2019. epiphóneó

Lexical Summary

epiphóneó: To call out, to cry out, to shout

Original Word: ἐπιφωνέω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: epiphóneó
Pronunciation: eh-pee-fo-NEH-oh
Phonetic Spelling: (ep-ee-fo-neh'-o)
KJV: cry (against), give a shout
NASB: shouting, calling, crying
Word Origin: [from G1909 (ἐπί - over) and G5455 (φωνέω - called)]

1. to call at something, i.e. exclaim

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

cry against, give a shout.

From epi and phoneo; to call at something, i.e. Exclaim -- cry (against), give a shout.

see GREEK epi

see GREEK phoneo

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from epi and phóneó
Definition
to call out
NASB Translation
calling (1), crying (1), shouting (2).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 2019: ἐπιφωνέω

ἐπιφωνέω, ἐπιφώνω: (imperfect ἐπεφώνουν); to call out to, shout: followed by direct discourse, Luke 23:21; Acts 12:22; followed by the dative of a person, Acts 22:24; τί, Acts 21:34 L T Tr WH. ((Sophocles on.))

Topical Lexicon

Summary of Usage

Strong’s Greek 2019 appears only four times, all within Luke–Acts (Luke 23:21; Acts 12:22; Acts 21:34; Acts 22:23–24). In every instance it portrays a crowd’s sustained, emotionally charged cry. Whether demanding judgment, offering misplaced adulation, or creating confusion, the verb depicts collective pressure exerted through loud public voice.

Contexts of Communal Outcry

1. Luke 23:21 – The Jerusalem crowd before Pilate repeatedly insists, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”. Their united shout reveals sinful hostility toward the Messiah and the sway of mob influence over civil authority.
2. Acts 12:22 – Flattery toward Herod Agrippa reaches blasphemous heights: “This is the voice of a god, not of a man!”. The same verb here illustrates how corporate praise can become idolatrous, provoking divine judgment (Acts 12:23).
3. Acts 21:34 – In the temple riot against Paul, “Some in the crowd were shouting one thing and some another…”. The confusion shows how indiscriminate outcry can obscure truth and impede justice.
4. Acts 22:23–24 – As Paul again faces hostility, the crowd “was shouting and throwing off their cloaks and tossing dust into the air”. Their uproar forces the Roman commander to remove Paul for his safety and for further inquiry.

Historical and Cultural Background

Public shouting was a common feature of Greco-Roman civic life—heard in judicial assemblies, games, and imperial ceremonies. Luke, a careful historian, records these episodes to situate the Gospel within real political tumult. The crowds’ cries highlight the volatility of first-century Judea and the precarious position of early believers under Roman oversight.

Contrasting Voices: Divine Truth vs. Human Acclaim

In Acts 12:22 the people exalt a mortal ruler; in Luke 23:21 they condemn the divine Son. The two scenes invert reality: humanity praises what God strikes down and reviles the One God exalts (Philippians 2:9). Scripture thereby exposes the unreliability of popular opinion when it departs from revelation.

Implications for Gospel Ministry

• Courage under Hostility: Paul’s composure amid clamoring crowds models steadfastness for believers tasked with witnessing in adversarial settings (Acts 21–22).
• Discernment of Public Sentiment: Ministers must weigh communal enthusiasm or outrage against biblical truth; neither applause nor censure is an infallible guide (Galatians 1:10).
• Sovereign Oversight: Despite the crowd’s loudest demands, God’s redemptive plan advances—Jesus’ crucifixion fulfills prophecy, and Paul’s arrests open doors for testimony before rulers (Acts 23:11).

Practical Application

Believers today encounter modern “crowds” through media and cultural movements. The verb’s usage warns against being swept along by volume and emotion. Instead, Christians are called to lend their voices to truthful proclamation, joining the heavenly multitude that cries, “Salvation belongs to our God” (Revelation 7:10).

Forms and Transliterations

επεφωνει επεφώνει ἐπεφώνει επεφωνουν επεφώνουν ἐπεφώνουν epephonei epephōnei epephṓnei epephonoun epephōnoun epephṓnoun

Englishman's Concordance

Luke 23:21 V-IIA-3P
GRK: οἱ δὲ ἐπεφώνουν λέγοντες Σταύρου
NAS: but they kept on calling out, saying,
KJV: But they cried, saying, Crucify
INT: but they were crying out saying Crucify

Acts 12:22 V-IIA-3S
GRK: δὲ δῆμος ἐπεφώνει Θεοῦ φωνὴ
NAS: The people kept crying out, The voice
KJV: the people gave a shout, [saying, It is] the voice
INT: and [the] people were crying out Of a god [the] voice

Acts 21:34 V-IIA-3P
GRK: ἄλλο τι ἐπεφώνουν ἐν τῷ
NAS: some were shouting one thing [and] some another,
INT: another [or] one thing were crying out in the

Acts 22:24 V-IIA-3P
GRK: αἰτίαν οὕτως ἐπεφώνουν αὐτῷ
NAS: why they were shouting against him that way.
KJV: they cried so against him.
INT: cause thus they cried out against him

Strong's Greek 2019
4 Occurrences

ἐπεφώνει — 1 Occ.
ἐπεφώνουν — 3 Occ.