ὑπολαμβάνω (hupolambanō)
hupolambanō
to take up/suppose
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 5 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb hupolambanō literally means to take something up from beneath, whether physically lifting a person or mentally grasping an idea. In Acts 1:9, it describes Jesus being taken up into heaven, emphasizing the physical act of lifting. This concrete sense extends to social interactions, where it means to welcome or receive someone hospitably, as seen in 3 John 8 when believers are urged to support traveling missionaries.
In conversational contexts, the word captures the idea of taking up a thread of speech to continue, reply, or supplement what another has said. Luke 10:30 uses it when the lawyer takes up Jesus’ question to define "neighbor." This usage bridges the physical and mental, showing how one actively engages with another’s words.
The most common theological application is mental assumption or supposition. In Luke 7:43 and Acts 2:15, Jesus and Peter use hupolambanō to ask listeners to assume or suppose a certain reality—whether about debt forgiveness or the timing of Pentecost. It invites the audience to accept a premise for the sake of argument, making it a tool for teaching through shared understanding rather than direct assertion.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
This word carries two distinct movements: lifting something up and holding it in mind. In Acts 1:9, it describes Jesus being taken up into heaven, a physical act that anchors our hope in His return. It reminds us that He is not absent, but elevated in glory, waiting to welcome us.
More often, though, it invites us into conversation. When Peter uses it in Acts 2:15, he asks his listeners to suppose a reality together. This word bridges the gap between what we see and what we understand. It encourages us to listen closely, take up the thread of another’s thought, and engage with truth through shared understanding rather than isolated opinion.
In your daily walk, this means paying attention to how others speak and thinking carefully before assuming. It is a call to hospitality of the mind, welcoming ideas that lead us closer to the truth found in Christ.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 5 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- to receive1×
- suppose1×
- hid1×
- I take it1×
- Having taken [it] up1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ὑπέλαβεν1×
- ὑπολαμβάνω1×
- ὑπολαμβάνετε1×
- ὑπολαμβάνειν1×
- ὑπολαβὼν1×
Key Verses
-
Acts 1:9
When he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight.
This verse uses the word for its literal sense of physical lifting, describing Jesus' ascension and confirming His bodily departure from earth.
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Acts 2:15
For these aren’t drunken, as you suppose, seeing it is only the third hour of the day.
Peter uses the term to ask his audience to suppose a specific premise—that the disciples are not drunk—thereby framing his explanation of Pentecost.
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Luke 7:43
Simon answered, “He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most.” He said to him, “You have judged correctly.”
Simon supposes who received the greater forgiveness, allowing Jesus to draw out a lesson about grace through Simon's own assumption rather than direct instruction.