Bible Lexicons

** ἐπ -ερώτημα , -τος , τό ,

[in LXX: Da TH Daniel 4:14 (H7595), Sirach 33:3*;]

1. a question, au inquiry (Hdt., Thuc.).

2. a demand: 1 Peter 3:21 (v. ICC, in l).†

ἐπερώτημα is used in the same technical way as the verb (see s.v. ἐπερωτάω in P Cairo Preis 1.16 (ii/A.D.) ἐὰν γὰρ μηδὲν ἐπερώτημα ᾖ ἐνγεγρα [μμένον. . ., with Wilcken’s note ";ἐπερώτημα = stipulatio (d. i. ἐπερωτηθεὶς ὡμολόγησα)."; This would seem to help the meaning of the word in the difficult passage 1 Peter 3:21 : cf. Blenkin’s note in CGT ad l. For the word = ";inquiry of"; and hence ";sanction,"; cf. Syll 397.6 (Roman age) κατὰ τὸ ἐπερώτημα τῶν κρατίστων Ἀρεοπαγειτῶν, ib. 593.4 (after middle of iii/A.D.) καθ᾽ ὑπομνηματισμὸν τῆς ἐξ Ἀρείου πάγου βουλῆς καὶ ἐπερώτημα τῆς βουλῆς τῶν Φ. For the form ἐπερώτησις, see P Oxy IV. 718.13 (A.D. 180–92) ὡς ἐξ ἐπερω [τήσεως κτήτ ]ο ̣ρος, ";in answer to an inquiry concerning the landlord"; (Edd.), ib. IX. 1205.9 (A.D. 291) ἐπερωτήσεώς τε γενομένης [ὡμολογήσαμεν, Syll 555.2 (about A.D. 1) τᾶς ] δ᾽επερωτάσ [ε ]ως καὶ τοῦ χρησμοῦ ἀντίγραφά ἐστι τάδε.