ἁρπάζω

Matthew 11:12 ἁρπάζουσιν claim

From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subject to violence, and the violent lay claim to it.

Here: Present tense: 'are seizing / are snatching'. It is the verb used for robbers, raiders and wild animals carrying off prey. The supplied gloss 'claim' is much softer than the Greek.

Matthew 12:29 ἁρπάσαι, to plunder,

Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and steal his possessions, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.

Here: Grabbing by force, not quiet theft. The word for a raider or a wild animal snatching its prey. The picture is of goods being torn out of the owner's grip.

Matthew 13:19 ἁρπάζει snatches away

When anyone hears the message of the kingdom but does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.

Here: A sudden, forceful grab, the verb used for robbery and for predators. It pictures a bird swooping on a seed.

John 6:15 ἁρπάζειν to seize

Then Jesus, realizing that they were about to come and make Him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by Himself.

Here: A forceful word for snatching or carrying off. The crowd plans to lay hands on him and carry him off, perhaps literally, to be acclaimed. It is something done to him, not with his consent.

John 10:12 ἁρπάζει snatches

The hired hand is not the shepherd, and the sheep are not his own. When he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf pounces on them and scatters the flock.

Here: A violent grab, used of a beast taking prey. It looks ahead to 10:28-29: no one will 'snatch' the sheep out of Jesus' hand or the Father's.

John 10:28 ἁρπάσει will seize

I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand.

Here: Future tense: 'will snatch'. The word for violent seizure, used in v.12 of the wolf that 'snatches' sheep. Jesus is saying the predator will not succeed against his flock.

John 10:29 ἁρπάζειν to seize [them]

My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand.

Here: Violent seizure, the word for a wolf or lion carrying off prey or a robber grabbing loot. It points back to the wolf that 'snatches' the sheep in 10:12.

Acts 8:39 ἥρπασεν carried away

When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, but went on his way rejoicing.

Here: A sudden, forceful grab. Philip does not decide to leave; he is taken. The single past-tense action shows one decisive event.

Acts 23:10 ἁρπάσαι to take by force

The dispute grew so violent that the commander was afraid they would tear Paul to pieces. He ordered the soldiers to go down and remove him by force and bring him into the barracks.

2 Corinthians 12:2 ἁρπαγέντα having been caught up

I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows.

Here: 'Having been snatched up.' A sudden, forceful seizing done to him, not something he achieved. The passive voice points to God as the one who acted.

2 Corinthians 12:4 ἡρπάγη he was caught up

was caught up to Paradise. The things he heard were inexpressible, things that man is not permitted to tell.

1 Thessalonians 4:17 ἁρπαγησόμεθα we will be caught away

After that, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.

Here: Future passive: 'we will be snatched up.' The verb suggests sudden, forceful seizure. The passive leaves God as the unnamed one who does the seizing. This verb, through the Latin rapiemur, is the source of the English word 'rapture.'

Jude 1:23 ἁρπάζοντες, snatching ,

save others by snatching them from the fire; and to still others show mercy tempered with fear, hating even the clothing stained by the flesh.

Here: A participle saying how the rescue happens: by a sudden, forceful grab. The word suggests urgency and some violence, like pulling someone from a burning house, not polite persuasion.

Revelation 12:5 ἡρπάσθη was caught up

And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was caught up to God and to His throne.

Here: Past tense, passive: 'was snatched away.' The verb implies sudden, forceful seizure. The passive leaves God unnamed as the one acting, though he clearly is. It is a rescue: the child is pulled out of reach of the dragon's jaws.