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Greek · G1651 · unreviewed

ἐλέγχω

To confute, admonish

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ἐλέγχω G1651
Pronunciation elénchō

What does ἐλέγχω (elénchō) mean in the Bible?

ἐλέγχω (elénchō) is a Greek word meaning "to confute, admonish". ἐλέγχω [in LXX chiefly for יָכַח hi. Describes judicial exposure of unbelief. This term runs through the canonical themes of Spirit.

Full entry for ἐλέγχω (G1651) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to confute, admonish
Extended definition

Rebuke that brings conviction by exposing fault, not mere surface reproval without moral effect.

1in Hom., to treat with contempt.
2to convict: with accusative, Mat.18:15 (RV, show him his fault), Tit.1:9; before περί, Jhn.8:46 16:8, Ju 15; pass., Jas.2:9.
3to reprove, re­buke: 1Ti.5:20, 2Ti.4:2, Tit.1:13 2:15, Rev.3:19; pass., before περί, Luk.3:19; ὑπό, Heb.12:5 (LXX).
4to expose: Eph.5:11; pass., Jhn.3:20, 1Co.14:24 (RV reprove, mg. convict), Eph.5:13 (RV, as 1 Co, l.with, of. AR on Eph.5:11; MM, Exp., xii; cf. ἐξ-, δια-κατ-ελέγχομαι).
Synonymsἐπιτιμῶ, expressing simply rebuke, which may be un­deserved (Mat.16:22) or ineffectual (Luk.23:40), while ἐλ. implies rebuke which brings conviction (see Tr., Syn., § iv)
Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Why This Word Matters
Describes judicial exposure of unbelief. 1 Timothy 5:17-25
Describes the Spirit’s role in exposing unbelief. John 16:1–15
Public sin in leadership requires visible correction for the church’s protection.
Grammatical Forms

How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.

Tenses
Present Aorist Future
Voices
Active Passive
Imperative command or strong request 6×
Present Active 1 Tim 5:20 · Titus 1:13 · Titus 2:15 · Eph 5:11 4×
Aorist Active Matt 18:15 · 2 Tim 4:2 2×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 4×
Present Passive Luke 3:19 · Heb 12:5 · Eph 5:13 · Jas 2:9 4×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 1×
Aorist Passive John 3:20 1×
Indicative states a fact or reality 4×
Present Active John 8:46 · Rev 3:19 2×
Future Active John 16:8 1×
Present Passive 1 Cor 14:24 1×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 2×
Present Active Titus 1:9 1×
Aorist Active Jude 1:15 1×
17 total occurrences across all forms in the biblical text Morphology: MorphGNT SBLGNT — CC BY-SA 3.0
Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 16 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect
ongoing 2 prospective 1 imperative 5 subjunctive 1 infinitive 2 participle 5
Tense
present 11 aorist 4 future 1
Voice
active 9 passive 7
Mood
imperative 5 participle 5 indicative 3 infinitive 2 subjunctive 1
NT Occurrences
Matthew 18:15 ἔλεγξον aorist active imperative imperative Luke 3:19 ἐλεγχόμενος present passive participle participle John 3:20 ἐλεγχθῇ aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive John 8:46 ἐλέγχει present active indicative ongoing John 8:9 ἐλεγχόμενοι present passive participle participle John 16:8 ἐλέγξει future active indicative prospective 1 Corinthians 14:24 ἐλέγχεται present passive indicative ongoing Ephesians 5:11 ἐλέγχετε present active imperative imperative Ephesians 5:13 ἐλεγχόμενα present passive participle participle 1 Timothy 5:20 ἔλεγχε present active imperative imperative 2 Timothy 4:2 ἔλεγξον aorist active imperative imperative Titus 1:13 ἔλεγχε present active imperative imperative Titus 1:9 ἐλέγχειν present active infinitive infinitive Hebrews 12:5 ἐλεγχόμενος present passive participle participle James 2:9 ἐλεγχόμενοι present passive participle participle Jude 1:15 ἐλέγξαι aorist active infinitive infinitive

Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.

Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)

Canonical Themes
Spirit
Biblical Occurrences

Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.

New Testament Witnesses
1 Timothy 5:17-25 rebuke elénchō Imperative · Present Active
To confront and bring wrongdoing into the light.
John 16:1–15 ἐλέγχω elénchō Indicative · Future Active
convict, expose
Additional Occurrences
John 16:1-15 λέγχω elénchō
to convict, expose, bring to light
Luke 3:19–20 ἤλεγξεν elénchō
Rebuked, exposed
Appears In

Compound and idiomatic lexemes in which this word is a constituent. Follow a link to study the phrase and its other participating words.

ἐλέγχω · ἀποτόμως G1651, G664
to confute, admonish
Word Pictures (Robertson)

A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.

1 Corinthians 14 — Pursue Love, Desire Gifts, and Let All Things Be Done for Edification and Order Ephesians 5 — Walking in Love, Light, Wisdom, and Spirit-Filled Order John 16 — The Spirit’s Convicting Witness, the Disciples’ Sorrow Turned to Joy, and Christ’s Victory over the World Matthew 18 — Kingdom Humility, Care for the Little Ones, Discipline, and Forgiveness in Christ’s Community

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

Sources

MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain

Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0

Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

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