στρέφω
To turn
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What does στρέφω (stréphō) mean in the Bible?
στρέφω (stréphō) is a Greek word meaning "to turn". στρέφω [in LXX chiefly for הָפַךְ, also for סָבַב, etc.
Meaning
Physical turning becomes moral/spiritual turning: repentance, conversion, changed direction of life.
to turn: with accusative of thing(s) dative of person(s), Mat.5:39; = ἀποσ-, to bring back, Mat.27:3 (cf. Isa.38:8); reflexively (WM, § 38, 1), to turn oneself, Act.7:42; with accusative before εἰς, = μετασ-, to change, Rev.11:6. Pass., reflexive, to turn oneself: before εἰς, Jhn.20:14, Act.7:39 13:46; ptcp., στραφείς, with indic., Mat.7:6 9:22 16:23, Luk.7:9 9:55 14:25 22:61, Jhn.1:38 20:16; id. before πρός, Luk.7:44 10:22 (WH, R, om.), Luk.7:23 23:28; metaphorically, to change: absol., Mat.18:3, Jhn.12:40 (cf. ἀνα-, ἀπο-, δια-, ἐκ, ἐπι-, κατα-, μετα-, συ(ν)-, ὑπο-στρέφω).
Grammatical Forms
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 12×
Indicative states a fact or reality 5×
Imperative command or strong request 1×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 2×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 21 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Biblical Occurrences
Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.
Biblical Witnesses
Word Pictures (Robertson)
A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.
A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain