Epikaleo denotes calling on the Lord or God, being called by a name, and appealing to Caesar in the recorded legal setting.

The verb most often occurs where people call on God, the Lord, or a name associated with the Lord; it also marks persons or groups as called by a name, and in Acts it describes an appeal made to Caesar. The clauses and supplied morphology distinguish these recurring contexts without requiring a single English rendering in every verse.

1. Calling on God or the Lord · dominant

   Present middle forms identify people who call on the Lord or on a name in 1 Corinthians 1:2 and 2 Timothy 2:22. In Acts 7:59, the present middle participle accompanies Stephen's address, and in Romans 10:13 the aorist middle subjunctive occurs in the statement that everyone who calls on the Lord's name will be saved.

   1 Corinthians 1:22 Timothy 2:22Acts 7:59Acts 22:16Romans 10:13Romans 10:14
2. Being known or designated by a name · common

   Passive forms identify Simon as called Peter in Acts 10:5 and John as called Mark in Acts 12:25. The same passive pattern concerns Joseph called Barnabas in Acts 4:36, while Hebrews 11:16 says that God is not ashamed to be called their God.

   Acts 10:5Acts 11:13Acts 12:25Acts 4:36Hebrews 11:16Matthew 10:25
3. Making an appeal to Caesar · occasional

   First-person middle forms in Acts 25:11 and Acts 25:12 occur in the exchange about Paul's stated appeal to Caesar. Aorist and pluperfect middle forms continue the same legal action in Acts 25:21 and Acts 26:32; the APB renders these clauses with "appealed" or "appeal."

   Acts 25:11Acts 25:12Acts 25:21Acts 25:25Acts 26:32Acts 28:19

In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB commonly uses "call on" or "call upon" in clauses addressed to God or the Lord, and "called" where a person bears a name. In the Caesarean setting it uses "appeal" and "appealed"; These renderings only indicate the clauses' overall presentation.