Word Study for G1850 (ἐξουσιάζω)

exousiázō /ex-oo-see-ad'-zo/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom ἐξουσία

Meaningto control

KJV usageexercise authority upon, bring under the (have) power of.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of exousiázō — 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 ἐξουσιάζω (exousiázō), represented by G1850, means to control, exercise authority upon, or bring under the power of. It appears 7 times across 3 unique verses in the Bible, establishing its specific application to different forms of authority and control.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The use of G1850 is illustrated in several distinct contexts. In marriage, it defines a mutual authority, stating that a wife does not have power over her own body, but the husband does, and likewise the husband does not have power over his, but the wife does 1 Corinthians 7:4. In the context of Christian liberty, Paul declares that though all things are lawful, he will not be brought under the power of anything, highlighting the importance of self-control 1 Corinthians 6:12. It is also used to describe secular governance, where Jesus notes that Gentile rulers exercise authority upon their subjects Luke 22:25.

Related Words & Concepts

One key related word helps to clarify the nuances of authority and rule:

G2961 kyrieúō (to rule): This term is often used for lordship or dominion. In Luke's Gospel, it appears alongside G1850 to describe the actions of Gentile kings who exercise lordship over their people Luke 22:25.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G1850 is significant in defining the proper use of power and authority in a believer's life.

Mutual Authority in Marriage: The word establishes a principle of reciprocal submission and shared power within the covenant of marriage, challenging notions of unilateral control 1 Corinthians 7:4.
Freedom from Enslavement: It underscores the Christian concept of liberty, where believers are called to remain free from the dominion of any habit or desire, even those that are permissible 1 Corinthians 6:12.
Distinction from Worldly Power: By using it to describe the authority of earthly rulers, Jesus implicitly contrasts this controlling power with the servant leadership He expects from His followers Luke 22:25.

Summary

In summary, G1850 is a focused term that goes beyond a general sense of power. It specifically addresses control within different relational and societal structures. From the mutual authority within a marriage to the personal discipline required for Christian freedom and the distinction from worldly forms of rule, it provides a framework for understanding the rightful exercise of power.

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 4 occurrences, inflected in 3 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Present Active Indicative 3rd Singular 2×
Future Passive Indicative 1st 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").
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.
Active: The subject performs the action.
Passive: The subject is acted upon.
Indicative: A plain statement of fact.
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 3 verses across 2 of the 27 books. Most frequent in 1 Corinthians (2 verses); never once in the other 25.

Luke

1 Corinthians

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.