1869. epairó

Lexical Summary

epairó: To lift up, to raise, to exalt

Original Word: ἐπαίρω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: epairó
Pronunciation: eh-pah-EE-ro
Phonetic Spelling: (ep-ahee'-ro)
KJV: exalt self, poise (lift, take) up
NASB: raised, lifted, lifting, lift, exalts, hoisting, turning
Word Origin: [from G1909 (ἐπί - over) and G142 (αἴρω - take)]

1. to raise up
{literally or figuratively}

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

exalt self, poise, lift up.

From epi and airo; to raise up (literally or figuratively) -- exalt self, poise (lift, take) up.

see GREEK epi

see GREEK airo

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from epi and airó
Definition
to lift up
NASB Translation
exalts (1), hoisting (1), lift (3), lifted (4), lifting (4), raised (5), turning (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 1869: ἐπαίρω

ἐπαίρω; 1 aorist ἐπῆρα, participle ἐπάρας, imperative 2 person plural ἐπάρατε, infinitive ἐπᾶραι; perfect ἐπηρκα (John 13:18 Tdf.); (passive and middle, present ἐπαίρομαι); 1 aorist passive ἐπηρθην; (on the omission of the iota subscript, see αἴρω at the beginning); from Herodotus down; the Sept. chiefly for נָשָׂא, also for הֵרִים; to lift up, raise up, raise on high: τόν ἀρτέμονα, to hoist up, Acts 27:40 (τά ἱστία, Plutarch, mor., p. 870 (de Herod. malign. § 39)); τάς χεῖρας, in offering prayer, 1 Timothy 2:8 (Nehemiah 8:6; Psalm 133:2 ()); in blessing, Luke 24:50 (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 65, 4 c.) (Leviticus 9:22 (yet here ἐξάρας); Sir. 50:20); τάς κεφαλάς, of the timid and sorrowful recovering spirit, Luke 21:28 (so αὐχένα, Philo de secular § 20); τούς ὀφθαλμούς, to look up, Matthew 17:8; Luke 16:23; John 4:35; John 6:5; εἰς τινα, Luke 6:20; εἰς τόν οὐρανόν, Luke 18:13; John 17:1; τήν φωνήν, Luke 11:27; Acts 2:14; Acts 14:11; Acts 22:22 (Demosthenes 449, 13; the Sept. Judges 2:4; Judges 9:7; 2 Samuel 13:36); τήν πτέρναν ἐπί τινα, to lift the heel against one (see πτέρνα), John 13:18. Passive ἐπήρθη, was taken up (of Christ, taken up into heaven), Acts 1:9; reflexively and metaphorically, to be lifted up with pride, to exalt oneself: 2 Corinthians 11:20 (Jeremiah 13:15; Psalm 46:10 (); Sir. 11:4 Sir. 35:1 (Sir. 32:1); 1 Macc. 1:3 1 Macc. 2:63; Aristophanes nub. 810; Thucydides 4, 18; Aeschines 87, 24; with the dative of the thing of which one is proud, Proverbs 3:5; Zephaniah 1:11; Herodotus 9, 49; Thucydides 1, 120; Xenophon, Cyril 8, 5, 24); — on 2 Corinthians 10:5 see ὕψωμα.

Topical Lexicon

Overview of Usage

The verb translated “lift up,” “raise,” or “exalt” appears nineteen times in the New Testament and functions on two complementary planes: literal elevation of eyes, hands, voices, sails, or a person, and figurative elevation—either God–honoring (faith, prayer, proclamation) or self-exalting (pride, oppression). The contexts reveal a unified biblical theology in which true lifting must accord with humble dependence on the Lord, while self-promotion invites judgment.

Physical Elevation in Narrative Scenes

• Luke 6:20; Matthew 17:8; John 6:5; John 4:35 portray Jesus “lifting up” His eyes—simple narrative detail that signals His sovereign awareness and compassion.
• Luke 24:50 records, “He lifted up His hands and blessed them,” echoing Old Testament priestly benedictions and underlining Christ’s mediatorial role.
• Acts 27:40 uses the verb of hoisting a sail, showing its everyday nautical sense, yet even here the rescued crew’s hope parallels spiritual deliverance.
• Acts 1:9, “He was taken up, and a cloud hid Him from their sight,” climaxes the Gospel story; the passive voice stresses the Father’s action in exalting the Son, fulfilling Psalm 110:1.

Prayer and Worship

• Luke 18:13 contrasts the tax collector who “would not even lift up his eyes to heaven” with those who presumptuously do so; humility gains the Lord’s favor.
• 1 Timothy 2:8 instructs, “I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or dissension.” Bodily posture mirrors inner purity, continuing the Hebrew pattern of worship (Psalm 28:2; 63:4).
• Luke 24:50 and John 17:1 show Jesus Himself lifting hands and eyes, legitimizing such gestures in corporate and private devotion.

Public Proclamation and Voice

• Acts 2:14; Acts 14:11; Acts 22:22; Luke 11:27 record voices being “raised.” Whether Spirit-filled preaching (Peter), idolatrous acclaim (Lycaonians), mob fury (Jerusalem crowd), or a spontaneous blessing (anonymous woman), the verb highlights the moral quality of what is lifted. The church must raise its voice for truth, not error.

Eschatological Hope

• Luke 21:28: “Stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” The same verb that marks Christ’s ascension now summons believers to confident expectation amid tribulation, linking present perseverance with future deliverance.

Mission and Harvest

• John 4:35: “Lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are ripe for harvest.” Spiritual sight precedes missionary action. The verb implies intentional re-orientation from immediate concerns to God’s broader redemptive agenda.

Warnings against Pride and Oppression

• 2 Corinthians 10:5 speaks of “every presumption set up against the knowledge of God,” and 2 Corinthians 11:20 rebukes false teachers who “exalt” themselves. The verb exposes intellectual and relational arrogance that undermines gospel purity.
• John 13:18 cites Psalm 41:9: “He who shared My bread has lifted up his heel against Me.” Betrayal exemplifies the ultimate misuse of self-exaltation.

Pastoral and Ministry Significance

1. Worship leaders model biblical postures—lifting hands and eyes—in ways that direct attention to the Lord alone.
2. Preachers must lift their voices with Peter’s clarity, never for self-promotion.
3. Disciples cultivate humility like the tax collector, resisting Corinthian-style boasting.
4. Evangelists heed Christ’s command to lift their eyes to the harvest, maintaining urgency.
5. Sufferers are encouraged to lift their heads, assured that the ascended Christ will return.

Synthesis

Whether sailing toward shore, pronouncing blessing, praying, preaching, or awaiting redemption, the biblical act of “lifting up” embodies dependence on divine power and points to the exalted Christ. Each occurrence of Strong’s 1869 reinforces the call to humble elevation—letting God raise eyes, hands, voices, and ultimately lives, for His glory alone.

Forms and Transliterations

επαίρει επαίρεσθε επαιρεται επαίρεται ἐπαίρεται επαίρετε επαιρέτω επαιρόμενα επαιρομενον επαιρόμενον ἐπαιρόμενον επαιροντας επαίροντας ἐπαίροντας επαίρου επαραι επάραι ἐπᾶραι επαραντες επάραντες ἐπάραντες επαρας επάρας ἐπάρας επαρασα επάρασά ἐπάρασά επαρατε επάρατε ἐπάρατε επάρη επαρθήναι επαρθήσονται επάρθητε επάρθητι έπαρον επήρα επηραν επήραν ἐπῆραν επηρέ επήρε επήρέ επηρεν επήρεν ἐπῆρεν επήρετο επηρθη επήρθη ἐπήρθη επήρθησαν επηρμένοι επηρμένου επηρμένους epairetai epaíretai epairomenon epairómenon epairontas epaírontas eparai epârai eparantes epárantes eparas epáras eparasa epárasá eparate epárate eperan epêran epēran epē̂ran eperen epêren epēren epē̂ren eperthe epērthē epḗrthe epḗrthē

Englishman's Concordance

Matthew 17:8 V-APA-NMP
GRK: ἐπάραντες δὲ τοὺς
NAS: And lifting up their eyes, they saw
KJV: And when they had lifted up their
INT: Having lifted up and the

Luke 6:20 V-APA-NMS
GRK: Καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπάρας τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς
NAS: And turning His gaze toward
KJV: And he lifted up his eyes
INT: And he having lifted up the gaze

Luke 11:27 V-APA-NFS
GRK: αὐτὸν ταῦτα ἐπάρασά τις φωνὴν
NAS: in the crowd raised her voice
KJV: the company lifted up her voice,
INT: he these things having lifted up a certain [her] voice

Luke 16:23 V-APA-NMS
GRK: τῷ ᾅδῃ ἐπάρας τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς
NAS: In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being
KJV: in hell he lift up his eyes,
INT: Hades having lifted up the eyes

Luke 18:13 V-ANA
GRK: τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐπᾶραι εἰς τὸν
NAS: unwilling to lift up his eyes
KJV: not lift up so much as
INT: the eyes lift up to

Luke 21:28 V-AMA-2P
GRK: ἀνακύψατε καὶ ἐπάρατε τὰς κεφαλὰς
NAS: straighten up and lift up your heads,
KJV: then look up, and lift up your heads;
INT: look up and lift up the heads

Luke 24:50 V-APA-NMS
GRK: Βηθανίαν καὶ ἐπάρας τὰς χεῖρας
NAS: as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands
KJV: Bethany, and he lifted up his hands,
INT: Bethany and having lifted up the hands

John 4:35 V-AMA-2P
GRK: λέγω ὑμῖν ἐπάρατε τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς
NAS: I say to you, lift up your eyes
KJV: I say unto you, Lift up your eyes,
INT: I say to you Lift up the eyes

John 6:5 V-APA-NMS
GRK: ἐπάρας οὖν τοὺς
NAS: Jesus, lifting up His eyes
KJV: then lifted up [his] eyes,
INT: Having lifted up then the

John 13:18 V-AIA-3S
GRK: τὸν ἄρτον ἐπῆρεν ἐπ' ἐμὲ
NAS: MY BREAD HAS LIFTED UP HIS HEEL
KJV: with me hath lifted up his heel
INT: with bread lifted up against me

John 17:1 V-APA-NMS
GRK: Ἰησοῦς καὶ ἐπάρας τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς
NAS: these things; and lifting up His eyes
KJV: Jesus, and lifted up his eyes
INT: Jesus and having lifted up the eyes

Acts 1:9 V-AIP-3S
GRK: βλεπόντων αὐτῶν ἐπήρθη καὶ νεφέλη
NAS: these things, He was lifted up while they were looking
KJV: beheld, he was taken up; and
INT: beholding they he was taken up and a cloud

Acts 2:14 V-AIA-3S
GRK: τοῖς ἕνδεκα ἐπῆρεν τὴν φωνὴν
NAS: with the eleven, raised his voice
KJV: with the eleven, lifted up his voice,
INT: the eleven lifted up the voice

Acts 14:11 V-AIA-3P
GRK: ἐποίησεν Παῦλος ἐπῆραν τὴν φωνὴν
NAS: had done, they raised their voice,
KJV: had done, they lifted up their
INT: did Paul lifted up the voice

Acts 22:22 V-AIA-3P
GRK: λόγου καὶ ἐπῆραν τὴν φωνὴν
NAS: statement, and [then] they raised their voices
KJV: and [then] lifted up their
INT: word and lifted up the voice

Acts 27:40 V-APA-NMP
GRK: πηδαλίων καὶ ἐπάραντες τὸν ἀρτέμωνα
NAS: of the rudders; and hoisting the foresail
KJV: and hoised up the mainsail
INT: rudders and having hoisted the foresail

2 Corinthians 10:5 V-PPM-ANS
GRK: πᾶν ὕψωμα ἐπαιρόμενον κατὰ τῆς
NAS: lofty thing raised up against
KJV: high thing that exalteth itself against
INT: every high thing lifting itself up against the

2 Corinthians 11:20 V-PIM-3S
GRK: εἴ τις ἐπαίρεται εἴ τις
NAS: advantage of you, anyone exalts himself, anyone
KJV: [of you], if a man exalt himself, if a man
INT: if anyone exalts himself if anyone

1 Timothy 2:8 V-PPA-AMP
GRK: παντὶ τόπῳ ἐπαίροντας ὁσίους χεῖρας
NAS: place to pray, lifting up holy hands,
KJV: every where, lifting up holy hands,
INT: every place lifting up holy hands

Strong's Greek 1869
19 Occurrences

ἐπαίρεται — 1 Occ.
ἐπαιρόμενον — 1 Occ.
ἐπαίροντας — 1 Occ.
ἐπᾶραι — 1 Occ.
ἐπάραντες — 2 Occ.
ἐπάρας — 5 Occ.
ἐπάρασά — 1 Occ.
ἐπάρατε — 2 Occ.
ἐπῆραν — 2 Occ.
ἐπῆρεν — 2 Occ.
ἐπήρθη — 1 Occ.