προσκᾰλέω G4341
To summon or call to oneself, used characteristically of Jesus gathering disciples or crowds
A compound verb (πρός + καλέω, 'to call toward'), προσκαλέω appears almost exclusively in the middle voice (προσκαλεσάμενος) in the NT, conveying personal initiative—'having summoned to himself.' It is the signature verb for Jesus calling his disciples into mission (Matt 10:1), drawing crowds for teaching (Matt 15:10), and summoning individuals for private instruction (Matt 18:2, 32). Spanish 'habiendo-llamado' and French 'appeler-à-soi' both capture the reflexive directional force. The word carries authority without coercion: the one who calls expects willing approach.
Senses
1. to summon, call to oneself — To call or summon someone toward oneself, consistently in the middle voice, expressing personal authority and initiative. Jesus uses it to commission the Twelve (Matt 10:1), gather crowds for crucial teaching (Mark 7:14, Matt 15:10), and single out individuals (Matt 18:2). In Acts, the Holy Spirit uses the same verb to set apart Barnabas and Saul for mission (Acts 13:2), extending the pattern of divine summoning. 29×
AR["إِذْ-دَعاهُم", "دَاعِيًا", "دَعا", "دَعاهُمْ", "دَعَا", "دَعَاهُ", "دَعَوْا", "فَدَعَا", "مُسْتَدْعِيًا", "مُنادِيًا", "مُنَادِينَ"]·ben["ডাকিয়া", "ডেকে"]·DE["herbeirufen", "ruft-herbei"]·EN["calling-together", "having-called", "having-called-to-himself", "having-summoned", "summoning"]·FR["appeler", "appeler-à-soi"]·heb["קָרְאוּ", "קָרָא", "קָרָא-לָהֶם", "קֹרֵא", "קוֹרֵא"]·HI["प्रेरितों-को", "बुलकर", "बुलाकर"]·ID["Memanggil", "memanggil", "setelah-memanggil"]·IT["chiamare-a-se", "chiamare-a-sé"]·jav["nimbali", "sasampunipun-nimbali"]·KO["그리고", "부르고", "부르셔서", "부르시고", "부른-후에", "불러", "불러서"]·PT["chamando", "tendo-chamado", "tendo-os-chamado,"]·RU["подозвав", "призвав"]·ES["habiendo-convocado", "habiendo-llamado", "llamando"]·SW["akiliita", "akimwita", "akiwaita", "wakiwaita", "wao"]·TR["yanına-çağırarak", "yanına-çağırıp", "çağıran", "çağırarak", "çağırıp"]·urd["بلا-کر", "بُلا-کر"]
Matt 10:1, Matt 15:10, Matt 15:32, Matt 18:2, Matt 18:32, Matt 20:25, Mark 3:13, Mark 3:23, Mark 6:7, Mark 7:14, Mark 8:1, Mark 8:34 (+17 more)
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
προσκᾰλέω, call on, summon, τινας Refs 5th c.BC+; address, accost, ὀνόματι Refs 2nd c.AD+ __2 metaphorically, call forth, excite, ἔκκρισιν Refs 2nd c.AD+ __II middle with perfect passive (see. below), call to oneself, invite, summon, τινα variant in Refs 5th c.BC+; especially call to one's aid, τινα Philipp. cited in Refs 4th c.BC+; τινὰ ἐς τὴν πολιτείαν uncertain reading in Refs 1st c.AD+ to…