To foretell
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G4302, prolégō, is a Greek verb for saying beforehand, warning in advance, stating something previously, or foretelling. Its prefix marks temporal priority, but context determines whether the speech predicts an event, repeats an earlier warning, cites what Scripture said before, or reminds hearers of apostolic teaching.
Reader summary
Full entry for προλέγω (G4302) · Open the biblical lexicon
G4302, prolégō, is a Greek verb for saying beforehand, warning in advance, stating something previously, or foretelling. Its prefix marks temporal priority, but context determines whether the speech predicts an event, repeats an earlier warning, cites what Scripture said before, or reminds hearers of apostolic teaching.
The BSB source-word alignment has 14 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include I warn (2), was foretold (2), foretold (1), I already warned [you] (1), I did before (1).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 24:25. Its strongest book concentrations include 2 Corinthians (3), Galatians (3), 1 Thessalonians (2), 2 Peter (1).
G4302, prolégō, is a Greek verb for saying beforehand, warning in advance, stating something previously, or foretelling. Its prefix marks temporal priority, but context determines whether the speech predicts an event, repeats an earlier warning, cites what Scripture said before, or reminds hearers of apostolic teaching. Jesus tells His disciples in advance about deception and tribulation. Paul says beforehand what he will do when he returns, recalls warnings about suffering and exploitation, and repeats the received gospel boundary. Peter and Jude direct believers to remember words previously spoken by prophets and apostles. The verb does not turn every prior statement into prophecy.
Advance speech can serve pastoral protection because it removes the excuse that consequences or trials arrived without warning. Jesus' words call disciples to watchfulness rather than date-setting. Paul prepares the Thessalonians for persecution and warns against violating or exploiting a brother. In Corinth, his prior notice concerns a forthcoming visit and discipline, but the wider letters keep apostolic authority joined to truth, restoration, self-examination, and the building up of the church. A warning should clarify reality and responsibility; it must not become a tool for intimidation, retaliation, or manufacturing consent.
The passive forms in 2 Peter and Jude direct attention backward to the holy prophets, the Lord's command through the apostles, and remembered apostolic warnings. Romans describes Isaiah as having spoken beforehand, locating the quotation within Scripture's prior witness. Pastoral use should distinguish fulfilled foretelling from ordinary advance notice and from repeated teaching. It should also ask whether the speaker had authority, whether the warning is textually grounded, whether the threatened action is just, and whether people have a truthful opportunity to respond. Saying something early does not make it right; it makes the speaker's claim and conduct more accountable.
G4302 gathers Jesus' advance warnings, Paul's repeated pastoral notice, Isaiah's prior witness, Scripture remembered by later believers, and foretold apostolic teaching into one temporal verb of earlier speech.
See, I have told you in advance.
Jesus gives advance notice within warnings about deception and tribulation so disciples can remain watchful without claiming a timetable He does not give.
So be on your guard; I have told you everything in advance.
Advance speech serves vigilance in Mark's discourse, joining Jesus' warning to the command that disciples stay alert amid misleading claims.
It is just as Isaiah foretold: “Unless the Lord of Hosts had left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom, we would have resembled Gomorrah.”
Paul treats Isaiah's earlier word as Scripture that already interpreted survival by mercy, not as an isolated prediction detached from Isaiah's context.
I do not say this to condemn you. I have said before that you so occupy our hearts that we live and die together with you.
Paul's prior statement here expresses durable affection, proving that the verb can recall earlier relational speech rather than forecast an event.
I already warned you the second time I was with you. So now in my absence I warn those who sinned earlier and everyone else: If I return, I will not spare anyone,
Paul repeats advance notice before returning, making the warning public and accountable while the letter also aims at examination, restoration, and building up.
As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be under a curse!
The repeated statement protects the received apostolic gospel from contradiction; it does not authorize attaching the curse to every secondary disagreement.
And envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Paul renews an earlier ethical warning about settled practices, locating advance speech within the contrast between works of the flesh and Spirit-formed fruit.
Indeed, when we were with you, we kept warning you that we would suffer persecution; and as you know, it has come to pass.
The earlier warning prepares believers for affliction and is confirmed by events, but Paul responds with pastoral concern rather than triumph over being correct.
And no one should ever violate or exploit his brother in this regard, because the Lord will avenge all such acts, as we have already told you and solemnly warned you.
Prior warning serves holiness and neighbor protection by naming exploitation and divine accountability before harm is excused or normalized.
God again designated a certain day as “Today,” when a long time later He spoke through David as was just stated: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.”
The earlier statement remains a present summons through Scripture, so prior speech addresses today's hearer rather than becoming inert history.
By recalling what was foretold by the holy prophets and commanded by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.
Remembered prophetic and apostolic words orient believers amid scoffing, joining prior revelation to the Lord's command and patient hope.
But you, beloved, remember what was foretold by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ
Jude turns the beloved community toward remembered apostolic warning so present deception is interpreted through teaching already received.
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 foretell
Textus Receptus witness, full corpusGreek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
15 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
I forewarn
Read verseI forewarn
Read verseI forewarn
Read verseI forewarn
Read verseI forewarn
Read verseI forewarn
Read verseI forewarn
Read verseI forewarn
Read verseI forewarn
Read verseI forewarn
Read verseI forewarn
Read verseI forewarn
Read verseI forewarn
Read verseI forewarn
Read verseI forewarn
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 13 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)
προλέγω is built from these roots:
G4302 gives weight to words because they were spoken before the present moment, but temporal priority does not equal divine authority. Jesus prepares disciples for deception and tribulation so they will watch faithfully. Paul recalls affection, warns churches before visits, prepares believers for suffering, protects a brother from exploitation, and repeats the received gospel and kingdom ethic.
Romans, Hebrews, 2 Peter, and Jude direct hearers to Scripture and apostolic teaching already given. In each case, earlier speech becomes a basis for memory, discernment, or accountability. Pastors should therefore give important warnings clearly, early, and in verifiable language, while also ensuring that the warning itself is just, contextual, and open to review.
An abusive leader cannot legitimize retaliation by announcing it beforehand, and a failed forecast cannot be protected by vague wording after the fact. The church remembers Christ's and the apostles' prior words not to cultivate fear, but to remain steady in truth, holiness, mutual protection, and hope.
Matt.24.25
G4302 combines the sense of before with saying. Its governed forms are verbal, including active and passive indicatives and participles. BSB renderings include told in advance, warned, said before, stated, and foretold, so discourse context determines whether the earlier speech predicts, repeats, cites, or cautions.
The prophets speak beforehand within Israel's covenant history, and the New Testament receives those words as Scripture fulfilled and still addressing the present. Jesus warns His disciples in advance, while the apostles recall both prophetic testimony and the Lord's commands so the church can endure deception, suffering, and delay with faithful memory.