What does ἐξαλείφω (exaleíphō) mean in the Bible?
G1813 means to wipe away, blot out, or erase. In its New Testament settings, the word is used with the range and pressure described by its local passages rather than by a bare gloss alone.
Greek · G1813
ἐξαλείφω
To blot out
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.
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ἐξαλείφω G1813
Pronunciation exaleíphō
What does ἐξαλείφω (exaleíphō) mean in the Bible?
G1813 means to wipe away, blot out, or erase. In its New Testament settings, the word is used with the range and pressure described by its local passages rather than by a bare gloss alone.
Reader summary
Full entry for ἐξαλείφω (G1813) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G1813?
The BSB source-word alignment has 5 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include having canceled (1), He will wipe away (1), I will never blot out (1), may be wiped away (1), will wipe away (1).
Where does ἐξαλείφω (exaleíphō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Acts 3:19. Its strongest book concentrations include Revelation (3), Acts (1), Colossians (1).
Are there verse guides for ἐξαλείφω (exaleíphō)?
This entry includes 1 verse guide that explain exact original-language forms in context.
What This Word Actually Means
G1813 means to wipe away, blot out, or erase. In its New Testament settings, the word is used with the range and pressure described by its local passages rather than by a bare gloss alone. It is used for sins being wiped away, a debt record being canceled, a name not being blotted out, and tears being wiped away by God. The object changes the meaning. This companion therefore treats the word as a Scripture-governed guide, not as a shortcut around exegesis.
It helps teachers speak concretely about forgiveness, assurance, and final comfort. It should help readers ask better questions of the passage: who is speaking or acting, what covenant or gospel reality is in view, and how the surrounding context limits or strengthens the claim. Sins, debt, names, and tears should not be merged into one undifferentiated image.
How the Bible Uses It
G1813 describes wiping away or blotting out and is used for sin, debt, names, and tears.
- Acts.3.19
Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away,
Peter calls hearers to repent and turn back so their sins may be wiped away.
- Col.2.14
Having canceled the debt ascribed to us in the decrees that stood against us. He took it away, nailing it to the cross!
The debt record is canceled and nailed to the cross.
- Rev.3.5
Like them, he who overcomes will be dressed in white. And I will never blot out his name from the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father and His angels.
Jesus promises not to blot out the overcomer\'s name.
- Rev.7.17
For the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd. ‘He will lead them to springs of living water,’ and ‘God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’”
God will wipe away every tear from His people\'s eyes.
- Rev.21.4
‘He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,’ and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.”
In the new creation, God wipes away every tear and death is no more.
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 having canceled 1× Colossians 2:14
He will wipe away 1× Revelation 21:4
I will never blot out 1× Revelation 3:5
may be wiped away 1× Acts 3:19
will wipe away 1× Revelation 7:17
Show sample aligned rows
Acts 3:19 ἐξαλειφθῆναι to may be wiped away Verb - Aorist Infinitive Passive Colossians 2:14 ἐξαλείψας to having canceled Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular Revelation 3:5 ἐξαλείψω to I will never blot out Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular Revelation 7:17 ἐξαλείψει to will wipe away Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Revelation 21:4 ἐξαλείψει to He will wipe away Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Acts 3:19
Aligned rows 5
Books represented 3
Acts 1 Colossians 1 Revelation 3
Source forms
ἐξαλείψει 2x exaleipsei Revelation 7:17, Revelation 21:4
ἐξαλειφθῆναι 1x exaleiphthēnai Acts 3:19
ἐξαλείψας 1x exaleipsas Colossians 2:14
ἐξαλείψω 1x exaleipsō Revelation 3:5
Parsing patterns
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 2x Revelation 7:17, Revelation 21:4
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Passive 1x Acts 3:19
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular 1x Colossians 2:14
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular 1x Revelation 3:5
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Use the word to strengthen assurance and hope while keeping each passage\'s object clear.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that G1813 always refers to forgiveness.
- Do not claim that God wipes every tear away in full before the new creation.
Key Verse and Form Guides
Verse-level guides showing how this original-language form works in its specific context, including grammar, verse function, and guarded interpretation.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. Removal or erasure of something permanently, often of sins or names in divine judgment or mercy.
Source Gloss
to blot out
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
5 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Acts 3:19 Verb Aorist Passive Infinitive
ἐξαλειφθῆναι exaleifqhnai
I wipe away, obliterate
Read verse exaleiyav
I wipe away, obliterate
Read verse Revelation 3:5 Verb First Person Singular Future Active Indicative
ἐξαλείψω exaleiyw
I wipe away, obliterate
Read verse Revelation 7:17 Verb Third Person Singular Future Active Indicative
ἐξαλείψει exaleiyei
I wipe away, obliterate
Read verse Revelation 21:4 Verb Third Person Singular Future Active Indicative
ἐξαλείψει exaleiyei
I wipe away, obliterate
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 3 Aligned forms 5 Tenses Future, Aorist Voices Active, Passive
Tenses
Voices
Indicative states a fact or reality 3×
Future Active Rev 7:17 · Rev 21:4 · Rev 3:5 3×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 1×
Aorist Passive Acts 3:19 1×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 5 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
future 3 aorist 2
Voice
active 4 passive 1
Mood
indicative 3 infinitive 1 participle 1
NT Occurrences
Acts 3:19 ἐξαλειφθῆναι aorist passive infinitive infinitive Colossians 2:14 ἐξαλείψας aorist active participle participle Revelation 3:5 ἐξαλείψω future active indicative prospective Revelation 7:17 ἐξαλείψει future active indicative prospective Revelation 21:4 ἐξαλείψει future active indicative prospective
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 Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
New Testament Witnesses
To blot out or erase completely.
Showing 1 selected witness from 5 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
ἐξαλείφω is built from these roots:
Why This Word Matters
The imagery emphasizes full forgiveness and removal of guilt. Acts 3:11-26
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
Teach G1813 as removal imagery governed by its object. A faithful teacher should begin with the nearest passage, observe who acts, what is being named, what problem or promise is in view, and what response the text calls for, then move carefully to related passages. It lets hearers feel both the firmness and tenderness of salvation: guilt removed and grief finally wiped away.
The entry should help readers read Scripture more carefully, not replace the work of tracing the sentence, paragraph, book, and covenant setting. This keeps the word useful for shepherds, teachers, leaders, groups, families, and disciples without letting the word carry claims that belong to the whole passage or canon.
Anchor passage
Acts.3.19
Doctrinal connections
- Forgiveness
- Cross and debt cancellation
- New creation comfort
The compound verb intensifies the action of wiping out or wiping away.
From Old to New Testament
Prayers for sins to be blotted out and promises of final comfort stand behind these uses.
Canonical parallel
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