ἐπέρχομαι
to come upon
‘to come upon’ is one of 2 main senses fuller range ↓
Full lexicon entry — Thayer's Greek Lexicon
From Thayer's Greek Lexicon
Where this word appears
See every Aorist-tense verb in the Greek New Testament →
Grammar key — what these labels mean
Part of speech
- Verb
- An action or state-of-being word.
Tense
- Aorist
- Action viewed as a simple whole, without regard to duration — often past (perfective aspect).
- Future
- Action expected in future time.
- Present
- Ongoing or general action in present time (imperfective aspect).
Voice
- Active
- The subject performs the action.
- Middle deponent
- Middle in form but active in meaning.
- Middle or Passive deponent
- Middle/passive in form but active in meaning.
Mood
- Subjunctive
- Expresses probability, purpose, or possibility (the mood of contingency).
- Indicative
- States a fact or asks a factual question (the mood of reality).
- Participle
- A verbal adjective (“writing,” “having written”).
Case
- Genitive
- The case of source, possession, or “of” — answers “whose / from what.”
- Nominative
- The case of the subject (and the predicate nominative).
- Dative
- The case of the indirect object, means, or location — “to / for / with / in.”
Person
- 3rd person
- The one spoken about (“he / she / it / they”).
Gender
- Neuter
- Grammatically neuter.
- Masculine
- Grammatically masculine.
- Feminine
- Grammatically feminine.
Number
- Singular
- One.
- Plural
- More than one.
2 distinct verses where G1904 appears in the Future tense, across 1 book. Filtered view — show all forms. Click any verse to open its interlinear word-by-word view. Verse text shown in the World English Bible for context — . Each verse’s Greek form is shown with its reference; the English is not keyword-highlighted, since the data carries no word-level English alignment. Use “Compare translations” on any verse to read it across multiple English versions. This concordance covers the Greek New Testament; Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) occurrences of this word are not indexed here.
Luke 2 verses
- Luke 1:35 ἐπελεύσεται fut mid.dep ind 3sg The angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God.
- Luke 21:35 ἐπεισελεύσεται fut mid.dep ind 3sg For it will come like a snare on all those who dwell on the surface of all the earth.
About this entry
At a glance — auto-summarized from this page’s data, not written by a person. Every figure links to its source below. This summary describes the numbers; it doesn’t interpret them.
At its core, επερχομαι (epérchomai) means “to come upon.” Scripture first uses it in Luke 1:35. It appears 10 verses across 4 books of the Greek New Testament, among its uncommon vocabulary. The word gravitates to Luke (40%), then Acts and Ephesians. Ranging over 2 senses, it is not a single-sense word. Dig into 10-verse concordance and the renderings breakdown below.
Gloss history
Strong's 1890 vs modern scholarship
About this word
Strong's G1904 catalogs a Greek word from the Greek New Testament.
These counts are not copied from any lexicon or concordance. They are computed here, from the morphology-tagged Greek New Testament. What Lemma adds →
- 10
- distinct verses
- The word appears in 10 distinct verses.
- 4 / 27
- NT books
- The word appears in 4 of 27 New Testament books.
- #1,056
- by frequency
- Top 2500 most frequent Greek words (rank 1,056 of 5,347 Greek words by occurrence).
View all 10 occurrences in the concordance →
By section of the New Testament
By traditional corpus
Conventional, traditional groupings — biblical authorship is debated, so this is a traditional corpus grouping, not an authorship claim. Some books belong to more than one corpus (Luke is in both the Gospels and the Lukan corpus, and so on), so these shares overlap and need not total 100%. Each figure is a share of the word’s 10 distinct verses.
- Lukan (Luke–Acts) 8 verses · 80%
- Gospels 4 verses · 40%
- Pauline corpus 1 verse · 10%
- General (Catholic) Epistles 1 verse · 10%
How translations render this word
Counts come from each version’s own published word-to-Strong’s tagging or interlinear alignment — an approximate guide to how each version renders this word, not a word-level alignment the data otherwise carries. Because each total is that version’s own tagged count, the per-version totals vary from one another and need not match the appearance or distinct-verse counts above. These counts may also differ from a printed concordance because Lemma counts each distinctly tagged rendering and does not collapse phrase taggings into a single head-word total. This is a fixed set of word-tagged versions (KJV, ASV, BSB, ULT) and does not change with the reading translation you choose elsewhere. Each version’s license is shown beside its name below (and on Sources).
- King James Version: Come 3×
- American Standard Version: Come 3×
- Berean Standard Bible: Will come 2×
- unfoldingWord Literal Text: Are coming 1×, Attacks him 1×, Came 1×
King James Version Public Domain
Renders G1904 across 10 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus 7 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
American Standard Version Public Domain
Renders G1904 across 11 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus 8 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
Berean Standard Bible Public Domain
Renders G1904 across 10 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus 8 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
unfoldingWord Literal Text CC BY-SA 4.0
Renders G1904 across 12 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Senses in Thayer's
The 2 senses Thayer's distinguishes for this word, in lexicon order (not ranked by frequency or importance). The full entry — with sub-senses — is in the Lexicon Entry tab.
- of time, come on, be at hand, be future
- to come upon, overtake, one
Word origin
Derived from επι (epí) (G1909) — upon.
Forms in the corpus
The 9 distinct written forms G1904 takes in the Greek New Testament, most frequent first — each parse links to that tense’s occurrences in the concordance.
| Form | Parsing | Example | Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| ἐπέλθῃ epélthē | Verb, Aorist, Active, Subjunctive, 3rd person, Singular | Acts 8:24 | 2 |
| ἐπεισελεύσεται epeiseleúsetai | Verb, Future, Middle deponent, Indicative, 3rd person, Singular | Luke 21:35 | 1 |
| ἐπελεύσεται epeleúsetai | Verb, Future, Middle deponent, Indicative, 3rd person, Singular | Luke 1:35 | 1 |
| ἐπελθόντος epelthóntos | Verb, Aorist, Active, Participle, Genitive, Singular, Neuter | Acts 1:8 | 1 |
| ἐπελθὼν epelthṑn | Verb, Aorist, Active, Participle, Nominative, Singular, Masculine | Luke 11:22 | 1 |
| ἐπερχομέναις eperchoménais | Verb, Present, Middle or Passive deponent, Participle, Dative, Plural, Feminine | James 5:1 | 1 |
| ἐπερχομένοις eperchoménois | Verb, Present, Middle or Passive deponent, Participle, Dative, Plural, Masculine | Ephesians 2:7 | 1 |
| ἐπερχομένων eperchoménōn | Verb, Present, Middle or Passive deponent, Participle, Genitive, Plural, Masculine | Luke 21:26 | 1 |
| Ἐπῆλθαν Epē̂lthan | Verb, Aorist, Active, Indicative, 3rd person, Plural | Acts 14:19 | 1 |
Same root — word family
Other Thayer's entries built from the same root as G1904, grouped by Strong’s listed origin. These share a root / origin per the lexicon — not necessarily a shared meaning. Each links to that word’s own entry.
Derives from
Shares the same root
- επαγγελλω epangéllō G1861 to announce
- επαγω epágō G1863 to bring upon
- επαγωνιζομαι epagōnízomai G1864 to contend
- επαθροιζω epathroízō G1865 to gather together
- επαινεω epainéō G1867 to approve
- επαινος épainos G1868 approval
- επαιρω epaírō G1869 to lift up
- επαισχυνομαι epaischýnomai G1870 to be ashamed
- επαιτεω epaitéō G1871 to ask repeatedly
- επακουω epakoúō G1873 to give ear to
- επακροαομαι epakroáomai G1874 to listen to
- επαν epán G1875 after
- επαναγκες epánankes G1876 necessarily
- επαναγω epanágō G1877 to lead back
- επαναμιμνησκω epanamimnḗskō G1878 to remind
- επαναπαυομαι epanapaúomai G1879 to rest upon
- επανερχομαι epanérchomai G1880 to return
- επανισταμαι epanístamai G1881 to raise up against
- επανορθωσις epanórthōsis G1882 correction
- επανω epánō G1883 above
- επαρκεω eparkéō G1884 to avail
- επαρχια eparchía G1885 office of governor
- επαυλις épaulis G1886 farm
- επαυριον epaúrion G1887 the next day
+110 more words share this root (not shown).
Proper names from this root
People and places named from this root — a name, not an additional meaning of the word.
Compare all same-root words → Showing 4 of 137 — not the complete family. 1 of the same-root words is a proper name (a person or place). They share a root, not necessarily a meaning.
Septuagint usage
The same Greek word επερχομαι appears 85 times in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint), across 80 verses in 22 books.
- 85
- LXX occurrences
- Tagged occurrences of this Greek word in the Septuagint.
- 80
- verses
- Distinct Septuagint verses containing this word.
- 22 / 39
- OT books
- The word appears in 22 of the 39 Old Testament books.
Sample Septuagint occurrences
- Genesis 42:21 ἐπιἔρχομαι
- Exodus 10:1 ἐπιἔρχομαι
- Leviticus 11:34 ἐπιἔρχομαι
- Numbers 5:14 ἐπιἔρχομαι
- Joshua 24:20 ἐπιἔρχομαι
- Judges 9:57 ἐπιἔρχομαι
- 1 Samuel 11:7 ἐπιἔρχομαι
- 2 Samuel 17:2 ἐπιἔρχομαι
- 1 Kings 19:19 ἐπιἔρχομαι
- 2 Chronicles 20:9 ἐπιἔρχομαι
- Job 1:19 ἐπιἔρχομαι
- Psalms 89:10 ἐπιἔρχομαι
Septuagint occurrences (same lexeme)
Every verse where the same Strong’s number (G1904) appears in the Greek Septuagint — showing the first 50 of 80. Verse text shown in the World English Bible for context; the Greek form is the matched word — the English is not keyword-highlighted.
- Genesis 42:21 ἐπιἔρχομαι They said one to another, "We are most assuredly guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us, and we wouldn't listen. Therefore this distress has come on us."
- Exodus 10:1 ἐπιἔρχομαι Yahweh said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I may show these my signs in the midst of them,
- Leviticus 11:34 ἐπιἔρχομαι All food which may be eaten, that on which water comes, shall be unclean; and all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean.
- Leviticus 14:43 ἐπιἔρχομαι "If the plague comes again, and breaks out in the house, after he has taken out the stones, and after he has scraped the house, and after it was plastered;
- Leviticus 16:9 ἐπιἔρχομαι Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot fell for Yahweh, and offer him for a sin offering.
- Leviticus 16:10 ἐπιἔρχομαι But the goat, on which the lot fell for the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before Yahweh, to make atonement for him, to send him away for the scapegoat into the wilderness.
- Numbers 5:14 ἐπιἔρχομαι and the spirit of jealousy comes on him, and he is jealous of his wife, and she is defiled: or if the spirit of jealousy comes on him, and he is jealous of his wife, and she isn't defiled:
- Numbers 5:30 ἐπιἔρχομαι or when the spirit of jealousy comes on a man, and he is jealous of his wife; then he shall set the woman before Yahweh, and the priest shall execute on her all this law.
- Numbers 6:5 ἐπιἔρχομαι "All the days of his vow of separation there shall no razor come on his head, until the days are fulfilled, in which he separates himself to Yahweh. He shall be holy. He shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow long.
- Numbers 8:7 ἐπιἔρχομαι Thus shall you do to them, to cleanse them: sprinkle the water of cleansing on them, let them shave their whole bodies with a razor, and let them wash their clothes, and cleanse themselves.
- Joshua 24:20 ἐπιἔρχομαι If you forsake Yahweh, and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you evil, and consume you, after that he has done you good.
- Judges 9:57 ἐπιἔρχομαι and all the wickedness of the men of Shechem did God requite on their heads: and on them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.
- 1 Samuel 11:7 ἐπιἔρχομαι He took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the borders of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, Whoever doesn't come forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen. The dread of Yahweh fell on the people, and they came out as one man.
- 1 Samuel 30:23 ἐπιἔρχομαι Then said David, You shall not do so, my brothers, with that which Yahweh has given to us, who has preserved us, and delivered the troop that came against us into our hand.
- 2 Samuel 17:2 ἐπιἔρχομαι and I will come on him while he is weary and weak-handed, and will make him afraid; and all the people who are with him shall flee; and I will strike the king only;
- 2 Samuel 19:8 ἐπιἔρχομαι Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. They told to all the people, saying, Behold, the king is sitting in the gate: and all the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled every man to his tent.
- 1 Kings 19:19 ἐπιἔρχομαι So he departed there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing, with twelve yoke [of oxen] before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed over to him, and cast his mantle on him.
- 2 Chronicles 20:9 ἐπιἔρχομαι If evil come on us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house, and before you, (for your name is in this house), and cry to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save.
- 2 Chronicles 22:1 ἐπιἔρχομαι The inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his place; for the band of men who came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the eldest. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned.
- 2 Chronicles 32:26 ἐπιἔρχομαι Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of Yahweh didn't come on them in the days of Hezekiah.
- Job 1:19 ἐπιἔρχομαι and, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young men, and they are dead. I alone have escaped to tell you."
- Job 2:11 ἐπιἔρχομαι Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that had come on him, they each came from his own place: Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, and they made an appointment together to come to sympathize with him and to comfort him.
- Job 3:5 ἐπιἔρχομαι Let darkness and the shadow of death claim it for their own. Let a cloud dwell on it. Let all that makes black the day terrify it.
- Job 4:15 ἐπιἔρχομαι Then a spirit passed before my face; The hair of my flesh stood up.
- Job 15:19 ἐπιἔρχομαι To whom alone the land was given, And no stranger passed among them):
- Job 19:29 ἐπιἔρχομαι Be afraid of the sword, For wrath brings the punishments of the sword, That you may know there is a judgment."
- Job 20:22 ἐπιἔρχομαι In the fullness of his sufficiency, distress shall overtake him: The hand of everyone who is in misery shall come on him.
- Job 20:28 ἐπιἔρχομαι The increase of his house shall depart; They shall rush away in the day of his wrath.
- Job 21:17 ἐπιἔρχομαι "How often is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out? That their calamity comes on them? That God distributes sorrows in his anger?
- Job 23:6 ἐπιἔρχομαι Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power? No, but he would listen to me.
- Job 23:17 ἐπιἔρχομαι Because I was not cut off before the darkness, Neither did he cover the thick darkness from my face.
- Job 25:3 ἐπιἔρχομαι Can his armies be counted? On whom does his light not arise?
- Job 27:9 ἐπιἔρχομαι Will God hear his cry, When trouble comes on him?
- Job 31:12 ἐπιἔρχομαι For it is a fire that consumes to destruction, And would root out all my increase.
- Job 37:9 ἐπιἔρχομαι Out of its chamber comes the storm, And cold out of the north.
- Job 40:20 ἐπιἔρχομαι Surely the mountains bring him forth food, Where all the animals of the field do play.
- Psalms 89:10 ἐπιἔρχομαι You have broken Rahab in pieces, like one of the slain. You have scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
- Proverbs 3:25 ἐπιἔρχομαι Don't be afraid of sudden fear, Neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it comes:
- Proverbs 4:14 ἐπιἔρχομαι Don't enter into the path of the wicked. Don't walk in the way of evil men.
- Proverbs 4:15 ἐπιἔρχομαι Avoid it, and don't pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.
- Proverbs 5:6 ἐπιἔρχομαι She gives no thought to the way of life. Her ways are crooked, and she doesn't know it.
- Proverbs 16:29 ἐπιἔρχομαι A man of violence entices his neighbor, And leads him in a way that is not good.
- Proverbs 18:3 ἐπιἔρχομαι When wickedness comes, contempt also comes, And with shame comes disgrace.
- Proverbs 19:11 ἐπιἔρχομαι The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger. It is his glory to overlook an offense.
- Proverbs 26:2 ἐπιἔρχομαι Like a fluttering sparrow, Like a darting swallow, So the undeserved curse doesn't come to rest.
- Proverbs 26:11 ἐπιἔρχομαι As a dog that returns to his vomit, So is a fool who repeats his folly.
- Proverbs 27:12 ἐπιἔρχομαι A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge; But the simple pass on, and suffer for it:
- Ecclesiastes 2:12 ἐπιἔρχομαι I turned myself to consider wisdom, madness, and folly: for what can the king's successor do? Just that which has been done long ago.
- Isaiah 7:25 ἐπιἔρχομαι All the hills that were cultivated with the hoe, you shall not come there for fear of briers and thorns; but it shall be for the sending forth of oxen, and for the treading of sheep."
- Isaiah 13:13 ἐπιἔρχομαι Therefore I will make the heavens to tremble, and the earth shall be shaken out of its place, in the wrath of Yahweh of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.
These are occurrences of the same Greek lexeme (G1904) in the Septuagint — not a translation of any one Hebrew word. The store carries no word-level Hebrew↔Greek alignment, so no Hebrew original is asserted here. Counts come from the recovered LXX Strong's tagging — high-frequency vocabulary is well covered, while rare or late forms may be untagged — so they reflect tagged occurrences and may slightly undercount.
