Greek word · G2021

ἐπιχειρέω

epicheireō

to attempt

"To put one's hand to," "undertake," "attempt." In classical Greek it can also mean "to attack." It often marks an effort whose result is not yet known.

Appears 3 times in 3 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ἐπιχειρέω, -ῶ

(χεῖρ), [in LXX for חָשַׁב, Exodus 9:25; גָּמַל, 2 Chronicles 20:11, al. ;]

1. to pat one's hand to.

2. to take in hand, attempt: with inf., Luke 1:1, Acts 9:29 19:13.†

(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 Acts 19:13

Range of meaning

"To put one's hand to," "undertake," "attempt." In classical Greek it can also mean "to attack." It often marks an effort whose result is not yet known.

Against the English

KJV and WEB "took upon them(selves)" catches the sense of taking something on, even presuming. BSB "tried" is plainer. YLT and WEB keep the hint of overreach.

Used elsewhere in the period

It appears only three times in the New Testament, all in Luke's writings: Luke 1:1 (many "undertook" to compile accounts); Acts 9:29 (opponents "were attempting" to kill Paul, and failed); here.

Similar words

Where it appears

Luke · 1

  1. Luke 1:1 ἐπεχείρησαν undertook

    Many have undertaken to compose an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,

Acts · 2

  1. Acts 9:29 ἐπεχείρουν they were seeking

    He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him.

  2. Acts 19:13 Ἐπεχείρησαν Attempted

    Now there were some itinerant Jewish exorcists who tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those with evil spirits. They would say, “I command you by Jesus, whom Paul proclaims.”

    Here: Literally "to put one's hand to" something. It puts the action at the front of the sentence as an attempt, a venture they took on. After the verb, the reader is waiting to see whether it works.

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