Greek word · G1817

ἐξανίστημι

exanistēmi

to raise up

Transitive: to raise up or cause to arise (offspring, a person); intransitive: to stand up or rise up (Acts 15:5). It is a strengthened form of anistēmi, the verb behind anastasis, "resurrection."

Appears 3 times in 3 verses of the Greek New Testament. · Updated November 07, 2026

What it means

ἐξ-ανίσημι

[in LXX chiefly for קוּם ;]

1. trans., to raise up: σπέρμα (cf. Genesis 38:8), Mark 12:19, Luke 20:28.

2. In 2 aor. act., intrans., to rise: Acts 15:5.†

(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 Luke 20:28

Range of meaning: Transitive: to raise up or cause to arise (offspring, a person); intransitive: to stand up or rise up (Acts 15:5). It is a strengthened form of anistēmi, the verb behind anastasis, "resurrection."
Against the English: English versions say "raise up" (KJV, BSB, WEB, ESV), which keeps the link. Versions that say "have children" or "produce an heir" read more smoothly but lose the echo of v. 27's "resurrection."
Used elsewhere in the period: The Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint) uses the simpler verb for this same custom: Gen 38:8, "anastēson sperma to your brother" (Hebrew hāqēm zeraʿ), and Deut 25:7, "to raise up (anastēsai) his brother's name in Israel" (Hebrew lehāqîm ... šēm). Mark 12:19 has the same compound exanastēsē. Josephus describes the custom in his own words (Antiquities 4.254–256).

From the study of Mark 12:19

Range of meaning: Intransitive: to stand up, rise up, get up (from sitting or lying). Transitive (as here): to raise up, cause to arise, bring into being or establish. With 'seed' it means to produce offspring who will stand in someone's place.
Against the English: English 'raise up offspring' (BSB, WEB) is accurate, but many readers hear modern 'raise children', meaning bring them up. The Greek means producing a descendant and establishing him as the dead man's heir. Raising him day to day is not the point.
How it drifted: In modern English 'raise' with children means rearing. The older sense, to bring into being or set up (as in 'raise up a prophet'), has faded.
Used elsewhere in the period: The phrase echoes Genesis 38:8 in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint), where Judah tells Onan: 'raise up seed for your brother' (ἀνάστησον σπέρμα τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου), the simple verb anistēmi. Deuteronomy 25:6–7 speaks of establishing the dead brother's 'name' in Israel. In Mark 12:19 and Luke 20:28 the compound exanistēmi is used. Elsewhere in the NT it appears only in Acts 15:5, where some Pharisees 'stood up' (BDAG).

Where it appears

Mark · 1

Mark 12:19 ἐξαναστήσῃ may raise up

“Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man is to marry his brother’s widow and raise up offspring for him.

Here: 'Raise up', in the sense of produce or establish a descendant. It is not 'bring up' a child. The verb comes from the same root as anastasis, 'resurrection', in v. 18. The only 'raising up' the Sadducees allow for a dead man is a son born in his name.

Luke · 1

Luke 20:28 ἐξαναστήσῃ shall raise up

“Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man is to marry his brother’s widow and raise up offspring for him.

Here: "Raise up" offspring, echoing the Greek Old Testament of Genesis 38:8 and Deuteronomy 25:7. It comes from the same root as anastasis, "resurrection," in v. 27. The Sadducees present the Law's way of "raising up" a dead man: through a child, not a resurrection.

Acts · 1

Acts 15:5 Ἐξανέστησαν Rose up

But some believers from the party of the Pharisees stood up and declared, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses.”

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