"to take, take up, take in the hand, Mt. 10:38; 13:31, 33; to take on one’s self, sustain, Mt. 8:17; to take, seize, seize upon, Mt. 5:40; 21:34; Lk. 5:26; 1 Cor. 10:13; to catch, Lk. 5:5; 2 Cor. 12:16; to assume, put on, Phil. 2:7; to make a rightful or successful assumption of, ..."
Definition and meaning
to take, take up, take in the hand, Mt. 10:38; 13:31, 33; to take on one’s self, sustain, Mt. 8:17; to take, seize, seize upon, Mt. 5:40; 21:34; Lk. 5:26; 1 Cor. 10:13; to catch, Lk. 5:5; 2 Cor. 12:16; to assume, put on, Phil. 2:7; to make a rightful or successful assumption of, Jn. 3:27; to conceive, Acts 28:15; to take by way of provision, Mt. 16:5; to get, get together, Mt. 16:9; to receive as payment, Mt. 17:24; Heb. 7:8; to take to wife, Mk. 12:19; to admit, give reception to, Jn. 6:21; 2 Jn. 10; met. to give mental reception to, Jn. 3:11; to be simply recipient of, to receive, Mt. 7:8; Jn. 7:23, 39; 19:30; Acts 10:43; in NT λαμβάνειν πεῖραν, to make encounter of a matter of difficulty or trial, Heb. 11:29, 36; λαμβάνειν ἀρχήν, to begin, Heb. 2:3; λαμβάνειν συμβούλιον, to take counsel, consult, Mt. 12:14; λαμβάνειν λήθην, to forget, 2 Pet. 1:9; λαμβάνειν ὑπόμνησιν, to recollect, call to mind, 2 Tim. 1:5; λαμβάνειν περιτομήν, to receive circumcision, be circumcised, Jn. 7:23; λαμβάνειν καταλλαγήν, to be reconciled, Rom. 5:11; λαμβάνειν κρίμα, to receive condemnation or punishment, be punished, Mk. 12:40; from the Hebrew, πρόσωπον λαμβάνειν, to accept the person of any one, show partiality towards, Lk. 20:21
In the original Greek the word is written: λαμβάνω
Historical context
Rome had controlled Judea since 63 BC. Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple into one of the most magnificent structures in the ancient world — and simultaneously murdered members of his own family. The common people paid multiple layers of taxation and were politically powerless. Into that world a carpenter from Galilee began teaching that the kingdom of God had arrived.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of lambano (G2983) across the King James Bible.
And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.
Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.
Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.
But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:
Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
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Common questions
Strong's G2983 (lambano) is a Greek word that means: to take, take up, take in the hand, Mt. 10:38; 13:31, 33; to take on one’s self, sustain, Mt. 8:17; to take, seize, seize upon, Mt. 5:40; 21:34; Lk. 5:26; 1 Cor. 10:13; to catch, Lk. 5:5; 2 Cor. 12:16... It appears 246 times in the King James Bible.
The word lambano (G2983) appears 246 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G2983 is lambano, a Greek word defined as: to take, take up, take in the hand, Mt. 10:38; 13:31, 33; to take on one’s self, sustain, Mt. 8:17; to take, seize, seize upon, Mt. 5:40; 21:34; Lk. 5. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
lambano is a Greek word found in the New Testament.