ἐπικᾰλέω G1941
To call upon or invoke (God); to be called or surnamed (passive); to appeal to a legal authority
Epikaleo moves across three vividly distinct spheres in the New Testament: worship, naming, and law. Peter at Pentecost proclaims that 'everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved' (Acts 2:21), anchoring the verb in the language of prayer and invocation drawn from Joel 2:32. Luke then uses the passive form for surnames: Joseph Barsabbas 'who was called Justus' (Acts 1:23), Barnabas 'who was called the son of encouragement' (Acts 4:36). Finally, Paul's dramatic appeal to Caesar (Acts 25:11) introduces a technical legal sense that would have resonated immediately with any Roman reader. Spanish helpfully differentiates 'invocando' (invoking) from 'es llamado' (is called) and 'apelo' (I appeal).
Senses
1. call upon or invoke — To call upon a deity or the divine name in prayer, worship, or supplication. Acts 2:21 quotes Joel's promise that whoever 'calls upon' the Lord's name will be saved, and Stephen 'calls upon' the Lord Jesus as he is stoned (Acts 7:59). The religious register is stable across translations: Spanish 'invocando/invocarán,' French 'invoquer,' German 'anrufen.' 13×
AR["أَستَشهِدُ", "الدَّاعِينَ", "الدّاعينَ", "الَّذينَ-يَدْعونَ", "تَدعونَ", "دَاعِيًا", "دَعَوا", "يَدْعُو", "يَدْعُونَ"]·ben["আহ্বান-করিবে", "আহ্বান-করে", "ডাকছি", "ডাকত", "ডাকতে", "ডাকনেওয়ালাদের-জন্যে", "ডাকবে", "ডাকা", "ডাকে", "ডেকেছিল", "তারা-ডাকবে", "তোমরা-ডাক", "যারা-ডাকছে"]·DE["anrufen", "ruft-an"]·EN["I-call-upon", "calling-on", "calling-out", "calling-upon", "calls-upon", "shall-call-upon", "shall-they-call-upon", "they-called", "you-call-upon"]·FR["invoquer"]·heb["הַקּוֹרְאִים", "יִקְרְאוּ", "יִקְרָא", "קָרְאוּ", "קֹרְאִים", "קוֹרְאִים", "קוֹרֵא", "תִּקְרְאוּ"]·HI["और", "पुकअरने-वअलोन", "पुकारकर", "पुकारते-हुए", "पुकारते-हो", "पुकारने-वालों", "पुकारनेवालों", "पुकारें", "पुकारेगा", "बुलाता-हूं", "बुलाया"]·ID["berseru", "kamu-menyebut", "memanggil", "mereka-akan-berseru", "mereka-sebut", "yang-berseru", "yang-memanggil", "yang-menyeru"]·IT["epekalesan", "epikaleisthe", "epikaloumenōn", "invocare"]·jav["dipun-sebut,", "ingkang-nyebat", "kula-nyebat", "nyebat", "nyebut", "sami-badhé-nyebat"]·KO["그-", "부르거든", "부르는", "부르는-자들", "부르는-자들과", "부르는-자들에게", "부르리요", "부르며", "부르면", "부르어", "부른다", "불렀으니"]·PT["chamaram", "invocais", "invocando", "invocar", "invocarão", "invoco", "que-invocam", "que-invocam-", "que-invocavam"]·RU["-имя", "взывающего", "назвали", "призвав", "призовут", "призовёт", "призываете", "призываю", "призывающими", "призывающих"]·ES["invocando", "invocare", "invocarán", "invoco", "invocáis", "invoque", "llamaron", "que-invocan"]·SW["akiomba", "atakayeliitia", "liitia", "mnamwita", "ninamwita", "ukiliitia", "walimwita,", "wamwitie", "wanaoliita", "wanaoliitia"]·TR["-o", "ismini", "yalvaracaklar", "yalvaranlara", "yalvarırsa", "çağıran", "çağıranları", "çağırarak", "çağırdılarsa", "çağırıyorsanız", "çağırıyorum"]·urd["بُلاتا-ہوں", "تم-پکارتے-ہو", "پکارتے-ہوئے", "پکارتے-ہیں", "پکارنے-والوں", "پکارنے-والوں-کے", "پکاریں-گے", "پکارے", "پکارے-گا", "کہا"]
Matt 10:25, Acts 2:21, Acts 7:59, Acts 9:14, Acts 9:21, Acts 22:16, Rom 10:12, Rom 10:13, Rom 10:14, 1 Cor 1:2, 2 Cor 1:23, 2 Tim 2:22 (+1 more)
2. be called or surnamed — In the passive, to be given a name, title, or surname. Barnabas 'was called' son of encouragement (Acts 4:36), and Simon 'was called' Peter (Acts 10:5, 18, 32). Spanish distinguishes this cleanly with 'es llamado/fue llamado,' shifting from the active invocation of God to the social act of designation. 11×
AR["المَدعوَّ", "المُلَقَّبُ", "دُعِيَ", "لُقِّبَ", "يُدْعَى", "ٱلْمُدْعَوَّ", "ٱلْمُدْعَوُّ", "ٱلْمُدْعَوِّ"]·ben["ডাকনাম", "ডাকা", "ডাকা-হইয়াছিলেন", "ডাকা-হতে", "ডাকা-হয়", "ডাকা-হয়েছে"]·DE["anrufen", "ruft-an"]·EN["being-called", "called-upon", "has-been-called", "having-been-called", "is-called", "to-be-called", "was-surnamed"]·FR["invoquer"]·heb["הַ-", "הַמְּכֻנֶּה", "כֻּנָּה", "לְהִקָּרֵא", "נִקְרָא"]·HI["कहलाता-था", "कहलाता-है", "कहलाने", "कहलाया-था", "पुकारा-गया", "पुकारा-गया-है", "प्रेरितों-द्वारा", "यूस्तुस"]·ID["dijuluki", "dipanggil", "disebut", "yang-disebut"]·IT["epikaleisthai", "epiklēthen", "invocare"]·jav["dipun-namèni", "dipun-sebat", "dipunsebat", "kang-kasebat", "kasebat"]·KO["그-는", "별명된", "별명이-있는", "별명인", "불려진", "불리기를", "불리는", "불리웠다", "불린다"]·PT["foi-sobrenomeado", "invocado", "ser-chamado", "tendo-sido-sobrenomeado", "é-invocado"]·RU["был-прозван", "названного", "называемого", "называемый", "называется", "называться", "наречено", "призванное", "прозванный"]·ES["es-llamado", "fue-llamado", "ha-sido-invocado", "invocado", "llamado", "ser-llamado"]·SW["aitwaye", "aliitwa", "aliyeitwa", "anaitwa", "kuitwa", "limeitwa", "mlilioitwa"]·TR["anılan", "lakıplı", "çağrılan", "çağrıldı", "çağrılmaktan", "çağrılmıştır", "çağrılır"]·urd["پکارا-گیا", "پکارا-گیا-ہے", "کہلاتا-ہے", "کہلاتے-ہوئے", "کہلایا-جاتا-تھا", "کہلوانے-میں"]
3. appeal to legally — A legal-technical sense: to make a formal appeal to a higher judicial authority. Paul 'appeals to Caesar' (Acts 25:11-12), Festus confirms the appeal (Acts 25:25), and Agrippa notes Paul could have been freed had he not 'appealed' (Acts 26:32). Spanish 'apelo/habiendo apelado' and English 'I appeal to' mark this as courtroom language far removed from the prayer register. 6×
AR["أَستَأنِفَ", "أَسْتَأْنِفُ", "اسْتَأْنَفَ", "اسْتَأْنَفْتَ", "لَمَّا-اسْتَأْنَفَ"]·ben["আপীল-করিত", "আপীল-করিতে", "আপীল-করিতেছি", "আপীল-করিয়া", "আপীল-করিয়াছ"]·DE["ruft-an"]·EN["I-appeal-to", "having-appealed", "having-appealed-to", "he-had-appealed-to", "to-appeal-to", "you-have-appealed-to"]·FR["invoquer"]·heb["לְהִתְרַצֵּאת", "קָרָא", "קָרָאתָ", "קוֹרֵא"]·HI["तूनेदुहाईदी", "दुहाईदीथी", "दुहाईदेकर", "दुहाईदेताहूँ!", "पुकारने"]·ID["naik-banding", "naik-banding!", "naik-banding,"]·IT["invocare"]·jav["kula-sesuwun!", "panjenengan-sesuwun,", "sesuwun"]·KO["상소하기를", "상소하여", "상소하였더라면", "상소하였으니", "상소한다"]·PT["a-apelar", "apelaste,", "apelo!", "tendo-apelado", "tivesse-apelado"]·RU["воззвать", "призвавшего", "призвал", "призываю"]·ES["a-apelar", "apelo", "habiendo-apelado", "has-apelado", "hubiera-apelado"]·SW["alikata-rufaa", "alipokata-rufani", "kukata-rufaa", "ninakata-rufani", "umekata-rufani"]·TR["Sezar'a", "başvurdun", "başvurmuş-olsaydı", "başvurunca", "başvuruyorum"]·urd["اپیل-کرنا", "اپیل-کرنے-پر", "اپیل-کی-ہوتی", "تُو-نے-پکارا-ہے", "میں-پکارتا-ہوں"]
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)H7592 1. ask, inquire, question (96×)H3034 1. give thanks, praise (Hifil) (94×)G1321 1. teach, instruct actively (92×)H3789 2. Qal active: write, compose (89×)G1125 1. to write, compose (a letter or document) (84×)H5046 2. Hifil: to declare, proclaim (79×)H7892a 1. song, musical composition (78×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἐπικᾰλέω, summon a god to a sacrifice or as witness to an oath, etc., invoke, θεόν NT+5th c.BC+; ἐ. θεόν τινι invoke a god over one, to be gracious to him, Refs 5th c.BC+; or, watch over his good faith, Refs:— middle,Refs 1st c.BC+ __b. pray for, πρὸ καιροῦ τὸν θάνατον “PLond.” 5.1676.24 Refs 6th c.AD+ __2. invite, γέροντας ἐπὶ πλέονας καλέσαντες 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey”…