ἀναλαμβάνω

I take up, raise

Definition

The verb ἀναλαμβάνω primarily means 'to take up' or 'to raise.' It can refer to physically lifting an object, as in taking up a bed (Mark 2:9, implied in the command to 'pick up your bed'). A significant usage is for receiving a person, especially in the sense of taking someone along or accepting them, as when Paul was 'taken up' by the disciples in Acts (Acts 20:13-14). Most importantly, it describes the ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven, meaning He was 'taken up' or 'received up' in a majestic, supernatural sense (Mark 16:19, Acts 1:2, 1:11, 1:22).

Biblical Usage

ἀναλαμβάνω is used 13 times in the New Testament, predominantly in the Gospels and Acts. In the Gospels, it appears in the context of Jesus's ascension (Mark 16:19) and in a healing command (Mark 2:9). In Acts, it is the key term for describing Jesus's ascension (Acts 1:2, 1:11, 1:22) and for narrating travel, such as Paul being taken aboard a ship (Acts 20:13-14). It also appears in Stephen's speech referencing the idolatrous 'taking up' of the tabernacle of Moloch (Acts 7:43). The pattern shows a shift from ordinary physical action to a theologically charged term for Christ's exaltation.

Etymology

Derived from the preposition ἀνά (ana, meaning 'up') and the common verb λαμβάνω (lambanō, G2983, 'to take, receive'). The compound thus literally means 'to take up.' Its meaning developed from the basic physical sense to include metaphorical and theological senses of reception and exaltation.

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant as the standard Greek term for the Ascension of Jesus Christ. It underscores that Jesus was actively received by God the Father into heaven, marking the completion of His earthly ministry and His entrance into heavenly glory and authority (Acts 1:9-11). Understanding this term enriches reading by highlighting the Ascension as a deliberate, divine act of exaltation, not merely a departure.

In the Greco-Roman world, the idea of a human being 'taken up' to the divine realm was known in mythology (e.g., Hercules' apotheosis). For the New Testament authors, using this term for Jesus countered pagan narratives by affirming the unique, historical reality of Christ's bodily ascension as the vindicated Messiah and Lord.

αἴρω (airō, G142) — to lift, bear, or carry away; often used for lighter or more general lifting. ἐπαίρω (epairō, G1869) — to lift up or raise up; can have a more intensive or metaphorical sense (e.g., to exalt oneself). λαμβάνω (lambanō, G2983) — the root verb meaning simply to take or receive, without the 'up' direction.

Word Details

Scripture References