578. apoblepó

Lexical Summary

apoblepó: To look away from all else at one object, to fix one's gaze upon.

Original Word: ἀποβλέπω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: apoblepó
Pronunciation: ä-po-blĕ'-pō
Phonetic Spelling: (ap-ob-lep'-o)
KJV: have respect
NASB: looking
Word Origin: [from G575 (ἀπό - since) and G991 (βλέπω - see)]

1. to look away from everything else
2. (figuratively) intently regard

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

intently regard, pay attention

From apo and blepo; to look away from everything else, i.e. (figuratively) intently regard -- have respect.

see GREEK apo

see GREEK blepo

HELPS Word-studies

578 apoblépō (derived from 575 /apó, "away from" and 991 /blépō, "see") – properly, look away from to see what lies ahead. 578 /apoblépō ("looking away to look forward") emphasizes separation – the complete break with looking away from the past and focusing on God's "next stop."

578 (apoblepō) only occurs in Heb 11:26 with Moses "looking (578 /apoblépō) away from" Egypt. Moses forsook (looked away from) the physical allurements of the world – looking forward to God's reward (note the prefix, apo). By separating himself from Egypt (earthly advantages), he went on to God's heavenly reward.

["In secular Greek, 578 (apoblépō) expresses the activity of the astronomer who observes the heavenly motions, or that of a painter who fixes his gaze on a model, constantly checking in order to take in every detail (Plato, Resp. 6.48c)" (Ceslas Spicq, Theological Lexicon of the New Testament, Vol 1, 1994, 174).

Suidas' ancient Greek lexicon notes that 578 /apoblépō expressed a "personal sense of wonder" (so Aeschines). Philostratus and Xenophon also used it to mean, "gaze" (ibid).]

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from apo and blepó
Definition
to look away from all else at an object
NASB Translation
looking (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 578: ἀποβλέπω

ἀποβλέπω: (imperfect ἀπεβλεπον); to turn the eyes away from other things and fix them on some one thing; to look at attentively: εἰς τί (often in Greek writings); tropically, to look with steadfast mental gaze: εἰς τήν μισθαποδοσίαν, Hebrews 11:26 (Winer's Grammar, § 66, 2 d.).

Topical Lexicon

Meaning and Idea

Strong’s Greek 578 portrays a deliberate, steady fixing of one’s gaze away from present, visible realities in order to concentrate on a higher, unseen objective. The verb highlights intentionality: not a distracted glance but a purposeful orientation of heart, mind, and expectation toward what God has promised.

Biblical Occurrence

Hebrews 11:26 is the sole New Testament instance: “He valued disgrace for Christ above the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his reward”. Here the imperfect tense (“was looking”) pictures an ongoing, habitual action in Moses’ inner life.

Theological Significance

1. Faith’s Sight. Hebrews 11 repeatedly contrasts physical evidence with the assurance that comes from God’s word. Moses’ “looking ahead” exemplifies the nature of faith described earlier in the chapter: “faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1).
2. Christ-Centered Suffering. The verse joins Moses’ reproach to “Christ,” affirming the unity of redemptive history. Moses endured loss in the present because his focus rested on the Messiah’s future reward.
3. Eschatological Motivation. The reward in view is ultimately eschatological—the inheritance kept in heaven for those who persevere. By linking Moses’ choices to future recompense, the writer of Hebrews underscores that obedience is sustained by hope beyond this life (cf. Hebrews 10:35-36).

Historical Context

Moses lived amid the wealth and prestige of Pharaoh’s court, yet Hebrews presents him as weighing Egypt’s temporal treasures against the everlasting honor associated with the coming Christ. Jewish believers addressed in Hebrews faced social and economic pressures; Moses’ example invited them to “look away” from immediate losses and align with a long line of faithful witnesses who saw the unseen (Hebrews 11:32-40).

Related Biblical Themes and Texts

• Fixing the eyes on Jesus—Hebrews 12:2
• Focusing on unseen, eternal realities—2 Corinthians 4:18
• Seeking the heavenly city—Hebrews 11:13-16
• Storing up treasures in heaven—Matthew 6:19-21

Practical Ministry Applications

• Discipleship. Teach believers to cultivate a future-oriented gaze that shapes present priorities, reinforcing that godliness “holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:8).
• Perseverance under persecution. Encourage congregations that temporary disgrace for Christ is outweighed by eternal reward, drawing from Moses’ testimony to bolster courage.
• Stewardship and generosity. Model Moses’ willingness to consider worldly riches expendable when compared to God’s lasting inheritance, motivating sacrificial giving and contentment.
• Counseling and pastoral care. When suffering or loss clouds vision, direct hearts to “look ahead” with the eyes of faith, grounding hope in the character and promises of God rather than immediate circumstances.

Summary

Strong’s Greek 578 encapsulates the faith-filled discipline of turning one’s eyes away from present allurements toward God’s promised reward. In its single appearance, it captures the heartbeat of Hebrews: sustained obedience through visionary faith anchored in Christ and His coming kingdom.

Forms and Transliterations

απέβλεπε απεβλεπεν ἀπέβλεπεν απέβλεψεν αποβλέπετε αποβλέποντες αποβλέπουσιν apeblepen apéblepen

Englishman's Concordance

Hebrews 11:26 V-IIA-3S
GRK: τοῦ χριστοῦ ἀπέβλεπεν γὰρ εἰς
NAS: of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.
KJV: for he had respect unto
INT: of Christ he had respect indeed to

Strong's Greek 578
1 Occurrence

ἀπέβλεπεν — 1 Occ.