319. anagnórizó
Lexical Summary
anagnórizó: To recognize, to know again, to identify

Original Word: ἀναγνωρίζω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: anagnórizó
Pronunciation: ah-nah-gno-REE-zo
Phonetic Spelling: (an-ag-no-rid'-zom-ahee)
KJV: be made known
Word Origin: [middle voice from G303 (ἀνά - each) and G1107 (γνωρίζω - made known)]

1. to make (oneself) known

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
be made known, make oneself known.

Middle voice from ana and gnorizo; to make (oneself) known -- be made known.

see GREEK ana

see GREEK gnorizo

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
another reading for gnórizó, q.v.

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 319: ἀναγνωρίζω

ἀναγνωρίζω: 1 aorist passive ἀνεγνωρίσθην; to recognize: Acts 7:13 (Tr text WH text ἐγνωρίσθη) was recognized by his brethren, cf. Genesis 45:1. (Plato, politic., p. 258 a. ἀναγνωρίζειν τούς συγγενεῖς.)

Topical Lexicon
Root and Linguistic Background

ἀναγνωρίζω combines ἀνά (“again, up, thoroughly”) with γνωρίζω (“make known”). The compound therefore carries the sense of a disclosure that renews or completes knowledge—moving someone from ignorance or partial knowledge to clear recognition.

Old Testament Precedent

In the Septuagint the verb marks the climactic moment of Genesis 45 when Joseph can no longer conceal his identity:

“Then Joseph could no longer restrain himself… and he cried out, ‘Have everyone leave my presence!’ So no one was with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers” (Genesis 45:1, LXX).

The revelation resolves years of estrangement, unveiling God’s providential design “to preserve for you a remnant on earth” (Genesis 45:7). The same Greek form appears in 2 Maccabees 6:30, where Eleazar makes known the truth of his convictions even unto death, adding a strand of martyr-witness to the idea of self-disclosure.

New Testament Usage

Acts 7:13 records the verb’s sole appearance in the New Testament. Stephen, standing before the Sanhedrin, recounts Israel’s history:

“On their second visit, Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and his family became known to Pharaoh” (Acts 7:13).

Stephen selects this moment to illustrate a recurring pattern: God raises up a deliverer who is first rejected, later recognized.

Historical Setting in Acts

Stephen’s speech traces parallel rejections:
• Joseph—sold by his brothers, later acknowledged as their savior (Acts 7:9-13)
• Moses—rejected by Israel, later recognized as leader (Acts 7:23-35)
• Jesus—handed over by the nation, now exalted at God’s right hand (Acts 7:52-56)

By invoking ἀναγνωρίζω, Stephen drives home the point that failure to recognize God’s chosen servant leads to national crisis, while recognition opens the door to deliverance.

Theological Themes

1. Providence and Disclosure

God often works unseen, later unveiling His purposes. Joseph’s account epitomizes Romans 8:28 centuries before Paul wrote it.

2. Reconciliation

The verb signals the turning point where separation yields to familial restoration, foreshadowing the gospel’s ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18-20).

3. Recognition of the Deliverer

Just as Joseph’s brothers finally “knew” him, faith requires eyes opened to recognize Jesus as Lord (Luke 24:31; John 20:28).

4. Progressive Revelation

ἀναγνωρίζω underscores the progressive nature of God’s self-unveiling—from patriarchal narratives to the full revelation in Christ (Hebrews 1:1-2).

Christological Foreshadowing

Early church writers viewed Joseph as a type of Christ:
• Beloved of his father yet rejected by his own (Genesis 37:3-4; John 1:11)
• Suffering leads to exaltation (Genesis 41:41; Philippians 2:8-9)
• Becomes the source of life for the nations (Genesis 41:57; John 6:33)

The moment of “being made known” prefigures the resurrection appearances where Jesus discloses Himself to previously bewildered followers (John 20:19-20).

Reconciliation and Providence in Ministry

Pastoral counseling, missions, and interpersonal discipleship all encounter broken relationships. ἀναγνωρίζω offers a biblical paradigm for:
• Prayerful patience until God’s timing brings disclosure (Psalm 27:14)
• Courage to reveal truth when concealment hinders healing (Ephesians 4:25)
• Trust that God can turn evil intent into redemptive good (Genesis 50:20)

Related Concepts in Scripture

While ἀναγνωρίζω appears only once in the New Testament, several cognate verbs reinforce its themes:
• ἐπιγινώσκω—“recognize, understand fully” (Luke 24:31)
• ἀποκαλύπτω—“reveal, unveil” (Galatians 1:12)
• φανερόω—“make manifest” (1 John 3:2)

Together they portray the movement from hiddenness to revelation, culminating in the unveiling of Jesus Christ at His return (Revelation 1:1).

Liturgical and Devotional Use

Liturgical readings of Genesis 45 and Acts 7 during Lent or Holy Week highlight God’s redemptive disclosure. Devotionally, believers meditate on times God has “made Himself known” in their own lives, fostering gratitude and renewed commitment.

Summary

Strong’s Greek 319, ἀναγνωρίζω, encapsulates the pivotal biblical theme of transformative recognition. Rooted in Joseph’s self-disclosure and echoed in Stephen’s proclamation, it invites every generation to see the hand of God at work, to embrace reconciliation, and to recognize the ultimate Deliverer whom God has revealed.

Forms and Transliterations
ανεγνωρίζετο ανεγνωρίσθη
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