UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament

Sense 1: to call, to name

Semantic entry: 33.129

Semantic domains: Communication

Subdomains: Name

Definition: to speak of a person or object by means of a proper name

Sense 2: to call, to name

Semantic entry: 33.131

Semantic domains: Communication

Subdomains: Name

Definition: to use an attribution in speaking of a person

Notes: It is not always possible to determine from the context whether the act involved is an initial naming of a person or simply calling a person by a particular name. Likewise in the case of attributions or titles, it is not always possible to determine whether it is a matter of giving an attribution or title to a person or simply a matter of speaking of or to a person by means of such an attribution or title. In some instances the giving of a title may be made indirect. For example, in RV MAT 1:23 · LV MAT 1:23 · Read together MAT 1:23 the statement ‘and they will call his name Emmanuel’ suggests the giving of a title, but the process is stated in terms of how people will speak of this person.

Sense 3: to call, to summon

Semantic entry: 33.307

Semantic domains: Communication

Subdomains: Call

Definition: to communicate directly or indirectly to someone who is presumably at a distance, in order to tell such a person to come{N:001}

Sense 4: to call, to call to a task

Semantic entry: 33.312

Semantic domains: Communication

Subdomains: Call

Definition: to urgently invite someone to accept responsibilities for a particular task, implying a new relationship to the one who does the calling{N:002}

Notes: It is rare that one can translate καλέω[d], κλῆσις[a], and προσκαλέω[b] as simply ‘to call’ in the sense of ‘to speak to someone at a distance and tell them to come.’ For example, in RV TH2 2:14 · LV TH2 2:14 · Read together TH2 2:14 it may be necessary to render the above clause as ‘through the good news we preached, which summoned you to do this.’ Similarly, in RV ACT 16:10 · LV ACT 16:10 · Read together ACT 16:10 one may translate ‘because God has urgently invited us to preach the good news to the people there.’

Sense 5: to invite

Semantic entry: 33.315

Semantic domains: Communication

Subdomains: Invite

Definition: to ask a person to accept offered hospitality{N:003}