Call upon the Lord

And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ Acts 2:21 (NASB 1995). What an amazing promise and invitation!

The Greek word translated as "call" is the verb "epikaleō". "Epikaleō" means to call upon, invoke, or appeal to someone in an act of reaching out or summoning help while recognizing the authority of the one being called upon. Often in the context of prayer it suggests an earnest plea or petition directed toward God.

In Acts 2:21 (NASB 1995) it shows the act of calling upon the Lord for salvation, implying a sense of urgency and reliance on divine intervention. The Greek term, “epikaleō” (call), suggests an active, conscious decision to reach out to God, emphasizing a personal and intentional act of faith.

“Epikaleō”, is often used in the New Testament to signify calling upon the Lord with a sense of urgency and reliance, emphasizing a personal relationship with God.

Romans 10:13 (NASB 1995) also uses “call” (“epikaleō”), to stress the necessity of invoking the Lord's name for salvation. This consistent usage highlights the act of calling upon God as an earnest appeal for divine intervention or grace.

And they will call them, “The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD”; And you will be called, “Sought Out, A City Not Abandoned.”

In Isaiah 62:12 (NASB 1995), the Hebrew word translated as "call" is "qara'" . "Qara'" has a broader range of meanings, including to call out, proclaim, name, or invite. This term can denote a declaration or announcement, often with a sense of calling something into being or identifying it in a particular way.

In the context of Isaiah 62, "qara'" (call) signifies a formal declaration or naming, where the people of Israel are identified and set apart as the "Holy People" and "Redeemed of the Lord." Here, the focus is on the identity and status given them by Yahweh, rather than a personal request. This usage emphasizes a divine decree and recognition, highlighting God's active role in defining and affirming the identity of His people.

"Qara'" is often used in the Old Testament to denote God's proclamation over His people or the act of summoning them to a higher purpose. Genesis 4:26 (NASB 1995), “… Then men began to call (“qara'“) upon the name of the LORD, suggesting an initiation of worship or the establishment of a relationship with God through summons or invitation.

While both terms imply a form of calling, "epikaleō" emphasizes an intimate request and personal dependency upon the Lord, whereas "qara" suggests a broader, declarative action related to identity and purpose.

Word Study Challenge:

Find other scriptures in both the old and new testaments that use the word “call”. Are those words translated from the original, "epikaleō" or "qara"?

Are there other words in the Greek and Hebrew that translate to “call” how similar or different are they and how are they used in scripture?

Using https://biblehub.com/interlinear/ translate Acts 2:21 into your own words. How does your translation change or deepen the meaning of the verse for you?

Reference List:

1. Bauer, Walter, et al. (2000) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature*. 3rd ed., University of Chicago Press.

2. Brown, F., Driver, S. R., & Briggs, C. A. (1906). A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Clarendon Press.

3. Louw, Johannes P., and Eugene Albert Nida. (1998) Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains. United Bible Societies, 1988.

4. Strong, J. (1890). Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Abingdon Press.

5. Thayer, J. H. (1889). Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. Harper & Brothers.

6. Thayer, Joseph H. (1996) Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Coded with Strong's Concordance Numbers. Hendrickson Publishers.

7. Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W. (1996). Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words. Thomas Nelson.