377. anapiptó

Lexical Summary

anapiptó: To recline, to lie back, to sit down

Original Word: ἀναπίπτω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: anapiptó
Pronunciation: an-ap-IP-to
Phonetic Spelling: (an-ap-ip'-to)
KJV: lean, sit down (to meat)
NASB: sit down, reclined, sat down, leaned back, leaning back, recline
Word Origin: [from G303 (ἀνά - each) and G4098 (πίπτω - fell)]

1. to fall back, i.e. lie down, lean back

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

lean, sit down.

From ana and pipto; to fall back, i.e. Lie down, lean back -- lean, sit down (to meat).

see GREEK ana

see GREEK pipto

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from ana and piptó
Definition
to fall back
NASB Translation
leaned back (1), leaning back (1), recline (1), reclined (3), sat down (2), sit down (4).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 377: ἀναπίπτω

ἀναπίπτω: 2 aorist ἀνέπεσον, 3 person plural ἀνέπεσον Mark 6:40 (T Tr WH ἀνέπεσαν); John 6:10 (L T Tr WH ἀνέπεσαν), infinitive ἀναπεσεῖν, imperative ἀνάπεσε Luke 14:10 (Rec. ἀνάπεσον from 1 aorist ἀνέπεσα ((Griesbach ἀνάπεσαι i. e. 1 aorist middle imperative))); Luke 17:7 (R G ἀνάπεσαι, cf. WH. Appendix, p. 164; Tdf. Proleg., p. 123; see πίπτω, participle ἀναπεσών; cf. Winers Grammar, § 13, 1, p. 73 (71); (Buttmann, 39f (34f), 67 (59); from Euripides down); to lie back, lie down: absolutely, Mark 6:40; John 6:10 (namely, on the ground); ἐπί τήν γῆν, Matthew 15:35; ἐπί τῆς γῆς, Mark 8:6. In later Greek (cf. Lob. ad Phryn., p. 216; (Winer's Grammar, 23 (22))) for ἀνακλίνομαι to recline at table: Luke 11:37; Luke 14:10; Luke 17:7; Luke 22:14; John 13:12; John 21:20 (others refer this to the following meaning). to lean back, John 13:25 L Tr WH. (It denotes an act rather than a state, and in the last passage differs from ἀνάκειμαι, John 13:23, by indicating a change of position.)

Topical Lexicon

Reclining at table in first-century culture

In the Greco-Roman world guests did not sit upright on chairs for the main meal; they “reclined” on low couches arranged around a central table. This posture expressed honor for the host, leisure, and intimacy among those sharing the meal. Jewish society, having long adopted the custom (cf. Josephus, Antiquities 15.373), employed it especially at festive banquets such as Passover. To “recline” therefore signaled full participation in the fellowship offered.

Occurrences in the Gospel narrative

1. Anticipating honor: Luke 14:10 records Jesus’ counsel, “then go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who are at the table with you.” The verb pictures the invited guest taking a low couch, awaiting the host’s public exaltation—an enacted parable of divine exaltation of the humble.
2. Servant leadership: Luke 17:7 contrasts the daily expectation of a servant with the master who has “come in from the field,” who does not say “recline at once,” but first demands service. The posture underscores authority relations and frames Jesus’ teaching that disciples remain unworthy servants even after obedience.
3. Provision for the multitude: Before feeding the four thousand (Matthew 15:35; Mark 8:6) and the five thousand (John 6:10), Jesus instructs the crowd to recline on the ground. The orderly arrangement (Mark 6:40, “they reclined in groups of hundreds and fifties”) depicts God’s shepherd-like care and anticipates the eschatological banquet where the Messiah feeds His people.
4. Intimate fellowship: At the Last Supper the Twelve recline with Jesus (Luke 22:14; John 13:12). John twice highlights the beloved disciple who was “reclining on Jesus’ bosom” (John 13:25; John 21:20), portraying a position of unique closeness and trust.
5. Hospitality versus hypocrisy: When a Pharisee invites Jesus to dine (Luke 11:37), the Lord reclines, immediately exposing the host’s preoccupation with ritual over heart purity, demonstrating that true fellowship requires inner cleansing rather than mere external conformity.

Symbolism of fellowship and acceptance

Reclining depicts being welcomed into covenant relationship. To recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Matthew 8:11, using a cognate) is to enter the kingdom. Each Gospel scene with anapiptō therefore carries theological freight: the humble are lifted, the needy are fed, the faithful are brought near, and the self-righteous are unmasked.

Foreshadowing the Messianic banquet

Every miraculous feeding and Paschal meal in which Jesus commands the people to recline prefigures Revelation 19:9, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” The posture signals rest provided by the Messiah after His atoning work.

Posture and discipleship

1. Humility—choosing the lowest place (Luke 14:10).
2. Trust—leaning on Christ’s breast (John 13:25).
3. Service—working before reclining (Luke 17:7).
4. Order—submitting to Jesus’ instructions (Mark 6:40).

Thus the word teaches that genuine discipleship involves bowing low, drawing near, serving first, and living under the Lord’s direction.

Church life and ministry application

• Hospitality should reflect the gracious welcome Christ extends, symbolized by the reclining guest.
• Communion celebrations recall not only the elements but the attitude of restful fellowship secured by the cross.
• Leadership models servant service before personal comfort, echoing Luke 17:7.
• Small-group meals patterned after Jesus’ orderly seating (Mark 6:40) foster community and readiness for future kingdom feasting.

Summary of New Testament usage

Twelve occurrences, all in the Synoptics and John, uniformly revolve around table fellowship. The contexts fall into four clusters: parabolic teaching (Luke 14:10; Luke 17:7), miracle feedings (Matthew 15:35; Mark 8:6; Mark 6:40; John 6:10), Pharisaic controversy (Luke 11:37), and passion-related scenes (Luke 22:14; John 13:12, John 13:25; John 21:20). Each setting amplifies themes of humility, provision, intimacy, and judgment.

Related themes

Reclining connects with Old Testament imagery of restful eating in the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 12:7) and prophetic visions of eschatological feasts (Isaiah 25:6). In the New Testament it pairs with klínē (“couch”), trápeza (“table”), and sýnestiō (“to eat with”), enriching the theology of fellowship.

Conclusion

Strong’s Greek 377 serves as more than a cultural footnote; it is a narrative device that consistently points to the heart of the gospel—God inviting sinners to rest, eat, and rejoice in the gracious presence of His Son, awaiting the consummate banquet where the redeemed will “recline” forever.

Forms and Transliterations

αναπεσε ανάπεσε ἀνάπεσε αναπεσειν αναπεσείν ἀναπεσεῖν αναπεσων αναπεσών ἀναπεσὼν ανεπεσαν ἀνέπεσαν ανέπεσε ανεπεσεν ανέπεσεν ἀνέπεσεν ανέπεσον anapese anápese anapesein anapeseîn anapeson anapesōn anapesṑn anepesan anépesan anepesen anépesen

Englishman's Concordance

Matthew 15:35 V-ANA
GRK: τῷ ὄχλῳ ἀναπεσεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν
NAS: the people to sit down on the ground;
KJV: the multitude to sit down on
INT: the crowds to sit down on the

Mark 6:40 V-AIA-3P
GRK: καὶ ἀνέπεσαν πρασιαὶ πρασιαὶ
NAS: They sat down in groups of hundreds
KJV: And they sat down in ranks, by
INT: And they sat down groups [by] groups

Mark 8:6 V-ANA
GRK: τῷ ὄχλῳ ἀναπεσεῖν ἐπὶ τῆς
NAS: the people to sit down on the ground;
KJV: the people to sit down on
INT: the crowd to recline on the

Luke 11:37 V-AIA-3S
GRK: εἰσελθὼν δὲ ἀνέπεσεν
NAS: with him; and He went in, and reclined [at the table].
KJV: and he went in, and sat down to meat.
INT: having entered moreover he reclined himself

Luke 14:10 V-AMA-2S
GRK: κληθῇς πορευθεὶς ἀνάπεσε εἰς τὸν
NAS: go and recline at the last
KJV: go and sit down in
INT: you are invited having gone recline in the

Luke 17:7 V-AMA-2S
GRK: Εὐθέως παρελθὼν ἀνάπεσε
NAS: immediately and sit down to eat'?
KJV: the field, Go and sit down to meat?
INT: immediately Having come recline [at table]

Luke 22:14 V-AIA-3S
GRK: ἡ ὥρα ἀνέπεσεν καὶ οἱ
NAS: had come, He reclined [at the table], and the apostles
KJV: was come, he sat down, and
INT: the hour he reclined [at table] and the

John 6:10 V-ANA
GRK: τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἀναπεσεῖν ἦν δὲ
NAS: Have the people sit down. Now
KJV: Make the men sit down. Now there was
INT: the men to recline was moreover

John 6:10 V-AIA-3P
GRK: τῷ τόπῳ ἀνέπεσαν οὖν οἱ
NAS: sit down. Now
KJV: So the men sat down, in number about
INT: the place reclined therefore the

John 13:12 V-AIA-3S
GRK: αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνέπεσεν πάλιν εἶπεν
NAS: His garments and reclined [at the table] again,
KJV: garments, and was set down again,
INT: of him and having reclined again he said

John 13:25 V-APA-NMS
GRK: ἀναπεσὼν οὖν ἐκεῖνος
NAS: He, leaning back thus on Jesus'
INT: having leaned moreover he

John 21:20 V-AIA-3S
GRK: ὃς καὶ ἀνέπεσεν ἐν τῷ
NAS: also had leaned back on His bosom
KJV: which also leaned on his
INT: who also reclined at the

Strong's Greek 377
12 Occurrences

ἀνάπεσε — 2 Occ.
ἀναπεσεῖν — 3 Occ.
ἀναπεσὼν — 1 Occ.
ἀνέπεσαν — 2 Occ.
ἀνέπεσεν — 4 Occ.