ὑπᾰκού-ω G5219
To obey, submit to authority; to answer a door or respond to a summons
Built from hypo ('under') and akouō ('hear'), hypakouō literally means to 'listen from beneath'—to hear and respond with submission. The Gospels showcase its dramatic force: wind and sea 'obey' Jesus (Matt 8:27; Mark 4:41), and even unclean spirits comply at his command (Mark 1:27). Paul extends it to the obedience of faith (Rom 6:17) and children to parents (Eph 6:1; Col 3:20). The Spanish 'obedece/obedecen' and German 'gehorchen' consistently render this obedience sense. One delightful exception appears in Acts 12:13, where the servant Rhoda goes 'to answer' the gate—preserving the word's older meaning of responding to a knock or call.
Senses
1. obey, be obedient to — To obey, comply with, or submit to an authority's commands. Used of the natural elements obeying Jesus (Matt 8:27; Mark 4:41; Luke 8:25), of evil spirits submitting to his authority (Mark 1:27), and of believers obeying the gospel, masters, or parents. The Spanish 'obedece/obedecen' and French 'obéir' consistently convey willing submission. Covers 20 of 21 occurrences across Gospels and Epistles. 20×
AR["أطاعَت", "أَطيعوا", "أَطَاعَ", "أَطَاعُوا", "أَطَعتُم", "أَطَعْتُمْ", "المُطيعينَ", "تُطيعوا", "تُطيعونَهُ", "تُطِيعُهُ", "لَأَطاعَتْ", "يُطيعانِ", "يُطيعانِهِ", "يُطيعونَ", "يُطيعُ"]·ben["আজ্ঞা-মানে", "তোমরা-বাধ্য-হও", "তোমরা-বাধ্য-হলে", "বাধ্য-হও", "বাধ্য-হত", "বাধ্য-হতে", "বাধ্য-হয়", "বাধ্য-হয়েছ", "বাধ্য-হয়েছিল", "বাধ্য-হল", "বাধ্য-হলেন", "মানছিল", "মানে", "মান্য-করে", "যারা-বাধ্য-হয়", "যারা-মানে"]·DE["gehorchen", "gehorcht"]·EN["it-obeyed", "obey", "obeyed", "obeying", "obeys", "they-obey", "to-obey", "were-obeying", "you-obey", "you-obeyed"]·FR["obéir"]·heb["חֵטְא", "לִשְׁמֹעַ", "מְצַיְּתִים", "מְצַיֵּת", "נִשְׁמְעוּ", "נִשְׁמָעִים", "צִיַּתְּהֶם", "צִיַּתְתֶּם,", "צַיְתוּ", "שִׁמְעוּ", "שָׁמְעָה", "שָׁמְעוּ", "שָׁמַע", "שׁוֹמְעִים", "שׁוֹמֵעַ", "שׁוֹמַעַת"]·HI["अअग्य-मअनो", "अअग्य-मनो", "आज्ञा-मानता", "आज्ञा-मानते-हैं", "आज्ञा-मानते-हो", "आज्ञा-मानने-को", "आज्ञा-माननेवालों-के-लिए", "आज्ञा-माने", "का", "तुमने-अअग्य-मअनि,", "मअने", "मअन्ने-वअलोन", "मानती-थी", "मानते-हैं", "मानने-लगे", "माना"]·ID["ia-akan-taat", "kamu taat", "kamu-menaati", "kamu-taati-", "menaati", "mereka-menaati", "mereka-taat", "taat", "taatilah"]·IT["obbedire", "ubbidire"]·jav["ingkang-manut", "manut", "ngestokaken", "padha-manut", "panjenengan-manut", "panjenengan-manut-", "panjenengan-sedaya-manut"]·KO["복종하는", "복종하면", "불순종하였다", "순종하기", "순종하느냐?", "순종하는-자들에게", "순종하는도다", "순종하라", "순종하였으니", "순종한다", "순종했노라,", "순종했다", "순종했으니", "순종했을-것이다"]·PT["obedece", "obedecei", "obedeceis", "obedecem", "obedeceram", "obedecerdes", "obedeceria", "obedecestes", "obedeceu", "que-Lhe-obedecem"]·RU["из-", "повиновались", "повинуется", "повинуйтесь", "повинуются", "повинующимся", "покорялась", "послушал", "послушалась", "послушалась-бы", "послушались", "послушны", "послушным", "слушается", "слушайтесь"]·ES["obedece", "obedeced", "obedecen", "obedecer", "obedecieron", "obedecisteis", "obedeció", "obedecéis", "obedecían", "os-obedecería", "que-obedecen"]·SW["-", "alimtii", "alitii", "mlitii", "mnamtii", "muitii", "oitii", "ungetii", "vinamtii", "walitii", "wana-m-tii?", "wanamtii", "wanaomtii", "watiini"]·TR["-a", "itaat-edenlere", "itaat-ederdi", "itaat-edin", "itaat-ediyor", "itaat-ediyorlar", "itaat-ediyorsunuz", "itaat-etmek", "itaat-etti", "itaat-ettiler", "itaat-ettiniz"]·urd["اطاعت-کرتا", "اطاعت-کرنے-والوں", "اطاعت-کرو", "جس-کی-اطاعت-کرتے-ہو", "فرمانبردار-ہو-گئے", "فرمانبردار-ہیں", "فرمانبردار-ہے", "فرمانبرداری-کرتے-ہیں", "فرمانبرداری-کرو", "فرمانبرداری-کی", "مان-لیتا", "مانا", "مانتے-رہے", "مانتے-ہیں", "مانی"]
2. answer, listen, hearken — To answer a door or respond to a knock or summons—the word's etymological root sense of 'listening under' or 'hearkening to a call.' In Acts 12:13, the servant girl Rhoda goes hypakousai ('to answer') the gate when Peter knocks. The Spanish 'escuchar' ('to listen') preserves this original nuance of attentive hearing and responding. Only 1 occurrence in the NT, a charming echo of the word's classical Greek heritage. 1×
AR["لِـ-تُجِيبَ"]·ben["সাড়া-দিতে"]·DE["gehorcht"]·EN["to-answer"]·FR["obéir"]·heb["לִשְׁמֹעַ"]·HI["सुनने-को"]·ID["untuk-menjawab"]·IT["obbedire"]·jav["mirengaken,"]·KO["들으려고"]·RU["послушать"]·ES["escuchar"]·SW["kusikiliza,"]·TR["cevap-vermek-için"]·urd["جواب-دینے"]
Related Senses
H8104 1. Qal: keep, observe (law/covenant) (399×)G3101 1. disciple, learner (263×)H5826 1. Qal: to help, aid (53×)H8334 1. to minister, serve (52×)H8334 2. minister, servant, attendant (46×)G5083 1. observe or obey commands (41×)H8104 2. Niphal: beware, take heed (34×)G1247 1. to serve or minister to (32×)H3256 1. discipline, chastise (Piel active) (27×)H5833 1. help, aid, assistance (26×)H8104 3. Qal: watch, look out (26×)H5341 1. keep, observe (commandments) (24×)G5083 2. guard or protect someone (23×)H5647 2. serve, minister to (a person) (21×)H5826 2. Qal participle: helper (21×)H5341 2. guard, protect, preserve (a person) (20×)G1398 1. serve, render service to (19×)H5828 1. help, assistance (19×)H5411 1. Nethinim, temple servants (18×)G3936 1. present, offer, yield (17×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ὑπᾰκού-ω, future -ακούσομαιLXX later -ακούσω Refs __I hearken, give ear, θεοὶ δ᾽ ὑπὸ πάντες ἄκουον Refs 8th c.BC+ __I.2 answer (by voice or act) when called, ἢ ἐξελθέμεναι ἢ ἔνδοθεν αἶψ᾽ ὑπακοῦσαι Refs 8th c.BC+ __I.2.b in a dialogue, answer when questioned, σοι Refs 5th c.BC+ __I.3 listen to, heed, regard, with genitive of things, Refs 5th c.BC+; ὑ. διαίτῃ submit to a regimen, Refs 4th c.BC+; ὑ.…