5253. huperóon

Lexical Summary

huperóon: Upper room, upstairs room

Original Word: ὑπερῷον
Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter
Transliteration: huperóon
Pronunciation: hoo-per-OH-on
Phonetic Spelling: (hoop-er-o'-on)
KJV: upper chamber (room)
NASB: upper room
Word Origin: [neuter of a derivative of G5228 (ὑπέρ - behalf)]

1. a higher part of the house, i.e. apartment in the third story

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

upper room.

Neuter of a derivative of huper; a higher part of the house, i.e. Apartment in the third story -- upper chamber (room).

see GREEK huper

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
neut. of huperóos (upper)
Definition
the upper story, the upper rooms
NASB Translation
upper room (4).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 5253: ὑπεροων

ὑπεροων, ὑπεροωυ, τό (from ὑπεροως or ὑπερωιος, 'upper,' and this from ὑπέρ; like πατρωιος, πατροως, from πατήρ; (cf. Winers Grammar, 96 (91))), in the Greek writings (often in Homer) the highest part of the house, the upper rooms or story where the women resided; in Biblical Greek (the Sept. for עֲלִיָּה), a room in the upper part of a house, sometimes built upon the flat roof of the house (2 Kings 23:12), whither Orientals were accustomed to retire in order to sup, meditate, pray, etc.; (R. V. upper chamber; cf. B. D. under the word ; McClintock and Strong, under the word): Acts 1:13; Acts 9:37, 39; Acts 20:8 (Josephus, Vita30).

Topical Lexicon

Overview of the “Upper Room”

Strong’s Greek 5253 designates the upstairs chamber of a first-century house, a spacious, well-lit room reached by an exterior staircase. In Luke’s writings this term becomes synonymous with moments when the risen Christ’s followers gather for prayer, fellowship, teaching, and decisive acts of ministry.

Occurrences in Acts

1. Acts 1:13 – After the Ascension “they went to the upper room where they were staying,” naming the Eleven who would devote themselves to prayer until Pentecost.
2. Acts 9:37 – In Joppa the body of Tabitha (Dorcas) is washed and placed “in an upstairs room,” preparing the scene for Peter’s arrival.
3. Acts 9:39 – Peter is brought “to the upper room” where grieving widows display Dorcas’s tunics; the miracle of resurrection follows.
4. Acts 20:8 – During Paul’s farewell in Troas “there were many lamps in the upstairs room,” highlighting the late-night setting in which Eutychus falls and is restored.

Architectural and Cultural Background

Jewish homes often featured a flat roof and an upper chamber used for storage, lodging guests, or hosting festive meals. Because the staircase was outside, gatherings could occur without disrupting household life below. The presence of lamps (Acts 20:8) implies ventilation through windows and adequate space for a sizable assembly, explaining why early believers favored such rooms for corporate activities.

The Upper Room and the Birth of the Church

Luke situates the praying community in an upper room (Acts 1:13-14) immediately before the outpouring of the Spirit in Acts 2. This deliberate placement links the humble domestic setting with monumental redemptive events: united prayer, apostolic unity, and readiness to receive power “from on high.” As Acts progresses, similar rooms host resurrection power (Dorcas), apostolic teaching (Troas), and mission strategy meetings. The pattern testifies that ordinary spaces become holy ground when Christ’s people gather in faith.

Key Ministry Themes

• Prayerful Waiting: Acts 1:14 records that “all with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer,” modeling persevering intercession before decisive mission breakthroughs.
• Compassion and Works of Mercy: The widows in Acts 9:39 hold garments Dorcas made; the upper room becomes a memorial to diaconal service and a place where the Lord vindicates such love by restoring life.
• Word and Sacrament: In Troas the upstairs room likely hosts the breaking of bread (Acts 20:7). Paul’s extended teaching underscores the centrality of Scripture exposition alongside fellowship.
• Resurrection Power: Both Dorcas and Eutychus are raised in upstairs chambers. The setting highlights that resurrection life operates within the everyday environment of believers, not merely in public spectacles.

Old Testament Antecedents

Prophets were no strangers to elevated chambers. Elijah takes the widow’s son to an “upper room” in which he lodged (1 Kings 17:19-23), and Elisha is provided an “upper room” by the Shunammite couple (2 Kings 4:10-11). These narratives anticipate New Testament scenes where life-giving ministry unfolds in similar spaces, reinforcing continuity in God’s redemptive methods.

Practical Implications for Contemporary Ministry

1. Value Humble Spaces: God delights to use ordinary rooms for extraordinary purposes; church plants, home groups, and prayer meetings need not wait for grand facilities.
2. Prioritize Unified Prayer: The Acts 1 pattern invites congregations to set apart dedicated settings for persistent corporate intercession.
3. Integrate Compassion and Proclamation: Dorcas’s sewing and Paul’s preaching both occur in upper rooms, urging balanced ministry that weds charitable deeds with gospel truth.
4. Expect the Miraculous: The upward setting symbolically lifts faith; believers should anticipate Christ’s power to save, heal, and raise even within domestic walls.

Conclusion

The four appearances of Strong’s 5253 in Acts trace a theological arc from expectant prayer before Pentecost to resurrection demonstrations and apostolic exhortation. The upper room stands as a testament that Christ advances His kingdom through gatherings marked by unity, Scripture, service, and the Spirit’s power, reminding every generation that any room can become an upper room when dedicated to the risen Lord.

Forms and Transliterations

προ υπερωά υπερώα υπερώοις υπερωον υπερώον ὑπερῷον υπερώου υπερωω υπερώω ὑπερῴῳ υπερώων υπεύθυνοι hyperṓioi hyperṓiōi hyperôion hyperō̂ion hyperoo hyperōō hyperoon hyperōon uperoo uperōō uperoon uperōon

Englishman's Concordance

Acts 1:13 N-ANS
GRK: εἰς τὸ ὑπερῷον ἀνέβησαν οὗ
NAS: [the city], they went up to the upper room where
KJV: into an upper room, where
INT: into the upper room they went up where

Acts 9:37 N-DNS
GRK: αὐτὴν ἐν ὑπερῴῳ
NAS: her body, they laid it in an upper room.
KJV: they laid [her] in an upper chamber.
INT: they in an upper room

Acts 9:39 N-ANS
GRK: εἰς τὸ ὑπερῷον καὶ παρέστησαν
NAS: they brought him into the upper room; and all
KJV: into the upper chamber: and
INT: into the upper room and stood by

Acts 20:8 N-DNS
GRK: ἐν τῷ ὑπερῴῳ οὗ ἦμεν
NAS: lamps in the upper room where
KJV: in the upper chamber, where
INT: in the upper room where there were

Strong's Greek 5253
4 Occurrences

ὑπερῴῳ — 2 Occ.
ὑπερῷον — 2 Occ.