Word Study for G1556 (ἐκδικέω)

ekdikéō /ek-dik-eh'-o/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom ἔκδικος

Meaningto vindicate, retaliate, punish

KJV usagea (re-)venge.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ekdikéō — 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 ekdikéō, represented by G1556, is defined as to vindicate, retaliate, or punish. It appears 6 times across 6 unique verses in the Bible. This term specifically addresses the act of seeking or carrying out vengeance, often in the context of rectifying an injustice.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical usage, G1556 is found in pleas for justice and declarations of divine judgment. A persistent widow repeatedly asks a judge to avenge her of her adversary (Luke 18:3, Luke 18:5). In Revelation, the souls of martyrs cry out to the Lord, asking when He will judge and avenge their blood Revelation 6:10. This cry is answered later when a heavenly voice declares that God's judgments are true and righteous, for he "hath avenged the blood of his servants" Revelation 19:2. Conversely, believers are directly commanded not to avenge themselves but to leave room for God's wrath Romans 12:19. The term is also used to describe a readiness to revenge all disobedience 2 Corinthians 10:6.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the concept of divine justice and retribution:

G1557 ekdíkēsis (vindication, retribution): This is the noun form of the verb, representing the act of vengeance itself. It is found in the declaration, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord" Romans 12:19.
G2919 krínō (to judge, condemn, punish): This word for judging is often paired with the act of avenging. The martyrs under the altar ask God to both "judge and avenge" their blood Revelation 6:10.
G3709 orgḗ (wrath): This term for divine anger is the motivation behind God's vengeance. Believers are told not to avenge themselves but to "give place unto wrath" Romans 12:19.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G1556 is significant, highlighting a clear distinction between human retaliation and divine justice.

Divine Prerogative: The act of vengeance is reserved for God alone. Believers are explicitly forbidden from taking matters into their own hands, instructed not to avenge themselves because God has stated, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay" Romans 12:19.
Righteous Judgment: God's vengeance is not a malicious act but an expression of His just character. His judgments are declared "true and righteous" in the very context of Him having avenged the innocent blood shed on earth Revelation 19:2.
Awaiting Vindication: The word is used in cries for justice from the oppressed. The pleas of the widow Luke 18:3 and the martyrs Revelation 6:10 demonstrate a faith that God is a righteous judge who will ultimately vindicate His people.

Summary

In summary, G1556 is a precise term that defines the execution of justice and punishment. It consistently points to the principle that while humans may cry out to be avenged, the ultimate authority to carry out vengeance rests with God. The word reinforces a core biblical theme: justice will be served, not through human retaliation, but through the perfect and righteous judgment of the Lord.

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 6 occurrences, inflected in 6 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

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

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
1st: First person — the speaker ("I"/"we").
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.
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.
Infinitive: The verb as a noun — "to do".
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 6 verses across 4 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Luke and Revelation (2 verses each); never once in the other 23.

Luke

Romans

2 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.