StrongerBible

strephō

στρέφω

GreekG4762turn, return, ...

Appears 22 times · tap a cell to see the verses

Mat 5:39Mat 7:6Mat 9:22Mat 16:23Mat 18:3Mat 27:3Luk 7:9Luk 7:44Luk 9:55Luk 10:22Luk 10:23Luk 14:25Luk 22:61Luk 23:28Jhn 1:38Jhn 12:40Jhn 20:14Jhn 20:16Act 7:39Act 7:42Act 13:46Rev 11:6
Root family
Names & words formed with this
Word studySTREF-ohverb

What strephō means

to turn: to change the direction something faces, moves, or points

TranslatabilityApproximateCertaintySettled

At its root this is the ordinary verb for turning. Most often it describes a person pivoting their body, especially the vivid Gospel picture of someone turning around to face and speak to another ("he turned and said"). From that plain physical core the word stretches in natural directions: turning something back to where it came from (returning it), turning a part of the body toward someone (offering the other cheek), and turning one thing into another (water into blood).

It also carries an inward, figurative sense. A person can turn in heart or allegiance, whether turning back toward an old loyalty, turning toward a new mission, or turning in the deep sense of being changed and converted. In one striking case God himself is the one who turns, meaning he turns away and withdraws.

These are not separate words but one flexible verb. English "turn" happens to bend in almost the same ways, which is why it usually translates well, though a few of its uses need a fuller phrase like "give back" or "be converted."

Nuances

1ato turn oneself around; to turn to face and address someone
Mat 7:6Mat 9:22Mat 16:23Luk 7:9Luk 7:44Luk 9:55Luk 10:22Luk 10:23Luk 14:25Luk 22:61Luk 23:28Jhn 1:38
1bto bring something back; to return it to where it came from
Mat 27:3
1cto turn a part of the body toward someone; to present or offer it
Mat 5:39
1dto change one thing into another
Rev 11:6
1eto turn away; to withdraw and abandon
Act 7:42
1fto turn inwardly: to change one's heart, allegiance, or direction, including being converted
Mat 18:3Jhn 12:40Act 7:39Act 13:46

What scholars say about strephō

The lexica treat strephō as a single verb with a well-mapped range from a concrete transitive turning to intransitive and figurative uses. BDAG distinguishes the transitive senses (to turn something so it faces differently, Matthew 5:39; to change one thing into another, Revelation 11:6; to bring back or return, Matthew 27:3) from the middle and passive uses (to turn oneself around, the frequent participle strapheis; to turn away, Acts 7:42; and the inward turn or conversion of Matthew 18:3 and John 12:40). The physical turning-around use dominates the New Testament, appearing especially in Luke and John as a narrative device. The figurative conversion sense overlaps with the compound epistrephō, which is the more usual verb for turning to God.

Sources

  • BDAG, s.v. στρέφωlexicon
  • Louw and Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains, s.v. στρέφωlexicon
  • G. Bertram, "στρέφω," in Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, vol. 7dictionary

All attested forms of στρέφω

second-aorist passive participle nominative m s

στραφεὶς, στραφείς, Στραφεὶς

Mat 9:22, Mat 16:23, Luk 7:9, Luk 7:44, Luk 9:55, Luk 10:23, Luk 14:25, Luk 22:61

second-aorist active indicative 3s

ἔστρεψεν

Mat 27:3, Act 7:42

aorist active imperative 2s

στρέψον

Mat 5:39

present active infinitive

στρέφειν

Rev 11:6

present passive indicative 1p

στρεφόμεθα

Act 13:46

second-aorist passive indicative 3p

ἐστράφησαν

Act 7:39

second-aorist passive indicative 3s

ἐστράφη

Jhn 20:14

second-aorist passive participle nominative f s

στραφεῖσα

Jhn 20:16

second-aorist passive participle nominative m p

στραφέντες

Mat 7:6

second-aorist passive subjunctive 2p

στραφῆτε

Mat 18:3

second-aorist passive subjunctive 3p

στραφῶσιν

Jhn 12:40