To show the way (literally or figuratively (teach))
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Ὁδηγέω (hodēgéō) means to guide someone along a way, whether by physical direction or by instruction. The New Testament uses it only a few times, but its settings expose the difference between trustworthy and untrustworthy guidance.
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Full entry for ὁδηγέω (G3594) · Open the biblical lexicon
Ὁδηγέω (hodēgéō) means to guide someone along a way, whether by physical direction or by instruction. The New Testament uses it only a few times, but its settings expose the difference between trustworthy and untrustworthy guidance.
The BSB source-word alignment has 5 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include guides (1), He will guide (1), He will lead (1), lead (1), leads (1).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 15:14. Its strongest book concentrations include Acts (1), John (1), Luke (1), Matthew (1).
Ὁδηγέω (hodēgéō) means to guide someone along a way, whether by physical direction or by instruction. The New Testament uses it only a few times, but its settings expose the difference between trustworthy and untrustworthy guidance. Jesus warns that a blind guide cannot safely lead another blind person (Matt. 15:14; Luke 6:39). The Ethiopian official admits that he needs someone to guide him in reading Isaiah, and Philip begins from that Scripture to proclaim Jesus (Acts 8:31-35).
In John 16:13 Jesus promises that the Spirit of truth will guide the apostles into all truth. The surrounding discourse gives the promise its shape: the Spirit does not speak independently but declares what He hears, glorifies Christ, and takes what belongs to Christ and makes it known. Guidance here is therefore Trinitarian and Christ-centered, not an open warrant for any private impression.
Revelation 7:17 gives the verb an eschatological horizon. The Lamb shepherds His people and leads them to springs of living water, while God wipes away every tear. Biblical guidance moves toward truth, worship, and life in the presence of God. Teachers may therefore use this word to commend dependence on the Spirit, careful help in understanding Scripture, and humble following of Christ, while refusing claims of guidance that contradict God's written word or detach the Spirit from the Son.
The New Testament contrasts blind guidance with guidance into Scripture, truth, and finally the life-giving presence of God.
Disregard them! They are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”
Religious authority without spiritual sight endangers both guide and follower.
Jesus also told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?
A disciple must first receive truthful formation before presuming to guide others.
However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come.
The Spirit's guidance is truthful, received from the Father and Son, and ordered toward Christ's glory.
“How can I,” he said, “unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
God uses a faithful witness to help a reader understand Isaiah and hear the good news of Jesus.
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.’”
The Lamb's guidance reaches its goal in life, consolation, and God's presence.
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItA compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
Greek word. To guide someone to a destination, literally on a path or figuratively toward truth and understanding.
To guide someone to a destination, literally on a path or figuratively toward truth and understanding.
(ὁδηγός) [in LXX chiefly for נוּחַ, also for דֶּרֶךְ hi., הָלַךְ hi., etc. ;] to lead on one's way, to guide: with accusative of person(s), Mat.15:14, Luk.6:39; id. before ἐπί, Rev.7:17. Metaphorical, to guide, instruct, teach: Act.8:31; before εἰς τ. ἀλήθειαν (ἐν τ. ἀ., WH, mg.), Jhn.16:13 (cf. Psa.25:5).
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.
I lead, guide
Read verseI lead, guide
Read verseI lead, guide
Read verseI lead, guide
Read verseI lead, guide
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.
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.
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
How this verb appears across 5 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
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 passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 5 lexical occurrence verses.
ὁδηγέω is built from this root:
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Guidance is never neutral. Every guide sees truly or remains blind, and every path has a destination. Jesus' promise in John 16 is not that believers may label every inward impulse as the Spirit's voice. The Spirit of truth speaks in harmony with the Father and Son, glorifies Christ, and leads into truth. Acts 8 also shows that guidance can include patient, text-centered teaching within the community of faith.
Revelation completes the picture with the Lamb leading His people to living water. Faithful teaching should therefore cultivate humility in guides, discernment in hearers, confidence in the Spirit's ministry, and submission to Scripture. The goal is not dependence on a human personality but mature following of Christ.
John.16.13
The verb can describe physical leading or instructional guidance. In John 16 the future form expresses Jesus' promise about the Spirit's coming ministry, but the tense alone does not define every later experience of guidance.
The Psalms and prophets frequently pray for God to lead His people in truth and on a straight path. The New Testament applies that guidance through the Spirit of truth and the Lamb, while the lexical connection varies by passage and should not be overstated.
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