Strong's Lexicon legó: To say, to speak, to tell Original Word: λέγω Word Origin: A primary verb; a root word in Greek. Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The Hebrew equivalent often used in the Old Testament is אָמַר (amar), Strong's Hebrew 559, which also means "to say" or "to speak." Usage: The Greek verb "λέγω" (legó) is a fundamental term in the New Testament, primarily used to denote the act of speaking or saying something. It is often employed to introduce direct speech or to convey a message, command, or teaching. The word is versatile and can be used in various contexts, from simple conversation to profound theological declarations. Cultural and Historical Background: In the Greco-Roman world, oral communication was a primary means of conveying information, teaching, and storytelling. The spoken word held significant power and authority, especially in a predominantly oral culture. In the context of the New Testament, "λέγω" is frequently used to introduce the words of Jesus, the apostles, and other key figures, emphasizing the importance of their spoken messages in the early Christian community. HELPS Word-studies 3004 légō (originally, "lay down to sleep," used later of "laying an argument to rest," i.e. bringing a message to closure; see Curtius, Thayer) – properly, to say (speak), moving to a conclusion (bringing it to closure, "laying it to rest"). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. verb Definition to say NASB Translation addressing (1), agree* (1), ask (1), asked (3), asking (4), bring charges (1), call (8), called (34), calling (1), calls (3), claimed (1), claiming (2), command (3), designated (1), follows (1), give (1), gives (1), greeted* (1), made (1), mean (2), means (3), meant (1), mention (1), named (3), ordered (2), quote (1), referred (1), remarking (1), said (1086), say (364), saying (440), says (102), shouting (1), so-called (3), speak (22), speaking (17), speaks (6), spoke (18), spoken (26), stated (1), stating (2), talking (5), tell (71), telling (18), thing spoken (1), things spoken (1), thought (1), told (35), using (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 3004: εἶπονεἶπον, 2 aorist active from an obsolete present ἘΠΩ (late epic and in composition; see Veitch) (cf. ἔπος (Curtius, § 620)), Ionic ἘΙΠΩ (like ἐρωτάω, εἰρωτάω; ἑλίσσω, εἱλίσσω; subjunctive εἴπω, imperative εἶπε, infinitive εἰπεῖν, prcp. εἰπών; 1 aorist εἶπα (John 10:34 R G T Tr WH, from Psalm 81:6 1. with an accusative of the object; a. with the accusative of the thing: εἰπεῖν λόγον, Matthew 8:8 Rec.; John 2:22 (L T Tr WH); b. with the accusative of the person to speak of, designate by words: ὅν εἶπον, John 1:15 ((not WH text); Buttmann, 377 (323); cf. Romans 4:1 WH text (say of)); ὁ ῤηθείς, Matthew 3:3. εἰπεῖν τινα καλῶς, to speak well of one, praise him, Luke 6:26 (ἐν εἰπεῖν τινα, Homer, Odyssey 1, 302); κακῶς, to speak ill of one, Acts 23:5 from Exodus 22:28; cf. Kühner, § 409, 2; 411, 5; (Winer's Grammar, § 32, 1 b. β.; Buttmann, 146 (128)). c. with an ellipsis of the accusative αὐτό (see αὐτός, II. 3): Luke 22:67; John 9:27; John 21:4, etc. σύ εἶπας (namely, αὐτό), i. e. you have just expressed it in words; that's it; it is just as you say: Matthew 26:25, 64 (a rabbinical formula; for examples cf. Schoettgen or Wetstein on Matthew 26:25; others seem to regard the answer as noncommittal, e. g. Origen on Matthew 26:64 (Works, 3:910 De la Rue edition); Wunsche, Erlaut. der Evang. aus Talmud, as above, with on Matthew 26:25; but cf. the ἐγώ εἰμί of Mark 14:62; in Matthew 26:64 WH marginal reading take it interrogatively). 2. the person, to whom a thing is said, is indicated a. by a dative: εἰπεῖν τί τίνι, Luke 7:40, and very often; εἶπον ὑμῖν namely, αὐτό, I (have just) told it you; this is what I mean; let this be the word: Matthew 28:7; cf. Bernhardy (1829), p. 381; (Jelf, § 403, 1; Godwin § 19, 5; especially (for examples) Herm. Vig., p. 746). τίνι περί τίνος (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 47, 4), Matthew 17:13; John 18:34. to say anything to one by way of censure, Matthew 21:3; to cast in one's teeth, ἐρεῖτε μοι τήν παραβολήν Luke 4:23. to tell what anything means, e. g. τό μυστήριον, Revelation 17:7. b. by the use of a preposition: πρός τινα (cf. Buttmann, 172 (150); Krüger, § 48, 7, 13), to say (a thing) to one, as Luke 4:23; Luke 5:4; Luke 12:16, and many other places in Luke; to say a thing in reference to one (Winer's Grammar, 405 (378)), Mark 12:12; Luke 18:9; Luke 20:19. 3. εἶπον, to say, speak, simply and without an accusative of the object, i. e. merely to declare in words, to use language; a. with the addition of an adverb or of some other adjunct: ὁμοίως, Matthew 26:35; ὡσαύτως, Matthew 21:30; καθώς, Matthew 28:6; Luke 24:24; John 1:23; John 7:38; εἶπε διά παραβολῆς, making use of a parable (see διά, A. III. 3) he spake, Luke 8:4; ἐν παραβολαῖς, Matthew 22:1; with an instrumental dative: εἶπε λόγῳ, say in (using only) a (single) word, namely, that my servant shall be healed, Matthew 8:8 (where Rec. λόγον); Luke 7:7. b. with the words spoken added in direct discourse; so a hundred times in the historical books of the N. T., as Matthew 9:4; Matthew 8:32; ( c. followed by ὅτι: Matthew 28:7; Mark 16:7; John 6:36; John 7:42; John 8:55; John 11:40; John 16:15; John 18:8; 1 John 1:6, 8, 10; 1 Corinthians 1:15; 1 Corinthians 14:23; 1 Corinthians 15:27 (L brackets; WH marginal reading omits ὅτι. d. followed by an accusative and infinitive: τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν Ἀβραάμ τόν πατέρα ἡμῶν εὑρηκέναι (WH text omits; Tr marginal reading brackets εὑρηκέναι; cf. 1 b. above) κατά σάρκα; Romans 4:1. 4. εἰπεῖν sometimes involves in it the idea of commanding (cf. Buttmann, 27f (237)): followed by the infinitive, εἶπε δοθῆναι αὐτῇ φαγεῖν, Mark 5:43; εἶπε τῷ ἀδελφῷ μου μερίσασθαι μετ' ἐμοῦ τήν κληρονομίαν, Luke 12:13; ὅσα ἄν εἴπωσιν ὑμῖν (namely, τηρεῖν (inserted in R G)), τηρεῖτε, Matthew 23:3 (Wis. 9:8). followed by the accusative and infinitive, ὁ εἶπον ἐκ σκότους φῶς λάμψαι, 2 Corinthians 4:6 (R G L marginal reading, cf. Buttmann, 273f (235); but L text T Tr WH read λάμψει, thus changing the construction from the accusative with an infinitive to direct discourse, see 3 b. above); εἶπεν αὐτῷ (for ἑαυτῷ, see αὑτοῦ) φωνηθῆναι τούς δούλους τούτους, be commanded to be called for him (i. e., to him) these servants, Luke 19:15; cf. Winers Grammar, § 44, 3 b.; Krüger, § 55, 3, 13. followed by ἵνα with the subjunctive: Matthew 4:3; Matthew 20:21; Luke 4:3; to εἰπεῖν is added a dative of the person bidden to do something, Mark 3:9; Luke 10:40 cf. 4:3; Revelation 6:11; Revelation 9:4. "Moreover, notice that ἵνα and ὄφρα are often used by the later poets after verbs of commanding;" Hermann ad Vig., p. 849; cf. Winers Grammar, § 44, 8; (Buttmann, 237 (204)). 5 B a Hebraism εἰπεῖν ἐν ἑαυτῷ (בְּלִבּו אָמַר, Deuteronomy 8:17; Psalm 10:6 6. εἰπεῖν τινα with a predicate accusative, to call, style, one:ἐκείνους εἶπε Θεούς, John 10:35; ὑμᾶς εἴρηκα φίλους, John 15:15; (Homer, Odyssey 19, 334; Xenophon, Apology Socrates § 15; Lucian, Tim. § 20). (Compare: ἀντεῖπον, ἀπεῖπον, προεῖπον.) STRONGS NT 3004: εἴρωεἴρω, future ἐρῶ, see εἶπον. STRONGS NT 3004: ἐρῶἐρῶ, see εἶπον. STRONGS NT 3004: λέγωλέγω (in the N. T. only the present and imperfect active and present passive are in use; 3 person plural imperfect ἐλεγαν, John 11:56 Tdf. (cf. ἔχω, at the beginning)); I. in its earliest use in Homer to lay (like Latinlego, German legen; cf. J. G. Müller in Theol. Studien und Kritiken for 1835, p. 127ff; Curtius, § 538); to cause to lie down, put to sleep; 1. to collect, gather; to pick out. 2. to lay with, count with; to enumerate, recount, narrate. describe; (cf. English tale, German zählen). II. to put word to word in speaking, join words together, i. e. "to say (how it differs from λαλεῖν, see under that word at the beginning); once so by Homer in Iliad 2, 222 (yet cf. Schmidt, Syn. 1:1, §§ 20; 48, 2; Liddell and Scott, under the word, B. II. 2); often in Pindar, and by far the most common use in Attic; the Sept. more than thirteen hundred times for אָמַר; often also for נְאֻם (saying,dictum); very rarely for דִּבֵּר; and so in N. T. 1. universally, a. absolutely, to speak: Acts 13:15; Acts 24:10; to say, foll. by direct discourse, Matthew 9:34; Matthew 12:44; Matthew 16:2 (here T brackets WH reject the passage); Mark 3:30; Luke 5:39 (WH brackets the clause); John 1:29, 38; (1 Corinthians 12:3 L T Tr WH); James 4:13, and very often; the direct discourse is preceded by ὅτι recitative, Matthew 9:18 (T omits ὅτι); Mark 1:15 (T omits; WH brackets λέγων); Mark 2:12 (L and WH brackets λέγοντας); Mark 3:21; Mark 5:28; Mark 6:14f, 35; Mark 7:20; Luke 1:24; Luke 4:41; Luke 17:10; John 6:14; John 7:12; John 8:33; John 9:9, 41; John 16:17; Acts 2:13; Acts 11:3; Hebrews 10:8; Revelation 3:17, etc.; followed by the accusative with an infinitive, Luke 11:18; Luke 24:23; John 12:29; Acts 4:32; Acts 28:6, etc.; followed by ὅτι, Luke 22:70; John 8:48; John 18:31; 1 Timothy 4:1 (for other examples see 2 a. below); followed by an indirect question, Matthew 21:27; Mark 11:33; Luke 20:8. b. The N. T. writers, particularly the historical, are accustomed to add the verb λέγειν followed by direct discourse to another verb which already contains the idea of speaking, or which states an opinion concerning some person or thing; as τό ῤηθέν ... προφήτου λέγοντος, Matthew 2:17; Matthew 8:17; Matthew 12:17; Matthew 13:35; κηρύσσων ... καί (L T WH omit; Tr brackets καί) λέγων, Matthew 3:2; κράζειν λέγειν, Matthew 9:27; Matthew 21:15; Mark 10:47; Luke 4:41 (here L T Tr marginal reading κραυγάζειν); Acts 14:15; προσφώνειν καί λέγειν, Matthew 11:17; Luke 7:32; ἀπεκρίθη καί λέγει, Mark 7:28; αἰνεῖν τόν Θεόν καί λέγειν, Luke 2:13; γογγύζειν καί λέγειν, John 6:42. to verbs of speaking, judging, etc., and those which denote in general the nature or the substance of the discourse reported, the participle λέγων is added (often so in the Sept. for לֵאמֹר (Winer's Grammar, 535f (499), cf. 602 (560))) followed by direct discourse: ἀπεκρίθη λέγων, Matthew 25:9, 44; Mark 9:38 (T WH omit λέγων); Acts 15:13; Revelation 7:13, etc. (see ἀποκρίνομαι, 1 c.); εἶπαν ... λέγοντες, Mark (Mark 8:28 T WH Tr marginal reading); e. below)): Luke 1:63; 1 Macc. 8:31 1 Macc. 11:57; Josephus, Antiquities 11, 2, 2; 13, 4, 1; examples from the Syriac are given by Gesenius in Rosenmüller's Repertor. i., p. 135. ἔπεμψε or ἀπέστειλε λέγων, i. e. he ordered it to be said by a messenger: Matthew 22:16; Matthew 27:19; Luke 7:19; Luke 19:14; John 11:3; Acts 13:15; Acts 16:35 (see in εἶπον, 3 b.); otherwise in Matthew 21:37; Mark 12:6. c. ἡ φωνή λέγουσα: Matthew 3:17; Matthew 17:5; Luke 3:22 (G L T Tr WH omit λέγουσα); Revelation 6:6; Revelation 10:4, 8; Revelation 12:10; Revelation 14:13, etc. λέγειν φωνή μεγάλη, Revelation 5:12; Revelation 8:13; ἐν φωνή μεγάλη, Romans 14:7, 9. d. In accordance with the Hebrew conception which regards thought as internal speech (see εἶπον, 5), we find λέγειν ἐν ἑαυτῷ, to say within oneself, i. e. to think with oneself: Matthew 3:9; Matthew 9:21; Luke 3:8; ἐν τῇ καρδία αὐτοῦ, Revelation 18:7. e. One is said to speak, λέγειν, not only when he uses language orally, but also when he expresses himself in writing ((cf. b. sub at the end)): 2 Corinthians 7:3; 2 Corinthians 8:8; 2 Corinthians 9:3, 4; 2 Corinthians 11:16, 21; Philippians 4:11, and often in Paul; so of the writers of the O. T.: Romans 10:16, 20; Romans 11:9; Romans 15:12; λέγει ἡ γραφή, Romans 4:3; Romans 10:11; Romans 11:2; James 2:23, etc.; and simply λέγει, namely, ἡ λέγουσα, i. e. ἡ γραφή (our it is said): Romans 15:10 (11 L Tr marginal reading); Galatians 3:16; Ephesians 4:8; Ephesians 5:14; cf. Winers Grammar, 522 (486f) and 588 (547); Buttmann, § 129, 16; λέγει, namely, ὁ Θεός, 2 Corinthians 6:2; λέγει, Δαυίδ ἐν ψαλμῷ, Acts 13:35; λέγει ὁ Θεός, Hebrews 5:6; ἐν τῷ ὡσεη, Romans 9:25; ἐν Ἠλίᾳ, Romans 11:2; ἐν Δαυίδ, Hebrews 4:7; λέγει τό πνεῦμα τό ἅγιον, Hebrews 3:7; ὁ νόμος λέγει, 1 Corinthians 14:34; τί, 1 Corinthians 9:8; Romans 3:19. f. λέγειν is used of every variety of speaking: as of inquiry, Matthew 9:14; Matthew 15:1; Matthew 17:25; Matthew 18:1; Mark 2:18; Mark 5:30; Luke 4:22; Luke 7:20; John 7:11; John 9:10; John 19:10; Romans 10:18; Romans 11:1, 11, etc.; followed by εἰ interrogative (see εἰ, II. 2), Acts 21:37; λέγει, τίς, equivalent to one bids the question be asked, Mark 14:14; Luke 22:11; of reply, Matthew 17:25; Matthew 20:7; Mark 8:24 (L marginal reading εἶπεν); John 1:21; John 18:17; of acclaim, Revelation 4:8, 10; of exelamation, Revelation 18:10, 16; of entreaty, Matthew 25:11; Luke 13:25; equivalent to to set forth in language, make plain, Hebrews 5:11. g. λέγω with the accusative of the thing. to say a thing: ὁ, Luke 9:33 (i. e. not knowing whether what he said was appropriate or not); Luke 22:60; to express in words, Philemon 1:21; τοῦτο, John 8:6; John 12:33; τοιαῦτα, Hebrews 11:14; ταῦτα, Luke 8:8; Luke 11:27, 45; Luke 13:17; John 5:34; Acts 14:18; 1 Corinthians 9:8; τάδε (referring to what follows), Acts 21:11; Revelation 2:1, 8, 12, 18; Revelation 3:1, 7, 14; τί, what? Romans 10:8; Romans 11:4; Galatians 4:30; 1 Corinthians 14:16; πολλά, John 16:12; τά λεγόμενα, Luke 18:34; Acts 28:24; Hebrews 8:1; ὑπό τίνος, Acts 8:6; Acts 13:45 (L T Tr WH λαλουμένοις); Acts 27:11; λέγω ἀλήθειαν, John 8:45; Romans 9:1; 1 Timothy 2:7; ἀληθῆ, John 19:35; ἀνθρώπινον, Romans 6:19; σύ λέγεις, namely, αὐτό, properly, thou sayest, i. e. thou grantest what thou askest, equivalent to it is just as thou sayest; to be sure, certainly (see εἶπον, 1 c.): Matthew 27:11; Mark 15:2; Luke 23:3, cf. Luke 22:70; John 18:37 ((all these passages WH marginal reading punctuate interrogatively)); παραβολήν, to put forth, Luke 14:7; τό αὐτό, to profess one and the same thing, 1 Corinthians 1:10 cf. 1 Corinthians 1:12. h. with the dative of the person to whom anything is said: followed by direct discourse, Matthew 8:20; Matthew 14:4; Matthew 18:32; Matthew 19:10; Mark 2:17, 27; Mark 7:9; Mark 8:1; John 1:43 ( 2. specifically, a. equivalent to to asseverate, affirm, aver, maintains: followed by an accusative with an infinitive, Matthew 22:23; Mark 12:18; Luke 20:41; Luke 23:2; Luke 24:23; Acts 5:36; Acts 8:9; Acts 17:7; Acts 28:6; Romans 15:8; 2 Timothy 2:18; Revelation 2:9; Revelation 3:9; with the included idea of insisting on, περιτέμνεσθαι (that you must be (cf. Winers Grammar, § 44, 3 b.; Buttmann, § 141, 2)), Acts 15:24 Rec.; with the simple infinitive without a subject-accusative, Luke 24:23; James 2:14; 1 John 2:6, 9; followed by ὅτι (where the accusative with an infinitive might have been used), Matthew 17:10; Mark 9:11; Mark 12:35; Luke 9:7; John 4:20; John 12:34; 1 Corinthians 15:12; λέγω τίνι ὅτι, etc. to declare to one that etc. (cf. Buttmann, § 141, 1): Matthew 3:9; Matthew 5:20, 22; Matthew 12:36; Matthew 13:17; Matthew 17:12; Matthew 21:43 (WH marginal reading omits ὅτι); b. equivalent to to teach: with the dative of person followed by direct discourse, 1 Corinthians 7:8, 12; τί τίνι, John 16:12; Acts 1:3; τοῦτο followed by ὅτι, 1 Thessalonians 4:15. c. to exhort, advise; to command, direct: with an accusative of the thing, Luke 6:46; λέγουσιν (namely, αὐτά) ... καί οὐ ποιοῦσιν, Matthew 23:3; τί τίνι, Mark 13:37; John 2:5; τίνι followed by an imperative, Matthew 5:44; Mark 2:11; Luke 7:14; Luke 11:9; Luke 12:4; Luke 16:9; John 2:8; John 13:29; 1 Corinthians 7:12; λέγω with an infinitive of the thing to be done or to be avoided (cf. Winers Grammar, § 44, 3 b.; Buttmann, § 141, 2): Matthew 5:34, 39; Acts 21:4, 21; Romans 2:22; Romans 12:3; followed by ἵνα, Acts 19:4; περί τίνος (the genitive of the thing) followed by ἵνα, 1 John 5:16 (see ἵνα, II. 2 b.); followed by μή with subjunctive 2 Corinthians 11:16. in the sense of asking, seeking, entreating: with the dative of person followed by an imperative, 1 Corinthians 10:15; 2 Corinthians 6:13; followed by an infinitive (Winers Grammar, 316 (296f); Buttmann, as above), Revelation 10:9 (Rec. imperative). χαίρειν τίνι λέγω, to give one a greeting, bid him welcome, salute him, 2 John 1:10f (see χαίρω, at the end). d. to point out with words, intend, mean, mean to say (often so in Greek writings; cf. Passow, under the word, p. 30a; (Liddell and Scott, under the word, C. 10)): τινα, Mark 14:71; John 6:71; τί, 1 Corinthians 10:29; τοῦτο followed by direct discourse, Galatians 3:17; τοῦτο followed by ὅτι, 1 Corinthians 1:12. e. to call by a name, to call, name; equivalent to καλῷ τινα with the accusative of predicate: τί με λέγεις ἀγαθόν; Mark 10:18; Luke 18:19; add, Mark 12:37; John 5:18; John 15:15; Acts 10:28; (1 Corinthians 12:3 R G); Revelation 2:20; passive with predicate nominative: Matthew 13:55; 1 Corinthians 8:5; Ephesians 2:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:4; Hebrews 11:24; ὁ λεγόμενος, with predicate nominative he that is surnamed, Matthew 1:16 (so f. to speak out, speak of, mention: τί, Ephesians 5:12 (with which cf. ό᾿κνω καί λέγειν, Plato, rep. 5, p. 465 c.); (Mark 7:36 T Tr text WH. On the apparent ellipsis of λέγω in 2 Corinthians 9:6, cf. Winers Grammar, 596f (555); Buttmann, 394 (338). Compare: ἀντιλέγω, διαλέγω (διαλέγομαι), ἐκλέγω, ἐπιλέγω, καταλέγω, παραλέγω (παραλέγομαι), προλέγω, συλλέγω; cf. the catalog of comp. in Schmidt, Syn., chapter 1, 60.) A primary verb; properly, to "lay" forth, i.e. (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas epo and phemi generally refer to an individual expression or speech respectively; while rheo is properly to break silence merely, and laleo means an extended or random harangue)); by implication, to mean -- ask, bid, boast, call, describe, give out, name, put forth, say(-ing, on), shew, speak, tell, utter. see GREEK epo see GREEK phemi see GREEK rheo see GREEK laleo Englishman's Concordance Matthew 1:16 V-PPM/P-NMSGRK: Ἰησοῦς ὁ λεγόμενος Χριστός NAS: was born, who is called the Messiah. KJV: Jesus, who is called Christ. INT: Jesus who is called Christ Matthew 1:20 V-PPA-NMS Matthew 1:22 V-PPA-GNS Matthew 2:2 V-PPA-NMP Matthew 2:5 V-AIA-3P Matthew 2:8 V-AIA-3S Matthew 2:13 V-PPA-NMS Matthew 2:13 V-ASA-1S Matthew 2:15 V-PPA-GNS Matthew 2:17 V-PPA-GNS Matthew 2:20 V-PPA-NMS Matthew 2:23 V-PPM/P-AFS Matthew 3:2 V-PPA-NMS Matthew 3:3 V-PPA-GMS Matthew 3:7 V-AIA-3S Matthew 3:9 V-PNA Matthew 3:9 V-PIA-1S Matthew 3:14 V-PPA-NMS Matthew 3:15 V-AIA-3S Matthew 3:17 V-PPA-NFS Matthew 4:3 V-AIA-3S Matthew 4:3 V-AMA-2S Matthew 4:4 V-AIA-3S Matthew 4:6 V-PIA-3S Matthew 4:9 V-AIA-3S Strong's Greek 3004 |
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