ἐπισκέπτομαι (episkeptomai)
episkeptomai
to visit/care for
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 11 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb episkeptomai describes the act of visiting someone with a specific purpose: to inspect, care for, or help them. In the New Testament, it frequently refers to visiting the sick and afflicted, highlighting a practical concern for their well-being rather than a casual social call. This sense is clear in Matthew 25, where Jesus identifies caring for those in prison or illness as service done to Him, and in James 1:27, which defines pure religion as looking after orphans and widows in their distress.
Its meaning extends beyond human interaction to describe God’s active involvement in history. The sources note that it is used when God visits His people with help or redemption, such as in Luke 1:68 where Zechariah praises God for visiting Israel, or in Acts 15:14 regarding God’s visitation of the Gentiles. Conversely, in the Old Testament background reflected here, it can also mean to visit with punishment, though the New Testament usage leans heavily toward benevolent intervention and compassionate care.
This word captures a dynamic form of attention that leads to action. It is not merely seeing someone but engaging with them to provide for their needs or bring about change. By using this term for both human charity and divine grace, the biblical text links our responsibility to care for others with God’s own pattern of seeking out and restoring those in need.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word episkeptomai moves beyond a simple social call to describe active, purposeful care. When Jesus speaks of visiting the sick or imprisoned in Matthew 25:36, He highlights that true faith involves practical engagement with those in distress. This is not about polite conversation but about meeting tangible needs and bringing relief to suffering.
This same term describes God’s own character, showing that He does not remain distant from human pain. In Luke 1:68, Zechariah praises God for visiting His people, reminding us that divine attention often brings redemption and hope. We are invited to mirror this pattern by looking out for the vulnerable in our own communities.
Understanding this word encourages a faith that is both responsive and compassionate. It challenges us to see every encounter as an opportunity to reflect God’s care, turning passive observation into active love for our neighbors.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 11 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- to visit2×
- you visited1×
- will visit1×
- visited1×
- let us look after1×
- do select1×
- did you visit1×
- You care for1×
- He has visited1×
- Has visited1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐπεσκέψατο3×
- ἐπεσκέψασθέ2×
- ἐπισκέψεται1×
- ἐπισκέψασθε1×
- ἐπισκέψασθαι1×
- ἐπισκέπτῃ1×
- ἐπισκέπτεσθαι1×
- ἐπισκεψώμεθα1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 25:36
I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me.’
This verse defines the practical application of the word, equating service to the marginalized with direct service to Christ.
-
Luke 1:68
“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people;
Here the term describes God’s redemptive intervention in history, showing His proactive care for His people.
-
James 1:27
Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
This occurrence links the word directly to the definition of pure religion through specific acts of support for orphans and widows.