ἐπαίρω G1869
To lift up, raise (eyes, hands, voice); figuratively to exalt oneself in pride; also to hoist a sail or be taken up.
Compounded from ἐπί ('upon') and αἴρω ('raise'), this verb in its simplest form describes the physical gesture of lifting eyes or hands — among the most common postures of prayer in the ancient world. Luke is especially fond of it: Jesus 'lifted up his eyes' to his disciples before the Beatitudes (Luke 6:20), and the tax collector would not even 'lift up his eyes' to heaven (Luke 18:13). The Spanish 'alzando' (raising) and German 'erheben' (to elevate) reflect this core meaning. Paul repurposes the verb powerfully in 2 Corinthians 10:5, where every proud thought that 'raises itself' against the knowledge of God must be taken captive.
Senses
1. lift up physically — To physically raise or lift up something — typically eyes, hands, or the head — in a concrete, bodily gesture. This is the dominant NT use, appearing in Jesus lifting his eyes (Luke 6:20, John 4:35, 6:5, 11:41, 17:1), the rich man lifting his eyes in Hades (Luke 16:23), and the disciples lifting their eyes at the Transfiguration (Matt 17:8). The Spanish 'alzando' (raising) and German 'erheben' match the straightforward physical action. Luke 24:50 shows Jesus lifting hands to bless. 13×
AR["اِرفَعوا", "اِرْفَعُوا", "رافِعينَ", "رافِعًا", "رافِعَةً", "رَفَعَ", "رَفَعُوا", "يَرفَعَ"]·ben["উত্তোলন-করে", "তুলতে", "তুলিলেন", "তুলে", "তুলেছে", "তোল"]·DE["erheben", "erhebt"]·EN["having-lifted-up", "lift-up", "lifted-up", "lifting", "lifting-up", "to-lift"]·FR["lever", "élever"]·heb["הֵרִים", "הֵרִימָה", "הָרִימוּ", "לְהָרִים", "מְרִימִים", "נָשָׂא", "נוֹשְׂאִים", "נוֹשֵׂא", "שְׂאוּ"]·HI["आवाज़", "उठाओ", "उठाकर", "उठाना", "उठाया", "उथकर", "उथते-हुए"]·ID["angkatlah", "mengangkat", "mengangkatlah"]·IT["alzare", "epairontas"]·jav["Tumenga", "inggahaken", "junjungna", "ngancat", "ngangkat", "nginggahaken", "sasampunipun-ngancat"]·KO["그들-이", "높였다", "들라", "들어", "들어-올려", "들어-올렸다", "들어-올리고", "들어-올리시고", "들어라", "들어올려", "들지"]·PT["erguei", "levantai", "levantando", "levantou", "tendo-levantado"]·RU["возвысил", "воздевая", "поднимите", "подняв", "поднял", "поднять"]·ES["alzad", "alzando", "alzar", "habiendo-alzado", "habiendo-levantado", "levantando", "levantó"]·SW["akainua", "akiinua", "aliinua", "aliniinulia", "inueni", "kuinua", "wakiinua"]·TR["kaldırarak", "kaldırdı", "kaldırmayı", "kaldırın", "kaldırınca", "kaldırıp"]·urd["اوپر-اٹھاؤ", "اُٹھا-کر", "اُٹھائی", "اُٹھانا", "اُٹھایا", "اٹھا-کر", "اٹھاتے-ہوئے", "اٹھاکر", "کہتا-ہوں"]
Matt 17:8, Luke 6:20, Luke 11:27, Luke 16:23, Luke 18:13, Luke 21:28, Luke 24:50, John 4:35, John 6:5, John 13:18, John 17:1, Acts 2:14 (+1 more)
2. raise one's voice — To raise or lift up one's voice, a figurative extension where the object shifts from body part to speech. In Acts 14:11 the Lycaonians 'raised their voices' calling Barnabas Zeus, and in Acts 22:22 the crowd 'raised their voice' demanding Paul's death. The Spanish 'alzaron' and 'levantaron' both preserve the lifting metaphor applied to vocal volume. This is a natural extension of the physical gesture — the mouth opens, the sound rises. 2×
AR["رَفَعوا", "رَفَعُوا"]·ben["তারা-তুলল", "তুললেন"]·DE["erhebt"]·EN["lifted-up", "they-raised"]·FR["élever"]·heb["הֵרִימוּ", "נָשְׂאוּ"]·HI["उठाई"]·ID["mengangkat"]·IT["alzare"]·jav["minggahaken", "ngangkat"]·KO["그들이-높였다", "높였다"]·PT["levantaram"]·RU["возвысили", "подняли"]·ES["alzaron", "levantaron"]·SW["waliinua", "walipaza"]·TR["kaldırdılar", "yükselttiler"]·urd["اُنہوں-نے-اُٹھائی", "اُٹھائی"]
3. exalt oneself — To exalt or elevate oneself in pride or arrogance, used in the middle voice to indicate reflexive self-exaltation. Paul uses it twice in 2 Corinthians: every 'lofty thing raising itself' (ἐπαιρόμενον) against God's knowledge (10:5), and the false apostle who 'exalts himself' over the community (11:20). The Spanish 'se-enaltece' (exalts himself) captures the reflexive middle perfectly. The shift from physical lifting to moral presumption is sharp and memorable. 2×
AR["مُرتَفِعٍ", "يَتَرَفَّعُ"]·ben["উত্থাপিত", "উন্নত-হয়"]·DE["erheben"]·EN["exalts-himself", "raising-itself"]·FR["élever"]·heb["מִתְנַשֵּׂא"]·HI["अपने-आप-को-ऊंचा-करता-है", "उठनेवाली"]·ID["meninggikan-diri", "yang-meninggikan-diri"]·IT["alzare"]·jav["ingkang-dipuninggahaken", "ngunggulaken"]·KO["교만하면", "들린"]·PT["que-se-levanta", "se-exalta"]·RU["поднимающуюся", "превозносится"]·ES["que-se-levanta", "se-enaltece"]·SW["anajinua,", "kinachojinua"]·TR["karşı-duran", "yükselirse"]·urd["اٹھتی", "اپنے-آپ-کو-بڑھاتا-ہے"]
4. hoist a sail — To hoist or raise a sail in a nautical context, a specialized technical application of the basic lifting meaning. In Acts 27:40, during the dramatic shipwreck narrative, the sailors 'hoisted the foresail' (ἐπάραντες τὸν ἀρτέμωνα) to drive toward shore. The Spanish 'habiendo-izado' (having hoisted) is precise maritime vocabulary. This single occurrence shows how naturally the verb adapts to specific physical contexts. 1×
AR["لَمَّا-رَفَعُوا"]·ben["তুলিয়া"]·DE["erhebt"]·EN["having-hoisted"]·FR["élever"]·heb["הֵרִימוּ"]·HI["उठाकर"]·ID["mengangkat"]·IT["alzare"]·jav["angkat"]·KO["올리고"]·PT["tendo-içado"]·RU["поднявши"]·ES["habiendo-izado"]·SW["wakiinua"]·TR["açıp"]·urd["اٹھا-کر"]
5. be lifted up (passive) — To be lifted up or taken up passively, describing bodily elevation by divine power. In Acts 1:9, Christ 'was lifted up' (ἐπήρθη) before the disciples' eyes as a cloud received him — the Ascension itself. The passive voice sets this apart from all other senses: the subject does not lift but is lifted. The Spanish 'fue-levantado' (was raised) preserves the passive construction. This theological use transforms a common physical verb into a vehicle for describing divine action in history. 1×
AR["اُرْتُفِعَ"]·ben["তুলিয়া-নেওয়া-হইলেন"]·DE["erhebt"]·EN["he-was-lifted-up"]·FR["élever"]·heb["נִשָּׂא"]·HI["और"]·ID["Ia-diangkat,"]·IT["alzare"]·jav["kawunggahaken,"]·KO["그-가"]·PT["foi-levantado"]·RU["Он-был-поднят,"]·ES["fue-levantado"]·SW["aliinuliwa"]·TR["alındı-yukarı"]·urd["اُٹھایا-گیا"]
Related Senses
H0935 1. come, arrive (Qal) (2413×)G1473 1. first person singular pronoun (2084×)H3318 1. Qal: go out, depart, come forth (891×)H7725 1. to return, come/go back (Qal) (874×)H5927 1. go up, ascend (Qal) (779×)H7971 1. to send, dispatch (Qal) (701×)G2064 1. come / arrive (physical movement toward) (588×)H5307 1. Qal: fall down physically (339×)H5375 1. Qal: to lift up, raise (330×)H5975 1. to stand, stand up (310×)H5674a 1. Qal: pass by, pass through (256×)H3381 1. Qal: to go down, descend (physical movement) (242×)G1831 1. go/come out physically (193×)H5337 1. deliver, rescue, save (Hifil) (188×)H7901 1. lie down, rest, sleep (183×)G1525 1. enter a place physically (179×)H7812 1. prostrate oneself, bow down, worship (173×)H3318 2. Hifil: bring out, lead out, take out (persons) (172×)H7725 2. to bring back, restore (Hifil) (151×)H5674a 2. Qal: cross over (134×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἐπαίρω, Ionic dialect and poetry ἐπᾰείρω Refs 8th c.BC+: future ἐπᾱρῶ (contraction from ᾰερ-) Refs 5th c.BC+: aorist ἐπῆρα, participle ἐπάρας Refs 5th c.BC+: perfect ἐπῆρκα Refs 4th c.BC+ —passive, aorist ἐπήρθην, participle ἐπαρθείς: lift up and set on, [αὐτὸν] ἀμαξάων ἐπάειρραν lifted and set him upon.., Refs 8th c.BC+ __2 lift, raise, κεφαλὴν ἐπαείρας Refs 5th c.BC+; πάντες ἐπῆραν (i.e. τὴν…