ἀποστρέφω
to turn back
‘to turn back’ is one of 6 main senses fuller range ↓
Full lexicon entry — Thayer's Greek Lexicon
From Thayer's Greek Lexicon
Where this word appears
See every Present-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
- Passive
- The subject receives the action.
- Active
- The subject performs the action.
- Middle
- The subject acts on or for itself, or with special interest in the action.
Mood
- Indicative
- States a fact or asks a factual question (the mood of reality).
- Subjunctive
- Expresses probability, purpose, or possibility (the mood of contingency).
- Imperative
- Expresses a command or request.
- Infinitive
- A verbal noun (“to write”), unmarked for person or number.
- Participle
- A verbal adjective (“writing,” “having written”).
Case
- Accusative
- The case of the direct object and of extent.
- Genitive
- The case of source, possession, or “of” — answers “whose / from what.”
- Nominative
- The case of the subject (and the predicate nominative).
Person
- 3rd person
- The one spoken about (“he / she / it / they”).
- 2nd person
- The one addressed (“you”).
Gender
- Masculine
- Grammatically masculine.
Number
- Plural
- More than one.
- Singular
- One.
Grammatical forms 9 distinct
- Verb, Aorist, Passive, Indicative, 3rd person, Plural 1 time (11%)
- Verb, Aorist, Passive, Subjunctive, 2nd person, Singular 1 time (11%)
- Verb, Aorist, Active, Imperative, 2nd person, Singular 1 time (11%)
- Verb, Future, Active, Indicative, 3rd person, Plural 1 time (11%)
- Verb, Future, Active, Indicative, 3rd person, Singular 1 time (11%)
- Verb, Present, Active, Infinitive 1 time (11%)
- Verb, Present, Active, Participle, Accusative, Singular, Masculine 1 time (11%)
- Verb, Present, Middle, Participle, Genitive, Plural, Masculine 1 time (11%)
+1 more form (1 occurrence)
Parsed forms decoded from the imported morphology (Robinson–Tischendorf, public domain), counted across 9 parsed occurrences — not distinct verses.
Every verse where G654 appears — 9 distinct verses across 7 books. 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.
Matthew 2 verses
Luke 1 verse
Acts 1 verse
Romans 1 verse
2 Timothy 2 verses
Titus 1 verse
Hebrews 1 verse
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.
αποστρεφω (apostréphō) is a Greek verb most often rendered “to turn back.” Ranging over 6 senses, it is not a single-sense word. The Greek New Testament uses it across 9 verses — uncommon. It first appears in Matthew 5:42. Sharing its root, it stands alongside απο, απαγγελλω and απαγχομαι. The sections below give every sense, occurrence, and version rendering.
Gloss history
Strong's 1890 vs modern scholarship
About this word
Strong's G654 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 →
- 9
- distinct verses
- The word appears in 9 distinct verses.
- 7 / 27
- NT books
- The word appears in 7 of 27 New Testament books.
- #1,140
- by frequency
- Top 2500 most frequent Greek words (rank 1,140 of 5,347 Greek words by occurrence).
View all 9 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 9 distinct verses.
- Pauline corpus 4 verses · 44%
- Gospels 3 verses · 33%
- Lukan (Luke–Acts) 2 verses · 22%
- Hebrews 1 verse · 11%
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: Be turned away from 1×, Brought again 1×, Escape if we turn away from him 1×
- American Standard Version: Brought back 1×, Escape who turn away from 1×, He shall turn away 1×
- Berean Standard Bible: Do not turn away from 1×, Has deserted 1×, Have rejected 1×
- unfoldingWord Literal Text: Away 2×, Turning 2×
King James Version Public Domain
Renders G654 across 10 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Not rendered by a distinct English word in 1 further occurrence.
American Standard Version Public Domain
Renders G654 across 11 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Berean Standard Bible Public Domain
Renders G654 across 9 tagged occurrences — most commonly:
unfoldingWord Literal Text CC BY-SA 4.0
Renders G654 across 12 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.
Senses in Thayer's
The 6 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.
- to remove anything from anyone
- to turn him away from allegiance to any one
- tempt to defect
- to turn back, return, bring back
- to turn one's self away, turn back, return
- to turn one's self away from, deserting
Word origin
Derived from απο (apó) (G575) — from.
Forms in the corpus
The 9 distinct written forms G654 takes in the Greek New Testament, most frequent first — each parse links to that tense’s occurrences in the concordance.
| Form | Parsing | Example | Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| ἀπεστράφησάν apestráphēsán | Verb, Aorist, Passive, Indicative, 3rd person, Plural | 2 Timothy 1:15 | 1 |
| ἀποστρέφειν apostréphein | Verb, Present, Active, Infinitive | Acts 3:26 | 1 |
| ἀποστρέφοντα apostréphonta | Verb, Present, Active, Participle, Accusative, Singular, Masculine | Luke 23:14 | 1 |
| ἀποστρέψει apostrépsei | Verb, Future, Active, Indicative, 3rd person, Singular | Romans 11:26 | 1 |
| ἀποστρέψουσιν apostrépsousin | Verb, Future, Active, Indicative, 3rd person, Plural | 2 Timothy 4:4 | 1 |
| ἀποστραφῇς apostraphē̂s | Verb, Aorist, Passive, Subjunctive, 2nd person, Singular | Matthew 5:42 | 1 |
| ἀποστρεφομένων apostrephoménōn | Verb, Present, Middle, Participle, Genitive, Plural, Masculine | Titus 1:14 | 1 |
| ἀποστρεφόμενοι apostrephómenoi | Verb, Present, Middle, Participle, Nominative, Plural, Masculine | Hebrews 12:25 | 1 |
| ἀπόστρεψον apóstrepson | Verb, Aorist, Active, Imperative, 2nd person, Singular | Matthew 26:52 | 1 |
Same root — word family
Other Thayer's entries built from the same root as G654, 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
- απαγγελλω apangéllō G518 to report
- απαγχομαι apánchomai G519 to strangle
- απαγω apágō G520 to lead away
- απαιρω apaírō G522 to take away
- απαιτεω apaitéō G523 to demand back
- απαλγεω apalgéō G524 to cease grieving
- απαλλασσω apallássō G525 to depart
- απαλλοτριοω apallotrióō G526 to estrange
- απανταω apantáō G528 to meet
- απαρνεομαι aparnéomai G533 to deny
- απαρτι apárti G534 henceforth
- απαρχη aparchḗ G536 to offer firstfruits
- απαυγασμα apaúgasma G541 brightness
- απειδω apeídō G542 to look away
- απειμι ápeimi G548 to depart
- απειμι ápeimi G549 to depart
- απειπομην apeipómēn G550 to declare
- απεκδεχομαι apekdéchomai G553 waiting for
- απεκδυομαι apekdýomai G554 to despoil
- απελαυνω apelaúnō G556 to drive away
- απελεγμος apelegmós G557 censure
- απελευθερος apeleútheros G558 freedman
- απελπιζω apelpízō G560 not despairing
- απεναντι apénanti G561 opposite
+85 more words share this root (not shown).
Compare all same-root words → Showing 4 of 111 — not the complete family. They share a root, not necessarily a meaning.
Septuagint usage
The same Greek word αποστρεφω appears 391 times in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint), across 373 verses in 31 books.
- 391
- LXX occurrences
- Tagged occurrences of this Greek word in the Septuagint.
- 373
- verses
- Distinct Septuagint verses containing this word.
- 31 / 39
- OT books
- The word appears in 31 of the 39 Old Testament books.
Sample Septuagint occurrences
- Genesis 3:19 ἀποστρέφω
- Exodus 3:6 ἀποστρέφω
- Numbers 13:25 ἀποστρέφω
- Deuteronomy 5:30 ἀποστρέφω
- Joshua 2:16 ἀποστρέφω
- Judges 2:19 ἀποστρέφω
- Ruth 1:6 ἀποστρέφω
- 1 Samuel 5:10 ἀποστρέφω
- 2 Samuel 1:22 ἀποστρέφω
- 1 Kings 2:16 ἀποστρέφω
- 2 Kings 9:15 ἀποστρέφω
- 1 Chronicles 4:22 ἀποστρέφω
Septuagint occurrences (same lexeme)
Every verse where the same Strong’s number (G654) appears in the Greek Septuagint — showing the first 50 of 373. Verse text shown in the World English Bible for context; the Greek form is the matched word — the English is not keyword-highlighted.
- Genesis 3:19 ἀποστρέφω By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you shall return."
- Genesis 14:16 ἀποστρέφω He brought back all the goods, and also brought back his relative, Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.
- Genesis 15:16 ἀποστρέφω In the fourth generation they will come here again, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet full."
- Genesis 16:9 ἀποστρέφω The angel of Yahweh said to her, "Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hands."
- Genesis 18:22 ἀποστρέφω The men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham stood yet before Yahweh.
- Genesis 18:33 ἀποστρέφω Yahweh went his way, as soon as he had finished communing with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
- Genesis 22:19 ἀποστρέφω So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba. Abraham lived at Beersheba.
- Genesis 24:5 ἀποστρέφω The servant said to him, "What if the woman isn't willing to follow me to this land? Must I bring your son again to the land you came from?"
- Genesis 24:6 ἀποστρέφω Abraham said to him, "Beware that you don't bring my son there again.
- Genesis 24:8 ἀποστρέφω If the woman isn't willing to follow you, then you shall be clear from this my oath. Only you shall not bring my son there again."
- Genesis 27:44 ἀποστρέφω Stay with him a few days, until your brother's fury turns away;
- Genesis 28:15 ἀποστρέφω Behold, I am with you, and will keep you, wherever you go, and will bring you again into this land. For I will not leave you, until I have done that which I have spoken of to you."
- Genesis 28:21 ἀποστρέφω so that I come again to my father's house in peace, and Yahweh will be my God,
- Genesis 31:3 ἀποστρέφω Yahweh said to Jacob, "Return to the land of your fathers, and to your relatives, and I will be with you."
- Genesis 32:1 ἀποστρέφω Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.
- Genesis 33:16 ἀποστρέφω So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir.
- Genesis 38:22 ἀποστρέφω He returned to Judah, and said, "I haven't found her; and also the men of the place said, 'There has been no prostitute here.'"
- Genesis 42:24 ἀποστρέφω He turned himself about from them, and wept, and he returned to them, and spoke to them, and took Simeon from among them, and bound him before their eyes.
- Genesis 43:12 ἀποστρέφω and take double money in your hand, with the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks carry again in your hand. Perhaps it was an oversight.
- Genesis 43:18 ἀποστρέφω The men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph's house; and they said, "Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall on us, and take us for bondservants, along with our donkeys."
- Genesis 43:21 ἀποστρέφω and it happened, when we came to the lodging-place, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. We have brought it again in our hand.
- Genesis 44:8 ἀποστρέφω Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks' mouths, we brought again to you out of the land of Canaan. How then should we steal silver or gold out of your lord's house?
- Genesis 48:21 ἀποστρέφω Israel said to Joseph, "Behold, I am dying, but God will be with you, and bring you again to the land of your fathers.
- Genesis 50:14 ἀποστρέφω Joseph returned into Egypt--he, and his brothers, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father.
- Exodus 3:6 ἀποστρέφω Moreover he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look at God.
- Exodus 4:18 ἀποστρέφω Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said to him, "Please let me go and return to my brothers who are in Egypt, and see whether they are still alive." Jethro said to Moses, "Go in peace."
- Exodus 4:21 ἀποστρέφω Yahweh said to Moses, "When you go back into Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in your hand, but I will harden his heart and he will not let the people go.
- Exodus 10:8 ἀποστρέφω Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh, and he said to them, "Go, serve Yahweh your God; but who are those who will go?"
- Exodus 13:17 ἀποστρέφω It happened, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God didn't lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, "Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and they return to Egypt;"
- Exodus 14:2 ἀποστρέφω "Speak to the children of Israel, that they turn back and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, before Baal Zephon. You shall encamp opposite it by the sea.
- Exodus 23:4 ἀποστρέφω "If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again.
- Exodus 23:25 ἀποστρέφω You shall serve Yahweh your God, and he will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from your midst.
- Exodus 32:15 ἀποστρέφω Moses turned, and went down from the mountain, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand; tablets that were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other they were written.
- Numbers 13:25 ἀποστρέφω They returned from spying out the land at the end of forty days.
- Numbers 14:3 ἀποστρέφω Why does Yahweh bring us to this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will be a prey: wouldn't it be better for us to return into Egypt?
- Numbers 14:4 ἀποστρέφω They said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.
- Numbers 14:43 ἀποστρέφω For there the Amalekite and the Canaanite are before you, and you shall fall by the sword: because you are turned back from following Yahweh, therefore Yahweh will not be with you.
- Numbers 14:45 ἀποστρέφω Then the Amalekite came down, and the Canaanite who lived in that mountain, and struck them and beat them down, even to Hormah.
- Numbers 22:34 ἀποστρέφω Balaam said to the angel of Yahweh, I have sinned; for I didn't know that you stood in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease you, I will get me back again.
- Numbers 23:6 ἀποστρέφω He returned to him, and, behold, he was standing by his burnt-offering, he, and all the princes of Moab.
- Numbers 23:16 ἀποστρέφω Yahweh met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Return to Balak, and thus shall you speak.
- Numbers 23:17 ἀποστρέφω He came to him, and, behold, he was standing by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. Balak said to him, What has Yahweh spoken?
- Numbers 23:20 ἀποστρέφω Behold, I have received [commandment] to bless: He has blessed, and I can't reverse it.
- Numbers 24:1 ἀποστρέφω When Balaam saw that it pleased Yahweh to bless Israel, he didn't go, as at the other times, to meet with enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.
- Numbers 24:25 ἀποστρέφω Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place; and Balak also went his way.
- Numbers 25:4 ἀποστρέφω Yahweh said to Moses, Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them up to Yahweh before the sun, that the fierce anger of Yahweh may turn away from Israel.
- Numbers 32:15 ἀποστρέφω For if you turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and you will destroy all this people.
- Numbers 32:18 ἀποστρέφω We will not return to our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance.
- Numbers 32:22 ἀποστρέφω and the land is subdued before Yahweh; then afterward you shall return, and be guiltless towards Yahweh, and towards Israel; and this land shall be to you for a possession before Yahweh.
- Deuteronomy 5:30 ἀποστρέφω Go tell them, Return you to your tents.
These are occurrences of the same Greek lexeme (G654) 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.
