What does ἐξάγω (exágō) mean in the Bible?
Ἐξάγω (exágō) means to lead or bring someone out from a place. The verb is concrete: a person is within some boundary, and another leads that person beyond it.
Greek · G1806
ἐξάγω
To lead forth
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ἐξάγω G1806
Pronunciation exágō
What does ἐξάγω (exágō) mean in the Bible?
Ἐξάγω (exágō) means to lead or bring someone out from a place. The verb is concrete: a person is within some boundary, and another leads that person beyond it.
Reader summary
Full entry for ἐξάγω (G1806) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G1806?
The BSB source-word alignment has 12 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include led them out (2), [and] brought them out (1), [Jesus] had led (1), and escort us out (1), had brought (1).
Where does ἐξάγω (exágō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Mark 15:20. Its strongest book concentrations include Acts (8), Hebrews (1), John (1), Luke (1).
What This Word Actually Means
Ἐξάγω (exágō) means to lead or bring someone out from a place. The verb is concrete: a person is within some boundary, and another leads that person beyond it. In John 10:3 Jesus uses shepherd imagery. The shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. The word does not carry the whole doctrine of salvation by itself, but within the passage it contributes to a rich portrait of the Good Shepherd's personal authority, recognizable voice, and purposeful care.
The wider New Testament uses the verb for several kinds of leading out. Jesus leads His disciples to Bethany and blesses them before His ascension (Luke 24:50). An angel brings the apostles out of prison so they may continue speaking the words of life (Acts 5:19-20). Stephen and Paul use the verb in recounting God's deliverance of Israel from Egypt (Acts 7:36; 13:17), and Hebrews recalls the covenant made when God took Israel by the hand to lead them out (Heb. 8:9).
These passages allow a careful theological synthesis: God's leading is personal, purposeful, and ordered toward worship and obedience. Yet the lexeme itself does not prove that every departure, disruption, or subjective sense of movement is divine guidance. The Shepherd leads through His voice and according to His character. Faithful application therefore keeps the word anchored in the passage, the truth of Christ, and the community that hears and follows Him.
Passage contextCanonical parallelEditorial synthesis
How the Bible Uses It
The verb describes concrete leading out and supports a canonical pattern of God delivering, gathering, and directing His people.
- John.10.3
The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen for his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
The shepherd's leading is personal and vocal: he knows the sheep, calls them, and brings them out under his care.
- Luke.24.50
When Jesus had led them out as far as Bethany, He lifted up His hands and blessed them.
The risen Jesus leads His disciples to the place where He blesses them before ascending.
- Acts.5.19
But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out, saying,
Deliverance from confinement serves the continued public witness commanded in the next verse.
- Acts.13.17
The God of the people of Israel chose our fathers. He made them into a great people during their stay in Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out of that land.
Paul locates Israel's exodus in God's electing and delivering action.
- Heb.8.9
It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, because they did not abide by My covenant, and I disregarded them, declares the Lord.
The exodus image recalls God's personal covenant action while the context contrasts the old covenant with the promised new covenant.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It led them out 2× Acts 7:36, Acts 16:39
[and] brought them out 1× Acts 5:19
[Jesus] had led 1× Luke 24:50
and escort us out 1× Acts 16:37
had brought 1× Acts 12:17
He led 1× Acts 13:17
leads them out 1× John 10:3
led 1× Acts 21:38
led us 1× Acts 7:40
they led Him out 1× Mark 15:20
to lead 1× Hebrews 8:9
Show sample aligned rows
Mark 15:20 ἐξάγουσιν to they led Him out Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural Luke 24:50 Ἐξήγαγεν to [Jesus] had led Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular John 10:3 ἐξάγει to leads them out Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Acts 5:19 ἐξαγαγών to [and] brought them out Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular Acts 7:36 ἐξήγαγεν to led them out Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Acts 7:40 ἐξήγαγεν to led us Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Acts 12:17 ἐξήγαγεν to had brought Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Acts 13:17 ἐξήγαγεν to He led Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Acts 16:37 ἐξαγαγέτωσαν to and escort us out Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 3rd Person Plural Acts 16:39 ἐξαγαγόντες to led them out Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Mark 15:20
Aligned rows 12
Books represented 5
Mark 1 Luke 1 John 1 Acts 8 Hebrews 1
Source forms
ἐξήγαγεν 4x exēgagen Acts 7:36, Acts 7:40, Acts 12:17, Acts 13:17
ἐξαγαγεῖν 1x exagagein Hebrews 8:9
ἐξαγαγέτωσαν 1x exagagetōsan Acts 16:37
ἐξαγαγόντες 1x exagagontes Acts 16:39
ἐξαγαγών 1x exagagōn Acts 5:19
ἐξαγαγὼν 1x exagagōn Acts 21:38
ἐξάγει 1x exagei John 10:3
ἐξάγουσιν 1x exagousin Mark 15:20
Parsing patterns
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 5x Luke 24:50, Acts 7:36, Acts 7:40, Acts 12:17
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular 2x Acts 5:19, Acts 21:38
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 3rd Person Plural 1x Acts 16:37
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active 1x Hebrews 8:9
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural 1x Acts 16:39
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural 1x Mark 15:20
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 1x John 10:3
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Apply the shepherd image through Christ's revealed voice and character. A strong inward desire to leave a situation is not, by itself, evidence that the Shepherd is leading.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that ἐξάγω means salvation in every occurrence. Luke 24:50 and Acts 5:19 use the same verb for concrete movement out of a place.
- Do not claim that John 10:3 promises a life without danger or suffering. The chapter grounds security in the Shepherd's identity and sacrificial care, not in the absence of hardship.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. to lead forth
Strong's G1806
Lexical occurrences 12 verses Greek text appearances 13 times Word forms 4 forms 12 references Verse guides 0 guides
Source Gloss
to lead forth
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
13 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Mark 8:23 Verb Third Person Singular Second Aorist Active Indicative
ἐξήγαγεν exhgagen
I lead out
Read verse Mark 15:20 Verb Third Person Plural Present Active Indicative
ἐξάγουσιν exagousin
I lead out
Read verse Luke 24:50 Verb Third Person Singular Second Aorist Active Indicative
Ἐξήγαγε exhgagen
I lead out
Read verse John 10:3 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
ἐξάγει exagei
I lead out
Read verse Acts 5:19 Verb Second Aorist Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
ἐξαγαγών exagagwn
I lead out
Read verse Acts 7:36 Verb Third Person Singular Second Aorist Active Indicative
ἐξήγαγεν exhgagen
I lead out
Read verse Acts 7:40 Verb Third Person Singular Second Aorist Active Indicative
ἐξήγαγεν exhgagen
I lead out
Read verse Acts 12:17 Verb Third Person Singular Second Aorist Active Indicative
ἐξήγαγεν exhgagen
I lead out
Read verse Acts 13:17 Verb Third Person Singular Second Aorist Active Indicative
ἐξήγαγεν exhgagen
I lead out
Read verse Acts 16:37 Verb Third Person Plural Second Aorist Active Imperative
ἐξαγαγέτωσαν. exagagetwsan
I lead out
Read verse Acts 16:39 Verb Second Aorist Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine
ἐξαγαγόντες exagagontev
I lead out
Read verse Acts 21:38 Verb Second Aorist Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
ἐξαγαγὼν exagagwn
I lead out
Read verse Hebrews 8:9 Verb Second Aorist Active Infinitive
ἐξαγαγεῖν exagagein
I lead out
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.
Grammatical Forms
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.
Form groups 4 Aligned forms 12 Tenses Aorist, Present Voices Active
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Indicative states a fact or reality 7×
Aorist Active Luke 24:50 · Acts 7:36 · Acts 7:40 · Acts 12:17 · Acts 13:17 5×
Present Active Mark 15:20 · John 10:3 2×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 3×
Aorist Active Acts 5:19 · Acts 21:38 · Acts 16:39 3×
Imperative command or strong request 1×
Aorist Active Acts 16:37 1×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 1×
Aorist Active Heb 8:9 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 12 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
aorist 10 present 2
Voice
active 12
Mood
indicative 7 participle 3 imperative 1 infinitive 1
NT Occurrences
Mark 15:20 ἐξάγουσιν present active indicative ongoing Luke 24:50 Ἐξήγαγεν aorist active indicative completed John 10:3 ἐξάγει present active indicative ongoing Acts 5:19 ἐξαγαγών aorist active participle participle Acts 7:36 ἐξήγαγεν aorist active indicative completed Acts 7:40 ἐξήγαγεν aorist active indicative completed Acts 12:17 ἐξήγαγεν aorist active indicative completed Acts 13:17 ἐξήγαγεν aorist active indicative completed Acts 16:37 ἐξαγαγέτωσαν aorist active imperative imperative Acts 16:39 ἐξαγαγόντες aorist active participle participle Acts 21:38 ἐξαγαγὼν aorist active participle participle Hebrews 8:9 ἐξαγαγεῖν 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)
Word Origins
ἐξάγω is built from these roots:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
The biblical picture of being led out is not direction without relationship. In John 10 the sheep recognize the shepherd's voice because they belong to him and he knows them by name. The same verb can describe God's historic deliverance of Israel and concrete acts of rescue in Acts. Together these uses help teachers speak of divine guidance as personal and purposeful, but also text-governed.
Christ does not merely remove His people from difficulty; He leads them under His own care and toward faithful following. This corrects both self-directed spirituality and passive fatalism. Believers listen to the Shepherd in His word, follow Him in obedient trust, and test claims of guidance by His revealed character and commands.
Anchor passage
John.10.3
Doctrinal connections
- John 10:1-18 - the Good Shepherd's voice and care
- Exodus 12-15 - God leads Israel out of bondage
- Acts 13:16-23 - exodus and promise in redemptive history
- Hebrews 8:6-13 - exodus covenant and new covenant promise
The compound joins the sense of 'out from' with 'lead or bring.' The theological force must come from the passage, not from splitting the word into parts.
From Old to New Testament
The exodus supplies a major biblical pattern of God bringing His people out of bondage. John 10 uses shepherd language rather than directly retelling the exodus, so the connection should be presented as canonical synthesis, not as a claim that the single verb proves a typological identification.
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
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain