ἀνακάμπτω (anakamptō)
anakamptō
to return
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb anakamptō literally means to bend or turn back, describing a physical reversal of direction. In the New Testament, it appears in only four verses, yet it carries significant narrative weight. It is used most notably in Matthew 2:12, where the Magi are divinely warned in a dream not to return to Herod but to take a different way home. Here, the word captures a decisive change of route driven by spiritual insight.
Its usage extends beyond simple geography. In Acts 18:21 and Hebrews 11:15, it describes travelers intending to return to previous locations, emphasizing the act of going back. Luke 10:6 offers a metaphorical application, where a house receives peace if it is worthy, implying that the blessing "returns" or remains with those who accept the messenger. The word underscores a tangible movement away from one path and toward another.
This term highlights the physical reality of repentance or redirection. It is not merely an internal thought but an observable shift in trajectory. Whether fleeing danger or seeking a destination, anakamptō grounds spiritual decisions in the concrete world of travel and direction.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Greek word anakamptō describes a physical turning back or returning. In Matthew 2:12, the Magi are warned in a dream not to return to Herod, so they take another way home. This shows that spiritual guidance often leads us away from familiar but dangerous paths. It is a tangible shift in direction, grounded in the reality of travel and choice.
In Luke 10:6, Jesus speaks of peace returning if a house is not ready to receive it. This suggests that blessings are not forced upon those who reject them. Instead, they go back to their source. This offers comfort: we do not need to carry the weight of every rejection. God’s peace remains safe when we step aside.
Hebrews 11:15 notes that true believers do not long to return to their old lives in Egypt. This highlights a decisive break from the past. Our faith calls us forward, not backward. When we follow God’s direction, we find freedom in leaving behind what no longer serves our journey.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- to return;1×
- to return1×
- it will return.1×
- I will return1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἀνακάμψω1×
- ἀνακάμψει.1×
- ἀνακάμψαι·1×
- ἀνακάμψαι1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 2:12
Being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their own country another way.
This verse shows the word used for a decisive change of route driven by divine warning, avoiding danger through spiritual insight.
-
Luke 10:6
If a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you.
Here the word describes peace returning to its source when a household is unworthy, illustrating that blessings are not forced upon those who reject them.
-
Hebrews 11:15
If indeed they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had enough time to return.
The author uses this term to emphasize that true faith involves no desire to return to one’s former life of slavery in Egypt.