ἐπακρο-άομαι G1874
to listen to, give ear to
A compound verb synonymous with ἐπακούω, meaning to listen attentively or hearken. Acts 16:25 describes prisoners 'listening to' (ἐπηκροῶντο) Paul and Silas as they prayed and sang hymns at midnight. The imperfect tense suggests continuous action: the other prisoners were actively listening, captivated by this unusual worship in the depths of the jail.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Luke captures the prisoners as an audience to midnight worship. The Spanish 'escuchaban,' French 'soutenir' (or contextually, listening), and the Greek form itself all emphasize attentive hearing. This scene of captive listeners sets the stage for the earthquake that will shake the prison and lead to the jailer's conversion. The verb implies more than casual hearing—rapt attention to extraordinary praise. 1×
AR["كانوا-يَسمَعونَ"]·ben["শুনছিল"]·DE["ἐπηκροῶντο"]·EN["were-listening"]·FR["soutenir"]·heb["הִקְשִׁיבוּ"]·HI["सुनते-थे"]·ID["mendengarkan"]·IT["ascoltare-con-attenzione"]·jav["mirengaken"]·KO["듣고-있었다"]·PT["Escutavam"]·RU["слушали"]·ES["escuchaban"]·SW["waliwasikia"]·TR["dinliyorlardı"]·urd["سُنتے-تھے"]
Related Senses
H7200 1. Qal: to see, perceive (1257×)G4771 2. you (singular address) (1077×)H8085 1. Qal: hear, perceive aurally (921×)H0859a 1. you (2nd person masculine singular pronoun) (743×)H0398 1. eat (consume food) (697×)H4191 1. die (Qal: natural/general death) (645×)G3708 1. see, perceive visually (419×)G0191 1. hear, perceive sound (360×)H???? 3. (352×)G3708 2. behold, look (exclamatory) (256×)H7272 1. foot (body part) (236×)H8354 1. drink, consume liquid (209×)H3205 1. Qal active: bear/give birth (female subject) (204×)H3205 2. Qal active: beget/father (male subject) (198×)H2421 1. Qal: live, be alive (177×)H8085 2. Qal: listen, heed, pay attention (172×)H2416a 1. alive, living (state/attribute) (146×)H2416e 1. life, lifespan, lifetime (145×)G2198 1. be alive, have life (133×)H8193 1. lip, lips (body part) (123×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἐπακρο-άομαι, ={ἐπακούω}, absolutely, NT+5th c.BC+; τὸν λόγον Ant. Refs 4th c.AD+ ἐπακρό-ᾱσις, εως, ἡ, hearkening, obedience, LXX