Original Word: λαμβάνω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: lambanó
Pronunciation: lam-BAN-o
Phonetic Spelling: (lam-ban'-o)
Definition: To take, receive, obtain
Meaning: (a) I receive, get, (b) I take, lay hold of.

Word Origin: A primary verb

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: - H3947 (לָקַח - laqach): To take, receive

- H6901 (קָבַל - qabal): To receive, accept

Usage: The Greek verb "λαμβάνω" (lambanó) primarily means "to take" or "to receive." It is used in various contexts in the New Testament, ranging from physically taking or receiving something to more abstract concepts such as receiving a message or accepting a truth. The term can imply an active or passive reception, depending on the context.

Cultural and Historical Background: In the Greco-Roman world, the concept of receiving or taking was integral to daily life, whether in commerce, social interactions, or religious practices. The act of receiving was often associated with hospitality, honor, and the acceptance of gifts or messages. In the Jewish context, receiving was also tied to the acceptance of divine revelation and blessings.

2983 lambánō (from the primitive root, lab-, meaning "actively lay hold of to take or receive," see NAS dictionary) – properly, to lay hold by aggressively (actively) accepting what is available (offered). 2983 /lambánō ("accept with initiative") emphasizes the volition (assertiveness) of the receiver.

Word Origin
from a prim. root lab-
Definition
to take, receive
NASB Translation
accept (1), accepting (1), attempted* (1), bring (2), caught (1), caught caught (1), collect (1), collected (1), conferred* (2), conspired* (1), consulted* (1), experienced* (1), forgotten* (1), gets (1), gripped (1), incur (1), married (2), marry (2), obtained (1), occupy (1), overtaken (1), partial* (1), picked (2), receive (63), received (48), receives (14), receiving (6), seizes (1), shows (1), struck (1), take (24), taken (7), takes (3), taking (9), took (50).

STRONGS NT 2983: λαμβάνω

λαμβάνω; imperfect ἐλάμβανον; future λήψομαι (L T Tr WH λήμψομαι, an Alexandrian form; see under the word Mu); 2 aorist ἔλαβον (2 person plural once (in Tdf. 7 after B*) ἐλαβατε, 1 John 2:27; see references under the word ἀπέρχομαι, at the beginning), imperative λαβέ (Revelation 10:8f), not λαβέ (Winers Grammar, § 6, 1 a.; Buttmann, 62 (54)); perfect εἴληφα, 2 person ἐοιληφας (and ἐιληφες (Revelation 11:17 WH; see κοπιάω); on the use of the perfect interchangeably with an aorist (Revelation 5:7; Revelation 8:5, etc.) cf. Buttmann, 197 (170); Winer's Grammar, 272 (255); Jebb in Vincent and Dickson's Modern Greek, 2nd edition, Appendix, §§ 67, 68), participle εἰληφώς; (passive, present participle λαμβανόμενος; perfect 3 person singular ἐιληπται, John 8:4 WH marginal reading (rejected section)); the Sept. hundreds of times for לָקַח, very often for נָשָׂא, also for לָכַד and several times for אָחַז; (from Homer down);

I. to take, i. e.:

1. to take with the hand, lay hold of, any person or thing in order to use it: absolutely, where the context shows what is taken, Matthew 26:26; Mark 14:22; (τόν) ἄρτον, Matthew 26:26; Acts 27:35; τό βιβλίον, Revelation 5:7-9 (see Buttmann, and Winer's Grammar, as above); μαχαιρον (grasp, lay hand to), Matthew 26:52, and in many other examples After a circumstantial style of description (see ἀνίστημι, II. 1 c.) in use from Homer down (cf. Passow, under the word C.; (Liddell and Scott, under the word I. 11); Matthiae, § 558, Anm. 2; (Winer's Grammar, § 65, 4 c.)), the participle λαβών with the accusative of the object is placed before an active verb where it does not always seem to us necessary to mention the act of taking (as λαβών κυσε χεῖρα (cf. our 'he took and kissed'), Homer, Odyssey 24, 398): Matthew 13:31, 33; Matthew 17:27; Mark 9:36; Luke 13:19, 21; John 12:3; Acts 2:23 Rec.; ; λαβών τό αἷμα ... τόν λαόν ἐρράντισε (equivalent to τῷ αἵματι ... τόν λαόν ἐρράντισε), Hebrews 9:19; or the verb λαβεῖν in a finite form followed by καί precedes, as ἔλαβε τόν Ἰησοῦν καί ἐμαστίγωσεν, John 19:1; add, John 19:40; John 21:13; Revelation 8:5; also λαβεῖν τόν ἄρτον ... καί βαλεῖν etc., Matthew 15:26; Mark 7:27; ἔλαβον ... καί ἐποίησαν, John 19:23. metaphorically, ἀφορμήν (see the word, 2), Romans 7:8, 11; ὑπόδειγμα τίνος (the genitive of the thing) τινα, to take one as an example of a thing, for imitation, James 5:10; to take in order to wear, τά ἱμάτια, i. e. to put on: John 13:12 (ἐσθῆτα, ὑποδήματα, Herodotus 2, 37; 4, 78); μορφήν δούλου, Philippians 2:7. to take in the mouth: something to eat, John 13:30; Acts 9:19; 1 Timothy 4:4 (cf. Latincibum capio, to take food); to take anything to drink, i. e. drink, swallow, ὕδωρ, Revelation 22:17; to drink, τό ὄξος, John 19:30; οὐκ ἔλαβε, he did not take it, i. e. refused to drink it, Mark 15:23. to take up a thing to be carried; to take upon oneself: τόν σταυρόν αὐτοῦ, Matthew 10:38 (L marginal reading ἄρῃ); to take with one for future use: ἄρτους, Matthew 16:5, 7; λαμπάδας, Matthew 25:1; ἔλαιον μεθ' ἑαυτῶν, ibid. 3.

2. to take in order to carry away: without the notion of violence, τάς ἀσθενείας, i. e. to remove, take away, Matthew 8:17; with the notion of violence, to seize, take away forcibly: Matthew 5:40; Revelation 3:11; τήν εἰρήνην ἐκ (Rec. ἀπό (WH brackets ἐκ)) τῆς γῆς, Revelation 6:4.

3. to take what is one's own, to take to oneself, to make one's own;

a. to claim, procure, for oneself: τί, John 3:27 (opposed to what is given); ἑαυτῷ βασιλείαν, Luke 19:12; with the accusative of the person to associate with one' s self as companion, attendant, etc.: λαβών τήν σπεῖραν ἔρχεται, taking with him the band of soldiers (whose aid he might use) he comes, John 18:3 (στρατόν λαβών ἔρχεται, Sophocles Trach. 259); λαμβάνειν γυανικα, to take i. e. marry a wife, Mark 12:19-22; Luke 20:28-31 (Genesis 4:19, etc.; Xenophon, Cyril 8, 4, 16; Bur. Alc. 324; with ἑαυτῷ added, Genesis 4:19; Genesis 6:2, and often).

b. of that which when taken is not let go, like the Latincapio, equivalent to to seize, lay hold of, apprehend: τινα, Matthew 21:35, 39; Mark 12:3, 8, and very often in Greek writings from Homer down; tropically, τί, i. e. to get possession of, obtain, a thing, Philippians 3:12 (cf. Winers Grammar, 276 (259)); metaphorically, of affections or evils seizing on a man (Latincapio, occupo): τινα ἔλαβεν ἔκστασις, Luke 5:26; φόβος, Luke 7:16 (very often so even in Homer, as τρόμος ἐλλαβε γυια, Iliad 3, 34; με ἵμερος αἴρει, 3, 446; χόλος, 4, 23; the Sept. Exodus 15:15; Wis. 11:13 (12)); πνεῦμα (i. e., a demon), Luke 9:39; πειρασμός, 1 Corinthians 10:13.

c. to take by craft (our catch, used of hunters, fishermen, etc.): οὐδέν, Luke 5:5; tropically, τινα, to circumvent one by fraud, 2 Corinthians 11:20; with δόλῳ added, 2 Corinthians 12:16.

d. to take to oneself, lay hold upon, take possession of, i. e. to appropriate to oneself: ἑαυτῷ τήν τιμήν, Hebrews 5:4.

e. Latincapto, catch at, reach after, strive to obtain: τί παρά τίνος (the genitive of person), John 5:34, 41; alternating with ζητεῖν, John 5:44.

f. to take a thing due according to agreement or law, to collect, gather (tribute): τά δίδραχμα, Matthew 17:24; τέλη ἀπό τίνος, 25; δεκάτας, Hebrews 7:8f; καρπούς, Matthew 21:34; παρά τῶν γεωργῶν ἀπό τοῦ καρποῦ, Mark 12:2.

4. to take i. e. to admit, receive: τινα ῤαπίσμασιν, Mark 14:65 L T Tr WH (cf. Latinverberibus aliquem accipere), but see βάλλω, 1; τινα εἰς τά ἰδίᾳ, unto his own home (see ἴδιος, 1 b.), John 19:27; εἰς οἰκίαν, 2 John 1:10; εἰς τό πλοῖον, John 6:21. to receive what is offered; not to refuse or reject: τινα, one, in order to obey him, John 1:12; John 5:43; John 13:20; τί, properly, to receive, Matthew 27:6; tropically: τόν λόγον, to admit or receive into the mind, Matthew 13:20; Mark 4:16 (for which in Luke 8:13 δέχονται; τήν μαρτυρίαν, to believe the testimony, John 3:11, 32f; τά ῤήματα τίνος, John 12:48; John 17:8. In imitation of the Hebrew פָּנִים נָשָׂא (on the various senses of which in the O. T. cf. Gesenius, Thesaurus, ii., p. 915f), πρόσωπον λαμβάνω, to receive a person, give him access to oneself, i. e. to regard anyone's power, rank, external circumstances, and on that account to do some injustice or neglect something: used of partiality (A. V. to accept the person), Luke 20:21; with ἀνθρώπου added, Galatians 2:6 (Leviticus 19:15; Malachi 2:9, etc.; θαυμάζειν τό πρόσωπον, Deuteronomy 10:17; Job 32:22); (cf. Lightfoot on Galatians, the passage cited).

5. to take, equivalent to to choose, select: τινα ἐκ τινων, passive Hebrews 5:1.

6. To the signification to take may be referred that use, frequent in Greek authors also (cf. Passow, under the word, B.

d. at the end; (Liddell and Scott, II. 3)), by which λαμβάνειν joined to a substantive forms a periphrasis of the verb whose idea is expressed by the substantive: λαμβάνειν ἀρχήν to take beginning, equivalent to ἄρχομαι to begin, Hebrews 2:3 (Polybius 1, 12, 9, and often; Aelian v. h. 2, 28; 12, 53, and in other authors); λήθην τίνος, to forget, 2 Peter 1:9 (Josephus, Antiquities 2, 6, 10; 9, 1; 4, 8, 44; Aelian v. h. 3, 18 under the end; h. anim. 4, 35); ὑπόμνησιν τίνος, to be reminded of a thing, 2 Timothy 1:5; περιαν τίνος, to prove anything, i. e. either to make trial of: ἧς namely, θαλάσσης, which they attempted to pass through, Hebrews 11:29; or to have trial of, to experience: also with the genitive of the thing, Hebrews 11:36 (in both senses often also in classical Greek; see πεῖρα, and Bleek, Br. a. d. Hebrews 2:2, p. 811); συμβούλιον λαμβάνειν, to take counsel, equivalent to συμβουλεύεσθαι, to deliberate (a combination in imitation apparently of the Latin phraseconsilium capere, although that signifies to form a plan, to resolve): Matthew 12:14; Matthew 22:15; Matthew 27:1, 7; Matthew 28:12; θάρσος, to take, receive, courage, Acts 28:15; τό χάραγμα τίνος, equivalent to χάρσσομαι τί, to receive the mark of, i. e. let oneself be marked or stamped with: Revelation 14:9, 11; Revelation 19:20; Revelation 20:4.

II. to receive (what is given); to gain, get, obtain: absolutely, opposed to αἰτεῖν, Matthew 7:8; Luke 11:10; John 16:24; opposed to διδόναι, Acts 20:35; Matthew 10:8; with the accusative of the thing, Matthew 20:9; Mark 10:30; (Luke 18:30 L text WH text Tr marginal reading); John 7:39; Acts 2:38; Acts 10:43; Romans 1:5; Romans 5:11; 1 Corinthians 2:12; 1 Corinthians 9:24; 2 Corinthians 11:4; Galatians 3:14; Hebrews 9:15; ( R G, see ἐπαγγελία, 2 b.; cf. Winer's Grammar, 237 (222)); James 1:12; James 5:7; 1 Peter 4:10; Revelation 4:11; Revelation 5:12, and many other examples; μισθόν, Matthew 10:41; John 4:36; 1 Corinthians 3:8, 14; ἐλεημοσύνην, Acts 3:3; ἔλεος, Hebrews 4:16; τόπον ἀπολογίας, Acts 25:16; τήν ἐπισκοπήν, Acts 1:20; διάδοχον, Acts 24:27 (successorem accipio, Pliny, epistles 9, 13); τό ἱκανόν παρά τίνος (the genitive of person), Acts 17:9 (see ἱκανός, a. at the end); of punishments: κρίμα, Matthew 23:14-13Rec.; Mark 12:40 (cf. Winer's Grammar, 183 (172)); Luke 20:47 James 3:1; with the dative incommodi added, ἑαυτῷ, Romans 13:2 (δίκην, Herodotus 1, 115; Euripides, Bacch. 1312; ποινας, Euripides, Tro. 360). οἰκοδομήν, to receive edifying, equivalent to ὀικοδομοῦμαι, 1 Corinthians 14:5; περιτομήν, equivalent to περιτέμνομαι, John 7:23; τί ἐκ τιονς, John 1:16; ἐξ ἀναστάσεως τούς νεκρούς, substantially equivalent to to receive, get back, Hebrews 11:35 (see ἐκ, II. 6); ἐκ, a part of a thing (see ἐκ, II. 9), Revelation 18:4; τί παρά τίνος (the genitive of person) (Luke 6:34 T Tr text WH); John 10:18; Acts 2:33; Acts 3:5; Acts 20:24; Acts 26:10; James 1:7; 1 John 3:22 R G; 2 John 1:4; Revelation 2:28 (); ἀπό τίνος (the genitive of person), 1 John 2:27; ( L T Tr WH); on the difference between παρά and ἀπό τίνος λαμβάνειν, cf. Winers Grammar, 370 (347) note; (Buttmann, § 147, 5; yet see Lightfoot on Galatians 1:12); ὑπό τίνος, 2 Corinthians 11:24; πῶς εἴληφας, how thou hast received by instruction in the gospel, i. e. hast learned, Revelation 3:3. The verb λαμβάνω does not occur in the Epistles to the Thessalonians, Philemon, Titus, nor in the Epistle of Jude. [COMPARE: ἀναλαμβάνω, ἀντιλαμβάνω, συν(αντιλαμβάνω (λαμβάνομαι), ἀπολαμβάνω, ἐπιλαμβάνω, καταλαμβάνω, μεταλαμβάνω, παραλαμβάνω, συνπαραλαμβάνω, προλαμβάνω, προσλαμβάνω, προσλαμβάνω, συνλαμβάνω, συνπεριλαμβάνω, ὑπολαμβάνω. SYNONYM: see δέχομαι, at the end]

to take, receive

A prolonged form of a primary verb, which is use only as an alternate in certain tenses; to take (in very many applications, literally and figuratively (properly objective or active, to get hold of; whereas dechomai is rather subjective or passive, to have offered to one; while haireomai is more violent, to seize or remove)) -- accept, + be amazed, assay, attain, bring, X when I call, catch, come on (X unto), + forget, have, hold, obtain, receive (X after), take (away, up).

see GREEK dechomai

see GREEK haireomai

ἀπολάβῃ ειλημμένων ειληφα είληφα εἴληφα ειληφας είληφας εἴληφας ειλήφασι είληφε ειληφεν είληφεν εἴληφεν ειληφότας ειληφως ειληφώς εἰληφὼς έλαβαν ελαβε έλαβε έλαβέ ἔλαβε ελαβεν έλαβεν ἔλαβεν ελαβες έλαβες έλαβές ἔλαβες ελαβετε ελάβετε ἐλάβετε ελάβετο ελαβομεν ελάβομεν ἐλάβομεν ελαβον έλαβον έλαβόν ἔλαβον ελάβοντο ελάβοσαν ελάμβανε ελάμβανεν ελαμβάνετε ελαμβανον ελάμβανον ἐλάμβανον ελήφθη ελήφθης ελήφθησαν λαβε λάβε λαβειν λαβείν λαβεῖν Λαβετε Λάβετε λάβετέ λαβετω λαβέτω λαβέτωσαν λαβέτωσάν λαβη λάβη λάβῃ λάβης λαβητε λάβητε λαβοι λάβοι λαβοντα λαβόντα λαβοντας λαβόντας λαβοντες λαβόντες λαβουσα λαβούσα λαβοῦσα λαβουσαι λαβούσαι λαβοῦσαι λαβω λάβω λαβωμεν λάβωμεν λαβων λαβών λαβὼν λάβωσι λαβωσιν λάβωσιν λαμβανει λαμβάνει λαμβανειν λαμβάνειν λαμβανεις λαμβάνεις λαμβανετε λαμβάνετε λαμβάνετέ λαμβανη λαμβάνη λαμβάνῃ λαμβανομεν λαμβάνομεν λαμβανομενον λαμβανόμενον λαμβανομενος λαμβανόμενος λαμβάνοντα λαμβανοντες λαμβάνοντες λαμβάνοντος λαμβάνουσα λαμβάνουσι λαμβανουσιν λαμβάνουσιν λαμβανω λαμβάνω λαμβανων λαμβάνων λημψεσθε λήμψεσθε λημψεται λήμψεται λήμψεταί λημψομεθα λημψόμεθα λημψονται λήμψονται ληφθήσεται ληφθήσονται ληφθήτω ληψεσθε λήψεσθε λήψεται λήψεταί λήψη λήψομαι λήψομαί ληψόμεθα λήψονται apolabe apolabē apolábei apolábēi eilepha eilēpha eílepha eílēpha eilephas eilēphas eílephas eílēphas eilephen eilēphen eílephen eílēphen eilephos eilephṑs eilēphōs eilēphṑs elabe élabe elaben élaben elabes élabes elabete elábete elabomen elábomen elabon élabon elambanon elámbanon labe labē lábe lábei lábēi labein labeîn Labete labēte Lábete lábēte labeto labetō labéto labétō labo labō lábo lábō laboi láboi labomen labōmen lábomen lábōmen labon labōn labṓn labṑn labonta labónta labontas labóntas labontes labóntes labosin labōsin lábosin lábōsin labousa laboûsa labousai laboûsai lambane lambanē lambanei lambánei lambánēi lambanein lambánein lambaneis lambáneis lambanete lambánete lambáneté lambano lambanō lambáno lambánō lambanomen lambánomen lambanomenon lambanómenon lambanomenos lambanómenos lambanon lambanōn lambánon lambánōn lambanontes lambánontes lambanousin lambánousin lempsesthe lēmpsesthe lḗmpsesthe lempsetai lēmpsetai lḗmpsetai lḗmpsetaí lempsometha lempsómetha lēmpsometha lēmpsómetha lempsontai lēmpsontai lḗmpsontai lepsesthe lēpsesthe lḗpsestheInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts