Greek word · G375

ἀναπέμπω

anapempō

to send back

To send up (for example to a higher authority), to send back, to refer a matter elsewhere. It is used in official settings for passing a prisoner or a case to another court.

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

What it means

ἀνα-πέμπω

1. to send up,

(a) to a higher place (Æsch., Plat., al.);

(b) to a higher authority (Deiss., BS, 229; MM, VGT, see word; cf. also Field, Notes, 140): Luke 23:7, 15, Acts 25:21.

2. to send back (Pind.): Luke 23:11, Phm 11.†

(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 23:11

Range of meaning

To send up (for example to a higher authority), to send back, to refer a matter elsewhere. It is used in official settings for passing a prisoner or a case to another court.

Against the English

All versions have 'sent back', which is correct in context. English loses the echo of v. 7, where the same verb is used for Pilate sending Jesus to Herod, and its flavour of a legal referral.

Used elsewhere in the period

Acts 25:21: Festus orders Paul held 'until I can send him up to Caesar'. The word is common in papyri for forwarding documents and cases to officials. Luke 23:7 and 23:15 use the same verb for the exchange between Pilate and Herod.

Where it appears

Luke · 3

  1. Luke 23:7 ἀνέπεμψεν he sent up

    And learning that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who himself was in Jerusalem at that time.

  2. Luke 23:11 ἀνέπεμψεν sent back

    And even Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked Him. Dressing Him in a fine robe, they sent Him back to Pilate.

    Here: This is the only main verb in the sentence: 'he sent [him] back'. It is the same verb Luke used when Pilate sent Jesus to Herod (23:7). The word can mean referring a case to another authority (compare Acts 25:21). The legal case passes back to Pilate without a verdict.

  3. Luke 23:15 ἀνέπεμψεν he sent back

    Neither has Herod, for he sent Him back to us. As you can see, He has done nothing deserving of death.

Acts · 1

  1. Acts 25:21 ἀναπέμψω I may return

    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.”

Philemon · 1

  1. Philemon 1:12 ἀνέπεμψά I have sent back

    I am sending back to you him who is my very heart.

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