ἐπίστᾰμαι G1987
To know, be acquainted with; to understand or comprehend through experience or intellectual grasp.
A middle-voice verb expressing knowledge rooted in competence and familiarity rather than abstract cognition. Unlike ginosko (relational knowing) or oida (intuitive perception), epistamai carries overtones of skilled, experiential knowledge -- the demon's chilling declaration 'Jesus I know (ginosko) and Paul I am acquainted with (epistamai)' in Acts 19:15 reveals its nuance of recognizing someone's proven power. It appears frequently in Acts for practical knowledge: Apollos knew the baptism of John (Acts 18:25), Cornelius knew Jewish customs (Acts 10:28), and craftsmen knew their trade was at risk (Acts 19:25). Spanish distinguishes its senses neatly: 'conoce/saben' for experiential acquaintance versus 'entienden' for comprehension.
Senses
1. know, be acquainted with — To know or be acquainted with something or someone through experience, familiarity, or recognized competence. The evil spirit's 'Paul I know about' (epistamai, Acts 19:15) conveys recognition of proven authority rather than mere awareness. Used across Acts for practical, situational knowledge: Peter knows it is unlawful for a Jew to associate with Gentiles (Acts 10:28), Apollos knew only John's baptism (Acts 18:25), and silversmiths knew their livelihood depended on Artemis worship (Acts 19:25). Spanish 'conoce' and 'saben' consistently render this experiential-acquaintance dimension, while German 'verstehen' sometimes shades toward competence. 12×
AR["أَعْلَمُ", "تَعلَمونَ", "تَعْلَمُونَ", "عَارِفًا", "عَالِمًا", "لا-يَعْرِفُ", "يَعْلَمُ", "يَعْلَمُونَ"]·ben["আমি-চিনি", "জান", "জানিয়া", "জানে", "জানে-না,", "জানো", "জেনে", "তোমরা-জান"]·DE["verstehen", "versteht"]·EN["I-know-about", "know", "knowing", "knows", "understanding", "you-know"]·FR["savoir"]·heb["אֲנִי-מַכִּיר", "יוֹדְעִים", "יוֹדְעִים-אַתֶּם", "יוֹדֵעַ", "כִּי"]·HI["जअन्ते-हुए", "जानता-हुआ", "जानताहै", "जानते", "जानते-हुए", "जानते-हैं", "जानते-हो", "जानतेहुए", "पहचानता-हूँ"]·ID["Mengetahui", "aku-tahu", "kamu-tahu", "mengenal", "mengetahui", "mengetahui,", "tahu", "yang-mengerti"]·IT["conoscere", "epistamenos", "epistasthe"]·jav["kula-pirsa", "mangertos", "mangertos,", "mangertosi,", "panjenengan-pirsa", "pirsa", "sumerep"]·KO["내가-알거니와", "너희가-알거니와", "안다", "알거니와", "알고-있다", "알고-있으므로", "알면서도", "알지", "알지-못하는", "알지-못하는-자,"]·PT["sabe", "sabeis", "sabeis,", "sabendo", "sei;"]·RU["вы-знаете", "знает", "знаете", "знаете,", "знают", "зная", "понимаю;"]·ES["conoce", "conociendo", "saben", "sabiendo", "sabéis", "sé"]·SW["-", "akijua", "anajua", "hamjui", "jue", "mnajua", "nikijua", "ninamfahamu", "wanajua"]·TR["anlamıyor", "bilerek", "biliyor", "biliyorlar", "biliyorsunuz", "biliyorum", "bilmezsiniz"]·urd["جانتا-ہوا", "جانتا-ہے", "جانتے", "جانتے-ہو", "جانتے-ہوئے", "جانتے-ہیں", "پہچانتا-ہوں"]
2. understand, comprehend — To understand or comprehend the nature or significance of something, emphasizing intellectual grasp rather than experiential acquaintance. Jude 1:10 warns that people 'revile what they do not understand' (epistantai), pairing ignorance with instinctive corruption. Mark 14:68 captures Peter's panicked denial: 'I neither know nor understand what you are saying.' Spanish 'entienden/entiendo' and French 'comprennent' clearly distinguish this comprehension sense from the broader knowing of sense 1, highlighting the cognitive dimension of grasping meaning rather than merely being familiar with facts. 2×
amh["የሚያውቁትን"]·AR["أَفْهَمُ", "يعرفون"]·ben["বুঝি", "বোঝে"]·ces["znají"]·dan["de-forstår,"]·DE["verstehen", "verstehen-sie"]·ell["επίστανται,"]·EN["I-understand", "they-understand"]·FR["comprennent,", "savoir"]·guj["સમજે-છે,"]·hat["konprann"]·hau["sun-sani"]·heb["מֵבִין-אֲנִי", "מבינים"]·HI["समझता-हूँ", "समझते-हैं"]·hun["tudnak"]·ID["aku-mengerti", "mereka-pahami"]·IT["capiscono", "epistamai"]·jav["mangertos", "pirsa"]·JA["彼らは知っている"]·KO["이해하는-것들로", "이해하지-못한다"]·mar["समजतात,"]·mya["နားလည်ကြ"]·nld["zij-verstaan"]·nor["forstår"]·pnb["جاندے"]·pol["rozumieją"]·PT["entendem", "entendo"]·ron["pricep,"]·RU["понимаю", "понимают"]·ES["entienden", "entiendo"]·SW["sielewi", "wanaelewa"]·swe["känner"]·tam["அறிகிறார்களோ"]·tel["తెలియునో"]·tgl["nauunawaan"]·TH["เข้าใจ"]·TR["anlıyorlar,", "anlıyorum"]·ukr["розуміють"]·urd["سمجھتا", "سمجھتے-ہیں"]·VI["họ-hiểu"]·yor["wọ́n-mọ̀,"]·yue["明白"]·ZH["理解的"]
Related Senses
H3045 1. Qal: to know, perceive, understand (829×)H5315 1. soul, inner being (647×)H3820a 1. heart, inner self (mind/will/emotion) (572×)H4672 1. Qal: find, discover (289×)G1492 1. know facts or truths (285×)H3824 1. heart, inner self (mind/will/emotion) (250×)H1245 1. seek, search for (200×)G1097 1. know, be acquainted with (196×)H2142 1. Qal: remember, recall (173×)G2588 1. heart (inner self, mind, will) (158×)H0977 1. choose, select (Qal active) (145×)G2147 1. find, discover (144×)G5590 1. soul, inner self (100×)H4672 2. Niphal: be found, be discovered (99×)H1875 1. seek, search for (96×)H5315 2. life, vitality (94×)H1847 1. knowledge, discernment (90×)H2450 1. wise, prudent (84×)H7911 1. Qal: to forget (83×)H3684 1. fool, dullard (70×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἐπίστᾰμαι, 2 person -ασαιRefs 6th c.BC+, contraction ἐπίστω Refs 5th c.BC+; subjunctive Ionic dialect ἐπιστέωμαι Refs 5th c.BC+, Attic dialect ἐπίστωμαι Refs 5th c.BC+: imperfect ἠπιστάμην Refs 8th c.BC+; Ionic dialect 3rd.pers. plural ἠπιστέατο or ἐπιστέατο Refs: future ἐπιστήσομαι Refs 8th c.BC+: aorist 1 ἠπιστήθην Refs 5th c.BC+ __I. know how to do, be able to do, capable of doing,…