UBS Greek Dictionary Article

Form 1

Part of speech: noun, f.

Inflections: κλῆσις; -εως

Related lemmas: καλέω

Sense 1: 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

Notes: It is rare that one can translate καλέω [source selector 000003][d], κλῆσις[a], and προσκαλέω [source selector 000001][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.’

ROM 11:29: RV ROM 11:29 · LV ROM 11:29 · Read together ROM 11:29

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OET-RV ROM 11:29

29 because God’s gifts and his invitation are irrevocable.

OET-LV ROM 11:29

29 For/Because unregrettable are the gifts and the calling of_ the _god.

EPH 1:18: RV EPH 1:18 · LV EPH 1:18 · Read together EPH 1:18

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OET-RV EPH 1:18

18 I ask that your inner thoughts will be enlightened so that you’ll all know the expectation of what he’s calling you to—the riches of the greatness of his inheritance for the believers

OET-LV EPH 1:18

18 the eyes of _the heart of _you _all having _been _enlightened in _order that to _have _known you _all, what is the hope of _the calling of _him, what are the riches of _the glory of _the inheritance of _him, in the holy ones,

All 6 recorded passages for this sense

ROM: RV ROM 11:29 · LV ROM 11:29 · Read together ROM 11:29

EPH: RV EPH 1:18 · RV EPH 4:4 · LV EPH 1:18 · LV EPH 4:4 · Read together EPH 1:18 · Read together EPH 4:4

PHP: RV PHP 3:14 · LV PHP 3:14 · Read together PHP 3:14

HEB: RV HEB 3:1 · LV HEB 3:1 · Read together HEB 3:1

PE2: RV PE2 1:10 · LV PE2 1:10 · Read together PE2 1:10

Sense 2: calling

Semantic entry: 33.313

Semantic domains: Communication

Subdomains: Call

Definition: the state of having been called to a particular task and/or relation

Notes: As in the case of καλέω [source selector 000003][d], κλῆσις[a], and προσκαλέω [source selector 000001][b] (33.312: καλέω / 33.312: κλῆσις / 33.312: προσκαλέω), it may be entirely impossible to use a term in a receptor language which means literally ‘to call.’ Therefore, it may be necessary to translate RV EPH 4:1 · LV EPH 4:1 · Read together EPH 4:1 as ‘I ask you then … live worthy of the responsibility which God has urgently invited you to accept’ or ‘… live worthy of the task which God has given you to do.’

CO1 1:26: RV CO1 1:26 · LV CO1 1:26 · Read together CO1 1:26

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OET-RV CO1 1:26

26 So brothers and sisters, think about how God called you. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, and not many were of noble birth,

OET-LV CO1 1:26

26 For/Because you _all _are _seeing the calling of _you _all, brothers, that not many wise according _to the_flesh, not many powerful, not many noble.

EPH 4:1: RV EPH 4:1 · LV EPH 4:1 · Read together EPH 4:1

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OET-RV EPH 4:1

4 Because of that, I, a prisoner for Yahweh, am urging you all to walk worthily of the calling to which you were called

OET-LV EPH 4:1

4 Therefore I _am _exhorting you _all, I the prisoner in the_master, to _walk worthily of _the calling to _which you _all _were _called,

All 5 recorded passages for this sense

CO1: RV CO1 1:26 · LV CO1 1:26 · Read together CO1 1:26

EPH: RV EPH 4:1 · LV EPH 4:1 · Read together EPH 4:1

TH2: RV TH2 1:11 · LV TH2 1:11 · Read together TH2 1:11

TI2: RV TI2 1:9 · LV TI2 1:9 · Read together TI2 1:9

HEB: RV HEB 3:1 · LV HEB 3:1 · Read together HEB 3:1

Sense 3: station, role

Semantic entry: 87.2

Semantic domains: Status

Subdomains: Position, Rank

Definition: the station in life or social role which one has

Notes: In this context, κλῆσις refers to the status or role of being either a slave or a free person. In a number of languages this expression in RV CO1 7:20 · LV CO1 7:20 · Read together CO1 7:20 can be best translated as ‘everyone should continue to be the same kind of person that he was when he was called.’ Such an expression must, of course, refer to one’s position in society and in the total social structure, not to particular aspects of moral or immoral behavior.

CO1 7:20: RV CO1 7:20 · LV CO1 7:20 · Read together CO1 7:20

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OET-RV CO1 7:20

20 Each person should maintain the position they were in when they were called:

OET-LV CO1 7:20

20 Each in the calling in _which he _was _called, in this him _let _be _remaining.

UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament

κλῆσις

Form 1

Sense 1: to call, to call to a task

Sense 2: calling

Sense 3: station, role