Greek word · G3333

μετακαλέω

metakaleō

to summon

In the middle voice: to call someone to oneself, send for, summon. In the New Testament it appears only in Acts (7:14; 10:32; 20:17; 24:25).

Appears 4 times in 4 verses of the Greek New Testament. · Updated November 15, 2026

What it means

μετα-καλέω, -ῶ

[in LXX: Hosea 11:1-2 (קָרָא), I Est.1:50 * ;]

to call from one place to another. Mid., to send for: with accusative, Acts 7:14 10:32 20:17 24:25.†

(AS)

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

Range of meaning: In the middle voice: to call someone to oneself, send for, summon. In the New Testament it appears only in Acts (7:14; 10:32; 20:17; 24:25).
Against the English: KJV "called" is weaker than the Greek. "Sent for" (BSB, NIV) and "called to him" / "called to himself" (NASB, WEB) keep the sense of bringing the people to where the speaker is.
Used elsewhere in the period: Joseph "sent for" Jacob and his family to come to Egypt (Acts 7:14). Cornelius is told to "send for" Peter at Joppa (10:32). Felix says he will "summon" Paul again when he finds the time (24:25). In each case the person summoned travels to the one who called.

Range of meaning: In the New Testament it appears only in the middle voice: 'to call someone to oneself, summon, send for, invite over'. Classical Greek also uses it for 'calling back' or 'calling away'.
Against the English: KJV says 'call hither', WEB 'summon', YLT 'call for'. The BSB merges it with the first verb ('send … for'), which is natural English but drops the second command. Some versions soften it to 'ask for' or 'invite'.
Used elsewhere in the period: Luke is the only New Testament writer who uses it, always for a person being brought to the one calling: Joseph sends for Jacob (Acts 7:14), Paul sends for the Ephesian elders (20:17), Felix sends for Paul (24:25). The same pattern of usage is common in the papyri.

Acts · 4

Acts 7:14 μετεκαλέσατο he called for

Then Joseph sent for his father Jacob and all his relatives, seventy-five in all.
Acts 10:32 μετακάλεσαι do yourself call for

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

Here: Aorist middle imperative: 'call him over to yourself'. The middle form makes Cornelius the one who benefits. Peter is to be brought to *him*, into a Gentile house.
Acts 20:17 μετεκαλέσατο he called for

From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church.

Here: "He summoned them to himself." The middle form (the subject acts for himself) means calling someone to come where you are. It is a formal summons that the elders have to travel to answer, not just an invitation.
Acts 24:25 μετακαλέσομαί I will call for

As Paul expounded on righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became frightened and said, “You may go for now. When I find the time, I will call for you.”

Here: Future middle: "I will summon (you to me)." The language is official. Verse 26 shows he really did send for Paul again, and often.

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