ἀνασπάω

I drag up, pull up

Definition

The verb ἀνασπάω means to pull or draw something up from a lower position to a higher one. In its two New Testament occurrences, it consistently carries this physical sense of upward extraction. In Luke 14:5, it describes pulling a farm animal like an ox or donkey out of a pit or well on the Sabbath. In Acts 11:10, it is used for hauling up a large sheet full of animals back into heaven during Peter's vision. The word emphasizes the physical effort involved in the action of retrieval.

Biblical Usage

ἀνασπάω is used only twice in the New Testament, both times in narrative contexts describing a specific, vivid action. In Luke 14:5, Jesus uses it in a rhetorical question about Sabbath ethics to justify rescuing a trapped animal. In Acts 11:10, it describes the conclusion of Peter's rooftop vision in Joppa, where the sheet is withdrawn back into the sky. Both uses are literal and descriptive, not metaphorical.

Etymology

Derived from the preposition ἀνά (ana), meaning 'up' or 'back,' combined with the verb σπάω (spaō), meaning 'to draw' or 'to pull.' Thus, the compound word literally means 'to draw up.' It is not related to the alpha-privative ἀν- (meaning 'not'), as sometimes mistakenly parsed; the prefix here is ἀνά-.

Semantic Range

While the word itself describes a mundane action, its use in Luke 14:5 is theologically significant. Jesus employs it in a Sabbath controversy to argue from the lesser (saving an animal) to the greater (healing a person), highlighting the principle that mercy and preservation of life supersede a rigid interpretation of Sabbath law. This enriches our understanding of Jesus' teaching on the law's true intent.

In the agrarian society of first-century Palestine, an animal falling into a pit (Luke 14:5) was a serious economic loss. The action of 'pulling it up' was an urgent, labor-intensive rescue. Understanding this context underscores the practical, compassionate reasoning behind Jesus' teaching—preserving a valuable livelihood was recognized as a necessary act, even on the Sabbath.

ἀνέλκω (anelkō, G399) — Also means 'to draw up,' but can have a more nautical connotation (e.g., drawing up a ship's anchor). ἀναβιβάζω (anabibazō, G307) — Means 'to cause to go up' or 'lead up,' with a broader sense of upward motion, not necessarily by pulling.

Word Details

Scripture References