Dictionaries :: Apprehend

International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia

Apprehend:

ap-re-hend':Occurs in the New Testament in two meanings: "to arrest" (piazo; Ac 12:4; 2Co 11:32 the Revised Version (British and American), "take"); and "to seize," "grasp," "take into one's possession," "attain," "inquire eagerly" (katalambano, the American Standard Revised Version "laid hold on," "laid fast hold of," Php 3:12,13; Eph 3:18). In Joh 1:5, "The darkness apprehended it not," the Revised Version, margin gives "overcame not."

Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words

Apprehend:

properly signifies "to lay hold of;" then, "to lay hold of so as to possess as one's own, to appropriate." Hence it has the same twofold meaning as the Eng. "to apprehend;"

(a), "to seize upon, take possession of,"

(1) with a beneficial effect, as of "laying hold" of the righteousness which is of faith, Rom 9:30 (not there a matter of attainment, as in the Eng. versions, but of appropriation); of the obtaining of a prize, 1Cr 9:24 (RV, "attain"); of the Apostle's desire "to apprehend," or "lay hold of," that for which he was apprehended by Christ, Phl 3:12, 13;

(2) with a detrimental effect, e.g., of demon power, Mar 9:18; of human action in seizing upon a person, Jhn 8:3, 4; metaphorically, with the added idea of overtaking, of spiritual darkness in coming upon people, Jhn 12:35; of the Day of the Lord, in suddenly coming upon unbelievers as a thief, 1Th 5:4;

(b), "to lay hold of" with the mind, to understand, perceive, e.g., metaphorically, of darkness with regard to light, Jhn 1:5, though possibly here the sense is that of (a) as in Jhn 12:35; of mental perception, Act 4:13; 10:34; 25:25; Eph 3:18.
See ATTAIN, No. 2, COME, Note (8), FIND, OBTAIN, OVERTAKE, PERCEIVE, TAKE.

Note: Cp. epilambano, "to take hold of," always in the Middle Voice in the NT.
See HOLD.

Apprehend:

"to lay hold of," with the suggestion of firm pressure or force, is used in the Gospels only in John, six times of efforts to seize Christ, and is always rendered "take" in the RV, Jhn 7:30, 32, 44; 8:20; 10:39; 11:57. The AV has "laid hands on" in Jhn 8:20. In Act 12:4; 2Cr 11:32 (AV), it is translated respectively "apprehended" and "apprehend" (RV, "had taken," and "take"). In Rev 19:20 it isused of the seizure of the Beast and the False Prophet. In Jhn 21:3, 10 it is used of catching fish. Elsewhere in Act 3:7.
See CATCH, LAY HANDS ON, TAKE. In the Sept., Sgs 2:15.