s language, acknowledging that every answered petition begins with God “looking upon” His people in grace.
• Fellowship: James 2:3 challenges local assemblies to audit their seating, hospitality, and leadership structures, ensuring that social status never governs spiritual value.

Historical Interpretive Notes

Early church fathers—Augustine, Chrysostom, and Gregory the Great—consistently tied Luke 1:48 to the doctrine of the Incarnation, arguing that God’s “looking upon” Mary exemplifies His eternal disposition to exalt the humble. Reformation commentators stressed that Luke 1:48 rebukes human merit, while James 2:3 exposes the works of the flesh that creep into redeemed communities. Modern evangelical scholarship continues this trajectory, highlighting God’s countercultural preference for the lowly and the necessity of gospel-shaped social ethics.

Related Concepts

• χάρις (charis) – grace, the underlying motive of God’s attentive regard.
• ἐλεέω (eleeō) – to show mercy; often coincides with the compassionate action that follows the divine “look.”
• προσωποληψία (prosōpolēpsia) – partiality; the vice James combats by invoking 1914.

Taken together, the three occurrences portray a consistent scriptural pattern: God’s deliberate gaze upon the humble sets the agenda for Christ’s ministry and establishes the ethical paradigm for His church.

Forms and Transliterations

επέβλεπον επεβλέψα επέβλεψα επέβλεψαν επέβλεψας επεβλέψατε επέβλεψε επεβλεψεν επέβλεψεν ἐπέβλεψεν επιβλέπειν επιβλέπεις επιβλέπη επιβλεπόμενον επιβλέποντες επιβλέπουσα επιβλέπουσι επιβλέπουσιν επιβλέπων επιβλεψαι επιβλέψαι ἐπιβλέψαι επιβλέψατε επιβλέψει επίβλεψεν επιβλέψη επιβλέψης επιβλεψητε επιβλέψητε ἐπιβλέψητε επιβλέψομαι επίβλεψον επιβλέψονται επιβλέψω epeblepsen epéblepsen epiblepsai epiblépsai epiblepsete epiblepsēte epiblépsete epiblépsēte

Englishman's Concordance

Luke 1:48 V-AIA-3S
GRK: ὅτι ἐπέβλεψεν ἐπὶ τὴν
NAS: For He has had regard for the humble state
KJV: For he hath regarded the low estate
INT: For he looked upon the

Luke 9:38 V-ANA
GRK: δέομαί σου ἐπιβλέψαι ἐπὶ τὸν
NAS: I beg You to look at my son,
KJV: I beseech thee, look upon my
INT: I implore you look upon the

James 2:3 V-ASA-2P
GRK: ἐπιβλέψητε δὲ ἐπὶ
NAS: and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing
KJV: And ye have respect to
INT: you might have looked also upon

Strong's Greek 1914
3 Occurrences

ἐπέβλεψεν — 1 Occ.
ἐπιβλέψαι — 1 Occ.
ἐπιβλέψητε — 1 Occ.