What does κελεύω (keleúō) mean in the Bible?
Κελεύω means to command, order, or direct that an action be carried out. It often appears in narrative scenes where someone with recognized authority tells others what to do.
Greek · G2753
κελεύω
To order
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κελεύω G2753
Pronunciation keleúō
What does κελεύω (keleúō) mean in the Bible?
Κελεύω means to command, order, or direct that an action be carried out. It often appears in narrative scenes where someone with recognized authority tells others what to do.
Reader summary
Full entry for κελεύω (G2753) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G2753?
The BSB source-word alignment has 25 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include ordered that (5), [and] ordered that (4), He gave orders (2), he ordered that (2), [and] directed that (1).
Where does κελεύω (keleúō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 8:18. Its strongest book concentrations include Acts (17), Matthew (7), Luke (1).
What This Word Actually Means
Κελεύω means to command, order, or direct that an action be carried out. It often appears in narrative scenes where someone with recognized authority tells others what to do. Jesus orders a crossing, directs that a blind man be brought near, and commands crowds to sit before He feeds them. The Sanhedrin orders the apostles outside while it deliberates, and Herod issues a lethal order under the pressure of his oath and guests.
The verb marks the giving of an order but does not make the order righteous. Authority, motive, object, and result must all be examined. Jesus' commands serve mission, mercy, and provision; corrupt rulers can use the same speech act for fear and violence.
How the Bible Uses It
Κελεύω portrays an authoritative direction moving a scene toward action. The contrast between Jesus' merciful ordering and fearful institutional commands keeps authority accountable to purpose and character.
- Matt.8.18
When Jesus saw a large crowd around Him, He gave orders to cross to the other side of the sea.
Jesus initiates the crossing when crowds gather, directing the disciples' movement before the storm scene reveals His authority over the sea.
- Luke.18.40
Jesus stopped and directed that the man be brought to Him. When he had come near, Jesus asked him,
Jesus stops for the blind beggar and orders that he be brought near, using authority to give an excluded voice personal attention.
- Acts.4.15
So they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin and then conferred together.
The council sends the apostles outside to deliberate, exposing leaders who possess procedural authority but cannot deny the public sign before them.
- Matt.14.9
The king was grieved, but because of his oaths and his guests, he ordered that her wish be granted
Herod's grief does not prevent his order; fear of losing face before guests turns royal command into participation in John's unjust death.
- Matt.14.19
And He directed the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He spoke a blessing. Then He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.
Jesus orders the crowd to recline before blessing and distributing the loaves, structuring a scene of abundant provision through the disciples.
Passage context
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 ordered that 5× Matthew 18:25, Matthew 27:58, Acts 16:22, Acts 22:24
[and] ordered that 4× Acts 5:34, Acts 12:19, Acts 25:6, Acts 25:17
He gave orders 2× Matthew 8:18, Acts 8:38
he ordered that 2× Matthew 14:9, Acts 21:34
[and] directed that 1× Luke 18:40
by commanding 1× Acts 23:3
command 1× Matthew 14:28
give the order that 1× Matthew 27:64
He commanded 1× Acts 27:43
He directed 1× Matthew 14:19
He ordered 1× Acts 23:10
I ordered that 1× Acts 25:21
ordered 1× Acts 22:30
ordering that 1× Acts 21:33
Then he ordered that 1× Acts 23:35
they ordered 1× Acts 4:15
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 8:18 ἐκέλευσεν to He gave orders Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Matthew 14:9 ἐκέλευσεν to he ordered that Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Matthew 14:19 κελεύσας to He directed Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular Matthew 14:28 κέλευσόν to command Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular Matthew 18:25 ἐκέλευσεν to ordered that Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Matthew 27:58 ἐκέλευσεν to ordered that Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Matthew 27:64 κέλευσον to give the order that Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular Luke 18:40 ἐκέλευσεν to [and] directed that Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Acts 4:15 κελεύσαντες to they ordered Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural Acts 5:34 ἐκέλευσεν to [and] ordered that Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 8:18
Aligned rows 25
Books represented 3
Matthew 7 Luke 1 Acts 17
Source forms
ἐκέλευσεν 14x ekeleusen Matthew 8:18, Matthew 14:9, Matthew 18:25, Matthew 27:58
ἐκέλευσα 2x ekeleusa Acts 25:17, Acts 25:21
κελεύσας 2x keleusas Matthew 14:19, Acts 23:35
ἐκέλευον 1x ekeleuon Acts 16:22
ἐκέλευσέν 1x ekeleusen Acts 27:43
κελεύεις 1x keleueis Acts 23:3
κελεύσαντες 1x keleusantes Acts 4:15
κελεύσαντος 1x keleusantos Acts 25:23
Parsing patterns
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 15x Matthew 8:18, Matthew 14:9, Matthew 18:25, Matthew 27:58
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular 2x Matthew 14:28, Matthew 27:64
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular 2x Acts 25:17, Acts 25:21
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular 2x Matthew 14:19, Acts 23:35
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Singular 1x Acts 25:23
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural 1x Acts 4:15
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural 1x Acts 16:22
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular 1x Acts 23:3
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Never appeal to the mere existence of a command as proof that compliance is righteous; human orders remain answerable to God's higher authority.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that κελεύω itself distinguishes legitimate from abusive authority.
- Do not use Jesus' narrative commands as a blank warrant for leaders to control matters outside their assigned responsibility.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. To order by direct verbal command, typically from one in authority to subordinates.
Strong's G2753
Lexical occurrences 25 verses Greek text appearances 27 times 16 shown below Word forms 3 forms 25 references Verse guides 0 guides
Source Gloss
to order
Extended definition Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
To order by direct verbal command, typically from one in authority to subordinates.
to urge on, bid by word of mouth, order, command (mostly of one in authority): with accusative and inf. aor., Mat.14:19, 28 18:25 27:64, Luk.18:40, Act.4:15 5:34 8:38 22:30 23:10 25:6, 17; with ellipse of accusative, Mat.8:18 14:9 27:58, Act.12:19 21:33; with accusative and inf. Pres., Act.21:34 22:24 23:3, 35 25:21 27:43; with ellipse of accusative, Act.16:22; ptcp. aor., Act.25:23.
Synonymssee: ἐντέλλω
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 27 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 8:18 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἐκέλευσεν ekeleusen
I command, order
Read verse Matthew 14:9 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἐκέλευσε ekeleusen
I command, order
Read verse Matthew 14:19 Verb Aorist Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
κελεύσας keleusav
I command, order
Read verse Matthew 14:28 Verb Second Person Singular Aorist Active Imperative
κέλευσόν keleuson
I command, order
Read verse Matthew 15:35 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἐκέλευσε ekeleusen
I command, order
Read verse Matthew 18:25 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἐκέλευσεν ekeleusen
I command, order
Read verse Matthew 27:58 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἐκέλευσεν ekeleusen
I command, order
Read verse Matthew 27:64 Verb Second Person Singular Aorist Active Imperative
κέλευσον keleuson
I command, order
Read verse Luke 18:40 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἐκέλευσεν ekeleusen
I command, order
Read verse Acts 4:15 Verb Aorist Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine
κελεύσαντες keleusantev
I command, order
Read verse Acts 5:34 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἐκέλευσεν ekeleusen
I command, order
Read verse Acts 8:38 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἐκέλευσε ekeleusen
I command, order
Read verse Acts 12:19 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἐκέλευσεν ekeleusen
I command, order
Read verse Acts 16:22 Verb Third Person Plural Imperfect Active Indicative
ἐκέλευον ekeleuon
I command, order
Read verse Acts 21:33 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἐκέλευσε ekeleusen
I command, order
Read verse Acts 21:34 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἐκέλευσεν ekeleusen
I command, order
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 25 Tenses Aorist, Imperfect, 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 19×
Aorist Active Matt 8:18 · Matt 14:9 · Matt 18:25 · Matt 27:58 · Luke 18:40 · Acts 5:34 · Acts 8:38 · Acts 12:19 · Acts 21:33 · Acts 21:34 · Acts 22:24 · Acts 22:30 · Acts 23:10 · Acts 25:6 · Acts 27:43 · Acts 25:17 17×
Imperfect Active Acts 16:22 1×
Present Active Acts 23:3 1×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 4×
Aorist Active Matt 14:19 · Acts 23:35 · Acts 4:15 · Acts 25:23 4×
Imperative command or strong request 2×
Aorist Active Matt 14:28 · Matt 27:64 2×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 25 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
aorist 23 imperfect 1 present 1
Voice
active 25
Mood
indicative 19 participle 4 imperative 2
NT Occurrences
Matthew 8:18 ἐκέλευσεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 14:19 κελεύσας aorist active participle participle Matthew 14:28 κέλευσόν aorist active imperative imperative Matthew 14:9 ἐκέλευσεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 18:25 ἐκέλευσεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 27:58 ἐκέλευσεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 27:64 κέλευσον aorist active imperative imperative Luke 18:40 ἐκέλευσεν aorist active indicative completed Acts 4:15 κελεύσαντες aorist active participle participle Acts 5:34 ἐκέλευσεν aorist active indicative completed Acts 8:38 ἐκέλευσεν aorist active indicative completed Acts 12:19 ἐκέλευσεν aorist active indicative completed Acts 16:22 ἐκέλευον imperfect active indicative background Acts 21:33 ἐκέλευσε aorist active indicative completed Acts 21:34 ἐκέλευσεν aorist active indicative completed Acts 22:24 ἐκέλευσεν aorist active indicative completed Acts 22:30 ἐκέλευσεν aorist active indicative completed Acts 23:10 ἐκέλευσεν aorist active indicative completed Acts 23:3 κελεύεις present active indicative ongoing Acts 23:35 κελεύσας aorist active participle participle Acts 25:17 ἐκέλευσα aorist active indicative completed Acts 25:21 ἐκέλευσα aorist active indicative completed Acts 25:23 κελεύσαντος aorist active participle participle Acts 25:6 ἐκέλευσεν aorist active indicative completed Acts 27:43 ἐκέλευσέν aorist active indicative completed
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)
For the Preacher and Teacher
Commands reveal what authority is for. Jesus directs movement across the lake, brings a marginalized beggar close, and arranges a hungry crowd to receive provision. His authority is neither hesitant nor self-protective; it advances His mission and attends to people in need. The Sanhedrin and Herod show other uses. Procedural power can be deployed to manage inconvenient truth, and royal power can enact violence because a ruler fears embarrassment.
The verb itself records an order, not God's approval of it. Churches and families should therefore resist both authoritarian command and leaderless confusion. Faithful authority gives clear direction within assigned responsibility, remains accountable to God's word, protects the vulnerable, and refuses to make reputation the master of another person's obedience.
Anchor passage
Matt.8.18
Doctrinal connections
- Matthew 8:18-27, Jesus directing disciples and ruling the sea
- Matthew 14:13-21, ordered compassion and provision
- Luke 18:35-43, authority attending to a marginalized petitioner
- Acts 4:13-22, institutional orders before undeniable witness
- Mark 6:17-29, royal command captured by pride
- Matthew 20:25-28, authority reshaped by the servant Son
Κελεύω commonly introduces an infinitive or subordinate action that states what is ordered. Narrative context identifies whether the speaker has formal, social, military, or personal authority.
From Old to New Testament
Kings, judges, and military officers command throughout Israel's history, while the law places every ruler beneath God's covenant word. Jesus exercises true authority as the servant king.
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