What does ὁδηγέω (hodēgéō) mean in the Bible?
G3594 means to guide or lead. The governed witness consists of five isolated verses distributed across four narrative books and Revelation.
Greek · G3594
ὁδηγέω
To show the way (literally or figuratively (teach))
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ὁδηγέω G3594
Pronunciation hodēgéō
What does ὁδηγέω (hodēgéō) mean in the Bible?
G3594 means to guide or lead. The governed witness consists of five isolated verses distributed across four narrative books and Revelation.
Reader summary
Full entry for ὁδηγέω (G3594) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G3594?
The BSB source-word alignment has 5 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include guides (1), He will guide (1), He will lead (1), lead (1), leads (1).
Where does ὁδηγέω (hodēgéō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 15:14. Its strongest book concentrations include Acts (1), John (1), Luke (1), Matthew (1).
What This Word Actually Means
G3594 means to guide or lead. The governed witness consists of five isolated verses distributed across four narrative books and Revelation. Matthew 15:14 reports Jesus calling the Pharisees blind guides and warning that when a blind person guides another, both fall into a pit. The judgment belongs to that controversy and must not become a stereotype about Jewish people, Judaism, or religious teachers as a class.
Luke 6:39 uses the same blind-leading image within teaching about disciples, teachers, judgment, and the log in one's own eye. Acts 8:31 records the Ethiopian official's request for someone to guide his reading of Isaiah; Philip then begins from that Scripture and announces the good news about Jesus. John 16:13 promises that the Spirit of truth will guide Jesus' immediate hearers into all truth, with the following verses describing His speech and Christ-glorifying work.
The farewell-discourse setting must remain visible before applying the promise more broadly. Revelation 7:17 says the Lamb will shepherd the great multitude and guide them to springs of living water as God wipes away every tear. The verb itself can describe failed or faithful guidance, human or divine agency, and help with a path or with understanding. It does not make every inner impression revelation, every teacher infallible, or every request for help evidence of weak faith.
Lexical sourcePassage contextBook context
How the Bible Uses It
The five occurrences range from failed blind leading to requested scriptural help, the Spirit's promised guidance, and the Lamb's future leading to living water.
- Matt.15.14
Disregard them! They are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”
Jesus applies the blind-guide warning to the Pharisees in this dispute. The judgment is serious but is not an ethnic verdict or a definition of every religious teacher.
- Luke.6.39
Jesus also told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?
The parable warns about one blind person leading another within Jesus' teaching on disciples, teachers, judgment, self-examination, and corrected sight.
- John.16.13
However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come.
Jesus promises the Spirit of truth will guide His hearers into all truth. Verses 13-15 govern the promise through what the Spirit hears, declares, and makes known concerning Christ.
- Acts.8.31
“How can I,” he said, “unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
The official asks for a guide, and Philip begins with the Isaiah passage to announce Jesus. The narrative honors both the reader's question and text-centered help.
- Rev.7.17
For the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd. ‘He will lead them to springs of living water,’ and ‘God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’”
The Lamb shepherds and guides the multitude to springs of living water while God wipes away every tear. The promise belongs to Revelation's vision of those before the throne.
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 guides 1× Acts 8:31
He will guide 1× John 16:13
He will lead 1× Revelation 7:17
lead 1× Luke 6:39
leads 1× Matthew 15:14
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 15:14 ὁδηγῇ to leads Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular Luke 6:39 ὁδηγεῖν to lead Verb - Present Infinitive Active John 16:13 ὁδηγήσει to He will guide Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Acts 8:31 ὁδηγήσει to guides Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Revelation 7:17 ὁδηγήσει to He will lead Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 15:14
Aligned rows 5
Books represented 5
Matthew 1 Luke 1 John 1 Acts 1 Revelation 1
Source forms
ὁδηγήσει 3x hodēgēsei John 16:13, Acts 8:31, Revelation 7:17
ὁδηγεῖν 1x hodēgein Luke 6:39
ὁδηγῇ 1x hodēgē Matthew 15:14
Parsing patterns
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 3x John 16:13, Acts 8:31, Revelation 7:17
Verb - Present Infinitive Active 1x Luke 6:39
Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular 1x Matthew 15:14
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Test claims of guidance through Scripture, evidence, wise counsel, and the Christ-centered boundaries of the passage.
- A guide should welcome questions, corroboration, consent, and accountable review rather than demand secrecy or unquestioning dependence.
- Protect people from guidance claims used to control money, relationships, medical care, reporting, or physical safety.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that John 16:13 promises personal omniscience or infallible answers to every decision. In context, the Spirit guides in truth and glorifies Christ within Jesus' farewell instruction to the apostles.
- Do not claim that needing a teacher shows deficient faith. Acts 8:31 presents requested explanation as part of the narrative by which the good news of Jesus becomes clear.
- Do not claim that disagreement with a human guide proves resistance to the Spirit.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. To guide someone to a destination, literally on a path or figuratively toward truth and understanding.
Strong's G3594
Lexical occurrences 5 verses Greek text appearances 5 times Word forms 3 forms 5 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Luke 6:37-42 Source Gloss
to show the way (literally or figuratively (teach))
Extended definition Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
To guide someone to a destination, literally on a path or figuratively toward truth and understanding.
(ὁδηγός) [in LXX chiefly for נוּחַ, also for דֶּרֶךְ hi., הָלַךְ hi., etc. ;] to lead on one's way, to guide: with accusative of person(s), Mat.15:14, Luk.6:39; id. before ἐπί, Rev.7:17. Metaphorical, to guide, instruct, teach: Act.8:31; before εἰς τ. ἀλήθειαν (ἐν τ. ἀ., WH, mg.), Jhn.16:13 (cf. Psa.25:5).
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
5 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 15:14 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Subjunctive
ὁδηγῇ, odhgh
I lead, guide
Read verse Luke 6:39 Verb Present Active Infinitive
ὁδηγεῖν; odhgein
I lead, guide
Read verse John 16:13 Verb Third Person Singular Future Active Indicative
ὁδηγήσει odhghsei
I lead, guide
Read verse Acts 8:31 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Subjunctive
ὁδηγήσῃ odhghsh
I lead, guide
Read verse Revelation 7:17 Verb Third Person Singular Future Active Indicative
ὁδηγήσει odhghsei
I lead, guide
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 3 Aligned forms 5 Tenses Future, 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 3×
Future Active John 16:13 · Acts 8:31 · Rev 7:17 3×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 1×
Present Active Matt 15:14 1×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 1×
Present Active Luke 6:39 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 5 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
future 3 present 2
Voice
active 5
Mood
indicative 3 infinitive 1 subjunctive 1
NT Occurrences
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)
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
One blind person cannot guide another in the way, both will fall
The Lord will guide you continually, satisfying your soul in drought
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 5 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
ὁδηγέω is built from this root:
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
Let the five agents and settings control the sermon. The blind-guide sayings warn that confidence and position cannot compensate for uncorrected sight; Matthew's dispute must not be generalized against Jewish people, and Luke's form presses the prospective guide toward self-examination. Acts 8 portrays guidance as a welcomed response to a reader's question, beginning from the text and announcing Jesus.
John 16 records Jesus' promise about the Spirit of truth within the farewell discourse, so application should preserve the immediate audience and verses 13-15 rather than convert guidance into infallible private impressions. Revelation 7 places the Lamb's future leading inside a throne-room vision of shepherding, living water, and comfort. Together the passages support humble help, careful testing, and confidence in divine care, but the verb alone does not establish a universal method for decision-making.
Guides remain accountable, hearers may ask questions and seek corroboration, and no claimed guidance should be used to bypass Scripture, evidence, consent, safety, or communal review.
Anchor passage
John.16.13
Doctrinal connections
- John 14-16 - the promised ministry of the Spirit
- Acts 8:26-40 - Scripture explained and Christ proclaimed
- Matthew 15:1-20 - blind tradition and defiled hearts
- Revelation 7:9-17 - the Lamb shepherding the redeemed
Three future active indicatives occur in Acts 8:31, John 16:13, and Revelation 7:17; Luke 6:39 has a present active infinitive, and Matthew 15:14 has a present active subjunctive. The grammar identifies how each clause presents the action but does not decide whether the guide is reliable.
From Old to New Testament
Revelation 7:17 echoes the scriptural imagery of divine shepherding and water, while Acts 8 centers on an Isaiah passage. These canonical relationships arise from the cited contexts. They do not make every Old Testament leading verb an occurrence of G3594 or every guidance claim equivalent.
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