Quick Definition
ἐπιγινώσκω v. I come to know, discern, recognize
Strong's Definition
from 1909 and 1097; to know upon some mark, i.e. recognize; by implication, to become fully acquainted with, to acknowledge
KJV Usage: (ac-, have, take)know(-ledge, well), perceive
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb | fut. ἐπιγνώσομαι · aor. ἐπέγνων · subj. ἐπιγνῶ · ptc. ἐπιγνούς · pf. ἐπέγνωκα · aor.pass. ἐπεγνώσθην | γινώσκω
28.2 · Know · Know
to know about, to know definitely about, knowledge about to possess more or less definite information about, possibly with a degree of thoroughness or competence
MAT 11:27 · MAT 11:27 · MRK 5:30 · ACT 19:34 · ACT 25:10 · ACT 27:39 · ROM 1:32 · 2CO 6:9 · 1TI 4:3
32.16 · Understand · Come To Understand
to come to understand, to perceive, to comprehend to come to an understanding as the result of ability to experience and learn
MRK 2:8 · LUK 1:4 · LUK 1:22 · LUK 5:22 · 1CO 13:12 · 1CO 13:12 · 2CO 1:13 · 2CO 1:13 · 2CO 1:14 · 2CO 13:5 · COL 1:6
27.8 · Learn · Learn
to learn about, to find out about to acquire information, probably in a somewhat more exact or detailed form and perhaps with focus upon what is learned (compare 27.2) ἐπιγινώσκω[c] also occurs in legal contexts referring to careful investigation and interrogation, as in ACT 22:24 and ACT 23:28.
LUK 7:37 · LUK 23:7 · ACT 9:30 · ACT 22:24 · ACT 22:29 · ACT 23:28 · ACT 24:8 · ACT 24:11 · ACT 28:1 · 2PE 2:21 · 2PE 2:21
27.61 · Learn · Recognize
to recognize to identify newly acquired information with what had been previously learned or known
MAT 7:16 · MAT 7:20 · MAT 14:35 · MRK 6:33 · MRK 6:54 · LUK 24:16 · LUK 24:31 · ACT 3:10 · ACT 4:13 · ACT 12:14 · 1CO 14:37
31.27 · Hold a View, Believe, Trust · Acknowledge
to acknowledge to indicate that one does know It may also be possible to translate the expression in 1CO 16:18 as ‘you should give these people due recognition’ in the sense of ‘causing to be recognized’ or ‘causing to be acknowledged.’
1 It is possible that ἐπιγινώσκω[b] differs somewhat in meaning from γινώσκω[d] in focusing attention on what is understood or indicating that the process of understanding is somewhat more emphatic, but such a distinction cannot be determined from existing contexts. 2 Though ἐπιγινώσκω does occur in certain legal contexts, it still means essentially to acquire more exact or detailed information, and therefore it does not seem necessary to set up a distinct meaning for ἐπιγινώσκω merely because of its use in such contexts.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ἐπι-γινώσκω; [impf. ereyivwoxor]; fut. ἐπιγνώσομαι ; 2 1. to become or 2. to come to, aor. ἐπέγνων ; pf. ἐπέγνωκα; [Pass., pres. emuywookopar; 1 aor. ἐπεγνώσθην); (ἐπί denotes mental direction towards, application to, that which is known) ; in the Sept. chiefly for yt. and 933, 1373 1. to become thoroughly acquainted with, to know thoroughly; to know accurately, know well, [see reff. s. v. ἐπίγνωσις, init.]: 1 Co. xiii. 12 (where γινώσκω ἐκ μέρους and ἐπιγιν. i. e. to know thoroughly, know well, divine things, are contrasted [ W. § 39, 3 N.2]); with an ace. of the thing, Lk. i. 4; 2 Co.i. 13 ; τὴν χάριν τοῦ θεοῦ, Col. i. 6 ; τὴν ἀλήθειαν, 1 Tim. iv. 3; τὴν ὁδὸν τῆς δικαιοσύνης, 2 Pet. ii. 21 [ef. B. 805 (262)]; τὸ δικαίωμα τοῦ θεοῦ, Ro. i. 32; τὶ foll. by ὅτε (by the familiar attraction [W. 626 (581); B. 376 (322); some bring this ex. under 2 a. in the sense of acknowledge]), 1 Co. xiv. 37; τινά, one’s character, will, deeds, deserts, ete., 1 Co. xvi. 18; 2 Co.i. 14; [pass. opp. to ἀγνοούμενοι, 2 Co. vi. 9]; τινὰ ἀπό τινος (gen. of thing), Mt. vii. 16, 20 [Lehm. ἐκ] (“a Gallicis armis atque insignibus cognoscere,” for the more common ez, Caes. b. ¢. 1, 22, 2 [οἵ. B. 324 (278sq.); W. 372 (348)]); by attraction τινά, ὅτι ete. 2 Co. xili. 55 ἐπιγινώσκει τὸν υἱόν, τὸν πατέρα. Mt. xi. 27. 2. univ. fo know; a. to recognize: τινά, i. 6. by sight, hearing, or certain signs, to perceive who a person is, Mt. xiv. 35; Mk. vi.54; Lk. xxiv. 16,31; Mk. vi. 33 [RT, but G WH mre. without the accus.]; by attraction, τινά, ὅτι, Acts ili. 10; iv. 133; τινά, his rank and authority, Mt. xvii. 12; with ace. of the thing, to recognize a thing to be what it really is: τὴν φωνὴν τοῦ Πέτρου, Acts xii. 145 τὴν γῆν, Acts xxvii. 39. Ὅ. to know i. q. to perceive: ri, Lk. v. 22; ἐν ἑαυτῷ, foll. by ace. of the thing with a ptep. [B. 301 (258)], Mk. v. 30; foll. by ὅτι, LK. i. 22; τῷ πνεύματι foll. by ὅτε, Mk. ii. 8. ὁ. to know i.e. to find out, ascertain: sc. αὐτό, Acts ix. 30; foll. by ὅτι, Lk. vii. 37; xxiii. 7; Acts xix. 34; xxii. 29; xxiv. 11 LT Tr WH; xxviii. 1; ri, foll. by an indirect quest., Acts xxiii. 28 L T Tr WH; [δι᾿ ἣν αἰτίαν ete. Acts xxii. 24]; mapa τινος (gen. of pers.) περί τινος (gen. of thing), Acts xxiv. 8. ἃ. to knowi.e. to understand : Acts xxv. 10. [From Hom. down. ]* ‘
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ἐπιγινώσκω epiginōskō 44x
pr. to make a thing a subject of observation; hence, to arrive at knowledge from preliminaries; to attain to a knowledge of, Mt. 11:27; to ascertain, Lk. 7:37; 23:7; to perceive, Mk. 2:8; 5:30; to discern, detect, Mt. 7:16, 20; to recognize, Mk. 6:33; Lk. 24:16, 31; Acts 3:10; to acknowledge, admit, 1 Cor. 14:37; 1 Tim. 4:3; pass. to have one’s character discerned and acknowledged, 2 Cor. 6:9; from the Hebrew, to regard with favor and kindness, 1 Cor. 16:18
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
ἐπι-γινώσκω
[in LXX chiefly for נָכַר: hi., also for יָדַע, etc. ;]
"directive" of γινώσκω (AR, Eph., 249), as in cl.;
to observe, perceive, discern, recognize;
absol.: Ac 25:10, I Co 13:12; seq. ὅτι, Lk 1:22; τ. πνεύματι, seq. ὅτι, Mk 2:8;
c. acc rei: Lk 1:4 5:22, Ac 12:14 27:39, Ro 1:32, II Co 1:13, Col 1:6, I Ti 4:3; ἐν ἐαυτῷ, Mk 5:30; seq. ὅτι, I Co 14:37;
c. acc pers.: Mt 11:27 14:35 17:12, Mk 6:33 (T, αὐτούς, but LTr., WH, R, omit the pron., and LTr., WH, txt., read ἔγνωσαν), ib. 54, Lk 24:16, 31, I Co 16:18, II Co 1:14; seq. ἀπό, c. gen. rei, Mt 7:16, 20; seq. ὅτι, Ac 3:10 4:13, II Co 13:5; pass., I Co 13:12; opp. to ἀγνοούμενοι, II Co 6:9.
to discover, ascertain, determine: Ac 9:30; seq. ὅτι, Lk 7:37 23:7, Ac 19:34 22:29 24:11 28:1; c. acc rei, seq. quæst., Ac 23:28; δι’ ἣν αἰτίαν, Ac 22:24; παρά, c. gen. pers., seq. περί, c. gen. rei, Ac 24:8; τ. ὁδὸν τῆς δικαιοσύνης, II Pe 2:21 (cf. Lft., Col., 136; Cremer, 159; M, Pr., 113; AR, Eph., 248 ff.).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ἐπιγινώσκω. Dean Robinson’s careful study of this verb in 227. Ῥ. 248 ff., in which he comes to the conclusion that the verb denotes not so much fuller or more perfect knowing, as knowing arrived at by the attention being directed to (ἐπί) a particular person or object, is on the whole borne out by the evidence of the papyri. Thus one of the letters in the Gemellus correspondence, P Fay 1121} (A.D. 99), has— ἐπίγνοθι εἰ ἐσκάφη ὦ τῆς Διονυσιάδος ἐλαιών, ‘‘ find out whether the olive-yard at Dionysias was dug,” while another letter in the same collection in a similar context has the simplex—ib. 11018 (A.D. 94) γνῶθι εἰ πεπότισται © [ἐϊλαιὼν δυσὶ ὕδασι : cf. Mt 1127 with Lk 10%. See also P Tebt Il. 297° (c. A.D. 123) where, in the account of legal proceedings concerning the purchase of a priestly office, the advocate, after recalling a report that the office ought to be sold, proceeds—rodro ἐπιγνοὺς ὁ συνηγορούμενος ἐνέτυχε Τε]μοκράτει, ‘on learning this my client appealed to Timocrates” ; and an application for division of property m the same volume, 319! (A.D. 248) ἔδοξεν δὲ νῦν αὐτοῖς ταύτας δι[αιρή]σασθαι ἐπὶ τῷ ἕκαστον αὐτῶν ἐπιγεινώσκειν τίδ] ἴδιον μίέρος, ‘‘ they have now decided to divide these (sc. arourae) on the understanding that each should distinguish his own share” (Edd.). Other examples where no intensive force can be claimed for the émt— are P Oxy IX. 118818 (A.D. 13) ἐπιγνοὺς τὴν διάθε(σιν) καὶ ἐπιθεὶς τὴν ἐπ᾽ ἀλη(θείας) ἀξίαν προσφώνη( σον), ‘after learning their condition and adding the true value furnish a report’ (Ed.), with reference to the purchase of logs, 25. VI. 930% (ii/iii A.D.) ἐμέλησε δέ μοι πέμψαι καὶ πυθέσθαι περὶ τῆς ὑγίας σου καὶ ἐπιγνῶναι τί ἀναγεινώσκεις, “I took care to send and ask about your health and learn what you are reading” (Edd.), 74. 932° (late ii/a.D.) ἐὰν δύνῃ ἀναβῆναι ἵνα ἐπιγνοῖς τὸν ὄνον, ‘if you can go up to find out the ass, do so” (Edd.) (for this omitted apodosis cf. Lk 1942, 2 Th 2537), P Cairo Preis 485 (ii/A.D.) ἐπιγνοὺς ἐξ ἧς μοι ἔγραψας ἐπιστολῆς, ὅτι ἔρρωσαι, ἥσθην, ἀδελφέ, and Preisigke 4630" (ii/A.D.) καὶ γὰρ λείαν δακνόμεθα ἕως ἂν ἐπιγνῶμεν πῶς τὸν πόδα ἔχεις. In BGU IV. ττ3913 (B.c. 5) the writer has deleted ἐπιγνούς and inserted συνιδών above the line. P Lond 3545 (c. B.C. 10) (=II. p. 165) ἐπιγνόντα ἀκρειβῶς ἕκαστα shows the force of the verb strengthened by means of an adverb: cf. Ac 251°. It may be added that the vernacular is rich in ἐπι- compounds of the kind Dean Robinson describes: cf. e.g. P Lips I. 3733 (A.D. 389) ἡμιθανῆ αὐτὸν [πο]ιήσαντες ὡς καῇ] ’ , ἐπίγνωσις φανε[ρ]ά ἐστιν τὰ προσφωνηθέντα ὑπὸ τῶν ἐπιθεωρησάντων τὰ πλήγματα, “by those who inspected the blows,” and P Tebt II. 406% (inventory of property—c. A.D. 266) kat ὧν ἐπικρατῖ δούλων, ‘and the slaves he owns.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ἐπιγινώσκω (epiginōskō) — to come to know. ἐπιγιγνώσκω, Ionic dialect and laterἐπιγενν-γῑνώσκω, look upon, witness, observe, [Refs 8th c.BC+]
II. recognize, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ὅπως μήτηρ σε μὴ 'πιγνώσεται φαιδρῷ προσώπῳ by thy glad face, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.2. of things, find out, discover, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐπιγνοίης ἂν αὐτὴν [τὴν σοφίαν].. οἰκείαν γενομένη; would you recognize when it became your own?, [LXX+5th c.BC+]passive, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]
II.2. b. find out too late, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
II.3. learn to know, [Refs 5th c.BC+] (Lyric poetry).
II.4. take notice of, [LXX]
II.4. b. show favour to, πρόσωπον [LXX]
III. come to a judgement, decide, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὰ πρόσφορα τοῖς [Refs]; ἐπιγνῶναι μηδέν come to no new resolve, [Refs] adjudicate it as his property, [Refs 1st c.BC+]
IV. recongnize, acknowledge, approve, [NT+4th c.BC+].
IV.2. recognize an obligation, undertake to discharge or deliver, [Refs 4th c.AD+]