verb
ekdikamō
Greekἐκδικέω (ekdikeō)
Strong’sG1556
I give justice over, defend, avenge, vindicate
stem ekdik-6 times in the New Testamentin 4 of 27 books6 forms occur
Translated as
What it means
† ἐκδικέω, -ῶ
(< ἔκδικος), [in LXX for פָּקַד, נָקַם, שָׁפַט, etc.;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G1556 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidek-dik-eh'-o
to vindicate, retaliate, punish
Fromfrom G1558;
King Jamesa (re-)venge.
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Forms in the New Testament
| Form and the Greek behind it | What it is | Usually | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| ekdikasōἐκδικεῖς | happening now · youpresent active indicative 2nd person singular | avenge | 1× |
| ekdikamiἐκδικήσω | will happen · Ifuture active indicative 1st person singular | grant … justice | 1× |
| ekdikataἐξεδίκησεν | happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular | avenged | 1× |
| ekdikasarἘκδίκησόν | happened · youaorist active imperative 2nd person singular | grant … justice | 1× |
| ekdikaraἐκδικῆσαι | happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive | punish | 1× |
| ekdikarōtoisἐκδικοῦντες | happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative plural masculine | avenge | 1× |
Every form the New Testament uses, in paradigm order. What the system can build beyond them — the whole of this verb, whether the text happens to use it or not — is in the tables below.
Every form the system can build — all 86, by mood, including the ones the New Testament never uses
Statements — indicative mood, 3 occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | ekdikamō | ekdikame | ekdikami1×ἐκδικήσω | ekdikama | ekdikamē | ekdikamelē |
| you 2nd person singular | ekdikasō1×ἐκδικεῖς | ekdikase | ekdikasi | ekdikasa | ekdikasē | ekdikaselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | ekdikatō | ekdikate | ekdikati | ekdikata1×ἐξεδίκησεν | ekdikatē | ekdikatelē |
| we 1st person plural | ekdikanō | ekdikane | ekdikani | ekdikana | ekdikanē | ekdikanelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | ekdikavō | ekdikave | ekdikavi | ekdikava | ekdikavē | ekdikavelē |
| they 3rd person plural | ekdikalō | ekdikale | ekdikali | ekdikala | ekdikalē | ekdikalelē |
May, might — subjunctive mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | ekdikameiō | ekdikameia | ekdikameiē |
| you 2nd person singular | ekdikaseiō | ekdikaseia | ekdikaseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | ekdikateiō | ekdikateia | ekdikateiē |
| we 1st person plural | ekdikaneiō | ekdikaneia | ekdikaneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | ekdikaveiō | ekdikaveia | ekdikaveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | ekdikaleiō | ekdikaleia | ekdikaleiē |
Commands — imperative mood, 1 occurrence
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | ekdikasōr | ekdikasar1×Ἐκδίκησόν | ekdikasēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | ekdikatōr | ekdikatar | ekdikatēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | ekdikavōr | ekdikavar | ekdikavēr |
| they 3rd person plural | ekdikalōr | ekdikalar | ekdikalēr |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | ekdikamoiō | ekdikamoia |
| you 2nd person singular | ekdikasoiō | ekdikasoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | ekdikatoiō | ekdikatoia |
| we 1st person plural | ekdikanoiō | ekdikanoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | ekdikavoiō | ekdikavoia |
| they 3rd person plural | ekdikaloiō | ekdikaloia |
The “to …” form — infinitive, 1 occurrence
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | ekdikarō | ekdikari | ekdikara1×ἐκδικῆσαι | ekdikarē |
Used as an adjective — participle, 1 occurrence
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | ekdikarōtos1× | ekdikaritos | ekdikaratos | ekdikarētos |
Each is given in the form it takes as a subject. From there a participle carries the ordinary noun endings, in every case, number and gender — so these four columns are the whole of what the verb contributes.
How every form is built — the slots that make them
ekdik is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.
same in every form varies — every value shown
Words built on the same stem
Where it appears
6 occurrences, every one of them listed
ekdikasō“avenge”happening now · youpresent active indicative 2nd person singular1×
Revelation 6:10“avenge”kai krazala fōna mega legarōtois; Heōs pote, tor despotor tor hagior kai alēthinor, ouk krinasō kai ekdikasō tem haimem nu ek toiu katoikarōtoiu epi tau gēau?And they cried out in a loud voice, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge those who dwell upon the earth and avenge our blood?”
ekdikami“grant … justice”will happen · Ifuture active indicative 1st person singular1×
Luke 18:5“grant … justice”dia ge tem parecharō mi kopon tan chēran houtan ekdikami autan hina mē eis telem ercherōtas hupōpiazateiō min.yet because this widow keeps pestering me, I will give her justice. Otherwise, she will wear me out with her perpetual requests.’”
ekdikata“avenged”happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular1×
Revelation 19:2“avenged”hoti alēthinais kai dikaiais tais krisiais autou; hoti krinata tan pornan tan megan hotinas ftheirate tan gēan en ta porneia autau, kai ekdikata tem haimem toiu douloiu autou ek cheirau autau.For His judgments are true and just. He has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality. He has avenged the blood of His servants that was poured out by her hand.”
ekdikasar“grant … justice”happened · youaorist active imperative 2nd person singular1×
Luke 18:3“grant … justice”chēras de ate en ta polita ekeina kai erchete pros auton legarōtas; Ekdikasar min apo tou antidikou mu.And there was a widow in that town who kept appealing to him, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’
ekdikara“punish”happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive1×
2 Corinthians 10:6“punish”kai en hetoime echarōtois ekdikara pantan parakoan, hotan plēriteia vu tas hupakoas.And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, as soon as your obedience is complete.
ekdikarōtois“avenge”happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative plural masculine1×
Romans 12:19“avenge”mē heautoin ekdikarōtois, agapētoir, alla dōavar topon ta orga, grafitē gar; Mi ekdikēsias, mis antapodōami, legatō kurios.Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”