What does φεύγω (pheúgō) mean in the Bible?
Pheugō means to flee, escape, or move away rapidly from danger. Joseph is commanded to flee Herod's murderous threat with the child Jesus.
Greek · G5343
φεύγω
To flee
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φεύγω G5343
Pronunciation pheúgō
What does φεύγω (pheúgō) mean in the Bible?
Pheugō means to flee, escape, or move away rapidly from danger. Joseph is commanded to flee Herod's murderous threat with the child Jesus.
Reader summary
Full entry for φεύγω (G5343) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G5343?
The BSB source-word alignment has 29 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include flee (6), fled (4), Flee from (3), [and] fled (2), and ran away (2).
Where does φεύγω (pheúgō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 2:13. Its strongest book concentrations include Matthew (7), Mark (5), Revelation (4), Luke (3).
What This Word Actually Means
Pheugō means to flee, escape, or move away rapidly from danger. Joseph is commanded to flee Herod's murderous threat with the child Jesus. Townspeople flee after the drowning of the pigs and report what happened. Jesus warns Jerusalem's inhabitants to flee when devastation approaches. Paul commands Timothy to flee the love of money and pursue righteousness. Revelation portrays earth and heaven fleeing from the presence of the final Judge.
The verb can describe prudent protection, fearful reaction, urgent obedience, deliberate moral avoidance, or cosmic disappearance. Scripture does not praise or condemn flight in the abstract. The danger, command, destination, and accompanying pursuit decide whether fleeing is faithful.
How the Bible Uses It
Pheugō presents flight from diverse threats: Herod's violence, a terrifying event, Jerusalem's coming desolation, corrupt desire, and the Judge's unveiled presence. Faithful flight may protect life or reject temptation, while other flight simply registers fear before overwhelming power.
- Matt.2.13
When the Magi had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up!” he said. “Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the Child to kill Him.”
Matthew 2:13 commands Joseph to take the child and His mother and flee to Egypt because Herod seeks the child's life. Prompt flight is faithful obedience to God's protective warning.
- Mark.5.14
Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened.
Mark 5:14 says those tending the pigs fled and reported the event in town and country. Their alarm spreads news of Jesus' powerful deliverance and the herd's destruction, prompting the region's fearful response.
- Luke.21.21
Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country stay out of the city.
Luke 21:21 tells those in Judea to flee to the mountains when Jerusalem is surrounded. The warning calls for concrete action in a historical crisis rather than heroic refusal to seek safety.
- 1Tim.6.11
But you, O man of God, flee from these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.
First Timothy 6:11 tells the man of God to flee the preceding evils, especially greed and false teaching, and to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.
- Rev.20.11
Then I saw a great white throne and the One seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from His presence, and no place was found for them.
Revelation 20:11 depicts earth and heaven fleeing from the great white throne, with no place found for them. The cosmic image emphasizes the majesty of the Judge and transition to final judgment and new creation.
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 flee 6× Matthew 2:13, Matthew 10:23, Matthew 24:16, Mark 13:14
fled 4× Acts 7:29, Revelation 12:6, Revelation 16:20, Revelation 20:11
Flee from 3× 1 Corinthians 6:18, 1 Timothy 6:11, 2 Timothy 2:22
[and] fled 2× Matthew 26:56, Mark 14:50
and ran away 2× Mark 14:52, Mark 16:8
ran off 2× Matthew 8:33, Mark 5:14
to flee 2× Matthew 3:7, Luke 3:7
[and] escaped 1× Hebrews 11:34
he will flee 1× James 4:7
runs away 1× John 10:12
they ran off 1× Luke 8:34
they will flee 1× John 10:5
to escape 1× Acts 27:30
will escape 1× Revelation 9:6
will you escape 1× Matthew 23:33
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 2:13 φεῦγε to flee Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular Matthew 3:7 φυγεῖν to to flee Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active Matthew 8:33 ἔφυγον to ran off Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural Matthew 10:23 φεύγετε to flee Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural Matthew 23:33 φύγητε to will you escape Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural Matthew 24:16 φευγέτωσαν to flee Verb - Present Imperative Active - 3rd Person Plural Matthew 26:56 ἔφυγον to [and] fled Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural Mark 5:14 ἔφυγον to ran off Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural Mark 13:14 φευγέτωσαν to flee Verb - Present Imperative Active - 3rd Person Plural Mark 14:50 ἔφυγον to [and] fled Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 2:13
Aligned rows 29
Books represented 11
Matthew 7 Mark 5 Luke 3 John 2 Acts 2 1 Corinthians 2 1 Timothy 1 2 Timothy 1 Hebrews 1 James 1 Revelation 4
Source forms
ἔφυγον 7x ephygon Matthew 8:33, Matthew 26:56, Mark 5:14, Mark 14:50
ἔφυγεν 5x ephygen Mark 14:52, Acts 7:29, Revelation 12:6, Revelation 16:20
φεῦγε 3x pheuge Matthew 2:13, 1 Timothy 6:11, 2 Timothy 2:22
φευγέτωσαν 3x pheugetōsan Matthew 24:16, Mark 13:14, Luke 21:21
φυγεῖν 3x phygein Matthew 3:7, Luke 3:7, Acts 27:30
φεύγει 2x pheugei John 10:12, Revelation 9:6
φεύγετε 2x pheugete Matthew 10:23, 1 Corinthians 10:14
Φεύγετε 1x Pheugete 1 Corinthians 6:18
Parsing patterns
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural 7x Matthew 8:33, Matthew 26:56, Mark 5:14, Mark 14:50
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 5x Mark 14:52, Acts 7:29, Revelation 12:6, Revelation 16:20
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active 3x Matthew 3:7, Luke 3:7, Acts 27:30
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural 3x Matthew 10:23, 1 Corinthians 6:18, 1 Corinthians 10:14
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular 3x Matthew 2:13, 1 Timothy 6:11, 2 Timothy 2:22
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 3rd Person Plural 3x Matthew 24:16, Mark 13:14, Luke 21:21
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 2x John 10:12, Revelation 9:6
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural 1x Matthew 23:33
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Do not shame people for leaving genuine danger or seeking lawful protection.
- Do not treat physical distance from temptation as complete repentance without new desires and practices.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not shame people for leaving genuine danger or seeking lawful protection.
- Do not treat physical distance from temptation as complete repentance without new desires and practices.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. Flee from danger or evil; metaphorically, to avoid or escape from temptation and sin.
Strong's G5343
Lexical occurrences 29 verses Greek text appearances 31 times 16 shown below Word forms 4 forms 29 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link 1 Timothy 6:11-16 Source Gloss
to flee
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 31 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 2:13 Verb Second Person Singular Present Active Imperative
φεῦγε feuge
I flee, escape, shun
Read verse Matthew 3:7 Verb Second Aorist Active Infinitive
φυγεῖν fugein
I flee, escape, shun
Read verse Matthew 8:33 Verb Third Person Plural Second Aorist Active Indicative
ἔφυγον, efugon
I flee, escape, shun
Read verse Matthew 10:23 Verb Second Person Plural Present Active Imperative
φεύγετε feugete
I flee, escape, shun
Read verse Matthew 23:33 Verb Second Person Plural Second Aorist Active Subjunctive
φύγητε fughte
I flee, escape, shun
Read verse Matthew 24:16 Verb Third Person Plural Present Active Imperative
φευγέτωσαν feugetwsan
I flee, escape, shun
Read verse Matthew 26:56 Verb Third Person Plural Second Aorist Active Indicative
ἔφυγον. efugon
I flee, escape, shun
Read verse Mark 5:14 Verb Third Person Plural Second Aorist Active Indicative
ἔφυγον, efugon
I flee, escape, shun
Read verse Mark 13:14 Verb Third Person Plural Present Active Imperative
φευγέτωσαν feugetwsan
I flee, escape, shun
Read verse Mark 14:50 Verb Third Person Plural Second Aorist Active Indicative
ἔφυγον. efugon
I flee, escape, shun
Read verse Mark 14:52 Verb Third Person Singular Second Aorist Active Indicative
ἔφυγεν efugen
I flee, escape, shun
Read verse Mark 16:8 Verb Third Person Plural Second Aorist Active Indicative
ἔφυγον efugon
I flee, escape, shun
Read verse Luke 3:7 Verb Second Aorist Active Infinitive
φυγεῖν fugein
I flee, escape, shun
Read verse Luke 8:34 Verb Third Person Plural Second Aorist Active Indicative
ἔφυγον, efugon
I flee, escape, shun
Read verse Luke 21:21 Verb Third Person Plural Present Active Imperative
φευγέτωσαν feugetwsan
I flee, escape, shun
Read verse John 10:5 Verb Third Person Plural Future Middle Deponent Indicative
φεύξονται feuxontai
I flee, escape, shun
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 4 Aligned forms 29 Tenses Aorist, Present, Future Voices Active, Middle
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Indicative states a fact or reality 16×
Aorist Active Matt 8:33 · Matt 26:56 · Mark 5:14 · Mark 14:50 · Mark 16:8 · Luke 8:34 · Heb 11:34 · Mark 14:52 · Acts 7:29 · Rev 12:6 · Rev 16:20 · Rev 20:11 12×
Present Active John 10:12 · Rev 9:6 2×
Future Middle John 10:5 · Jas 4:7 2×
Imperative command or strong request 9×
Present Active Matt 2:13 · 1 Tim 6:11 · 2 Tim 2:22 · Matt 10:23 · 1 Cor 6:18 · 1 Cor 10:14 · Matt 24:16 · Mark 13:14 · Luke 21:21 9×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 3×
Aorist Active Matt 3:7 · Luke 3:7 · Acts 27:30 3×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 1×
Aorist Active Matt 23:33 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 29 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
aorist 16 present 11 future 2
Voice
active 27 middle 2
Mood
indicative 16 imperative 9 infinitive 3 subjunctive 1
NT Occurrences
Matthew 2:13 φεῦγε present active imperative imperative Matthew 3:7 φυγεῖν aorist active infinitive infinitive Matthew 8:33 ἔφυγον aorist active indicative completed Matthew 10:23 φεύγετε present active imperative imperative Matthew 23:33 φύγητε aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 24:16 φευγέτωσαν present active imperative imperative Matthew 26:56 ἔφυγον aorist active indicative completed Mark 5:14 ἔφυγον aorist active indicative completed Mark 13:14 φευγέτωσαν present active imperative imperative Mark 14:50 ἔφυγον aorist active indicative completed Mark 14:52 ἔφυγεν aorist active indicative completed Mark 16:8 ἔφυγον aorist active indicative completed Luke 3:7 φυγεῖν aorist active infinitive infinitive Luke 8:34 ἔφυγον aorist active indicative completed Luke 21:21 φευγέτωσαν present active imperative imperative John 10:12 φεύγει present active indicative ongoing John 10:5 φεύξονται future middle indicative prospective Acts 7:29 ἔφυγεν aorist active indicative completed Acts 27:30 φυγεῖν aorist active infinitive infinitive 1 Corinthians 6:18 φεύγετε present active imperative imperative 1 Corinthians 10:14 φεύγετε present active imperative imperative 1 Timothy 6:11 φεῦγε present active imperative imperative 2 Timothy 2:22 φεῦγε present active imperative imperative Hebrews 11:34 ἔφυγον aorist active indicative completed James 4:7 φεύξεται future middle indicative prospective Revelation 9:6 φεύγει present active indicative ongoing Revelation 12:6 ἔφυγεν aorist active indicative completed Revelation 16:20 ἔφυγεν aorist active indicative completed Revelation 20:11 ἔφυγεν aorist active indicative completed
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
To deliberately avoid or escape from danger.
to escape or run away from
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 29 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
φεύγω is a primary verb - no further derivation.
Why This Word Matters
Timothy must actively reject youthful passions and influences that compromise spiritual integrity. 1 Timothy 6:11-16
Holiness requires decisive separation from destructive desires. 2 Timothy 2:20-26
Canonical Themes
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
Pheugō can be an act of faith. Joseph protects the child entrusted to him by obeying immediately. Jesus tells vulnerable people to leave a city facing devastation, refusing the fantasy that courage always means remaining in danger. Paul turns flight into moral strategy: Timothy must put distance between himself and greed, corrupt controversy, and destructive desire, then run toward righteousness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness.
Revelation finally portrays a flight no creature controls as the old order gives way before the Judge. Pastoral teaching should therefore ask what danger Scripture identifies and what faithful refuge or pursuit it provides. It should never shame victims for seeking safety, nor should it call avoidance complete repentance when the heart continues to cherish the evil.
Biblical flight is often purposeful movement toward obedience under God's rule.
Anchor passage
1Tim.6.11
Doctrinal connections
- Providence: God warns Joseph and preserves the Messiah from Herod's violence.
- Wisdom and safety: Jesus authorizes concrete escape from Jerusalem's approaching devastation.
- Sanctification: believers flee corrupt desires while pursuing positive Christlike virtues.
- Stewardship: the love of money is treated as a spiritually destructive power, not a harmless preference.
- Judgment: creation itself cannot provide hiding from the great white throne.
- New creation: the old heaven and earth give way before final judgment and the renewed order.
Pheugō is the common verb for fleeing or escaping. It may take a source or danger left implicit, and in moral exhortation it can mean resolutely avoiding a corrupting practice or desire.
From Old to New Testament
Lot flees doomed Sodom, David repeatedly escapes murderous pursuit, and prophets warn people to flee coming judgment. Wisdom also urges hearers to avoid the path of evil, anticipating the New Testament pairing of flight and righteous pursuit.
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