What does ἀναγκάζω (anankázō) mean in the Bible?
G315 means to compel, constrain, force, or strongly direct. 11, Paul confesses that he punished believers and tried to compel them to blaspheme.
Greek · G315
ἀναγκάζω
To necessitate
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.
ἀναγκάζωG315
Pronunciationanankázō
What does ἀναγκάζω (anankázō) mean in the Bible?
G315 means to compel, constrain, force, or strongly direct. 11, Paul confesses that he punished believers and tried to compel them to blaspheme.
Reader summary
Full entry for ἀναγκάζω (G315) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G315?
The BSB source-word alignment has 9 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include [Jesus] made (2), [and] I tried to make [them] (1), are trying to compel (1), can you compel (1), compel [them] (1).
Where does ἀναγκάζω (anankázō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 14:22. Its strongest book concentrations include Galatians (3), Acts (2), 2 Corinthians (1), Luke (1).
What This Word Actually Means
G315 means to compel, constrain, force, or strongly direct. In Acts. 26. 11, Paul confesses that he punished believers and tried to compel them to blaspheme. In Gal. 2. 14, Paul confronts conduct that effectively compels Gentiles to adopt Jewish customs contrary to gospel truth. In Luke. 14. 23, the banquet servant is told to urge people from roads and hedges to come so the house will be full.
G315 opens teaching on persecution, coercive conformity, social pressure, urgent hospitality, and commands within legitimate responsibility. It does not authorize forced conversion, manipulation of vulnerable people, or violence under the phrase compel them to come in. Urgency, hospitality, persuasion, and coercion must be distinguished by context, power, consent, and available alternatives.
How the Bible Uses It
G315 covers force, pressure, constraint, strong direction, and circumstances leaving a person little option. It describes persecution, cultural compulsion, travel direction, legal appeal, rhetorical necessity, and a parable's urgent invitation.
- Acts.26.11
I frequently had them punished in the synagogues, and I tried to make them blaspheme. In my raging fury against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them.
Paul confesses using punishment and rage in an attempt to force believers to deny their confession.
- Gal.2.14
When I saw that they were not walking in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “If you, who are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?”
Peter's table conduct creates social compulsion for Gentiles to live according to Jewish boundary practices.
- Luke.14.23
So the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.
The banquet parable commands urgent persuasion of socially excluded people so that the gracious host's house is filled.
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[Jesus] made2×Matthew 14:22, Mark 6:45
[and] I tried to make [them]1×Acts 26:11
are trying to compel1×Galatians 6:12
can you compel1×Galatians 2:14
compel [them]1×Luke 14:23
drove1×2 Corinthians 12:11
I was compelled1×Acts 28:19
was compelled1×Galatians 2:3
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 14:22ἠνάγκασενto[Jesus] madeVerb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularMark 6:45ἠνάγκασενto[Jesus] madeVerb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularLuke 14:23ἀνάγκασονtocompel [them]Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person SingularActs 26:11ἠνάγκαζονto[and] I tried to make [them]Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 1st Person SingularActs 28:19ἠναγκάσθηνtoI was compelledVerb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 1st Person Singular2 Corinthians 12:11ἠναγκάσατεtodroveVerb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person PluralGalatians 2:3ἠναγκάσθηtowas compelledVerb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person SingularGalatians 2:14ἀναγκάζειςtocan you compelVerb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person SingularGalatians 6:12ἀναγκάζουσινtoare trying to compelVerb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowMatthew 14:22
Aligned rows9
Books represented6
Matthew1Mark1Luke1Acts22 Corinthians1Galatians3
Source forms
ἠνάγκασεν2xēnankasenMatthew 14:22, Mark 6:45
ἀναγκάζεις1xanankazeisGalatians 2:14
ἀναγκάζουσιν1xanankazousinGalatians 6:12
ἀνάγκασον1xanankasonLuke 14:23
ἠνάγκαζον1xēnankazonActs 26:11
ἠναγκάσατε1xēnankasate2 Corinthians 12:11
ἠναγκάσθη1xēnankasthēGalatians 2:3
ἠναγκάσθην1xēnankasthēnActs 28:19
Parsing patterns
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular2xMatthew 14:22, Mark 6:45
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular1xLuke 14:23
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural1x2 Corinthians 12:11
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 1st Person Singular1xActs 28:19
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular1xGalatians 2:3
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular1xActs 26:11
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular1xGalatians 2:14
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural1xGalatians 6:12
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Do not use Luke 14 to justify forced baptism, conversion laws, kidnapping, threats, harassment, or pressure tied to aid.
- Do not make employment, housing, food, immigration help, or community belonging conditional on religious compliance.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that G315 treats coercion as an acceptable evangelistic shortcut.
- Do not claim that strong conviction gives a leader authority over another person's conscience, body, or culture.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. Compel by force or persuasion; constraint overriding normal choice or preference.
Strong'sG315
Lexical occurrences9 versesGreek text appearances9 timesWord forms2 forms9 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkLuke 14:15–24Source Gloss
to necessitate
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpusGreek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
9 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 14:22Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἠνάγκασενhnagkasen
I force, compel
Read verseMark 6:45Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἠνάγκασεhnagkasen
I force, compel
Read verseLuke 14:23Verb Second Person Singular Aorist Active Imperative
ἀνάγκασονanagkason
I force, compel
Read verseActs 26:11Verb First Person Singular Imperfect Active Indicative
ἠνάγκαζονhnagkazon
I force, compel
Read verseActs 28:19Verb First Person Singular Aorist Passive Indicative
ἠναγκάσθηνhnagkasqhn
I force, compel
Read verse2 Corinthians 12:11Verb Second Person Plural Aorist Active Indicative
ἠναγκάσατε·hnagkasate
I force, compel
Read verseGalatians 2:3Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Passive Indicative
ἠναγκάσθηhnagkasqh
I force, compel
Read verseGalatians 2:14Verb Second Person Singular Present Active Indicative
ἀναγκάζειςanagkazeiv
I force, compel
Read verseGalatians 6:12Verb Third Person Plural Present Active Indicative
ἀναγκάζουσινanagkazousin
I force, compel
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 groups2Aligned forms9TensesAorist, Imperfect, PresentVoicesActive, Passive
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Indicativestates a fact or reality8×
Aorist ActiveMatt 14:22 · Mark 6:45 · 2 Cor 12:113×
Aorist PassiveActs 28:19 · Gal 2:32×
Present ActiveGal 2:14 · Gal 6:122×
Imperfect ActiveActs 26:111×
Imperativecommand or strong request1×
Aorist ActiveLuke 14:231×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 9 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
aorist6present2imperfect1
Voice
active7passive2
Mood
indicative8imperative1
NT Occurrences
Matthew 14:22ἠνάγκασενaorist active indicativecompletedMark 6:45ἠνάγκασενaorist active indicativecompletedLuke 14:23ἀνάγκασονaorist active imperativeimperativeActs 26:11ἠνάγκαζονimperfect active indicativebackgroundActs 28:19ἠναγκάσθηνaorist passive indicativecompleted2 Corinthians 12:11ἠναγκάσατεaorist active indicativecompletedGalatians 2:14ἀναγκάζειςpresent active indicativeongoingGalatians 2:3ἠναγκάσθηaorist passive indicativecompletedGalatians 6:12ἀναγκάζουσινpresent active indicativeongoing
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 Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
New Testament Witnesses
compel urgently
Additional Occurrences
Luke 14:15–24ἀνάγκασονanankázō
Compel
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 9 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
ἀναγκάζω is built from this root:
Why This Word Matters
Expresses earnest urgency in bringing outsiders to the feast.Luke 14:15–24
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
G315 exposes compulsion in both visible and social forms. Paul once used punishment to force believers toward blasphemy, and his confession makes religious coercion part of his persecuting past rather than a ministry method. In Galatia, Peter issues no recorded order, yet withdrawing from Gentile tables creates pressure that effectively compels them to conform.
Power can coerce through belonging, food, reputation, and access. The banquet parable's command to compel must be read in that light and within the story's hospitality toward people ordinarily excluded. The servant urges them to accept a genuine place; the master does not authorize assault or conversion by force. Faithful application protects conscience, names hidden leverage, offers invitations without penalty for refusal, and uses clear direction only within legitimate responsibility.
The gospel persuades through truth and love, never through violence, threats, captivity, or manufactured dependency.
Anchor passage
Gal.2.14
Doctrinal connections
- G315: persecuting compulsion seeks to break confession and stands opposed to Christian witness.
- G315: social withdrawal by an influential leader can coerce conformity without a spoken rule.
- G315: gospel unity does not require Gentiles to adopt Jewish identity markers.
- G315: the banquet's urgency extends welcome to excluded people and does not license forced conversion.
- G315: legitimate direction remains bounded by role, purpose, safety, and respect for persons.
- G315: Christian persuasion rejects threats, violence, deprivation, and abuse of dependency.
G315 is a Greek verb for compelling, necessitating, or constraining through force, persuasion, pressure, or circumstance. Context reveals whether the constraint is abusive, social, procedural, or a strong directive.
From Old to New Testament
God invites and commands throughout Scripture, yet covenant allegiance cannot be manufactured by human violence. Jesus welcomes outsiders, and the apostles renounce persecution and appeal openly to conscience. Paul can describe Christlike love as constraining him while still rejecting manipulation, forced giving, and lordship over another believer.