Lexical Definition

‎ἐπιστρέφω‎ epistréphō (ep-ee-stref'-o) to turn ^G:V
from ‎ἐπί‎ and ‎στρέφω‎

come (go) again, convert, (re-)turn (about, again).

• to revert (literally, figuratively or morally)

Abbott-Smith

ἐπι-στρέφω [very freq. in LXX, chiefly for שׁוּב, in its various senses, also for פָּנָה, etc. ;]
1. trans., to turn about, round or towards, hence metaph., to turn, cause to return (to God, virtue, etc.): Lk 1:16, 17 (cf. Ma 3:24), Ja 5:19, 20.
2. Intrans.,
(a) to turn, turn oneself around: Ac 16:18; c. inf., Re 1:12; seq. πρός, Ac 9:40; so also pass. (cl.), Mk 5:30 8:33, Jo 21:20; metaph., of turning to God (v. Field, Notes, 246 ff.), ἐπὶ τ. κύριον (θεόν), Ac 9:35 11:21 14:15 15:19 26:20; πρὸς τ. θεόν, I Th 1:9, II Co 3:16; ἀπὸ σκότους εἰς φῶς, Ac 26:18; pass., I Pe 2:25;
(b) to return (as in MGr.): Lk 8:55, Ac 15:36; seq. ὀπίσω, c. inf., Mt 24:18; seq. εἰς, Mt 12:44, Mk 13:16, Lk 2:39 17:31; ἐπί, II Pe 2:22; metaph., seq. ἐπί, Ga 4:9; πρός, Lk 17:4; of moral reform, Mt 13:15, Mk 4:12, Lk 22:32, Ac 3:19 28:27; pass., Mt 10:13 (Cremer, 531, 881).†

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

ἐπιστρέφω-στρέφω,

perfect ἐπέστροφα [Refs 4th c.BC+]:—turn about, turn round, νῶτον Oracle texts cited in [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐ. τὰς ναῦς tack [ἐπιστρέφωστροφή 11.1), 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 2.90 ">Refs 5th c.BC+]; also, put an enemy to flight, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; wheel about, τοὺς ἱππεῖς [Refs 1st c.AD+]; wheel through a right angle, [Refs 1st c.BC+]

__b. intransitive, turn about, turn round, ἕλκε δ᾽ ἐπιστρέφωστρέψας [Refs 8th c.BC+]; here only in [Refs 8th c.BC+], and perhaps transitive, whirl, but see [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of ships, put about, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; of a wild boar, turn upon the hunter, ἐπί τινα [Refs 5th c.BC+]; return, ἀπὸ τῆς στρατείας Epist. Philipp. in [NT]; of an illness, recur, falsa lectio for{ὑπο-}, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: as Hebraism, with infinitive, as periphrasis of πάλιν, ἐπιστρέφωστρέψει.. εὐφρανθῆναι [LXX]; so with καί and finite Verb, ἐπέστρεψεν καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν[LXX]
__2. turn towards, νόημα [Refs 6th c.BC+]; ἐ. τινά turn his attention towards one, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; τινὰ πρός τι, εἰς ἑαυτόν, [Refs 1st c.AD+]; οἱ τὴν Ἑλλάδα ἐπεστροφότες ἐπὶ σοφίαν [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἐ. πίστιν press a pledge upon one, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐ. τὴν φάλαγγα bring it into action, [Refs 1st c.AD+]
__2.b. intransitive, turn (oneself) towards, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐ. εἰς or πρὸς ἑαυτόν, of νοῦς, reflect, [Refs 3rd c.AD+]; τὸ ἐπιστρέφωστρέφον βαθρικόν the steps leading to the sarcophagus, Judeich Altertümervon Hierapolis [Refs]
__3. turn or convert from an error, correct, cause to repent, [Refs 1st c.AD+]; warn, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; coerce, [Refs 4th c.AD+]
__3.b. passive, to be converted, return, ἐπὶ Κύριον [LXX]; intransitive, repent,[LXX+NT]
__3.c. Philos., cause to return to the source of Being, τινὰς εἰς τὰ ἐναντία καὶ τὰ πρῶτα [Refs 3rd c.AD+]:—passive, [Refs 3rd c.AD+]; τὸ προϊὸν ἀπό τινος -στρέφεται πρὸς ἐκεῖνο ἀφ᾽ οὗ πρόεισιν [Refs 5th c.AD+]:—also intransitive in active, ἐ. εἰς ἑαυτόν [Refs 3rd c.AD+]; τὸ γεννηθὲν φύσει πρὸς τὸ γεννῆσαν ἐ. [Refs 3rd c.AD+]; οὐδὲν τῶν σωμάτων πρὸς ἑαυτὸ πέφυκεν ἐ. [Refs 5th c.AD+]
__4. curve, twist, ὀδύνη σε περὶ τὰ σπλάγχν᾽ ἔοικ᾽ ἐπιστρέφωστρέφειν variant in [ἐπιστρέφωσκύνιον “Anthologia Graeca” 11.376.8 (6th c.AD: Agathias Historicus et Epigrammaticus)">Refs 5th c.BC+]:—passive, to be distorted, ἢν τράχηλος ἐπιστρέφωστραφῇ [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of hair, curl, οἷς ἐπέστραπται τὸ τρίχιον [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἐπεστραμμένος, of a tree, crooked, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; of fir-needles, bent, [Refs]
__II. middle and passive, especially in aorist 2 passive ἐπεστράφην [ᾰ], also ἐπεστρέφθην [Refs 3rd c.AD+]: Doric dialect 3rd.pers. singular future passive -στραφησεῖται[Refs]:—turn oneself round, turn about, ἤϊε ἐπιστρέφωστρεφόμενος constantly turning, as if to look behind one, [Refs 5th c.BC+] turned to gaze on it, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; so of a lion retreating, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; δι᾽ οὗ πάσας ἐπιστρέφωστρέφεσθαι τὰς περιφοράς by which all the revolving spheres are turned, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δόξα τῇδ᾽ ἐπεστράφη thus turned about, changed, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.2. go back-and forwards, πάντῃ [Refs]; κατ᾽ ἄλσος [ἐπιστρέφωστρέφεται">Refs 4th c.BC+] wanders over the earth, with collateral sense of observing, studying it, [Refs 8th c.BC+]: also with accusative loci, turn to a place, πόθεν γῆς τῆσδ᾽ ἐπεστράφης πέδο; [ἐπιστρέφωστρέφεσθαι">Refs 5th c.BC+] walk in.. , [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of the sun, revolve, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__II.3. turn the mind towards, pay attention to, regard [ἐπιστρέφωστροφή 11.3), τινός 6th c.BC: Anacreon Lyricus 96, 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Philoctetes” 599, 1st c.BC: Philodemus Philosophus “περὶ παρρησίας” p.15 O., “Anthologia Graeca” 5.47 (2nd-3rd c.AD: Rufinus Epigrammaticus)">Refs 6th c.BC+]; τῶν ἰδίων οὐδὲν ἐ. [Refs 6th c.BC+]: absolutely, return to oneself, pay attention, ἐπιστρέφωστραφείς [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὐκ ἐπεστράφη, ={οὐκ ἐφρόντισε} (just above), [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__II.3.b. conduct oneself, behave, ἀξίως τᾶς τιμᾶς [Refs 3rd c.BC+]
__II.4. c.accusative, θεοῦ νιν κέλευσμ᾽ ἐπεστράφη turned against her, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.5. perfect participle passive ἐπεστραμμένος, ={ἐπιστρέφωστρεφής}, earnest, vehement, λέγειν ἐπεστραμμένα [Refs 5th c.BC+]

_{LSJ Scripture Refs: Matt.12.44 ☩ LXX.Deut.30.9 ☩ LXX.2Chr.33.3 ☩ LXX.Mal.1.4 ☩ LXX.Deut.30.2 ☩ LXX.Judg.5.19 ☩ Matt.13.15 ☩ Luke.22.32}