Greek · G3004, G2980 · unreviewed

λέγει / λαλεῖ

To say · to speak

These lexicon entries are being actively developed. If you notice missing content, incorrect definitions, or have suggestions, we'd love to hear from you. Share a note on our Connect page and include a screenshot if helpful.

Words in this compound — expand to study each participant

λέγω G3004 to say

Pronunciation légō

Emphasizes meaning and thought content of speech, not mere utterance; what is said corresponds to thought

Open lexicon entry →

λαλέω G2980 to speak

Pronunciation laléō

Speaking that emphasizes the act of utterance itself rather than the content or meaning of words

Open lexicon entry →

What does λέγει / λαλεῖ (legei / lalei) mean in the Bible?

λέγω · λαλέω is a Greek word meaning "properly, to "lay" forth, i.e. (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas and generally refer to an individual expression or speech respectively; while is properly to break silence merely, and means an extended or random harangue)); by implication, to mean". properly, to "lay" forth, i.

Full entry for λέγει / λαλεῖ (G3004, G2980) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

properly, to "lay" forth, i.e. (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas and generally refer to an individual expression or speech respectively; while is properly to break silence merely, and means an extended or random harangue)); by implication, to mean

Grammatical Forms

How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.

Tenses

Aorist Present Imperfect Future Perfect Pluperfect

Voices

Active Passive

Indicative states a fact or reality 1659×

Aorist Active Matt 2:8 · Matt 3:7 · Matt 3:15 · Matt 4:3 · Matt 4:4 · Matt 4:9 · Matt 8:10 · Matt 8:13 · Matt 8:19 · Matt 8:21 · Matt 8:32 · Matt 9:2 · Matt 9:4 · Matt 9:12 · Matt 9:15 · Matt 9:22 772×

Present Active Matt 4:6 · Matt 4:10 · Matt 4:19 · Matt 8:4 · Matt 8:7 · Matt 8:20 · Matt 8:22 · Matt 8:26 · Matt 9:6 · Matt 9:9 · Matt 9:28 · Matt 9:37 · Matt 12:13 · Matt 12:44 · Matt 14:31 · Matt 15:34 652×

Imperfect Active Matt 9:11 · Matt 9:34 · Matt 12:23 · Matt 21:11 · Matt 26:5 · Matt 27:41 · Matt 27:47 · Matt 27:49 · Mark 2:16 · Mark 2:24 · Mark 3:21 · Mark 3:22 · Mark 3:30 · Mark 4:41 · Mark 5:31 · Mark 6:14 150×

Future Active Matt 21:25 · Matt 25:34 · Matt 25:40 · Matt 25:41 · Mark 11:31 · Luke 12:10 · Luke 13:25 · Luke 13:27 · Luke 14:9 · Luke 14:10 · Luke 17:7 · Luke 17:8 · Luke 20:5 · Rom 9:20 · 1 Cor 14:16 · 1 Cor 15:35 46×

Perfect Active John 12:50 · Acts 13:34 · 2 Cor 12:9 · Heb 1:13 · Heb 4:3 · Heb 4:4 · Heb 10:9 · Heb 13:5 · John 6:65 · John 14:29 · John 15:15 · Rev 7:14 · Acts 17:28 · Rev 19:3 · John 4:18 · Acts 8:24 16×

Aorist Passive Matt 5:21 · Matt 5:27 · Matt 5:31 · Matt 5:33 · Matt 5:38 · Matt 5:43 · Rom 9:12 · Rom 9:26 · Rev 6:11 · Rev 9:4 · Gal 3:16 11×

Present Passive Matt 13:55 · John 1:38 · John 19:17 · John 20:16 · Acts 9:36 · Heb 7:13 · Heb 9:2 · Rev 8:11 8×

Pluperfect Active Luke 22:13 · John 11:13 · Acts 20:38 3×

Perfect Passive Luke 4:12 1×

Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 514×

Present Active Matt 1:20 · Matt 2:13 · Matt 2:20 · Matt 3:2 · Matt 3:14 · Matt 5:2 · Matt 7:21 · Matt 8:2 · Matt 8:3 · Matt 8:6 · Matt 9:18 · Matt 9:29 · Matt 9:30 · Matt 10:5 · Matt 13:3 · Matt 13:24 412×

Aorist Active Matt 26:44 · Mark 14:39 · Luke 5:13 · Luke 9:22 · Luke 19:28 · Luke 22:8 · Luke 23:46 · Luke 24:40 · John 5:12 · John 7:9 · John 9:6 · John 11:43 · John 13:21 · John 18:1 · John 18:22 · John 18:38 46×

Present Passive Matt 1:16 · Matt 10:2 · Matt 26:14 · Matt 27:33 · Mark 15:7 · Luke 22:47 · John 4:25 · John 9:11 · John 11:16 · John 20:24 · John 21:2 · Col 4:11 · Matt 4:18 · Matt 9:9 · Matt 27:16 · Matt 27:17 38×

Aorist Passive Matt 1:22 · Matt 2:15 · Matt 2:17 · Matt 2:23 · Matt 4:14 · Matt 8:17 · Matt 12:17 · Matt 13:35 · Matt 21:4 · Matt 27:9 · Matt 22:31 · Matt 24:15 · Matt 3:3 13×

Perfect Passive Luke 2:24 · Rom 4:18 · Acts 2:16 · Acts 13:40 4×

Perfect Active Matt 26:75 1×

Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 61×

Present Active Matt 3:9 · Matt 4:17 · Matt 11:7 · Matt 13:54 · Matt 26:22 · Mark 9:26 · Mark 10:28 · Mark 10:32 · Mark 10:47 · Mark 13:5 · Mark 14:19 · Mark 14:65 · Mark 14:69 · Luke 3:8 · Luke 4:21 · Luke 6:42 40×

Aorist Active Matt 9:5 · Mark 2:9 · Luke 5:14 · Luke 5:23 · Luke 7:40 · Luke 8:56 · Luke 12:12 · Luke 14:17 · Acts 2:29 · Acts 21:37 · 1 Cor 12:3 · 1 Cor 12:21 · Heb 7:9 16×

Present Passive Luke 9:7 · Heb 3:15 · Heb 7:11 · Heb 11:24 4×

Perfect Active Heb 10:15 1×

Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 68×

Aorist Active Matt 5:22 · Matt 12:32 · Matt 15:5 · Matt 21:3 · Matt 24:23 · Matt 24:48 · Mark 7:11 · Mark 11:3 · Mark 11:23 · Mark 13:21 · Luke 11:5 · Luke 11:7 · Luke 12:45 · 1 Cor 1:15 · 1 Cor 10:28 · 1 Cor 12:15 58×

Present Active Mark 7:36 · Mark 8:30 · 1 Thess 5:3 · John 2:5 · 1 Cor 3:4 · Jas 2:14 · Phlm 1:19 · Heb 11:32 · 1 Cor 1:10 · 2 Cor 9:4 10×

Imperative command or strong request 43×

Aorist Active Matt 4:3 · Matt 8:8 · Matt 18:17 · Matt 20:21 · Matt 22:17 · Matt 24:3 · Mark 13:4 · Luke 4:3 · Luke 7:7 · Luke 7:40 · Luke 10:40 · Luke 12:13 · Luke 20:2 · Luke 22:67 · John 10:24 · John 20:15 34×

Present Active Luke 10:5 · Luke 10:9 · Luke 11:2 · Luke 17:10 · Acts 13:15 · Gal 4:21 · 2 John 1:10 · Acts 22:27 · Jas 1:13 9×

Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 1307 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect

completed 2 ongoing 654 imperative 9 background 151 subjunctive 10 infinitive 43 participle 438

Tense

present 1134 imperfect 151 aorist 22

Voice

active 1282 passive 25

Mood

indicative 807 participle 438 infinitive 43 subjunctive 10 imperative 9

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)

Word Pictures (Robertson)

A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.

Acts 18 — The Lord Strengthens the Mission in Corinth and Beyond Acts 21 — Paul Goes to Jerusalem and Is Seized in the Temple John 16 — The Spirit’s Convicting Witness, the Disciples’ Sorrow Turned to Joy, and Christ’s Victory over the World John 21 — The Risen Lord Restores, Commissions, Shepherds, and Testifies through His Witness Mark 16 — He Has Risen: The Empty Tomb, the Angelic Announcement, Galilee Promise, and Trembling Witness Matthew 16 — The Confession of the Christ, the Church Christ Builds, and the Cross-Shaped Way of Discipleship Matthew 28 — The Resurrection of Jesus and the Great Commission of the Risen King

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

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

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

Full license details