Greek word · G4884

συναρπάζω

synarpazō

to seize

To seize by force, to grab and drag away, to overpower.

Appears 4 times in 4 verses of the Greek New Testament. · Updated November 01, 2026

What it means

συν-αρπάζω

[in LXX: Proverbs 6:25 (לָקַח), 2Ma.3:27 2Mac 4:41, 4Ma.5:4 * ;]

"perfective " of ἁοπάζω (see M, Pr., 113),

(a) to seize and carry away (so most commonly) : Acts 27:15;

(b) to seize and hold: Luke 8:29, Acts 6:12 19:29.†

(AS)

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

Range of meaning: To seize by force, to grab and drag away, to overpower.
Against the English: BSB, ESV, NIV and WEB say "seized." KJV and YLT say "caught," which now sounds weaker or suggests a chase. NASB's "dragged him away" conveys the force. NLT's "arrested" makes the event sound more like orderly police work than the Greek does.
Used elsewhere in the period: Four New Testament uses, all from Luke: a demon seizing a man (Luke 8:29), this verse, a rioting crowd seizing Paul's companions (Acts 19:29), and a storm catching a ship (Acts 27:15). Also in the Greek Old Testament and related writings, such as Proverbs 6:25 and 2 Maccabees 3:27.

Range of meaning: To seize violently and carry off, to snatch away. Used of people, of objects, and of forces such as storms.
Against the English: KJV and YLT 'caught' sounds weaker now than it once did. WEB 'seized' and BSB 'dragging with them' are better, and the BSB captures the 'carried along' sense.
Used elsewhere in the period: Luke 8:29: a demon had 'seized' the Gerasene man. Acts 6:12: Stephen is 'seized' and brought before the council. Acts 27:15: the ship is 'caught' by the storm. It is also common in classical Greek for kidnapping or plundering.

Luke · 1

Luke 8:29 συνηρπάκει it had seized

For Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was bound with chains and shackles, he had broken the chains and been driven by the demon into solitary places.

Acts · 3

Acts 6:12 συνήρπασαν they seized

So they stirred up the people, elders, and scribes and confronted Stephen. They seized him and brought him before the Sanhedrin,

Here: To grab with force and carry off. Luke uses the same word for a demon seizing a man (Luke 8:29) and a storm seizing a ship (Acts 27:15), so it pictures being overpowered.
Acts 19:29 συναρπάσαντες having dragged off

Soon the whole city was in disarray. They rushed together into the theatre, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia.

Here: To grab someone and drag them away by force. The form places the seizing just before or during the rush: they hauled the two men along with them.
Acts 27:15 συναρπασθέντος When was being seized

Unable to head into the wind, the ship was caught up. So we gave way and let ourselves be driven along.

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