What does ἀληθεύω (alētheúō) mean in the Bible?
ἀληθεύω (alētheúō): Speaking truth with integrity, not merely stating facts but living out truthful profession in relationships.
Greek · G226
ἀληθεύω
ἀληθεύω (alētheúō): Speaking truth with integrity, not merely stating facts but living out truthful profession in relationships.
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 theConnect page. Screenshots are helpful.
ἀληθεύωG226
Pronunciationalētheúō
What does ἀληθεύω (alētheúō) mean in the Bible?
Full entry for ἀληθεύω (G226) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G226?
The BSB source-word alignment has 2 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include [by] telling you the truth (1), speaking the truth (1).
Where does ἀληθεύω (alētheúō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Galatians 4:16. Its strongest book concentrations include Ephesians (1), Galatians (1).
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[by] telling you the truth1×Galatians 4:16
speaking the truth1×Ephesians 4:15
Show sample aligned rows
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGalatians 4:16
Aligned rows2
Books represented2
Galatians1Ephesians1
Source forms
ἀληθεύοντες1xalētheuontesEphesians 4:15
ἀληθεύων1xalētheuōnGalatians 4:16
Parsing patterns
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural1xEphesians 4:15
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular1xGalatians 4:16
Evidence Summary
Greek word. Speaking truth with integrity, not merely stating facts but living out truthful profession in relationships.
Strong'sG226
Lexical occurrences2 versesGreek text appearances2 timesWord forms1 form2 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkEphesians 4:15Source Gloss
to be true (in doctrine and profession)
Extended definitionSource: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Speaking truth with integrity, not merely stating facts but living out truthful profession in relationships.
(ἀληθής), [in LXX: Gen.20:16 (יָכַח) Gen.42:16 (אֶמֶת), Pro.21:3 (מִשְׁפָּט), Isa.44:26 (שָׁלַם), Sir.34:4 * ;] to speak the truth (R, mg., deal truly; Field, Notes, 192): Gal.4:16, Eph.4:15.
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpusGreek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
2 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Galatians 4:16Verb Present Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
ἀληθεύωνalhqeuwn
I say, speak truth, I do truth
Read verseEphesians 4:15Verb Present Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine
ἀληθεύοντεςalhqeuontev
I say, speak truth, I do truth
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 groups1Aligned forms2TensesPresentVoicesActive
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Participleverbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality2×
Present ActiveGal 4:16 · Eph 4:152×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 2 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
present2
Voice
active2
Mood
participle2
NT Occurrences
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.
Biblical Witnesses
to speak truth in love as part of spiritual maturity and growth in Christ
Showing 1 selected witness from 2 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
ἀληθεύω is built from this root: