ἐπικαλέω

Matthew 10:25 ἐπεκάλεσαν, they called on,

It is enough for a disciple to be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!

Here: In the active voice, as here, it means 'they nicknamed, labeled him': they stuck a name on him. 'Called on' (calling upon a god) does not fit here.

Acts 1:23 ἐπεκλήθη was called

So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias.

Acts 2:21 ἐπικαλέσηται they shall call upon

And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

Here: A middle-voice form, meaning to call on someone for your own sake: to invoke them or appeal to them for help. Here it is a distressed person crying out to the one with power to rescue. It is the same verb Paul uses in Acts 25:11 for 'I appeal to Caesar.'

Acts 4:36 ἐπικληθεὶς having been called

Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (meaning Son of Encouragement),

Here: 'Having been given the added name'. The passive verb in the past tense says the apostles gave him the name at some point. This is the verb Luke uses for second names: 'Joseph called Barsabbas' (Acts 1:23), 'Simon surnamed Peter' (Acts 10:5).

Acts 7:59 ἐπικαλούμενον he was calling out

While they were stoning him, Stephen appealed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

Here: Present middle participle: 'as he was calling upon.' In the Greek Old Testament this verb is the standard word for invoking God in prayer ('call on the name of the LORD'). Here the one called upon is Jesus, as the next words show. The same verb is used for a legal appeal to a higher authority (Acts 25:11, 'I appeal to Caesar').

Acts 9:14 ἐπικαλουμένους calling on

And now he is here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name.”

Here: A present participle in the middle voice, the Greek form for something done on one's own behalf. It means people who habitually call on this name for themselves in prayer, worship and appeals for help. It is the old biblical description of people who worship God (Gen 4:26; Joel 2:32), and here it describes Jesus' followers.

Acts 9:21 ἐπικαλουμένους calling on

All who heard him were astounded and asked, “Isn’t this the man who wreaked havoc in Jerusalem on those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?”

Here: In the middle voice, 'to call upon for oneself', meaning to invoke in prayer and worship. It is the language of Joel 2:32 (quoted in Acts 2:21) and works almost as a name for Jesus' followers.

Acts 10:5 ἐπικαλεῖται is called

Now send men to Joppa to call for a man named Simon who is called Peter.

Acts 10:18 ἐπικαλούμενος is being called

They called out to ask if Simon called Peter was staying there.

Acts 10:32 ἐπικαλεῖται is called

Therefore send to Joppa for Simon, who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, by the sea.’

Acts 11:13 ἐπικαλούμενον is called

He told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter.

Acts 12:12 ἐπικαλουμένου is called

And when he had realized this, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered together and were praying.

Here: Present passive participle: 'who is also called'. It introduces a second name used alongside the first. It is not a family name in the modern sense.

Acts 12:25 ἐπικληθέντα having been called

When Barnabas and Saul had fulfilled their mission to Jerusalem, they returned, bringing with them John, also called Mark.

Acts 15:17 ἐπικέκληται has been called

so that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by My name, says the Lord who does these things

Here: Perfect passive: 'has been called (and stands) over them.' The perfect describes a settled state: God's name has been pronounced over these nations as a claim of ownership. It does not mean they call themselves by his name, and it does not mean God summoned them.

Acts 22:16 ἐπικαλεσάμενος calling on

And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and wash your sins away, calling on His name.’

Here: An aorist middle participle, 'calling upon' or 'having called upon.' It describes what goes with the immersion and washing: Saul calls on the name, appealing to it and declaring his allegiance. It echoes Joel 2:32, 'everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved' (quoted in Acts 2:21).

Acts 25:11 ἐπικαλοῦμαι.¶ I appeal!

If, however, I am guilty of anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if there is no truth to their accusations against me, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”

Here: Middle voice: "I call upon (for my own case)." Saying it was itself the legal act. The words "I appeal" carried out the appeal at the moment Paul spoke them.

Acts 25:12 ἐπικέκλησαι, You have appealed,

Then Festus conferred with his council and replied, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!”

Acts 25:21 ἐπικαλεσαμένου having appealed for

But when Paul appealed to be held over for the decision of the Emperor, I ordered that he be held until I could send him to Caesar.”

Acts 25:25 ἐπικαλεσαμένου having appealed to

But I found he had done nothing worthy of death, and since he has now appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him.

Acts 26:32 ἐπεκέκλητο he had appealed

And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

Acts 28:19 ἐπικαλέσασθαι to appeal to

But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar, even though I have no charge to bring against my nation.

Romans 10:12 ἐπικαλουμένους calling

For there is no difference between Jew and Greek: The same Lord is Lord of all, and gives richly to all who call on Him,

Here: In the middle voice, a Greek verb form meaning roughly "for oneself", it means "calling on someone on one's own behalf": invoking a god's name in worship, or appealing to a higher authority for help. It sets up Joel's "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord" in verse 13.

Romans 10:13 ἐπικαλέσηται may call upon

for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Here: Middle voice, meaning to call on someone for oneself: to invoke a god in worship and prayer and appeal to him for help, as one's own. It is the Greek Bible's standard wording for Hebrew 'call on the name of YHWH'. The grammatical form (aorist subjunctive after 'whoever') simply makes it a general 'whoever calls'. It should not be pressed to mean 'a single moment'.

Romans 10:14 ἐπικαλέσωνται shall they call

How then can they call on the One in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach?

Here: Middle voice: 'call upon for oneself', meaning to call on a god by name and ask for help. It picks up the 'call on the name of the Lord' of Joel 2:32, quoted in v.13. The aorist subjunctive makes it a real-life question: 'how are they to call?'

1 Corinthians 1:2 ἐπικαλουμένοις calling on

To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:

Here: A present middle participle: people who habitually call on, invoke and appeal to the Lord. In the Greek Old Testament this is the standard phrase for worshipping and appealing to YHWH (e.g. Joel 2:32).

2 Corinthians 1:23 ἐπικαλοῦμαι call

I call God as my witness that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth.

Here: Middle voice, present tense: 'I hereby call on [for my case]'. Saying the words performs the act; this is the language of formally taking an oath.

2 Timothy 2:22 ἐπικαλουμένων calling on

Flee from youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, together with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Here: 'Calling on' the Lord, in the present tense: people who keep doing it. The phrase comes from the Old Testament, where it means praying to God and worshipping him. Here it describes true believers.

Hebrews 11:16 ἐπικαλεῖσθαι to be called

Instead, they were longing for a better country, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

Here: Passive 'to be called by, to bear as a name'. The verb is often used for a surname or second name. God takes 'of Abraham, of Isaac, of Jacob' as part of his own name (Exod 3:6, 15).

James 2:7 ἐπικληθὲν having been called

Are they not the ones who blaspheme the noble name by which you have been called?

Here: Aorist passive participle, 'having been called (over).' It points to a definite past moment when the name was pronounced over them, most likely their baptism. It echoes the Old Testament phrase for God's ownership of a people, a place, or an object.

1 Peter 1:17 ἐπικαλεῖσθε you call on

Since you call on a Father who judges each one’s work impartially, conduct yourselves in reverent fear during your stay as foreigners.

Here: The ordinary word for calling on a deity by name in prayer or worship. The middle form means calling on him for yourself. Present tense: this is what they habitually do.