ἀπο-κρίνω,
[in LXX chiefly for ענה;] in cl.,
1. to separate, distinguish.
2. to choose. Mid., to answer: Mt 27:12, Mk 14:61, Lk 3:1623:9, Jo 5:17, 19, Ac 3:12. In late Gk. the pass, also is used in this sense, and pass. forms are the more freq. in NT (M, Pr., 39, 161; MM, s.v.);
(a) in general sense: absol., Mk 12:34; c. acc. rei, Mt 22:46; c. dat. pers., Mt 12:38; seq. πρός, Ac 25:16;
(b) Hebraistically
(i) like ענה, to begin to speak, take up the conversation (Kennedy, Sources, 124 f.): Mt 11:25, al.,
(ii) redundant, as in the Heb. phrase וַיַּעַן וַיּאֹמֶר (Dalman, Words, 24 f., 38; M, Pr., 14; Bl., § 58, 4; 74, 2; Cremer, 374): ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπε, Mt 4:4; ἔφη, 8:8; λέγει, Mk 3:33; in Jo most freq. (ἀπεκ. κ. εἶπε, 1:49.