The Greek verb blepō means to see, look at, observe, perceive, or beware. It is one of several Greek verbs for seeing — alongside horaō (to see/perceive), theōreō (to behold), and optanomai (to appear). Blepō tends to emphasize the act of looking — the intentional direction of the eyes — and by extension, the danger of what one might miss or fail to see.
The imperative form "beware!" (blepete) appears frequently in Jesus' teaching — "beware of the leaven of the Pharisees," "beware of false prophets," "watch out for the scribes." This warns against passive seeing — assuming spiritual safety while dangers accumulate. Paul's famous injunction "Let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed (blepetō) lest he fall" (1 Corinthians 10:12) captures the word's force: spiritual alertness is required; the moment we stop looking, we are in danger. But blepō also carries hope: "For now we see (blepomen) in a mirror dimly, but then face to face" (1 Corinthians 13:12).