Quick Definition
ἐπερωτάω v. I interrogate, question, demand of
Strong's Definition
from 1909 and 2065; to ask for, i.e. inquire, seek
KJV Usage: ask (after, questions), demand, desire, question
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb | ἐρωτάω
33.180 · Communication · Question, Answer
to ask, to ask a question to ask for information In a number of languages a term such as ἐρωτάω[a] or ἐπερωτάω[a] implies an introduction of direct discourse, so that in LUK 9:45, for example, it may be necessary to translate ‘they were afraid to ask him, What do you mean by what you said?’
MAT 12:10 · MAT 17:10 · MAT 22:23 · MAT 22:35 · MAT 22:41 · MAT 22:46 · MRK 5:9 · MRK 7:5 · MRK 7:17 · MRK 8:23 · MRK 8:27 · MRK 8:29 · MRK 9:11 · MRK 9:16 · MRK 9:21 · MRK 9:28 · MRK 9:32 · MRK 9:33 · MRK 10:2 · MRK 10:10 · MRK 10:17 · MRK 11:29 · MRK 12:18 · MRK 12:28 · MRK 12:34 · MRK 13:3 · MRK 15:44 · LUK 2:46 · LUK 3:10 · LUK 3:14 · LUK 6:9 · LUK 8:9 · LUK 8:30 · LUK 9:18 · LUK 17:20 · LUK 18:18 · LUK 18:40 · LUK 20:21 · LUK 20:27 · LUK 20:40 · LUK 21:7 · LUK 22:64 · LUK 23:6 · JHN 18:7 · ACT 23:34 · ROM 10:20 · 1CO 14:35
33.161 · Communication · Ask For, Request
to ask for, to request to ask for, usually with the implication of an underlying question
56.14 · Courts and Legal Procedures · Judicial Hearing, Inquiry
to question, to interrogate, to try to learn to attempt in a legal or semi-legal procedure to know the truth about a matter, normally by interrogation
MAT 27:11 · MRK 14:60 · MRK 14:61 · MRK 15:2 · MRK 15:4 · LUK 23:9 · JHN 9:23 · ACT 5:27
1 There may be some slight difference of meaning between ἐρωτάω[a] and ἐπερωτάω[a], but this cannot be determined from existing contexts. 2 ἐπερωτάω[b] may be somewhat more intensive in meaning than ἐρωτάω[b], but both seem to be somewhat weaker in urgency than αἰτέω and παραιτέομαι[a] (33.163).
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ἐπ-ερωτάω, -ῶ ; impf. ἐπηρώτων: fut. ἐπερωτήσω; 1 aor. ἐπηρώτησα: 1 aor. pass. ptep. émepwrnbeis ; Sept. mostly for 78wW, sometimes for W171, 1. fo accost one with an inquiry, put a question to, inquire of, ask, interrogate, [ἐπί directive, uniformly in the N.T.; Mey. on Mk. xi. 29 (ef. ἐπί, D. 2)]: τινά, Mk. ix. 325 xii. 34; Mt. xxii. 46; Lk. ii. 46; 1 Co. xiv. 35; Jn. xviii. 21 RG: τινά τι; ask one any thing, Mk. vii. 17 LT Tr WH; xi. 29; Lk. xx. 40; τινὰ περί τινος, one about a thing, Mk. vii. 17 RG; (Lk. ix. 45 Lehm.], (Hdt. 1, 32; Dem. 1072, 12): foll. by λέγων with the words used by the questioner, Mt. xii. 10; xvii. 10; Mk. ix. 11; xii. 18; Lk. iii.10, 145 xx. 27; xxiii. 3 [R G L], and often in the Synoptic Gospels; foll. by εἰ, whether, Mk. viii. 23; xv. 445 Lk. xxiii. 6; or some other form of the indirect question, Acts xxiii. 34; ἐπηρώtov λέγοντες [LT Tr WH om. dey. ], τίς εἴη, Lk. viii. 9; ἐπερωτᾶν θεόν to consult God (Num. xxiii. 3; Josh. ix. 20 (14); Judg.i. 1; xviii.5; Is. xix. 3, ete.; Thue. 1, 118, [ete.]), hence to seek to know God’s purpose and to do his 2. by a usage foreign to the Greeks, 4o address one with a request or demand ; to ask of or demand of one: foll. by the inf. Mt. xvi. 1 (so ἐπερ. τινά τι, Hebr. Onw, in Ps. exxxvi. (cxxxvil.) 3; [this sense is disputed by some; see Zezschwitz as referred to at end of next word; cf. Weiss on Mt. 1. ο., and see ἐρωτάω, 2).
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ἐπερωτάω eperōtaō 56x
to interrogate, question, ask, Mt. 12:10; 17:10; in NT to request, require, Mt. 16:1; from the Hebrew, ἐπερωτᾶν τὸν θεόν, to seek after, desire an acquaintance with God, Rom. 10:20
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
ἐπ-ερωτάω, -ῶ
[in LXX chiefly for שָׁאַל, also for דָּרַשׁ, etc. ;]
to inquire of, consult, question: c. acc pers., Mk 12:34, Lk 2:46, al.; c. dupl. acc, Mk 7:17 11:29, Lk 20:40, al.; c. acc pers., seq. λέγων, Mt 12:18, Mk 9:11; εἰ, Mk 8:23, Lk 23:6, al.; ἐ. θεόν, Ro 10:20 (LXX).
In late Gk., to beg of, demand of: c. acc pers. et inf., Mt 16:1 (cf. ἐρωτάω; and v. Cromer, 716)
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ἐπερωτάω. For this verb in its ordinary NT sense of ‘‘ask,” see P Hib I. 7215 (B.c. 241) ἀποσταλεὶς “A. πρὸς τὸν [ἐν τῶι] ἀδύτωι X. ἐπηρώτα εἰ ὑπάρχει ἐν τῶι ἱερῶν... ἡ σφραγίς, “Ας having been sent to Ch. in the sanctuary asked him if | the seal was in the temple”; P Flor III. 331° (ii/a-D.) ἐπερωτώμενος im[d] σου περὶ τῶν ἐντὸς περιχώμα[τος ἀν]αγραφομένων .. . προσφωνῶ ὡς ὑπόκειται. For a “remarkably early example” of the stipulatory formula ἐπερωτηθεὶς ὡμολόγησα cf. P Oxy VI. 90529 (a.p. 170) (= Selectzons, p. 87) κυρία ἡ συνγραφὴ δισσὴ γραφεῖσα πρὸς τὸ ἑκάτερον μέρος ἔχειν μοναχόν, καὶ ἐπερωτη[θέν)τες ἑαυτοῖς ὡμολόγησαν, ‘the contract is valid, being written in duplicate in order that each party may have one: and in answer to the formal question they declared to each other their consent.” Other examples of the same formula (cf. Modica /ntroduzione, p. 128) are P Gen I. 4251 (A.D. 224-5), P Fay 90™ (A.D. 234), P Tebt II. 378% (a.p. 265): in P | Oxy X. 1273 (A.D. 260) we have—rrepl δὲ τοῦ ταῦτα ὀρθῶς καλῶς γείνεσθαι ἀλλήλους ἐπερωτήσαντί εἰς ὡμολόγησαν, “Δα to each other’s questions whether this is done rightly and fairly they have given their assent” (Edd.). Cf. the technical use of the verb in P Oxy X. 1277! (A.D. 255) βεβαιώσω καὶ ἐπερώτημε (/.—pat) ὡς πρόκειται, “1 will guarantee (the sale) and have been asked the formal question as aforesaid,” and in the late P Iand 489 (A.p. 582) διὰ Μηνᾶ οἰκέτου τοῦ ἐπερωτῶντος καὶ προσπορίζίοντος). . . τὴν ἀγογὴν καὶ ἐνοχήν with the editor’s note.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ἐπερωτάω (eperōtaō) — to question. ἐπερωτ-άω, Ionic dialect ἐπειρ-, consult, inquire of, with accusative person, [Refs 5th c.BC+], cf. Oracle texts cited in [LXX+4th c.BC+]:—passive, to be questioned, asked a question, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
2. with accusative of things, ask a question, ταῦτα, τάδε, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; also, ask about a thing, [[Refs 5th c.BC+]; σμικρόν τι τῶν ῥηθέντων call it in question, [Refs 5th c.BC+] inquire what.., [Refs 5th c.BC+] inquire about, [LXX]passive, τὸ ἐπερωτηθέν the question asked, variant in [Refs 5th c.BC+]
3. with accusative person et of things, [Refs 5th c.BC+].
4. absolutely, put a question, especially of a chairman putting a question to the vote, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
5. in Roman Law, put a formal question in stipulatio, most frequently in passive, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]active, [Refs 3rd c.AD+]
5. b hence later, guarantee, [Refs 6th c.AD+]
6. ask a further question, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]