English · KJV
G1559

ἐκδιώκω

ekdiṓkō /ek-dee-o'-ko/ Ask about this word
Rootfrom ἐκ and διώκω
Meaningto pursue out, i.e. expel or persecute implacably
KJV usagepersecute.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ekdiṓkō — 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 ekdiṓkō, represented by G1559, is defined as "to pursue out, i.e. expel or persecute implacably." Its base components, ἐκ (out) and διώκω (to pursue), emphasize an intense and relentless form of hostility. This term, translated as persecute, appears 2 times across 2 unique verses in the Bible.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, G1559 specifically describes the violent opposition faced by God's messengers. In Luke 11:49, "the wisdom of God" foretells that prophets and apostles will be sent, and some will be slain and persecuted, framing this hostility as an expected consequence of their mission. Similarly, 1 Thessalonians 2:15 uses the word to describe the suffering of the apostles, drawing a direct parallel to the historical killing of "the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets."

Related Words & Concepts

The meaning of G1559 is clarified by the words it appears with in scripture:

  • G615 apokteínō (to kill outright; figuratively, to destroy): This word for killing is paired with persecution in both occurrences of G1559, highlighting the extreme and often fatal nature of the hostility (Luke 11:49, 1 Thessalonians 2:15).
  • G4396 prophḗtēs (a foreteller ("prophet"); by analogy, an inspired speaker): Prophets are consistently identified as the targets of this persecution and killing in both biblical contexts where G1559 is found (Luke 11:49, 1 Thessalonians 2:15).
  • G652 apóstolos (a delegate; specially, an ambassador of the Gospel): Mentioned alongside prophets, apostles are also designated as those who will be sent by God and subsequently persecuted by men Luke 11:49.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G1559 is centered on the recurring theme of opposition to divine messengers.

  • A Pattern of Rejection: The word establishes a clear historical pattern, linking the persecution of the apostles directly to the killing of the prophets and of Jesus himself 1 Thessalonians 2:15.
  • A Prophesied Consequence: The act of being persecuted is not presented as a surprise, but as a foretold reality for those sent by God, as stated by "the wisdom of God" Luke 11:49.
  • Opposition to God: The act of persecution is characterized as being contrary to God's will. Those who carry out this action are described as those who "please not God, and are contrary to all men" 1 Thessalonians 2:15.

Summary

In summary, G1559 is a powerful and specific term for implacable persecution. Though used only twice, it is a crucial word for understanding the cost of divine service. It consistently describes the hostile and often lethal reception given to God's chosen messengers—prophets, apostles, and Christ himself—thereby defining a key element of the conflict between God's mission and human rebellion.

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.

  • Aorist Active Participle Genitive Plural Masculine 1×
  • Future Active Indicative 3rd Plural 1×
Genitive
Possession or source — often "of".
Plural
More than one.
Masculine
Masculine grammatical gender.
3rd
Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
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.
Participle
A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

G615 ἀποκτείνω from ἀπό and (to slay); to kill outright; figuratively, to destroy:--put to death, kill, slay. G4396 προφήτης from a compound of πρό and φημί; a foreteller ("prophet"); by analogy, an inspired speaker; by extension, a poet:--proph G652 ἀπόστολος from ἀποστέλλω; a delegate; specially, an ambassador of the Gospel; officially a commissioner of Christ ("apostle") (wit

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 2 verses across 2 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Luke and 1 Thessalonians (1 verse each); never once in the other 25.

1
Luke
1
1 Thessalonians

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.