ἀναβαίνω
anabainō
to ascend
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
SupportedThe Greek word ἀναβαίνω (anabainō) is defined as "to ascend." This fundamental meaning is consistently reflected in its 82 occurrences throughout the Bible. The word is primarily used to convey physical movement upwards, such as climbing mountains (Matthew 5:1) or ascending to the sky (Acts 1:9). However, it also frequently denotes spiritual or metaphorical ascent, as in Jesus' temptation in the wilderness where Satan invites him to ascend to a position of power (Matthew 4:8). In other instances, the word describes rising to a place of authority or prestige, as when the high priest and members of the Sanhedrin ascend to their seats (Matthew 2:33). Overall, the significance of ἀναβαίνω lies in its capacity to describe a range of movements from physical ascension to metaphorical elevations, often highlighting themes of transformation, change, and the connection between the material and spiritual realms.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
82 total occurrences across the text — showing 50
Jesus, when he was baptized, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him.
Matthew 5:1Seeing the multitudes, he went up onto the mountain. When he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
Matthew 13:7Others fell among thorns. The thorns grew up and choked them.
Matthew 14:23After he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into the mountain by himself to pray. When evening had come, he was there alone.
Matthew 14:32When they got up into the boat, the wind ceased.
Matthew 15:29Jesus departed from there, and came near to the sea of Galilee; and he went up into the mountain, and sat there.
Matthew 17:27But, lest we cause them to stumble, go to the sea, cast a hook, and take up the first fish that comes up. When you have opened its mouth, you will find a stater coin. Take that, and give it to them for me and you.”
Matthew 20:17As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them,
Matthew 20:18“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death,
Mark 3:13He went up into the mountain, and called to himself those whom he wanted, and they went to him.
Mark 1:10Immediately coming up from the water, he saw the heavens parting, and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.
Mark 4:7Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
Mark 4:8Others fell into the good ground, and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing. Some produced thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times as much.”
Mark 4:32yet when it is sown, grows up, and becomes greater than all the herbs, and puts out great branches, so that the birds of the sky can lodge under its shadow.”
Mark 6:51He got into the boat with them; and the wind ceased, and they were very amazed among themselves, and marveled;
Mark 10:32They were on the way, going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus was going in front of them, and they were amazed; and those who followed were afraid. He again took the twelve, and began to tell them the things that were going to happen to him.
Mark 10:33“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes. They will condemn him to death, and will deliver him to the Gentiles.
Mark 15:8The multitude, crying aloud, began to ask him to do as he always did for them.
Luke 2:4Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to David’s city, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David;
Luke 2:42When he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast,
Luke 5:19Not finding a way to bring him in because of the multitude, they went up to the housetop, and let him down through the tiles with his cot into the middle before Jesus.
Luke 19:28Having said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.
Luke 9:28About eight days after these sayings, he took with him Peter, John, and James, and went up onto the mountain to pray.
John 3:13No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven.
Luke 18:10“Two men went up into the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector.
Luke 18:31He took the twelve aside, and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all the things that are written through the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be completed.
Luke 19:4He ran on ahead, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was going to pass that way.
Luke 24:38He said to them, “Why are you troubled? Why do doubts arise in your hearts?
John 1:51He said to him, “Most certainly, I tell you all, hereafter you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
John 2:13The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
John 5:1After these things, there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
John 6:62Then what if you would see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?
John 7:8You go up to the feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, because my time is not yet fulfilled.”
John 7:8You go up to the feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, because my time is not yet fulfilled.”
John 7:10But when his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly, but as it were in secret.
John 7:10But when his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly, but as it were in secret.
John 7:14But when it was now the middle of the feast, Jesus went up into the temple and taught.
John 10:1“Most certainly, I tell you, one who doesn’t enter by the door into the sheep fold, but climbs up some other way, is a thief and a robber.
John 11:55Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand. Many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves.
John 12:20Now there were certain Greeks among those that went up to worship at the feast.
John 20:17Jesus said to her, “Don’t hold me, for I haven’t yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ”
John 20:17Jesus said to her, “Don’t hold me, for I haven’t yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ”
John 21:11Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land, full of one hundred fifty-three great fish. Even though there were so many, the net wasn’t torn.
Acts 1:13When they had come in, they went up into the upper room where they were staying; that is Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.
Acts 2:34For David didn’t ascend into the heavens, but he says himself, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit by my right hand
Acts 3:1Peter and John were going up into the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.
Acts 7:23But when he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel.
Acts 8:31He said, “How can I, unless someone explains it to me?” He begged Philip to come up and sit with him.
Acts 8:39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch didn’t see him any more, for he went on his way rejoicing.
Acts 10:4He, fastening his eyes on him, and being frightened, said, “What is it, Lord?” He said to him, “Your prayers and your gifts to the needy have gone up for a memorial before God.