Word Study for G1555 (ἐκδιηγέομαι)

ekdiēgéomai /ek-dee-ayg-eh'-om-ahee/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom ἐκ and a compound of διά and ἡγέομαι

Meaningto narrate through wholly

KJV usagedeclare.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ekdiēgéomai — 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 ekdiēgéomai, represented by G1555, is a specific term used to declare or "narrate through wholly." It appears 2 times across 2 unique verses in the Bible. Its definition suggests a complete and thorough telling of a matter, ensuring nothing is left out of the account.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The use of G1555 in scripture highlights two distinct outcomes of proclaiming God's work. In one context, it is used to declare the conversion of the Gentiles, an act that resulted in great joy for all the brethren Acts 15:3. In contrast, it is also used in a solemn warning to "despisers." They are told of a great work of God, but it is prophesied they will not believe it, even though a man declare it to them fully Acts 13:41.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide context for what is being declared and how it is received:

G1995 epistrophḗ (conversion): This is the subject of the joyful declaration, signifying the moral revolution of the Gentiles that was being reported Acts 15:3.
G2041 érgon (deed, doing, labour, work): This refers to the divine act of God that is being declared. The response to this declared work determines the fate of the hearers Acts 13:41.
G4100 pisteúō (to believe): This is the critical response to what is declared. A failure to believe the declared message leads to a stern warning of perishing Acts 13:41.
G2707 kataphrontḗs (despiser): This identifies the audience of the declaration in one instance, highlighting that the act of declaring a truth does not guarantee its acceptance Acts 13:41.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G1555 centers on the communication of divine acts and the accountability of those who hear them.

Proclamation of God's Work: The term is used to narrate the mighty acts of God. This includes both the joyful news of conversion Acts 15:3 and the solemn work that serves as a warning to unbelievers Acts 13:41.
The Consequence of Belief: The response to what is declared has significant spiritual consequences. Hearing the declaration of Gentile conversion brings joy Acts 15:3, while hearing and refusing to believe the declared work of God leads to judgment Acts 13:41.

Summary

In summary, G1555 is more than a simple act of speaking; it is a full and complete narration of God's actions. The two occurrences in scripture powerfully illustrate that the same act of declaring divine truth can be met with either joyful acceptance or defiant unbelief. This word underscores the importance of both proclaiming God's work and the critical responsibility of the hearer to believe what is declared.

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 2 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Present Middle Or Passive Deponent Participle Nominative Plural Masculine 1×
Present Middle Or Passive Deponent Subjunctive 3rd Singular 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Present: Action in progress or repeated — happening now or continually.
Middle: The subject acts on or for itself.
Passive Deponent: Passive in form but active in meaning.
Middle Or Passive: Can be read as middle or passive; context decides.
Subjunctive: Possibility or purpose — "might", "should".
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

2 verses, all in Acts — and none of the other 26 New Testament books.

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.