◄ 1888. epautophóró ►
Strong's Lexicon epautophóró: Caught in the act Original Word: ἐπαυτοφώρῳ Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: epautophóró Pronunciation: eh-pow-toh-FOR-oh Phonetic Spelling: (ep-ow-tof-o'-ro) Definition: in the very act. Meaning: The term ἐπαυτοφώρῳ is used to describe someone caught in the very act of committing a crime or sin, with the implication of being caught red-handed or with undeniable evidence. Word Origin: Derived from the Greek preposition "ἐπί" (epi, meaning "upon" or "in") and the adjective "αὐτόφωρος" (autophōros, meaning "caught in the act" or "self-evident"). Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Hebrew equivalent for ἐπαυτοφώρῳ, the concept of being caught in the act can be related to Hebrew terms that describe sin and transgression, such as חֵטְא (chet, Strong's H2403) for "sin" or עָוֹן (avon, Strong's H5771) for "iniquity." These terms often appear in contexts where the consequences of sin are evident and undeniable. Usage: This term is used in the context of describing a situation where an individual is apprehended while actively engaged in wrongdoing, leaving no room for denial or doubt about their actions. Context: The Greek term ἐπαυτοφώρῳ appears in the New Testament in the context of the story of the woman caught in adultery, as found in John 8:4. The scribes and Pharisees bring a woman to Jesus, stating, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery." The use of ἐπαυτοφώρῳ emphasizes the immediacy and certainty of the accusation, as the woman was apprehended during the commission of the act itself. This term underscores the legal and moral implications of the situation, as the accusers sought to test Jesus' adherence to Mosaic Law, which prescribed stoning for such offenses. The narrative highlights themes of justice, mercy, and the challenge of upholding the law while embodying compassion. Jesus' response, urging those without sin to cast the first stone, shifts the focus from legalistic judgment to personal introspection and grace. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin variant reading for autophóros, q.v. Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1888: ἐπαυτοφώρῳ ἐπαυτοφώρῳ, see αὐτόφωρος, p. 87{b}. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance in the very act. From epi and autos and (the dative case singular of) a derivative of phor (a thief); in theft itself, i.e. (by analogy) in actual crime -- in the very act. see GREEK epi see GREEK autos Forms and Transliterations αυτοφωρω αὐτοφώρῳ επαυτοφώρω autophoro autophōrō autophṓroi autophṓrōi Links Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts Englishman's Concordance John 8:4 Adj-DMS GRK: κατείληπται ἐπ' αὐτοφώρῳ μοιχευομένη KJV: in adultery, in the very act. INT: was taken in the very act committing adultery Strong's Greek 1888 1 Occurrence αὐτοφώρῳ — 1 Occ.