Greek · G991 · unreviewed

βλέπω

To look at (literally or figuratively)

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βλέπω G991

Pronunciation blépō

What does βλέπω (blépō) mean in the Bible?

βλέπω (blépō) is a Greek word meaning "to look at (literally or figuratively)". βλέπω, [in LXX chiefly for ראה, also for פּנה, etc.

Full entry for βλέπω (G991) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to look at (literally or figuratively)

Extended definition

Seeing with understanding and discernment, including physical sight, mental perception, and careful attention to implications.

1of bodily sight;

ato see, have sight (opposite to τυφλὸς): Mat.12:22, Jhn.9:7, Act.9:9, Rom.11:8, Rev.3:18, al.;

bto perceive, look (at), see: absol., Act.1:9; with accusative, Mat.7:3, Mrk.5:31, Luk.6:41, Jhn.1:29, al.; ὅραμα, Act.12:9; γυναῖκα, Mat.5:28; βιβλίον, Rev.5:3, 4; τ. βλεπόμενα, 2Co.4:18.

2Metaphorical, of mental vision;

ato see, perceive, discern: absol., Mat.13:13, Luk.8:10; δι ̓ ἐσόπτρου, 1Co.13:12; with accusative, Heb.2:9 10:25; before ὅτι, Heb.3:19, Jas.2:22;

bto consider, look to, take heed: absol., Mrk.13:23, 33; with accusative, 1Co.1:26, al.; before πῶς, with indic., Luk.8:18, 1Co.3:10, Eph.5:15; before τί, with indic., Mrk.4:24; before εἰς πρόσωπον, of partiality, Mat.22:16, Mrk.12:14. Colloq. (for ex. from π., V. Deiss., LAE, 122; M, Pr., 107; MM, Exp., x; Milligan, NTD, 50), β. ἑαυτόν: Mrk.13:9; before ἵνα μή, II Jo 8; β. ἀπό, Mrk.8:15 12:38; before μή (cl. ὁρᾶν), with fut. indic., Col.2:8, Heb.3:12; id. with aor. subj., Mat.24:4, Mrk.13:5.

3Of situation and direction (Lat. specto), to look, face (towards), places, etc. (before πρός, Xen, Hell., vii, 1, 17; Eze.40:23, 24): before κατά, with accusative, Act.27:12 (cf. ἀνα-, ἀπο-, δια-, ἐμ-, ἐπι-, περ-, προ-βλέπω), see DCG, i, 446; ii, 596.

Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith

Grammatical Forms

How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.

Tenses

Present Future Imperfect Aorist

Voices

Active Passive

Imperative command or strong request 27×

Present Active Matt 24:4 · Mark 4:24 · Mark 8:15 · Mark 12:38 · Mark 13:5 · Mark 13:9 · Mark 13:23 · Mark 13:33 · Luke 8:18 · Luke 21:8 · Acts 13:40 · 1 Cor 8:9 · 1 Cor 10:18 · 1 Cor 16:10 · Gal 5:15 · Eph 5:15 26×

Aorist Active Acts 3:4 1×

Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 37×

Present Active Matt 5:28 · Matt 6:4 · Matt 6:6 · Matt 6:18 · Matt 14:30 · Luke 6:42 · Luke 9:62 · John 9:7 · Acts 9:9 · Acts 13:11 · Col 2:5 · Rev 22:8 · Matt 13:13 · Matt 13:14 · Mark 4:12 · Luke 8:10 29×

Present Passive 2 Cor 4:18 · Heb 11:1 · Heb 11:7 · Rom 8:24 · Heb 11:3 8×

Indicative states a fact or reality 50×

Present Active Matt 7:3 · Matt 22:16 · Mark 5:31 · Mark 8:23 · Mark 12:14 · Mark 13:2 · Luke 6:41 · Luke 7:44 · Jas 2:22 · Rev 1:11 · Matt 11:4 · Matt 13:17 · Matt 24:2 · Mark 8:18 · Luke 10:23 · Luke 10:24 45×

Future Active Matt 13:14 · Acts 28:26 2×

Imperfect Active John 13:22 · Acts 9:8 2×

Aorist Active Rev 22:8 1×

Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 10×

Present Active Matt 12:22 · Luke 7:21 · Acts 8:6 · Acts 12:9 · Rom 11:8 · Rom 11:10 · Rev 1:12 · Rev 5:3 · Rev 5:4 · Rev 9:20 10×

Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 9×

Present Active Mark 4:12 · Luke 8:10 · Luke 8:16 · Luke 11:33 · John 9:39 · Rev 16:15 · Rev 18:9 · John 5:19 · Rev 3:18 9×

Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 127 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect

completed 1 ongoing 43 prospective 2 imperative 27 background 2 subjunctive 9 infinitive 8 participle 35

Tense

present 121 aorist 2 imperfect 2 future 2

Voice

active 119 passive 8

Mood

indicative 48 participle 35 imperative 27 subjunctive 9 infinitive 8

NT Occurrences

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

1 Corinthians 1:26-31 consider blépō

To observe and take heed of one's own circumstances and calling

Ephesians 5:15-21 look blépō Imperative · Present Active

To be careful and cautious about how one conducts life

Luke 8:16-18 take heed blépō Imperative · Present Active

To pay careful attention to how one hears and receives teaching

2 John 1:7-11 look blépō

To guard against and be watchful regarding false teachers

Appears In

Compound and idiomatic lexemes in which this word is a constituent. Follow a link to study the phrase and its other participating words.

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.

Acts 28 — Paul in Rome: The Kingdom Proclaimed Without Hindrance John 20 — The Risen Lord: Empty Tomb, Eyewitness Faith, Peace, Mission, Spirit, Thomas, and the Purpose of the Gospel John 9 — The Man Born Blind, the Light of the World, and the Blindness of Religious Unbelief Mark 12 — The Rejected Son, the Greatest Commandment, the Lord of David, and the Widow’s Offering Mark 13 — Watch and Endure: Temple Judgment, Gospel Witness, Tribulation, the Son of Man, and Readiness Mark 8 — Seeing Jesus Clearly: Bread, Blindness, Confession, Cross, and Discipleship Philippians 3 — Counting All Things Loss and Pressing On Toward Christ

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

Sources

MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain

Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0

Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

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