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.
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"]
Matt 8:27, Mark 1:27, Mark 4:41, Luke 8:25, Luke 17:6, Acts 6:7, Rom 6:12, Rom 6:16, Rom 6:17, Rom 10:16, Eph 6:1, Eph 6:5 (+8 more)
▼ 1 more sense below
Senses
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×)H5647 1. worship, serve (God/deity) (203×)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×)
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.…