What does ἐξάγω (exágō) mean in the Bible?
Exagō means to lead, bring, or take someone out. Its twelve governed uses range across sharply different agents and purposes.
Greek · G1806
ἐξάγω
To lead forth
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ἐξάγω G1806
Pronunciation exágō
What does ἐξάγω (exágō) mean in the Bible?
Exagō means to lead, bring, or take someone out. Its twelve governed uses range across sharply different agents and purposes.
Reader summary
Full entry for ἐξάγω (G1806) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G1806?
The BSB source-word alignment has 12 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include led them out (2), [and] brought them out (1), [Jesus] had led (1), and escort us out (1), had brought (1).
Where does ἐξάγω (exágō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Mark 15:20. Its strongest book concentrations include Acts (8), Hebrews (1), John (1), Luke (1).
What This Word Actually Means
Exagō means to lead, bring, or take someone out. Its twelve governed uses range across sharply different agents and purposes. Soldiers lead Jesus out to crucify Him in Mark 15:20. Jesus leads the disciples toward Bethany in Luke 24:50, and the shepherd leads his own sheep out in John 10:3. Acts uses the verb for angelic prison release, Israel's exodus, Peter's deliverance, magistrates bringing Paul and Silas from prison, and a commander's question about an Egyptian who led men into the wilderness.
Hebrews 8:9 recalls God taking Israel by the hand to lead them from Egypt. The verb therefore names movement under an agent's direction, not divine guidance by itself. Immediate context must identify who leads, who is led, the place left, and the purpose. No desired departure, inward impulse, coercive removal, or life transition should be called God's leading merely because it resembles movement out.
How the Bible Uses It
The twelve governed G1806 uses include hostile removal, ordinary movement, shepherding, prison release, official action, and repeated exodus recollection.
- Mark.15.20
Then they led Him out to crucify Him.
Roman soldiers are the agents, and crucifixion is the stated purpose; leading out is not inherently benevolent.
- John.10.3
He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
The shepherd's voice, ownership, knowledge, and the sheep's following govern this pastoral use.
- Acts.5.19
But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out, saying,
The next command sends the apostles back to speak in the temple, so release serves continued witness.
- Acts.13.17
He made them into a great people during their stay in Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out of that land.
Paul's synagogue address identifies God as the agent of Israel's exodus.
- Acts.21.38
Aren't you the Egyptian who incited a rebellion some time ago and led four thousand members of the Assassins into the wilderness?
The commander's mistaken identification shows that G1806 can describe a rebel leader's action.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It led them out 2× Acts 7:36, Acts 16:39
[and] brought them out 1× Acts 5:19
[Jesus] had led 1× Luke 24:50
and escort us out 1× Acts 16:37
had brought 1× Acts 12:17
He led 1× Acts 13:17
leads them out 1× John 10:3
led 1× Acts 21:38
led us 1× Acts 7:40
they led Him out 1× Mark 15:20
to lead 1× Hebrews 8:9
Show sample aligned rows
Mark 15:20 ἐξάγουσιν to they led Him out Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural Luke 24:50 Ἐξήγαγεν to [Jesus] had led Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular John 10:3 ἐξάγει to leads them out Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Acts 5:19 ἐξαγαγών to [and] brought them out Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular Acts 7:36 ἐξήγαγεν to led them out Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Acts 7:40 ἐξήγαγεν to led us Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Acts 12:17 ἐξήγαγεν to had brought Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Acts 13:17 ἐξήγαγεν to He led Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Acts 16:37 ἐξαγαγέτωσαν to and escort us out Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 3rd Person Plural Acts 16:39 ἐξαγαγόντες to led them out Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Mark 15:20
Aligned rows 12
Books represented 5
Mark 1 Luke 1 John 1 Acts 8 Hebrews 1
Source forms
ἐξήγαγεν 4x exēgagen Acts 7:36, Acts 7:40, Acts 12:17, Acts 13:17
ἐξαγαγεῖν 1x exagagein Hebrews 8:9
ἐξαγαγέτωσαν 1x exagagetōsan Acts 16:37
ἐξαγαγόντες 1x exagagontes Acts 16:39
ἐξαγαγών 1x exagagōn Acts 5:19
ἐξαγαγὼν 1x exagagōn Acts 21:38
ἐξάγει 1x exagei John 10:3
ἐξάγουσιν 1x exagousin Mark 15:20
Parsing patterns
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 5x Luke 24:50, Acts 7:36, Acts 7:40, Acts 12:17
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular 2x Acts 5:19, Acts 21:38
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 3rd Person Plural 1x Acts 16:37
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active 1x Hebrews 8:9
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural 1x Acts 16:39
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural 1x Mark 15:20
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 1x John 10:3
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Test claims of guidance by Christ's revealed voice and character rather than by desire for change alone.
- Ask who leads, who is led, what boundary is crossed, and toward what purpose.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that every G1806 occurrence describes God leading His people.
- Do not claim that John 10:3 promises escape from all danger or hardship.
- Do not claim that a strong inward impulse to leave proves the Shepherd is leading.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. to lead forth
Strong's G1806
Lexical occurrences 12 verses Greek text appearances 13 times Word forms 4 forms 12 references Verse guides 0 guides
Source Gloss
to lead forth
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
13 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Mark 8:23 Verb Third Person Singular Second Aorist Active Indicative
ἐξήγαγεν exhgagen
I lead out
Read verse Mark 15:20 Verb Third Person Plural Present Active Indicative
ἐξάγουσιν exagousin
I lead out
Read verse Luke 24:50 Verb Third Person Singular Second Aorist Active Indicative
Ἐξήγαγε exhgagen
I lead out
Read verse John 10:3 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
ἐξάγει exagei
I lead out
Read verse Acts 5:19 Verb Second Aorist Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
ἐξαγαγών exagagwn
I lead out
Read verse Acts 7:36 Verb Third Person Singular Second Aorist Active Indicative
ἐξήγαγεν exhgagen
I lead out
Read verse Acts 7:40 Verb Third Person Singular Second Aorist Active Indicative
ἐξήγαγεν exhgagen
I lead out
Read verse Acts 12:17 Verb Third Person Singular Second Aorist Active Indicative
ἐξήγαγεν exhgagen
I lead out
Read verse Acts 13:17 Verb Third Person Singular Second Aorist Active Indicative
ἐξήγαγεν exhgagen
I lead out
Read verse Acts 16:37 Verb Third Person Plural Second Aorist Active Imperative
ἐξαγαγέτωσαν. exagagetwsan
I lead out
Read verse Acts 16:39 Verb Second Aorist Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine
ἐξαγαγόντες exagagontev
I lead out
Read verse Acts 21:38 Verb Second Aorist Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
ἐξαγαγὼν exagagwn
I lead out
Read verse Hebrews 8:9 Verb Second Aorist Active Infinitive
ἐξαγαγεῖν exagagein
I lead out
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Grammatical Forms
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 4 Aligned forms 12 Tenses Aorist, Present Voices Active
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Indicative states a fact or reality 7×
Aorist Active Luke 24:50 · Acts 7:36 · Acts 7:40 · Acts 12:17 · Acts 13:17 5×
Present Active Mark 15:20 · John 10:3 2×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 3×
Aorist Active Acts 5:19 · Acts 21:38 · Acts 16:39 3×
Imperative command or strong request 1×
Aorist Active Acts 16:37 1×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 1×
Aorist Active Heb 8:9 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 12 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
aorist 10 present 2
Voice
active 12
Mood
indicative 7 participle 3 imperative 1 infinitive 1
NT Occurrences
Mark 15:20 ἐξάγουσιν present active indicative ongoing Luke 24:50 Ἐξήγαγεν aorist active indicative completed John 10:3 ἐξάγει present active indicative ongoing Acts 5:19 ἐξαγαγών aorist active participle participle Acts 7:36 ἐξήγαγεν aorist active indicative completed Acts 7:40 ἐξήγαγεν aorist active indicative completed Acts 12:17 ἐξήγαγεν aorist active indicative completed Acts 13:17 ἐξήγαγεν aorist active indicative completed Acts 16:37 ἐξαγαγέτωσαν aorist active imperative imperative Acts 16:39 ἐξαγαγόντες aorist active participle participle Acts 21:38 ἐξαγαγὼν aorist active participle participle Hebrews 8:9 ἐξαγαγεῖν aorist active infinitive infinitive
Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Word Origins
ἐξάγω is built from these roots:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
G1806 is a motion verb whose theology comes from its participants and setting. Soldiers lead Jesus to crucifixion, a supposed rebel leads men into the wilderness, magistrates bring prisoners out, and Jesus leads disciples toward Bethany. In other passages, an angel or the Lord brings apostles from prison, the shepherd leads his own sheep, and God leads Israel from Egypt.
This range prevents a devotional shortcut in which leading out automatically means salvation or guidance. John 10 supports Christ-centered shepherding because the chapter names the shepherd, voice, ownership, following, and sacrificial care. Exodus passages support deliverance because they identify God, Egypt, covenant, and Israel. Application should test claims of guidance by Scripture, Christ's character, wise communal discernment, truth, and the passage-defined destination rather than by the intensity of a desire to escape.
Anchor passage
John.10.3
Doctrinal connections
- Mark 15:20 shows hostile leading toward crucifixion.
- John 10:1-18 locates shepherd-leading within voice, belonging, following, protection, and sacrificial care.
- Acts 5:19-20 and 12:17 join prison release to God's action and continued witness.
- Acts 7 and 13 recount the exodus with both divine deliverance and Israel's rebellious response.
- Hebrews 8:9 recalls hand-led exodus while contrasting covenant response and the promised new covenant.
The verb takes people as its object and commonly names or implies the place from which or toward which they are led. Agent, complements, and narrative purpose determine whether the movement is hostile, administrative, protective, or redemptive.
From Old to New Testament
The exodus is the dominant canonical background when the passages explicitly identify Egypt and God's action. John 10's shepherd scene should be connected through its own imagery rather than through the compound verb alone.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain