Quick Definition
βλέπω v. I look, see
Strong's Definition
a primary verb; to look at (literally or figuratively)
KJV Usage: behold, beware, lie, look (on, to), perceive, regard, see, sight, take heed. Compare 3700
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb | ἀναβλέπω · ἀνάβλεψις · ἀποβλέπω · ἀπόβλητος · βλέμμα · διαβλέπω · ἐμβλέπω · ἐπιβλέπω · περιβλέπομαι
24.7 · Sensory Events and States · See
to see, to become aware of, to notice, to glance at to see, frequently in the sense of becoming aware of or taking notice of something
MAT 5:28 · MAT 6:4 · MAT 6:6 · MAT 6:18 · MAT 7:3 · MAT 11:4 · MAT 13:13 · MAT 13:14 · MAT 13:14 · MAT 13:16 · MAT 13:17 · MAT 14:30 · MAT 15:31 · MAT 18:10 · MAT 24:2 · MRK 5:31 · MRK 8:18 · MRK 8:23 · MRK 8:24 · MRK 13:2 · LUK 6:41 · LUK 6:42 · LUK 7:44 · LUK 8:10 · LUK 8:16 · LUK 9:62 · LUK 10:23 · LUK 10:23 · LUK 10:24 · LUK 11:33 · LUK 24:12 · JHN 1:29 · JHN 5:19 · JHN 11:9 · JHN 13:22 · JHN 20:1 · JHN 20:5 · JHN 21:9 · JHN 21:20 · ACT 1:9 · ACT 2:33 · ACT 3:4 · ACT 4:14 · ACT 8:6 · ACT 12:9 · ACT 28:26 · ACT 28:26 · ROM 8:24 · ROM 8:24 · ROM 8:25 · 1CO 13:12 · 2CO 4:18 · 2CO 4:18 · 2CO 4:18 · 2CO 4:18 · 2CO 10:7 · 2CO 12:6 · HEB 2:9 · HEB 3:19 · HEB 10:25 · HEB 11:1 · HEB 11:3 · HEB 11:7 · JAS 2:22 · REV 1:11 · REV 1:12 · REV 5:3 · REV 5:4 · REV 11:9 · REV 16:15 · REV 17:8 · REV 18:9 · REV 18:18 · REV 22:8 · REV 22:8
24.41 · Sensory Events and States · See
to be able to see to have the faculty of sight
MAT 12:22 · MAT 15:31 · MRK 4:12 · MRK 4:12 · LUK 7:21 · JHN 9:7 · JHN 9:15 · JHN 9:19 · JHN 9:21 · JHN 9:25 · ACT 9:8 · ACT 9:9 · ACT 13:11 · ROM 11:8 · ROM 11:10 · REV 3:18 · REV 9:20
27.58 · Learn · Be Ready To Learn, Pay Attention
to beware of, to watch out for, to pay attention to (figurative extension of meaning of βλέπω[a] ‘to see,’ 24.7) to be ready to learn about future dangers or needs, with the implication of preparedness to respond appropriately
MAT 24:4 · MRK 4:24 · MRK 8:15 · MRK 12:38 · MRK 13:5 · MRK 13:9 · MRK 13:23 · MRK 13:33 · LUK 8:18 · LUK 21:8 · ACT 13:40 · 1CO 3:10 · 1CO 8:9 · 1CO 10:12 · GAL 5:15 · EPH 5:15 · PHP 3:2 · PHP 3:2 · PHP 3:2 · COL 2:8 · HEB 3:12 · HEB 12:25 · 2JN 1:8
30.1 · Think · To Think, Thought
to think about, to consider to process information by giving consideration to various aspects In a number of languages the concept of thinking is closely related to terms referring to perception. For example, in some languages one may speak of thinking as ‘to see with the heart’ or ‘to look at with the liver.’
32.11 · Understand · Come To Understand
to understand, to perceive, to see, to recognize to come to understand as the result of perception
MAT 13:13 · LUK 8:10 · LUK 21:30 · JHN 9:39 · JHN 9:39 · JHN 9:39 · JHN 9:41 · ROM 7:23 · 2CO 7:8 · COL 2:5 · HEB 3:19 · JAS 2:22
13.134 · Be, Become, Exist, Happen · Happen
to see to it that something happens, to arrange for something to happen to take responsibility for causing something to happen
82.10 · Spacial Orientations · Left, Right, Straight Ahead, Opposite
facing (a figurative extension of meaning of βλέπω[a] ‘to see,’ 24.7) to be oriented in a particular direction
30.120 · Think · To Distinguish, To Evaluate, To Judge
Collocation: βλέπω εἰς πρόσωπον
to judge on the basis of appearance, to render a superficial judgment, to pay no attention to a person’s status, to judge on the basis of reputation (an idiom, literally: to see into the face) to judge on the basis of external appearances In some languages an equivalent of this expression in MAT 22:16 may be ‘when you judge, you look into a man’s heart’ or ‘when you judge you see more than a person’s face’ or ‘when you judge a person, who he appears to be doesn’t count.’
1 On the basis of existing contexts, it is not possible to distinguish clearly between the meanings of ὁράω[a] (24.1) and βλέπω[a] (24.7). Especially in the Gospel of John, the two terms are used in some instances for what appears to be merely stylistic variation. 2 It is possible that ἐμβλέπω[b] differs somewhat in meaning from βλέπω[d] in focusing the thought processes on some particular object or matter, but it is difficult to determine this on the basis of existing contexts.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
βλέπω ; [impf. ἔβλεπον] ; fut. βλέψω ; 1 aor. ἔβλεψα ; [pres. pass. βλέπομαι]; Sept. for ANI, 739, Tin, wan; in Grk. writ. fr. Aeschyl. down; to see, discern; al with the bodily eye; a. to be possessed of sight, have the power of seeing, opp. to τυφλός : Mt. xii. 22: xiii. 16; xy. 31; Jn. ix. 7, 15,19, 25; Acts ix. 9; Ro. xi. 8, 10; Rev. iii. 18, ete. (Soph. Oed. Col. 73; Arstph. Plut. 15; Xen. mem. 1, 3,4; Ael. v. h. 6, 12, ete. Ex. iv. 11; xxiii. 8, ete. Tob. xi. 15). τὸ βλέπειν sight, the power of seeing, Lk. vii. 21 (GL TTrWHom. τό). b. to perceive by the use of the eyes, to see, look, descry; a. absol.: βλεπόντων αὐτῶν while they were looking, Acts i. 9; [xxii 11 Trmrg. WH mrg.]; ἔρχου καὶ βλέπε, Rec. in Rev. vi. 1, 3, 5, 7. β. with ace. of pers. or thing: Mt. vii. 3; xi. 4; xxiv. 2; Mk. v. 31; viii. 23sq.; xiii. 2; Lk. vi. 41; xxiv. 12[T om. L Tr br. WH reject the vs.]; Jn.i. 29; Acts iv. 14, ete.; [Rev. xviii. 18 Rec. ὁρῶντες]; τὴν φωνήν, him who uttered the voice, Rev. i. 12; ὅραμα, Acts xii. 9; he who has free access to one, as princes, ministers, and personal friends have to a king, is said BX. τὸ πρόσωπόν τινος (oan 29 N85, 2 K. xxv.19; Jer. lii. 25; Esth. i. 14); hence in Mt. xviii. 10 angels of closest access or of highest rank are referred to (see ἀρχάγγελος). Pass. τὰ βλεπόμενα the things that are seen: 2 Co. iv. 18; Heb. xi. 3 (1, Τ Tr WH τὸ βλεπόμενον, the sum-total or complex of things seen) ; ἐλπὶς βλεπομένη hope of things that are seen, i. e. that are present, Ro. viii. 24. c. to turn the eyes to anything, to look at, look upon, gaze at: γυναῖκα, Mt. v. 28; εἴς τι or τινα [ W. § 33 g.], Lk. ix. 62; Jn. xiii. 22; Acts ili. 4; els τὸν οὐρανόν, Acts i. 11'T Tr WH; in the sense of looking into (i. e. in order to read), βιβλίον, Rev. v. 8 sq. ἃ. univ. to perceive by the senses, to feel: τὸν ἄνεμον ἰσχυρόν [T WH om. icx.], Mt. xiv. 30, (κτύπον δέδορκα, Aeschyl. sept. 104). e. to discover by use, to know by experience: τί, Ro. vii. 23; foll. by ὅτι, 2 Co. vii. 8; by attract. τὸ θηρίον, ὅτι κτλ. Rev. xvii. 8; ὑπὲρ ὃ βλέπει pe for ὑπὲρ τοῦτο, ὃ βλέπει με ὄντα, lest he think me greater than on personal knowledge he finds me to be, 2 Co. xii. 6. 2. metaph. to see with the mind’s eye; 8. to have (the power of) understanding: βλέποντες ov βλέπουσι, though endued with understanding they do not understand, Mt. xiii. 13; Lk. viii. 10. b. to discern mentally, observe, perceive, discover, understand ; absol.: 8v ἐσόπτρου. 1 Co. xiii. 12; of Bodw the omniscient God βλέπων ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ seeing in secret, where man sees nothing, Mt. vi. 4, 6,18 [here LT Tr WH Bi. ev τ. κρυφαίῳ]; ἐγγίζουσαν τὴν ἡμέραν, Heb. x. 25 (fr. certain external signs); Ἰησοῦν . . . ἐστεφανωμένον, we see (from his resurrection and from the effects and witness of the Holy Spirit) Jesus crowned, Heb. ii. 9; foll. by ὅτι, Heb. iii. 19; Jas. ii. 22. ο. to turn the thoughts or direct the mind to a thing, to consider, contemplate, look to; absol. βλέπετε take heed: Mk. xiii. 23,33; with an ace. of the thing or pers., 1 Co. i. 26; x. 18; 2Co. x. 7; Phil. iii. 2; Col. 11. 5; foll. by πῶς with indie. [W. 300 (282); B. 255 (219)], Lk. viii. 18; 1 Co. iii. 10; Eph. v. 15; to weigh carefully, examine, foll. by interrog. τί with indic. Mk. iv. 24; εἰς πρόσωπόν τινος. to look at i. e. have regard to one’s external condition, —used of those who are influenced by partiality: Mt. xxii. 16; Mk. xii. 14. By a use not found in Grk. auth. ἑαυτὸν βλέπειν to look to one’s self (i. q. sibi cavere): Mk. xili. 9; foll. by ἵνα μή [ef. B. 242 (209)], 2 Jn. 8; βλέmew ἀπό τινος (i. q. sibi cavere ab aliquo) to beware of one [W. 223 (209), ef. 39 (38); B. 242 (209), ef. 323 (278)], Mk. viii. 15; xii. 38; look to in the sense of providing, taking care: foll. by ἵνα, 1 Co. xvi. 10; foll. by μή with subj. aor., Mt. xxiv. 4; Mk. xiii.5; Lk. xxi. 8: Acts xiii. 40; 1 Co. viii. 9 (μήπως); x. 12; Gal. v.15; Heb. xii. 25; foll. by μή with fut. indie., Col. ii. 8; Heb. iii. 12. The Grks. say ὁρᾶν pn, [οἷ. W. 503 (468 sq.); B. 242 sq. (209)]. 3. in a geographical sense, like Lat. specto [Eng. lool], of places, mountains, buildings, ete., turned towards any quarter, as it were facing it: foll. by κατά with ace., Acts xxvii. 12 [ef. B. D. Am. ed. 5. v. Phenice], (Sept. [Num. xxi. 20]; Ezek. xi. 1; [xliv. 1; xlvii. 1]; πρός, Xen. Hell. 7, 1,17; mem. 3, 8, 9; Hdian. 6, 5, 2; Diog. Laért. 1, 2, 48; Sept. Ezek. ix. 2; xl. 24; [xlvi. 1]; εἰς, viii. 3, ete. [for other exx. see Soph. Lex. s. v.]). [Syn. see s. v. ὁράω. Comp.: dva-, ἀπο-, δια-, ἐμ-, ert, mept-, προ-βλέπω.]
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
βλέπω blepō 133x
to have the faculty of sight, to see, Mt. 12:22; to exercise sight, to see, Mt. 6:4; to look towards or at, Mt. 22:16; to face, Acts 27:12; to take heed, Mt. 24:4; in NT, βλέπειν ἀπό, to beware of, shun, Mk. 8:15; trans., to cast a look on, Mt. 5:28; to see, behold, Mt. 13:17; to observe, Mt. 7:3; to have an eye to, see to, Mk. 13:9; Col. 4:17; 2 Jn. 8; to discern mentally, perceive, Rom. 7:23; 2 Cor. 7:8; Jas. 2:22; to guard against, Phil. 3:2; pass., to be an object of sight, be visible, Rom. 8:24
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
βλέπω,
[in LXX chiefly for ראה, also for פּנה, etc. ;]
of bodily sight; to see, have sight (opp. to τυφλὸς εἶναι): Mt 12:22, Jo 9:7, Ac 9:9, Ro 11:8, Re 3:18, al.;
to perceive, look (at), see: absol., Ac 1:9; c. acc., Mt 7:3, Mk 5:31, Lk 6:41, Jo 1:29, al.; ὅραμα, Ac 12:9; γυναῖκα, Mt 5:28; βιβλίον, Re 5:3, 4; τ. βλεπόμενα, II Co 4:18.
Metaph., of mental vision; to see, perceive, discern: absol., Mt 13:13, Lk 8:10; δι’ ἐσόπτρου, I Co 13:12; c. acc., He 2:9 10:25; seq. ὅτι, He 3:19, Ja 2:22;
to consider, look to, take heed: absol., Mk 13:23, 33; c. acc., I Co 1:26, al.; seq. πῶς, c. indic., Lk 8:18, I Co 3:10, Eph 5:15; seq. τί, c. indic., Mk 4:24; seq. εἰς πρόσωπον, of partiality, Mt 22:16, Mk 12:14. Colloq. (for ex. from π., V. Deiss., LAE, 122; M, Pr., 107; MM, Exp., x; Milligan, NTD, 50), β. ἑαυτόν: Mk 13:9; seq. ἵνα μή, II Jo 8; β. ἀπό, Mk 8:15 12:38; seq. μή (cl. ὁρᾶν), c. fut. indic., Col 2:8, He 3:12; id. c. aor. subj., Mt 24:4, Mk 13:5.
Of situation and direction (Lat. specto), to look, face (towards), places, etc. (seq. πρός, Xen, Hell., vii, 1, 17; Ez 40:23, 24): seq. κατά, c. acc., Ac 27:12 (cf. ἀνα-, ἀπο-, δια-, ἐμ-, ἐπι-, περ-, προ-βλέπω), v. DCG, i, 446; ii, 596.
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
βλέπω. The papyri have added a perfect to the paradigm of this verb: it proves to have been βέβλοφα (P Lond 422!—R.c., 168) (=Witkowski?, p. 63) (see under ἐμβλέπω). It is hard to believe that a form so correct historically, and so distant from any obvious analogy, can be anything but a genuine survival, even if it does meet us only ἴῃ ἃ woman’s letter from Ptolemaic Egypt. If this inference is justifiable, the word has a moral for the argument from silence. Βλέπω has primarily the physical sense, as distinguished from ὁρῶ (cf. our cognate ware): this is well seen in ἀναβλέπω = recover sight. Usage bears this out. Thus P Par 445 (B.c. 153) (= Witkowski?, p. 83) has βλέπω Μενέδημον κατατρέχοντά pe coming after ἐγὼ yap ἐνύπνια ὁρῶ πονηρά. Soin P Hal I. 85 (B.C. 232) a man is incapacitated—8.a τὸ μὴ βλέπειν τὰς νύκτας, and in P Oxy I. 399 (a.p. 52) ὀλίγον βλέπων = ** shortsighted.” An interesting instance of the word is afforded by P Giss I. 171° (time of Hadrian) where a slave writes to her master ἀποθνήσκομεν ὅτι οὐ βλέπομέν σε Kad” ἡμέραν (cf. τ Cor 1531). Closely parallel with phraseology in Gospel healings of the blind is one of the cases from the | Asclepieum, .$7// 80277 (Epidaurus, (iii/s.c.) : the blind man sleeping in the temple saw a vision (ὄψις) of the god open- | ing his eyelids and pouring in a φάρμακον -- ΜΠ δ η day broke β.λ)έπων ἀμφοῖν ἐξῆλθε. 1’ Oxy 11. 298% (i/A.p.) ὁ ᾿Ανουβᾶς αὐ[τὸ]ν οὐχ ἡδέως [β]λέπει, “A. looks upon him with no friendly eye,” may serve as a transition to the more meta- | phorical use of βλέπω, as in P Oxy 11. 259% (A.p. 23) βλέπε | με πῶς με 7 μήτηρ ἡμῶν [Elodake χάριν τοῦ χειρογράφου, — οὐδέν, and P Oxy IX. 1220 (iii/a.p.) οὐδὲν βλέπω φαύλου παρ᾽ ἐμοί, ““1 seenothing bad in my behaviour ” (Ed.). The meaning ‘‘ beware,” implied in some of these passages, is extended to a personal reflexive object in BGU IV. 107974 (A.D. 41) (= Selections, p. 40) ὡς Av πάντες καὶ od βλέπε σατὸν ἀπὸ Tay’ Ἰουδαίων, “like everybody else, you too must | beware of the Jews,” which is a rather neat confutation of | those who would detect ‘ Hebraism” in Mk 815 and the like. | For the geographical sense, the “aspect ” of a building, etc. {as Ac 27"), cf P Leid ΨΥ 1.5 (ii/iii a.p.), ἔστω δὲ ἡ θύρα πρὸς δυσμὰς βλέπουσα, PSI IIL. 1751} (A.p. 462) συμπόσιον βλέπον ἐπὶ νότον, etc. Finally, for B. virtually = εὑρίσκω as in Rom 78 (cf. v. 21), see P Fay 11118 (A.p. 95-6) ὡς | ἐὰν βλέπης [τ]ὴν τιμὴν παντὸς ἀγόρασον, “however you ] find the price, be sure to buy” (Edd.).
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
βλέπω (blepō) — to see. βλέπω, [Refs 6th c.BC+]: imperfect ἔβλεπον [Refs]: future βλέψομαι [Refs 4th c.BC+], Doric dialect infinitive βλεψεῖσθαι [LXX+2nd c.AD+]aorist ἔβλεψα (see. below): perfect βέβλεφα (ἀπο-) [Refs 5th c.AD+]; βέβλοφα (ἐμ-) [Refs 2nd c.AD+] —passive, aorist ἐβλέφθην (προσ-) [Refs 1st c.AD+]perfect βέβλεμμαι to be supplied in [Refs 2nd c.AD+] —chiefly in present and aorist active in early writers: middle (except future) and passive only late:—see, have the power of sight (distinct from ὁρῶ perceive, be aware of,[Refs 5th c.BC+]; μὴ βλέπων ὁ μάντις ᾖ lest he see too clearly, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὁ βλέπων the seer, Hebraism in [LXX]; ὀλίγον βλέπων short- sighted, [Refs 1st c.AD+]
II. look, βλέφ᾽ ὧδε [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πῶς βλέπων; with what face? [Refs 5th c.BC+] adverb, φιλοφρόνως, ἐχθρῶς β. πρός τινας[Refs 5th c.BC+] look terror, i. e. to look terrible, Θυιὰς ὣς φόβον βλέπων [Refs 4th c.BC+]; Comedy texts, ἔβλεψε νᾶπυ looked mustard, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πυρρίχην βλέπων looking like a war-dancer, [Refs]; αἴκειαν βλέπων looking like one disgraced, [Refs]; σκύτη β., of a slave, [Refs 5th c.BC+] adjective, μέγα β.[Refs 7th c.BC+]: by infinitive, ἁρπάζειν β. [Refs 4th c.BC+]: by participle neuter, τί πεφροντικὸς βλέπεις ; [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.2. β. ἐς look to, rely on, εἰς ἔργον οὐδὲν γιγνόμενον βλέπετε [Refs 6th c.BC+]; ἔς σε δὴ βλέπω, ὅπως.. in the hope that.., [Refs]: metaphorically also, have regard to, ἡ πολιτεία β. εἰς πλοῦτον [Refs 4th c.BC+]; of aspects, οἰκίαι πρὸς μεσημβρίαν βλέπουσαι.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.3. look longingly, expect, propose, with infinitive, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.4. look to a thing, beware, ἀπό τινος [NT]; τι [NT+1st c.AD+]; β. ἵνα.. [NT]; β. ἑαυτοὺς ἵνα μὴ.. [NT]
III. transitive, see, behold, with accusative, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐξ αὑτοῦ βλεπόμενον self-evident, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; τὰ βλεπόμενα the visible universe, [LXX]
III.2. ζῇ τε καὶ β. φάος sees the light of day, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; βλέποντα νῦν μὲν ὄρθ᾽ ἔπειτα δὲ σκότον (i. e. being blind) [Refs 5th c.BC+], to be alive, ζῶντα καὶ βλέποντα [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of things, ἀληθῆ καὶ βλέποντα actually existing, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
III.3. look for, μεῖζόν τι β. [Refs 5th c.BC+]
III.4. Astrology texts of signs equidistant from the tropical points, to be in aspect, β. ἄλληλα [Refs 8th c.BC+]