Word Study for G1813 (ἐξαλείφω)

exaleíphō /ex-al-i'-fo/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom ἐκ and ἀλείφω

Meaningto smear out, i.e. obliterate (erase tears, figuratively, pardon sin)

KJV usageblot out, wipe away.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of exaleíphō — 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 exaleíphō, represented by G1813, means to smear out or obliterate. It appears 6 times across 5 unique verses in the Bible. Its meaning encompasses both the literal act of wiping something away, such as tears, and the powerful figurative concept of pardoning or blotting out sin.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In scripture, G1813 is used to convey concepts of both divine comfort and judicial pardon. In the book of Revelation, it describes God's ultimate act of consolation, where He will wipe away all tears from the eyes of the faithful, signaling the end of all suffering (Revelation 7:17, Revelation 21:4). Figuratively, it is used to describe the complete forgiveness of sin, as in Acts 3:19, where repentance leads to sins being blotted out. It also carries a legal meaning in Colossians 2:14, referring to the blotting out of the handwriting of ordinances that stood against believers. Finally, it is used in a conditional promise, where Christ assures those who overcome that He will not blot out their names from the book of life Revelation 3:5.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the contexts in which G1813 is used:

G266 hamartía (a sin): This is what is "blotted out" upon repentance, signifying a spiritual cleansing and pardon Acts 3:19.
G1994 epistréphō (to revert): This term for being "converted" or turning back to God is presented as the prerequisite for having one's sins blotted out Acts 3:19.
G5498 cheirógraphon (something hand-written): This refers to a legal document or bond. In Colossians 2:14, it is this "handwriting" of ordinances against us that is blotted out and nailed to the cross.
G1144 dákry (a tear): This is the object of the verb in Revelation, where God promises to "wipe away" all tears, representing the end of sorrow and pain Revelation 21:4.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G1813 is significant, highlighting several key doctrines:

Soteriological Pardon: The blotting out of sin is central to salvation. The call to "repent...and be converted" is directly linked to the promise that sins will be "blotted out," resulting in "times of refreshing" from God Acts 3:19.
Justification by Faith: In Colossians, the act of "blotting out the handwriting" is a finished work accomplished through the cross. This act took away the legal condemnation that was contrary to humanity, demonstrating a cancellation of debt not earned by works Colossians 2:14.
Eternal Security: The promise in Revelation 3:5 that a believer's name will not be blotted out from the book of life provides assurance. This security is tied to "overcoming" G3528, and is accompanied by Christ's promise to "confess" G1843 their name before the Father.
Eschatological Hope: The promise to wipe away every tear is a cornerstone of future hope. It signifies the complete eradication of the consequences of the fall, including death G2288, sorrow G3997, crying G2906, and pain G4192 in the new creation Revelation 21:4.

Summary

In summary, G1813 is a rich theological term that conveys the depth and breadth of God's redemptive work. It moves from the profound intimacy of wiping away a tear to the absolute legal finality of blotting out sin and a condemning decree. The word powerfully illustrates God's ability to completely remove both the pain of human experience and the guilt of human sin.

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 5 occurrences, inflected in 4 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Future Active Indicative 3rd Singular 2×
Aorist Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine 1×
Aorist Passive Infinitive 1×
Future Active Indicative 1st Singular 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Singular: One.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
1st: First person — the speaker ("I"/"we").
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.
Passive: The subject is acted upon.
Indicative: A plain statement of fact.
Infinitive: The verb as a noun — "to do".
Participle: A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.

Related Words

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.

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 5 verses across 3 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Revelation (3 verses); never once in the other 24.

Acts

Colossians

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.