Greek word · G1793

ἐντυγχάνω

entynchanō

to call on

Basic sense: to 'happen upon' or meet someone. Hence: to approach a person, especially a superior, with a request; to petition or appeal, either for someone (ὑπέρ) or against someone (κατά).

Appears 5 times in 5 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ἐν-τυγχάνω

[in LXX: Da TH Daniel 6:12-13 (קֶרֶב) Wisdom of Solomon 8:20 16:28, 2Ma.2:25 2Mac 4:36 2Mac 6:12 2Mac 15:39, 3Ma.6:37; before κατά, 1Ma.8:32 1Mac 10:61-64 1Mac 11:25 * ;]

1. to fall in with.

2. to meet with in order to converse.

3. to petition, make petition: with dative of person(s), before ὑπέρ with genitive of person(s), Acts 25:24 (cf. Field, Notes, 140), Hebrews 7:25, Romans 8:27, 34 (θεῷ, not expressed); before κατά, against: Romans 11:2 (cf. ἔντευξις, ὑπερ-εντυγχάνω).†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Hebrews 7:25

Range of meaning

Basic sense: to 'happen upon' or meet someone. Hence: to approach a person, especially a superior, with a request; to petition or appeal, either for someone (ὑπέρ) or against someone (κατά).

Against the English

'Intercede' or 'make intercession' is accurate. Modern ears may narrow it to 'praying for someone'. The Greek picture is a formal advocate presenting a case before a ruler.

Used elsewhere in the period

In Ptolemaic papyri the related noun ἔντευξις is the standard word for a formal petition to the king or officials (Moulton–Milligan). Acts 25:24: the Jews 'petitioned' Festus. Rom 11:2: Elijah 'appeals to God against Israel'. Rom 8:27, 34: the Spirit and Christ intercede. Wisdom 8:21; 1 Macc 8:32. Tobit 12:15 and 1 Enoch 9–15 show angels bringing human prayers or pleas before God. Philo calls the Logos the 'suppliant' (ἱκέτης) for mortals (Who Is the Heir 205).

From the study of Romans 11:2

Range of meaning

"Meet, come upon", then "approach someone with a request, petition, appeal". It is common for submitting a petition to a king or official. With ὑπέρ ("on behalf of") it means pleading for someone. With κατά ("against") it means complaining or bringing charges against someone.

Against the English

BSB "appealed to God against", WEB "pleads with God against", YLT "plead with God concerning". KJV "maketh intercession to God against" uses a word that modern readers hear only as praying for others.

How it drifted

The KJV used "intercession" in its older, wider sense of approaching or petitioning someone. Modern church use has narrowed "intercession" to praying on behalf of others, so KJV readers may picture Elijah praying for Israel.

Used elsewhere in the period

1 Macc 8:32: "if they appeal (entynchanōsi) against you". 1 Macc 10:61, 63–64: lawless men "to bring complaint against him (entychein kat' autou)". In the papyri, the noun enteuxis is the technical term for a petition to the king. In Romans, the same verb with hyper is used for the Spirit (8:27) and Christ (8:34) pleading for believers.

From the study of Romans 8:34

Range of meaning

Basic sense: to meet or fall in with someone. From that it came to mean approaching an authority with a request: to petition, to appeal, to plead a case, either for someone (hyper) or against them (kata). The noun enteuxis was the technical term for a formal petition to the king in Ptolemaic Egypt.

Against the English

"Intercede / make intercession" can make modern readers picture private prayer, or someone begging a reluctant God. The Greek picture is an advocate or patron approaching the ruler formally on a client's behalf.

How it drifted

In church use "intercession" became a word for one kind of prayer ("intercessory prayer"), and its legal and court overtones faded.

Used elsewhere in the period

Petitions (enteuxeis) to Ptolemaic kings in the papyri (see Moulton–Milligan). 1 Macc 8:32 (appeal against someone); 2 Macc 4:36; Wis 8:21 ("I appealed to the Lord"); Acts 25:24 (the Jews "petitioned" Festus about Paul); Rom 11:2 (Elijah "appeals to God against Israel"); Heb 7:25 ("he always lives to intercede for them"). The Spirit does the same in Rom 8:26–27.

Where it appears

Acts · 1

  1. Acts 25:24 ἐνέτυχόν they pleaded

    Then Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man. The whole Jewish community has petitioned me about him, both here and in Jerusalem, crying out that he ought not to live any longer.

Romans · 3

  1. Romans 8:27 ἐντυγχάνει He intercedes

    And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

    Here: To go before someone in authority with a request, especially for someone else. A present tense: the pleading is ongoing. Verse 26 used the compound form hyper-entynchanei, "pleads on our behalf".

  2. Romans 8:34 ἐντυγχάνει is interceding

    Who is there to condemn us? For Christ Jesus, who died, and more than that was raised to life, is at the right hand of God—and He is interceding for us.

    Here: Present tense, ongoing: he approaches the ruler and appeals on someone's behalf, as an advocate presenting a petition. The same verb is used of the Spirit in 8:27.

  3. Romans 11:2 ἐντυγχάνει he pleads

    God did not reject His people, whom He foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says about Elijah, how he appealed to God against Israel:

    Here: "He appeals", "he brings a case". The word means approaching a ruler with a petition. With "against" it means filing a complaint. Elijah is not praying for Israel. He is bringing charges against Israel before God.

Hebrews · 1

  1. Hebrews 7:25 ἐντυγχάνειν to intercede

    Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them.

    Here: To approach someone in authority and make an appeal on another person's behalf. Here it describes the priest's ongoing advocacy before God for his people.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.