"pluperf., συνηρπάκειν, to snatch up, clutch; to seize and carry off suddenly, Acts 6:12; to seize with force and violence, Lk. 8:29; Acts 19:29; pass. of a ship, to be caught and swept on by the wind, Acts 27:15*"
Definition and meaning
pluperf., συνηρπάκειν, to snatch up, clutch; to seize and carry off suddenly, Acts 6:12; to seize with force and violence, Lk. 8:29; Acts 19:29; pass. of a ship, to be caught and swept on by the wind, Acts 27:15*
In the original Greek the word is written: συναρπάζω
Historical context
Luke wrote as a historian addressing a Greek audience. He carefully interviewed eyewitnesses and arranged events in order. The social and economic realities he describes — Roman taxation, Jewish religious hierarchy, the marginalization of women and the poor — are consistent with first-century Judea under Roman administration.
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 synarpazo (G4884) across the King James Bible.
(For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.)
And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council,
And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.
And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.
Refiner gives you the full lexicon entry, AI-powered verse insight, historical commentary, cross-references, and voice study — all in one place.
Free to start · Disciple $4.99/mo · Shepherd $9.99/mo
Common questions
Strong's G4884 (synarpazo) is a Greek word that means: pluperf., συνηρπάκειν, to snatch up, clutch; to seize and carry off suddenly, Acts 6:12; to seize with force and violence, Lk. 8:29; Acts 19:29; pass. of a ship, to be caught and swept on by the wind,... It appears 4 times in the King James Bible.
The word synarpazo (G4884) appears 4 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G4884 is synarpazo, a Greek word defined as: pluperf., συνηρπάκειν, to snatch up, clutch; to seize and carry off suddenly, Acts 6:12; to seize with force and violence, Lk. 8:29; Acts 19:29; pass.. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
synarpazo is a Greek word found in the New Testament.