Quick Definition
ἐπέχω v. I hold forth, pay attention, note, delay
Strong's Definition
from 1909 and 2192; to hold upon, i.e. (by implication) to retain; (by extension) to detain; (with implication, of 3563) to pay attention to
KJV Usage: give (take) heed unto, hold forth, mark, stay
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb | aor. ἐπέσχον | ἔχω
27.59 · Learn · Be Ready To Learn, Pay Attention
to pay attention to, to keep on the lookout for, to be alert for, to be on one’s guard against to be in a continuous state of readiness to learn of any future danger, need, or error, and to respond appropriately
31.47 · Hold a View, Believe, Trust · Believe To Be True
to hold firmly to, to continue to believe to hold firmly to a particular belief The equivalent of ἐπέχω[b] and προσέχω[c] may be simply ‘to continue to strongly believe’ or ‘to not give up at all to believe.’
It is also possible to understand ἐπέχω in PHP 2:16 as meaning ‘to offer.’
24.33 · Sensory Events and States · See
to notice, to watch to direct one’s attention to a particular object or event
85.59 · Existence in Space · Remain, Stay
to stay on, to remain to stay or remain in a place beyond some point of time
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ἐπ-έχω ; impf. ἐπεῖχον ; 2 aor. ἐπέσχον ; 1. to have or hold upon, apply: sc. τὸν νοῦν, to observe, attend to, foll. by an indir. quest., Lk. xiv. 7; τινί, dat. of pers., to give attention to one, Acts iii. 5; 1 Tim. iv. 16, (with dat. of a thing, Sir. xxxi. (xxxiv.) 2; 2 Mace. ix. 25; Polyb. 3, 43, 2, ete.; fully ὀφθαλμόν τινι, Leian. dial. mar. 1, 2). a to hold towards, hold forth, present : λόγον ζωῆς, asa light, by which illumined ye are the lights of the world, Phil. ii. 16 [Δ]. al., cf. Mey. or Ellic. ad loc.]. 3. to check ((cef. Eng. hold up], Germ. anhalten): se. ἐμαυτόν, to delay, stop, stay, Acts xix. 22, and in Grk. writ. fr. Hom. down; [ef. W. § 38,1; B. 144 (126); Fritzsche on Sir. v. 17.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ἐπέχω epechō 5x
trans. to hold out, present, exhibit, display, Phil. 2:16; intrans. to observe, take heed to, attend to, Lk. 14:7; Acts 3:5; 1 Tim. 4:16; to stay, delay, Acts 19:22*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
ἐπ-έχω
[in LXX for חָדַל, etc.; also Si 8:1 31(34):2, II Mac 5:25 9:25, al. ;]
to hold upon.
Like παρέχω (as in Hom., al.), to hold out, offer: λόγον ζωῆς, Phl 2:16.
to hold or direct towards, Sc.νοῦν;
absol., to intend, purpose;
to observe, give attention to (v. MM, Exp., xiv): seq. πῶς, Lk 14:7; c. dat. pers., Ac 3:5, I Ti 4:16.
to stay, wait: Ac 19:22 (in legal phrase, MM, Exp., l.c.).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ἐπέχω. For ἐπέχω, ““ fix attention on,” ‘‘ pay heed,” as in Ac Bes τ Tim 415, cf. P Fay 112! (A.D. 99) ἐπέχον τῷ δακτυλιστῇ Ζωίλωι καὶ εἵνα αὐτὸν μὴ δυσωπήσῃς, ‘give heed to the measurer (?) Zoilus ; don’t look askance at him,” BGU IV. 040% (ii/A.D.) ot yap yle]opyol ἡμεῖν ἐπέχουσιν [καὶ] κα[θ᾽ ἡμῶν μέλλουσιν ἐντυν[χ]άνειϊν. Cf. P Oxy I. 67° (a.p. 338) παρα[νόμω]ς ἐπέχοντάς pov τῶν οἰκοπέδων, ‘* making illegal encroachments on my estates” (Edd.). The sense of “delay,” ‘“‘hinder,” is found in the legal phrase μηδενὸς ἐπεχομένου, ‘if no one objects,” or ‘‘if there is no hindrance,” as in P Tebt II. 32737 (late ii/a.p.), P Oxy III. 488 111] For the use of the verb in connexion with the μετὰ τὰς ἀπὸ ἐποχίμων συστ[αλ(είσας) ἢ] διὰ τὸ εἰσπίραχθῆναι) πρὸ τοῦ ἐπισχεθῆναι, ‘‘after deducting the sums which were withdrawn from the category of suspended payments because they were collected before they were suspended ’’ (Edd.), and P Giss 1. 48 (A.D. 202-3) with the editor’s note: cf. also P Tebt II. 336% (c. Α.Ὁ. 190) of lands ἐν ἐποχῇ, z.e. lands on which the collection of rents had been suspended, owing to their having been flooded and rendered useless. So P Giss I. 818 (A.D. 119) ἀξιῶν émσχεθῆναι τὴν πρᾶσιν μέχρι ἂν περὶ τούτου κριθῶμεν, ““ asking that the sale should be stopped until a decision had been given in this matter.’’ The meaning of ‘‘ wait,’’ as in Ac 1955, may be illustrated from P Lille I. 267 (iii/B.c.) πεερὶ (2. περὶ) δὲ τούτου τοῦ μέρους δεήσει ἐπισχεῖν [ἕως ἂν] μάθωμεν, “wait until we learn,” and the curious love-charm, Preisighe 49471 (iii/A.D.), where the petitioner prays that the lady of his affections should be led to love him—xal μὴ ἐπεχέτω μίαν ὥραν, ἕως ἔλθῃ πρὸς ἐμὲ... χρόνον, “Cand let her not wait one hour, until she come to me forall time”: cf. also P Petr II. 20% 15 (.c. 252) ἐπεὶ καὶ αὐτὸς ἔπεσχον τοῦ ἐντυχεῖν, “‘ wherefore I also refrained from meeting him’’ (see 7d. III. p. 77), P Flor 11. 15138 (A.D. 267) μέλλων yap στρατιώτης πέμπεσθαι ἐπ᾽ αὐτοὺς ἐγὼ ἔἕπεσχον. None of the above citations can be said to throw any fresh light on the use of the verb in Phil 215, but it may be noted that against the translation ‘‘ holding forth ”’ (AV, RV: cf. Hom. Od. xvi. 444 cited by Moule CGT ad /.), Field (Vofes, p. 193 f.) brings forward a number of exx. from late Greek in support of rendering λόγον ἐπέχω τινός = “correspond,” ‘‘play the part of,” and hence translates “being in the stead of life to it (sc. the world).”” On the other hand, evidence can be quoted for éméxw = a strengthεἰς τὸν ἅπαντα > , €7L ened ἔχω, as Plut. Oth. 17 τὴν πόλιν ἐπεῖχε κλαυθμός (see Haupt in Meyer ® ad 1), and hence the translation ‘‘ holding fast the word of life.’’ It may be added that in “127. xiii. 21. 3 Cicero objects to zzhzbere as a rendering of ἐπέχειν, on the ground that zzAidere, as a term used in rowing, = ‘‘ to back water,” whereas ἐπέχειν --- ‘‘to hold oneself balanced between two opinions”: see Tyrrell Czcero in his Letters, Ῥ- 242.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ἐπέχω (epechō) — to hold fast/out. ἐπέχω, future ἐφέξω (see. infr. IV. [Refs 5th c.BC+]: aorist ἐπέσχον, imperative ἐπίσχες, infinitive ἐπισχεῖ; poetry [Refs 5th c.BC+]: perfect [Refs] (Samos, 4th c.BC):—have or hold upon, θρῆνυν.., τῷ κεν ἐπισχοίης (variant{ἐπίσχοιας}) [Refs 8th c.BC+] hold it to or for.., [Refs 3rd c.BC+] holding it out like a torch, [NT]middle, hold by, [Refs 3rd c.BC+].
II. hold out to, present, offer, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; εἴ ποτέ τοι.. μαζὸν ἐπέσχον [Refs 5th c.BC+] I offered not mother's food with my breast, [Refs]: with infinitive, [Refs 6th c.BC+]: absolutely, [Refs] —middle, ἐπισχόμενος (i.e. τὴν κύλικα) ἐξέπιεν having put it to his lips, [Refs 7th c.BC+]; present a sum of money, τῇ πόλει [Refs]
II.2. extend, spread out, [Refs 4th c.BC+].
II.3. simply, hold, [Refs]; of writings, contain, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
II.4. enjoin, impose a task, with dative person, [Refs 6th c.AD+]
III. hold or direct towards, [Refs 5th c.BC+]:— middle, absolutely, ἐπισχόμενος βάλεν ἰῷ having aimed at him he hit him, [Refs 8th c.BC+]
III. b intransitive, aim at, attack, τί μοι ὧδ᾽ ἐπέχει; why thus launch out against me? [Refs 8th c.BC+]: with dative, ἀκτῇσιν ἐπέσχεθον held straight for the beach, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
III.2. ἐπέχειν τὴν διάνοιαν ἐπί τινι direct one's mind to a thing, [Refs 5th c.BC+], etc.; also ἐ. ἑαυτόν τινι attend to him, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
III.2. b absolutely, ἐπέχειν (i.e. τὸν νοῦν) intend, purpose, with infinitive, [Refs 5th c.BC+] with dative _of things_, to be intent upon, ταῖς ἀρχαῖς, διαβάσει, etc., [Refs 5th c.BC+]
III.3. stand facing, face in a line of battle, οὗτοι (i.e. οἱ Μῆδοι) [Refs 5th c.BC+].
IV. hold back, keep in check, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἐπισχὼν ἡνίαν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; χρησμοὺς ἐ. withhold them, [Refs] keep him down with the stick, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; confine, as the earth a corpse, [Refs 1st c.BC+]:—middle, [Refs 6th c.BC+]:—passive, [Refs 1st c.AD+]; to be prevented, hindered, [Refs 4th c.AD+]; of the menses, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
IV. b stay or adjourn proceedings, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὴν ζημίαν καὶ τὴν κατασκαφήν [Refs 4th c.BC+]; suspend payments, in passive, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
IV. c [Refs 5th c.BC+]: with infinitive, σε μήτε νὺξ μήτε ἡμέρα ἐπισχέτω ὥστε ἀνεῖναι.. let them not stop thee so that thou neglect.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—passive, μηδενὸς ἐπεχομένου no objection being taken, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
IV. d impersonal, [Refs 2nd c.AD+].
IV.2. absolutely, stay, pause, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; refrain, [Refs 5th c.BC+] if you tarry, [Refs 5th c.BC+] wait and see whether.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐπίσχες, absolutely, hold! stop! [Refs 5th c.BC+]; in participle, [Refs 5th c.BC+], +others; τὸ ἐπισχεῖν, opposed to τὸ παραχρῆμα, [Refs 5th c.BC+] came after a short interval, [Refs 5th c.BC+] they very shortly died, [Refs 5th c.BC+] did not halt for the purpose of occupying a camp (unless it, = 'had no intention of occupying').
IV.2. b with genitive of things, stop or cease from, [Refs 6th c.BC+]: so with infinitive, leave off, cease to do, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: with participle, cease doing, [Refs 6th c.BC+]
IV.2. c as technical term of the Sceptics, suspend judgement, doubt, [Refs 1st c.BC+].
IV.3. middle, maintain reserve, [Refs 2nd c.BC+] (assuming variant).
V. reach or extend over a space, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ὁπόσσον ἐπέσχε πυρὸς μένος so far as the fire reached, [Refs 5th c.BC+] “Aër.” 5, etc.: aorist middle, ἐπέσχετο he lay outstretched, [Refs 8th c.BC+].
VI. have power over, occupy a country, [Refs 5th c.BC+], etc.; of things, ἐπ᾽ ὀκτὼ μῆνας Κυρηναίους ὀπώρη ἐ. occupies or engages them, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὧν τὰς χρόας τὸ [Refs 6th c.BC+]: generally, occupy, τὴν κρατίστην μοῖραν ἐ. hold the foremost place, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; δίκην ἐπέχειν ἡμᾶς φυτῶν we are like plants, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
VI.2. absolutely, prevail, predominate, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πάντῃ ἐπεῖχε γαλήνη Timo [Refs 5th c.BC+].
VI.2. b of Time, continue, [Refs 6th c.BC+]; σκότος, νὺξ ἐπέσχε, came on, [Refs 1st c.AD+]
VII. middle, future ἐπιέξομαι, meet, Oracle texts in [Refs 5th c.BC+]