Greek word · G394

ἀνατίθημι

anatithēmi

to set before

Active: to set up, dedicate (as a votive offering). Middle: to lay something before someone for their consideration, to refer a matter, to communicate it for an opinion (BDAG s.v. ἀνατίθημι 2).

Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ἀνα-τίθημι

[in LXX chiefly for חָרַם (Cremer, 546) ;]

to lay upon, set up, etc. Mid. -εμαι, in late writers (Plut., al.; see also MM, VGT, see word), to set forth, declare: Acts 25:14, Galatians 2:2.†

(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 Galatians 2:2

Range of meaning

Active: to set up, dedicate (as a votive offering). Middle: to lay something before someone for their consideration, to refer a matter, to communicate it for an opinion (BDAG s.v. ἀνατίθημι 2).

Against the English

KJV 'communicated' (in 1611 = shared, imparted); BSB/WEB 'set/laid before'; YLT 'did submit'. In modern English 'submit' sounds like submitting to someone's authority, which the verb does not itself say.

How it drifted

YLT's 'submit' carries a modern sense of yielding. The Greek describes presenting a case, not deferring to a superior.

Used elsewhere in the period

2 Maccabees 3:9: Heliodorus 'laid before' (anetheto) the high priest the information he had received. Acts 25:14: Festus 'laid Paul's case before' King Agrippa. In both, a matter is put to someone with standing for their view. The compound prosanatithēmi appears in Gal 1:16 ('I did not consult with flesh and blood') and 2:6 ('those of repute added nothing to me').

From the study of Acts 25:14

Range of meaning

In the active voice: to set up or dedicate something (for example, an offering in a temple). In the middle voice: to lay a matter before someone, to refer it to them, to share it so they can give an opinion or judgment.

Against the English

KJV 'declared' sounds like a public announcement to modern ears. The modern 'laid (out) Paul's case before' (BSB, WEB, ESV) and 'discussed' (NIV) get closer to the idea of consulting. YLT's 'submitted to' captures the sense of handing a matter over for someone's view.

How it drifted

In 1611 'declare' could simply mean 'set out, explain'. It has since narrowed toward 'proclaim, announce officially', which makes the consulting tone harder to see.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the New Testament it appears only here and at Gal 2:2, where Paul 'laid before' the Jerusalem leaders the gospel he preached so they could assess it. In 2 Maccabees 3:9 a visiting official explains to the high priest why he has come. The same middle-voice sense, 'to communicate a matter for consultation', is common in Hellenistic Greek (BDAG).

Where it appears

Acts · 1

  1. Acts 25:14 ἀνέθετο laid before

    Since they were staying several days, Festus laid out Paul’s case before the king: “There is a certain man whom Felix left in prison.

    Here: Aorist middle: 'laid (the matter) before' someone in order to get their opinion. Festus is consulting, not announcing. The middle voice suggests he did it for his own benefit (cf. v. 26: he needs something to write to the emperor).

Galatians · 1

  1. Galatians 2:2 ἀνεθέμην set before

    I went in response to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I spoke privately to those recognized as leaders, for fear that I was running or had already run in vain.

    Here: In the middle voice it means to lay a matter before others for them to consider, the way a case is presented for discussion (Acts 25:14). Paul set out his message for examination. The word itself does not say he asked permission.

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