Word Study for G1439 (ἐάω) | Strong's Concordance

eáō /eh-ah'-o/ Ask about this word

Rootof uncertain affinity

Meaningto let be, i.e. permit or leave alone

KJV usagecommit, leave, let (alone), suffer. See also ἔα.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of eáō — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word eáō, represented by G1439, means to let be, i.e. permit or leave alone. It appears 15 times across 13 unique verses in the Bible. Its usage conveys concepts of suffering (permitting), leaving, committing, or letting something alone.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, G1439 is used in several key contexts. It is used to express permission or allowance, as when Paul's disciples suffered him not to enter in unto the people Acts 19:30. It can mean to leave something behind, such as when soldiers on the morrow left the horsemen to go with Paul Acts 23:32. The word also describes God's divine allowance, as He suffered all nations to walk in their own ways in times past Acts 14:16. Another instance shows it being used to mean let alone, as in the advice to let the men alone, for if their work is of men, it will come to nought Acts 5:38.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words clarify the concept of permitting or refraining:

G1410 dýnamai (to be able or possible): This word is often paired with G1439 to define the limits of what is permitted. For example, God will not suffer believers to be tempted beyond what they are able to bear 1 Corinthians 10:13.
G868 aphístēmi (to remove... refrain, withdraw self): This term often precedes the action of G1439. In Acts, the counsel is to first refrain from the men and then to let them alone Acts 5:38.
G2008 epitimáō (censure or admonish; by implication, forbid): This word acts as an opposite to G1439. Jesus did not suffer the devils to speak, but instead was rebuking them Luke 4:41, showing a direct refusal of permission.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G1439 is significant, highlighting the interplay between divine permission and human responsibility.

Divine Sovereignty: The word is used to describe God's sovereign allowance. He suffered all nations to follow their own paths Acts 14:16 and suffers believers to be tempted, but provides a way of escape, showing that His permission is tied to His provision 1 Corinthians 10:13.
Spiritual Discernment: The failure to exercise authority is shown through this word. The church in Revelation is condemned because "thou sufferest that woman Jezebel... to teach" Revelation 2:20. Conversely, Jesus demonstrates authority by not suffering demons to speak Luke 4:41.
Human Agency: The term is used to show human decision-making and its consequences. A homeowner, if he had known, would not have suffered his house to be broken up Matthew 24:43. In another case, soldiers let a boat fall off into the sea, an act of deliberate choice Acts 27:32.

Summary

In summary, G1439 is a versatile word that signifies more than simple permission. It encompasses divine allowance, human inaction or deliberate choice, and the exercise of spiritual authority. From God not suffering believers to be tempted beyond their ability 1 Corinthians 10:13 to a call to let others alone Acts 5:38, the word illustrates how the act of permitting or leaving be is a critical element in biblical narratives and theological understanding.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as a verb across 13 occurrences, inflected in 9 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Aorist Active Indicative 3rd Singular 4×
Imperfect Active Indicative 3rd Plural 2×
2nd Aorist Active Imperative 2nd Plural 1×
Aorist Active Indicative 3rd Plural 1×
Aorist Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine 1×
Future Active Indicative 3rd Singular 1×
Imperfect Active Indicative 3rd Singular 1×
Present Active Imperative 2nd Plural 1×
Present Active Indicative 2nd Singular 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
2nd: Second person — the one addressed ("you").
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Present: Action in progress or repeated — happening now or continually.
Imperfect: Ongoing or repeated action in the past — "was doing".
Future: Action yet to take place.
Aorist: Action viewed as a single whole — usually a simple past event.
Active: The subject performs the action.
Indicative: A plain statement of fact.
Imperative: A command or entreaty.
Participle: A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 13 verses across 5 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Acts (8 verses); never once in the other 22.

Matthew

Luke

Acts

1 Corinthians

Revelation

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.