ἐκκλείω
ekkleíō
G1576 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To shut out, to exclude by closing a door, gate, or metaphorically to bar from participation, access, or fellowship. Primary sense is the physical act of excluding or refusing entry, with secondary use in contexts of social, legal, or religious exclusion or barring.
Semantic Range
to shut out, to exclude by closing a door or gate, to bar from entry (literal), to exclude from participation or fellowship (figurative), to banish or block access
Root / Etymology
From ἐκ (out of, from) + κλείω (to shut, to close); a compound verb meaning 'to shut out' by closing a physical or metaphorical opening. The derivation is straightforward and transparent in Greek.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical and Hellenistic Greek, ἐκκλείω is used primarily for actual physical shutting out—blocking entry from a place or into a group, especially with doors or gates. It appears in non-biblical sources with this literal meaning. In the New Testament and Septuagint, it can also bear the sense of excluding someone socially or religiously, such as being barred from participation in communal, civic, or religious life. English Bibles often render it as 'exclude', 'shut out', or 'banish', but the nuance of a deliberate closing off (rather than passive absence) is important. The term is distinct from more general words for rejection (e.g., ἀποβάλλω, "to throw away") in that it evokes the image of a gate or door purposefully closed to prevent entry. It is rare in the New Testament, and its usage there often has legalistic or community boundaries in view, reflecting societal practices of inclusion/exclusion. No substantial semantic shift from Classical to Koine periods is evident, but figurative uses become somewhat more prominent in religious and philosophical texts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ἐκ and κλείω; to shut out (literally or figuratively):--exclude.
Root Family
κλεί- (ekkleíō) — to shut, to close
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1576-01 |
ἐκκλεῖσαι | ekkleisai | V AOR ACT INF |
to exclude | to shut out | to shut out | 1 |
G1576-02 |
ἐξεκλείσθη | exekleisthe | V AOR PASS IND 3P SG |
is excluded | was shut out | was shut out | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1576-02 |
Romans 3:27 | ἐξεκλείσθη | exekleisthe | V AOR PASS IND 3P SG |
is excluded | was shut out | was shut out |
G1576-01 |
Galatians 4:17 | ἐκκλεῖσαι | ekkleisai | V AOR ACT INF |
to exclude | to shut out | to shut out |