εἶπον G2036
say, said; aorist form of the verb 'to say'
This is the common aorist (simple past) form meaning 'said' or 'spoke.' While the present tense uses λέγω and the future ἐρῶ, this aorist εἶπον is the standard narrative form for reporting speech. It appears countless times in the Gospels and Acts to introduce direct discourse. The three specific occurrences here are all in Acts 8-9, recording key moments in the early church's expansion.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Across all languages this is rendered as simple past speech: 'said' in English, dijo in Spanish, dire in French, sprach in German. Acts 8:37 (in manuscripts that include it) has the Ethiopian eunuch's confession after Philip's explanation. Acts 9:5 records the risen Jesus' question to Saul on the Damascus road: 'he said, Who are you, Lord?' These uses show the standard narrative function of introducing spoken words, the most common way biblical Greek reports what someone said. 3×
AR["قَالَ"]·ben["বলল"]·DE["sprach"]·EN["he-said", "said"]·FR["dire"]·heb["אָמַר"]·HI["कहा"]·ID["berkata", "{berkata"]·IT["dire"]·jav["matur", "ngandika,", "{ngandika"]·KO["말했다"]·PT["disse"]·RU["сказал"]·ES["dijo"]·SW["akasema"]·TR["dedi"]·urd["کہا"]
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
εἶπον (present ἔπω is used by Refs 2nd c.BC+present in use is φημί, λέγω, ἀγορεύω (see. infr. IV), the future ἐρέω, ἐρῶ, the perfect εἴρηκα), Epic dialect and Lyric poetry ἔειπον Refs 8th c.BC+; subjunctive εἴπω (Epic dialect εἴπωμι Refs 8th c.BC+; optative εἴποιμ; infinitive εἰπεῖν, Epic dialect -έμεναι, -έμεν, Refs; participle εἰπών: also aorist 1 εἶπα (ἔειπα Refs 5th c.BC+ as I said, Refs 1st…