1987. epistamai
Berean Strong's Lexicon
epistamai: To know, to understand, to be acquainted with

Original Word: ἐπίσταμαι
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: epistamai
Pronunciation: eh-PIS-tah-my
Phonetic Spelling: (ep-is'-tam-ahee)
Definition: To know, to understand, to be acquainted with
Meaning: I know, know of, understand.

Word Origin: From the preposition ἐπί (epi, meaning "upon" or "over") and the verb ἵστημι (histēmi, meaning "to stand" or "to set")

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Hebrew equivalent for "epistamai," similar concepts of knowledge and understanding can be found in Hebrew words like יָדַע (yada, Strong's H3045), which means "to know" or "to perceive."

Usage: The verb "epistamai" conveys a sense of knowing or understanding something thoroughly. It implies a familiarity or acquaintance with a subject, often through experience or study. In the New Testament, it is used to describe a deep, comprehensive knowledge, often in contrast to superficial or incomplete understanding.

Cultural and Historical Background: In the Greco-Roman world, knowledge and understanding were highly valued, especially in philosophical and educational contexts. The term "epistamai" would have been understood as a deeper, more intimate form of knowledge, akin to the insights gained through personal experience or detailed study. This concept of knowledge was important in both Jewish and Hellenistic thought, where wisdom and understanding were seen as virtues.

HELPS Word-studies

1987 epístamai (from 1909 /epí, "fitting on," which intensifies 2476 /hístēmi, "stand") – properly, standing upon, referring to gaining knowledge by prolonged acquaintance, i.e. sustained, personal effort. For the believer, this careful study (observation) builds on taking a stand that Scripture is the Word of God (note the epi, "on").

[1987 (epistamai) expresses "what comes from close and familiar acquaintance" (B. F. Westcott, Lessons of the Revised Version, 101).

1987 (epistamai) in antiquity meant, "skilled in handicraft" (M. Vincent) – referring to knowledge "resulting from prolonged practice" (Thayer, 118).]

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from ephistémi
Definition
to know, to understand
NASB Translation
being acquainted (1), know (6), know about (1), knowing (2), knows (1), understand (2), understands (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 1987: ἐπίσταμαι

ἐπίσταμαι (seems to be the Ionic form of the middle of ἐφίστημι. Isocrates, Aristotle, others, also use ἐπιστῆσαι τήν διάνοιαν, τόν νοῦν, ἑαυτόν for to put one's attention on, fix one's thoughts on; indeed, the simple ἐπιστῆσαι is used in the same sense, by an ellipsis analogous to that of τόν νοῦν with the verbs προσέχειν, ἐπέχειν, and of τήν ὄψιν with προσβάλλειν; see Lobeck ad Phryn., p. 281f Hence, ἐπίσταμαι is properly, to turn oneself or one's mind to, put one's thought upon a thing); from Homer down; the Sept. chiefly for יָדַע ; (cf. German sichworaufverstehen);

a. to be acquainted with: τί, Acts 18:25; James 4:14; Jude 1:10; τινα, Acts 19:15; with reference to what is said or is to be interpreted, to understand: Mark 14:68; 1 Timothy 6:4.

b. to know: περί τίνος, Acts 26:26; followed by an accusative with a participle Acts 24:10 (Winers Grammar, 346 (324); Buttmann, 301 (258)); followed by ὅτι, Acts 15:7; Acts 19:25; Acts 22:19; followed by ὡς, Acts 10:28; by πῶς, Acts 20:18; by ποῦ, Hebrews 11:8. (Synonym: see γινώσκω.)

STRONGS NT 1987a: ἐπίστασιςἐπίστασις, ἐπιστασεως, (ἐφίστημι, ἐφισταμαι), an advancing, approach; incursion, onset, press: τῆς κακίας (Vulg.malorumincursio), 2 Macc. 6:3, where cf. Grimm; used of the pressure of a multitude asking help, counsel, etc., τίνι (on which dative cf. Winers Grammar, § 31, 3; (Buttmann, 180 (156)); Kühner, § 424, 1) to one, 2 Corinthians 11:28 L T Tr WH (but others would have us translate it here by oversight, attention, care, a common meaning of the word in Polybius); used of a tumultuous gathering in Acts 24:12 L T Tr WH. Cf. Buttmann, as above

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
know, understand.

Apparently a middle voice of ephistemi (with nous implied); to put the mind upon, i.e. Comprehend, or be acquainted with -- know, understand.

see GREEK ephistemi

see GREEK nous

Forms and Transliterations
επισταμαι επίσταμαι επίσταμαί ἐπίσταμαι επιστάμενοι επιστάμενοί επιστάμενον επισταμενος επιστάμενος ἐπιστάμενος επισταμένου επισταμένω επιστανται επίστανται ἐπίστανται επίστασαι επιστασθε επίστασθε ἐπίστασθε επισταται επιστάται επίσταται ἐπίσταται επίστη επίστησθε επιστώνται ἐφίσταται ηπιστάμην ηπίσταντό ηπίστω ephistatai ephístatai epistamai epístamai epistamenos epistámenos epistantai epístantai epistasthe epístasthe epistatai epístatai
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Mark 14:68 V-PIM/P-1S
GRK: οἶδα οὔτε ἐπίσταμαι σὺ τί
NAS: nor understand what
KJV: not, neither understand I what thou
INT: I know nor even understand you what

Acts 10:28 V-PIM/P-2P
GRK: αὐτούς Ὑμεῖς ἐπίστασθε ὡς ἀθέμιτόν
NAS: to them, You yourselves know how
KJV: them, Ye know how that it is
INT: them You know how unlawful

Acts 15:7 V-PIM/P-2P
GRK: ἀδελφοί ὑμεῖς ἐπίστασθε ὅτι ἀφ'
NAS: to them, Brethren, you know that in the early
KJV: ye know how that
INT: brothers you know that from

Acts 18:25 V-PPM/P-NMS
GRK: τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἐπιστάμενος μόνον τὸ
NAS: Jesus, being acquainted only
KJV: the Lord, knowing only
INT: Jesus knowing only the

Acts 19:15 V-PIM/P-1S
GRK: τὸν Παῦλον ἐπίσταμαι ὑμεῖς δὲ
NAS: Jesus, and I know about Paul,
KJV: and Paul I know; but who
INT: Paul I am acquainted with you however

Acts 19:25 V-PIM/P-2P
GRK: εἶπεν Ἄνδρες ἐπίστασθε ὅτι ἐκ
NAS: Men, you know that our prosperity
KJV: said, Sirs, ye know that by
INT: he said Men you know that from

Acts 20:18 V-PIM/P-2P
GRK: αὐτοῖς Ὑμεῖς ἐπίστασθε ἀπὸ πρώτης
NAS: to them, You yourselves know, from the first
KJV: unto them, Ye know, from the first
INT: to them You know from the first

Acts 22:19 V-PIM/P-3P
GRK: Κύριε αὐτοὶ ἐπίστανται ὅτι ἐγὼ
NAS: they themselves understand that in one synagogue
KJV: Lord, they know that I
INT: Lord they themselves know that I

Acts 24:10 V-PPM/P-NMS
GRK: ἔθνει τούτῳ ἐπιστάμενος εὐθύμως τὰ
NAS: responded: Knowing that for many
KJV: answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou
INT: nation this knowing more cheerfully [as to] the things

Acts 26:26 V-PIM/P-3S
GRK: ἐπίσταται γὰρ περὶ
NAS: For the king knows about these
KJV: For the king knoweth of these
INT: understands indeed concerning

1 Timothy 6:4 V-PPM/P-NMS
GRK: τετύφωται μηδὲν ἐπιστάμενος ἀλλὰ νοσῶν
NAS: he is conceited [and] understands nothing;
KJV: He is proud, knowing nothing, but
INT: he is puffed up nothing knowing but unhealthy

Hebrews 11:8 V-PPM/P-NMS
GRK: ἐξῆλθεν μὴ ἐπιστάμενος ποῦ ἔρχεται
NAS: and he went out, not knowing where
KJV: not knowing whither
INT: went out not knowing where he is going

James 4:14 V-PIM/P-2P
GRK: οἵτινες οὐκ ἐπίστασθε τὸ τῆς
NAS: Yet you do not know what your life
KJV: Whereas ye know not what
INT: you who not understand what on the

Jude 1:10 V-PIM/P-3P
GRK: ἄλογα ζῷα ἐπίστανται ἐν τούτοις
NAS: and the things which they know by instinct,
KJV: but what they know naturally, as
INT: irrational animals they understand in these things

Strong's Greek 1987
14 Occurrences


ἐπίσταμαι — 2 Occ.
ἐπιστάμενος — 4 Occ.
ἐπίστανται — 2 Occ.
ἐπίστασθε — 5 Occ.
ἐπίσταται — 1 Occ.

















1986b
Top of Page
Top of Page