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ἐκλαλέω

eklaléō

G1583 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

to speak out, to declare openly, to divulge or disclose (information); the act of making something known that was previously hidden or not public, especially through speech; in some contexts, to tell or report openly, as opposed to keeping secret.

Semantic Range

to divulge, to tell openly, to declare, to disclose, to report, to make public

Root / Etymology

From ἐκ (out of, from) and λαλέω (to speak, to talk); the compound form emphasizes the act of speaking out or making something public by utterance.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The verb ἐκλαλέω is a rare compound in Koine Greek, primarily attested in later Greek and occurring very infrequently in extant literature. Its usage combines the idea of speaking (λαλέω) with the prepositional force of ἐκ, suggesting utterance that brings something out into the open or makes something known. In New Testament usage, it appears with the sense of making private or hidden information public, especially through verbal declaration (e.g., divulging a secret). In English translations, the term is often rendered as 'divulge' or 'tell,' but these may not fully capture the emphasis on making something overtly known. Lambda compounds like ἐκλαλέω were less common in earlier periods, becoming more attested in Hellenistic and later Greek. It does not carry inherently negative or positive connotations—the context determines whether what is divulged is praise, blame, or neutral information. The word contrasts with λέγω, which is more general 'to say,' and φημί/'φημίζω' (to report, to announce), as well as ἀποκαλύπτω (to reveal), which emphasizes uncovering more than declaration.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from ἐκ and λαλέω; to divulge:--tell.

Root Family

λαλ- (eklaléō) — to speak, to talk

Root λαλ- to speak, to utter
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
G215 ἀλάλητος to unspeakable ones
G216 ἄλαλος mute
G2635 καταλαλέω slanders
G2636 καταλαλία malicious slanders
G2980 λαλέω he was speaking

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G1583-01 ἐκλαλῆσαι eklalesai V AOR ACT INF to tell to speak out openly to speak out openly 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G1583-01 Acts 23:22 ἐκλαλῆσαι eklalesai V AOR ACT INF to tell to speak out openly to speak out openly
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