The Greek verb anakathizō (G339) means to raise oneself to a sitting position — to sit up from a lying or reclining state. It appears twice in the New Testament, both in resurrection narratives: Luke 7:15 (the widow's son at Nain sits up) and Acts 9:40 (Tabitha/Dorcas sits up after Peter raises her).
This simple physical action — sitting up — marks the boundary between death and restored life.
The two uses of anakathizō create a powerful literary and theological echo. The widow's son sat up at Jesus' command ("Young man, I say to you, get up!"), and Luke notes with beautiful simplicity: "Jesus gave him back to his mother" (Luke 7:15). Tabitha sat up after Peter prayed and called her name.
In both cases, anakathizō — the act of sitting up — is the visible signal that life has returned. The body that lay still and cold moves again. This gesture points forward to the ultimate resurrection: "Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out" (John 5:28-29). Every miracle resurrection in the Gospels and Acts is a preview of the morning when all the dead will sit up.