ἐπιστρέφω

ἐπιστρέφω — epistréphō

ἐπιστρέφω; future ἐπιστρέψω; 1 aorist ἐπέστρεψα; 2 aorist passive ἐπεστραφην; from Homer down; the Sept. for הָפַך, סָבַב and הֵסֵב, פָּנָה, and times without number for שׁוּב and הֵשִׁיב;

1. transitively,

a. to turn to: ἐπί τόν Θεόν, to the worship of the true God, Act 26:20.

b. to cause to return, to bring back; figuratively, τινα ἐπί κύριον τόν Θεόν, to the love and obedience of God, Luk 1:16; ἐπί τέκνα, to love for the children, Luk 1:17; ἐν φρονήσει δικαίων, that they may be in (R. V. to walk in) the wisdom of the righteous, Luk 1:17; τινα ἐπί τινα, supply from the context ἐπί τήν ἀλήθειαν and ἐπί τήν ὁδόν, Jas 5:19 f.

2. intransitive, (Winers Grammar, § 38, 1 (compare p. 26; Buttmann, 144 (126f)));

a. to turn, to turn oneself: ἐπί τόν κύριον and ἐπί τόν Θεόν, of Gentiles passing over to the religion of Christ, Act 9:35; Act 11:21; Act 14:15; Act 15:19; Act 26:20, cf. 1Pe 2:25; πρός τί, Act 9:40; πρός τόν Θεόν, 1Th 1:9; 2Co 3:16; ἀπό τίνος εἰς τί, Act 26:18.

b. to turn oneself about, turn back: absolutely, Act 16:18; followed by an infinitive expressing purpose, Rev 1:12.

c. to return, turn back, come back; α. properly: Luk 2:20 Rec.;; Act 15:36; with the addition of ὀπίσω (as in Aelian v. h. 1, 6 (variant)), followed by an infinitive of purpose, Mat 24:18 : followed by εἰς with the accusative of place, Mat 12:44; (Luk 2:39 T WH Tr marginal reading); εἰς τά ὀπίσω, Mar 13:16; Luk 17:31; ἐπί τί, to, 2Pe 2:22. β. metaphorically: ἐπί τί, Gal 4:9; ἐπί τινα, Luk 17:4 Rec., but G omits ἐπί σε; πρός τινα, ibid. L T Tr WH; ἐκ τῆς ἐντολῆς, to leave the commandment and turn back to a worse mental and moral condition, 2Pe 2:21 R G; absolutely, to turn back morally, to reform: Mat 13:15; Mar 4:12; Luk 22:32; Act 3:19; Act 28:27. In the middle and 2 aorist passive a. to turn oneself about, to turn around: absolutely, Mat 9:22 R G; Mar 5:30; Mar 8:33; Joh 21:20.

b. to return: followed by πρός (WH text ἐπί) τινα, Mat 10:13 (on which passage see εἰρήνη, 3 at the end); ἐπί τόν Θεόν, 1Pe 2:25 (see 2 a. above); to return to a better mind, repent, Joh 12:40 (R G).