What does ἀναχωρέω (anachōréō) mean in the Bible?
Anachoreo means to withdraw, depart, go away, or draw aside. It often describes movement away from danger, pressure, public attention, or a prior route.
Greek · G402
ἀναχωρέω
To retire
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ἀναχωρέω G402
Pronunciation anachōréō
What does ἀναχωρέω (anachōréō) mean in the Bible?
Anachoreo means to withdraw, depart, go away, or draw aside. It often describes movement away from danger, pressure, public attention, or a prior route.
Reader summary
Full entry for ἀναχωρέω (G402) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G402?
The BSB source-word alignment has 14 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include withdrew (5), he withdrew (3), and left (1), drew [him] (1), Go away (1).
Where does ἀναχωρέω (anachōréō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 2:12. Its strongest book concentrations include Matthew (10), Acts (2), John (1), Mark (1).
What This Word Actually Means
Anachoreo means to withdraw, depart, go away, or draw aside. It often describes movement away from danger, pressure, public attention, or a prior route. In Matthew, the Magi withdraw another way, Joseph withdraws to Egypt and later Galilee, and Jesus withdraws after John's arrest, in response to hostility, or into solitude. John says Jesus withdrew when the crowd wanted to make Him king by force.
The word is not cowardice language by default, and it is not a spirituality of escape. It can name prudent obedience, protected mission, grief-aware solitude, strategic movement, or refusal of false kingship. Teachers should ask what danger or pressure is present and what obedience the withdrawal protects.
How the Bible Uses It
Anachoreo describes withdrawing or departing, often in response to danger, pressure, grief, or divine warning. The selected witnesses show protected obedience, strategic movement, solitude, mercy, and resistance to false political acclaim.
- Matt.2.12
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they withdrew to their country by another route.
The Magi, warned in a dream, withdraw to their country by another route. Departure obeys divine warning.
- Matt.2.14
So he got up, took the Child and His mother by night, and withdrew to Egypt,
Joseph takes the Child and His mother by night and withdraws to Egypt. The movement protects the child under God's direction.
- Matt.4.12
When Jesus heard that John had been imprisoned, He withdrew to Galilee.
When Jesus hears John has been imprisoned, He withdraws to Galilee. The departure belongs to the beginning of His public ministry path.
- Matt.12.15
Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. Large crowds followed Him, and He healed them all,
Aware of hostile plotting, Jesus withdraws, yet crowds follow and He heals them. Withdrawal does not mean indifference to need.
- Matt.14.13
When Jesus heard about John, He withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. But the crowds found out about it and followed Him on foot from the towns.
After hearing about John, Jesus withdraws by boat to a solitary place. The movement carries grief and solitude before further ministry.
- John.6.15
Then Jesus, realizing that they were about to come and make Him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by Himself.
When the crowd wants to make Jesus king by force, He withdraws again by Himself. The word marks refusal of a false kingship agenda.
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 withdrew 5× Matthew 2:14, Matthew 12:15, Matthew 15:21, Mark 3:7
he withdrew 3× Matthew 2:22, Matthew 4:12, Matthew 14:13
and left 1× Matthew 27:5
drew [him] 1× Acts 23:19
Go away 1× Matthew 9:24
had gone 1× Matthew 2:13
On their way out 1× Acts 26:31
they withdrew 1× Matthew 2:12
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 2:12 ἀνεχώρησαν to they withdrew Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural Matthew 2:13 Ἀναχωρησάντων to had gone Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Plural Matthew 2:14 ἀνεχώρησεν to withdrew Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Matthew 2:22 ἀνεχώρησεν to he withdrew Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Matthew 4:12 ἀνεχώρησεν to He withdrew Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Matthew 9:24 Ἀναχωρεῖτε to Go away Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural Matthew 12:15 ἀνεχώρησεν to withdrew Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Matthew 14:13 ἀνεχώρησεν to He withdrew Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Matthew 15:21 ἀνεχώρησεν to withdrew Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Matthew 27:5 ἀνεχώρησεν to and left 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 2:12
Aligned rows 14
Books represented 4
Matthew 10 Mark 1 John 1 Acts 2
Source forms
ἀνεχώρησεν 9x anechōrēsen Matthew 2:14, Matthew 2:22, Matthew 4:12, Matthew 12:15
Ἀναχωρεῖτε 1x Anachōreite Matthew 9:24
ἀναχωρήσαντες 1x anachōrēsantes Acts 26:31
Ἀναχωρησάντων 1x Anachōrēsantōn Matthew 2:13
ἀναχωρήσας 1x anachōrēsas Acts 23:19
ἀνεχώρησαν 1x anechōrēsan Matthew 2:12
Parsing patterns
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 9x Matthew 2:14, Matthew 2:22, Matthew 4:12, Matthew 12:15
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural 1x Matthew 2:12
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Plural 1x Matthew 2:13
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural 1x Acts 26:31
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular 1x Acts 23:19
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural 1x Matthew 9:24
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Ask what the withdrawal serves. Faithful departure protects obedience, mission, or integrity; escapism protects comfort.
- Use John 6:15 to expose false pressure on Jesus, not to deny His kingship or public mission.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that withdrawal is always fear or always wisdom. The narrative reason determines the pastoral point.
- Do not claim that Jesus refused kingship in John 6. He refused the crowd's attempt to make Him king by force.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. To withdraw or retreat, often implying escape from danger or threat rather than mere retirement
Strong's G402
Lexical occurrences 14 verses Greek text appearances 14 times Word forms 3 forms 14 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Matthew 2:12 Source Gloss
to retire
Extended definition Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
To withdraw or retreat, often implying escape from danger or threat rather than mere retirement
1to go back.
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
14 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 2:12 Verb Third Person Plural Aorist Active Indicative
ἀνεχώρησαν anecwrhsan
I return, retire, depart, withdraw
Read verse Matthew 2:13 Verb Aorist Active Participle Genitive Plural Masculine
Ἀναχωρησάντων anacwrhsantwn
I return, retire, depart, withdraw
Read verse Matthew 2:14 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἀνεχώρησεν anecwrhsen
I return, retire, depart, withdraw
Read verse Matthew 2:22 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἀνεχώρησεν anecwrhsen
I return, retire, depart, withdraw
Read verse Matthew 4:12 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἀνεχώρησεν anecwrhsen
I return, retire, depart, withdraw
Read verse Matthew 9:24 Verb Second Person Plural Present Active Imperative
Ἀναχωρεῖτε· anacwreite
I return, retire, depart, withdraw
Read verse Matthew 12:15 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἀνεχώρησεν anecwrhsen
I return, retire, depart, withdraw
Read verse Matthew 14:13 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἀνεχώρησεν anecwrhsen
I return, retire, depart, withdraw
Read verse Matthew 15:21 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἀνεχώρησεν anecwrhsen
I return, retire, depart, withdraw
Read verse Matthew 27:5 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἀνεχώρησε· anecwrhsen
I return, retire, depart, withdraw
Read verse Mark 3:7 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἀνεχώρησε anecwrhsen
I return, retire, depart, withdraw
Read verse John 6:15 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἀνεχώρησε anecwrhsen
I return, retire, depart, withdraw
Read verse Acts 23:19 Verb Aorist Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
ἀναχωρήσας anacwrhsav
I return, retire, depart, withdraw
Read verse Acts 26:31 Verb Aorist Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine
ἀναχωρήσαντες anacwrhsantev
I return, retire, depart, withdraw
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 14 Tenses Aorist, 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 10×
Aorist Active Matt 2:14 · Matt 2:22 · Matt 4:12 · Matt 12:15 · Matt 14:13 · Matt 15:21 · Matt 27:5 · Mark 3:7 · John 6:15 · Matt 2:12 10×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 3×
Aorist Active Matt 2:13 · Acts 23:19 · Acts 26:31 3×
Imperative command or strong request 1×
Present Active Matt 9:24 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 14 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
aorist 13 present 1
Voice
active 14
Mood
indicative 10 participle 3 imperative 1
NT Occurrences
Matthew 2:12 ἀνεχώρησαν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 2:13 Ἀναχωρησάντων aorist active participle participle Matthew 2:14 ἀνεχώρησεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 2:22 ἀνεχώρησεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 4:12 ἀνεχώρησεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 9:24 Ἀναχωρεῖτε present active imperative imperative Matthew 12:15 ἀνεχώρησεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 14:13 ἀνεχώρησεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 15:21 ἀνεχώρησεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 27:5 ἀνεχώρησεν aorist active indicative completed Mark 3:7 ἀνεχώρησεν aorist active indicative completed John 6:15 ἀνεχώρησεν aorist active indicative completed Acts 23:19 ἀναχωρήσας aorist active participle participle Acts 26:31 ἀναχωρήσαντες aorist active participle participle
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.
Biblical Witnesses
to withdraw or depart to avoid danger, specifically Herod's threat
to withdraw and escape to Egypt, avoiding imminent threat to the child
to retire or withdraw upon hearing of John's arrest
to retire from a location to avoid conflict with the Pharisees
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 14 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
ἀναχωρέω is built from these roots:
For the Preacher and Teacher
Anachoreo reminds readers that faithful movement sometimes goes away from pressure. The Magi and Joseph withdraw under divine warning. Jesus withdraws after John's arrest, from hostile plotting, into solitary grief, and away from a crowd that wants to make Him king by force. None of those movements makes Him less faithful or less merciful; Matthew even shows healing after withdrawal.
The word gives teachers a category for prudent departure without baptizing avoidance. Withdrawal can protect obedience, preserve mission, refuse manipulation, or make room for grief before continued service. The question is not whether leaving is always right or always wrong. The question is what the departure serves under God.
Anchor passage
John.6.15
Doctrinal connections
- G5343 Pheugo, to flee: Matthew 2 links withdrawal with protective flight under divine warning.
- G935 Basileus, king: John 6:15 shows Jesus refusing forced kingship on the crowd's terms.
- G2033 hepta or wilderness-solitude themes: Matthew's withdrawal scenes often move Jesus away from public pressure without ending His mission.
- G2323 Therapeuo, to heal: Matthew 12:15 shows that withdrawal from hostility can coexist with mercy toward needy crowds.
- G2491 Ioannes, John: Matthew 4:12 and 14:13 place withdrawal near John's imprisonment and death, adding mission and grief contexts.
- Matthew 2:13-23: repeated withdrawal protects the child Jesus while fulfilling God's providential direction.
The verb combines movement back or away with departure. It usually needs its narrative trigger: warning, threat, grief, strategic movement, or resistance to pressure.
From Old to New Testament
Scripture includes faithful departures: flight from danger, wilderness withdrawal, guarded mission, and refusal of false power. Anachoreo helps New Testament readers see that leaving a place can be obedience when God directs the movement and the mission remains intact.
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