To confute, admonish
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through the Connect page. Screenshots are helpful.
G1651 names to expose, reprove, rebuke, or refute, with the local setting deciding whether the focus is moral exposure, doctrinal correction, or restoration. Readers often come to this word asking about biblical rebuke, reproof, correction, refuting false teaching, and how to confront sin faithfully.
Reader summary
Full entry for ἐλέγχω (G1651) · Open the biblical lexicon
G1651 names to expose, reprove, rebuke, or refute, with the local setting deciding whether the focus is moral exposure, doctrinal correction, or restoration. Readers often come to this word asking about biblical rebuke, reproof, correction, refuting false teaching, and how to confront sin faithfully.
The BSB source-word alignment has 17 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include rebuke (2), [and] are convicted (1), [and] confront (1), can prove Me guilty (1), expose [them] (1).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 18:15. Its strongest book concentrations include John (3), Titus (3), Ephesians (2), 1 Corinthians (1).
This entry includes 1 verse guide that explain exact original-language forms in context.
G1651 names to expose, reprove, rebuke, or refute, with the local setting deciding whether the focus is moral exposure, doctrinal correction, or restoration. Readers often come to this word asking about biblical rebuke, reproof, correction, refuting false teaching, and how to confront sin faithfully. In the Pastoral Epistles, the word must be read inside the sentence, the paragraph, and the local charge to Timothy or Titus before it becomes a broader teaching category.
This companion keeps the search question useful while refusing to let a search term control the text. It helps shepherds, teachers, leaders, churches, groups, families, and disciples ask what the passage is actually doing, how the word serves the book argument, and how the gospel governs the application. It also guards against using reproof as a weapon of irritation or avoiding reproof when Scripture requires correction for the good of the church.
The aim is not to create a shortcut around Scripture but to make the word a doorway back into Scripture with clearer questions and better boundaries.
Expose; reprove; rebuke; refute matters for readers because it opens how Scripture joins truth, courage, patience, and restoration in correction.
But those who persist in sin should be rebuked in front of everyone, so that the others will stand in fear of sin.
Persistent public sin among leaders must be rebuked for the warning and protection of the whole church.
Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction.
The charge to preach includes reproof, rebuke, encouragement, patience, and instruction.
He must hold firmly to the faithful word as it was taught, so that he can encourage others by sound teaching and refute those who contradict it.
A faithful overseer must refute those who contradict sound teaching.
This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sternly, so that they will be sound in the faith
Sharp rebuke is needed so that the hearers may be sound in the faith.
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItA compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
Verse-level guides showing how this original-language form works in its specific context, including grammar, verse function, and guarded interpretation.
Greek word. Rebuke that brings conviction by exposing fault, not mere surface reproval without moral effect.
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 17 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
I rebuke, expose
Read verseI rebuke, expose
Read verseI rebuke, expose
Read verseI rebuke, expose
Read verseI rebuke, expose
Read verseI rebuke, expose
Read verseI rebuke, expose
Read verseI rebuke, expose
Read verseI rebuke, expose
Read verseI rebuke, expose
Read verseI rebuke, expose
Read verseI rebuke, expose
Read verseI rebuke, expose
Read verseI rebuke, expose
Read verseI rebuke, expose
Read verseI rebuke, expose
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
How this verb appears across 16 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
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)
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 17 lexical occurrence verses.
ἐλέγχω is of uncertain origin - no further derivation.
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.
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Teach G1651 by starting with the local passage and the burden that caused the word to matter there. The entry opens how Scripture joins truth, courage, patience, and restoration in correction. A faithful teacher should define the word plainly, show how the immediate context uses it, and then move carefully to related witnesses without pretending that one word proves every doctrine attached to the subject.
This matters for end users who may search for biblical rebuke, reproof, correction, refuting false teaching, and how to confront sin faithfully but need more than a dictionary answer. The word should bring them back to Christ, the gospel, the household of God, and the obedience Scripture calls for. It corrects the belief that biblical love never rebukes or that biblical rebuke needs no patience, tears, or careful instruction.
Keep the tone clear and sober: enough definition to orient the reader, enough canonical connection to deepen trust, and enough restraint to avoid making the word say more than the passage says.
1Tim.5.20
The verb can carry the sense of exposing or convicting. The object and setting decide whether the word addresses sin, contradiction, or a person needing restoration.
Use the Old Testament and wider canonical background only where the cited passages or the local lexicon artifact warrant it. The Pastoral Epistles remain the controlling entry point for this batch.
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
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain