verb
keleuamō
Greekκελεύω (keleuō)
Strong’sG2753
I command, order
stem keleu-25 times in the New Testamentin 3 of 27 books8 forms occur
Translated as
What it means
** κελεύω,
[in LXX: I Es 9:53, To 8:18, al., and freq. in I-IV Mac;]
SYN.: v.s. ἐντέλλω.
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G2753 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidkel-yoo'-o
"hail"; to incite by word, i.e. order
Fromfrom a primary κέλλω (to urge on);
King Jamesbid, (at, give) command(-ment).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| keleuasōκελεύεις | happening now · youpresent active indicative 2nd person singular | order | 1× |
| keleualeἐκέλευον | was happening · theyimperfect active indicative 3rd person plural | ordered | 1× |
| keleuamaἐκέλευσα | happened · Iaorist active indicative 1st person singular | ordered | 2× |
| keleuataἐκέλευσεν | happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular | ordered | 15× |
| keleuasarκέλευσόν | happened · youaorist active imperative 2nd person singular | command | 2× |
| keleuaratosκελεύσας | happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative singular masculine | ordered | 2× |
| keleuaratouκελεύσαντος | happened · of, belonging toaorist active participle genitive singular masculine | gave the order | 1× |
| keleuaratoisκελεύσαντες | happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative plural masculine | ordered | 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, 19 occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | keleuamō | keleuame | keleuami | keleuama2×ἐκέλευσα | keleuamē | keleuamelē |
| you 2nd person singular | keleuasō1×κελεύεις | keleuase | keleuasi | keleuasa | keleuasē | keleuaselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | keleuatō | keleuate | keleuati | keleuata15×ἐκέλευσεν | keleuatē | keleuatelē |
| we 1st person plural | keleuanō | keleuane | keleuani | keleuana | keleuanē | keleuanelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | keleuavō | keleuave | keleuavi | keleuava | keleuavē | keleuavelē |
| they 3rd person plural | keleualō | keleuale1×ἐκέλευον | keleuali | keleuala | keleualē | keleualelē |
May, might — subjunctive mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | keleuameiō | keleuameia | keleuameiē |
| you 2nd person singular | keleuaseiō | keleuaseia | keleuaseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | keleuateiō | keleuateia | keleuateiē |
| we 1st person plural | keleuaneiō | keleuaneia | keleuaneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | keleuaveiō | keleuaveia | keleuaveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | keleualeiō | keleualeia | keleualeiē |
Commands — imperative mood, 2 occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | keleuasōr | keleuasar2×κέλευσόν | keleuasēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | keleuatōr | keleuatar | keleuatēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | keleuavōr | keleuavar | keleuavēr |
| they 3rd person plural | keleualōr | keleualar | keleualēr |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | keleuamoiō | keleuamoia |
| you 2nd person singular | keleuasoiō | keleuasoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | keleuatoiō | keleuatoia |
| we 1st person plural | keleuanoiō | keleuanoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | keleuavoiō | keleuavoia |
| they 3rd person plural | keleualoiō | keleualoia |
The “to …” form — infinitive, no occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | keleuarō | keleuari | keleuara | keleuarē |
Used as an adjective — participle, 4 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | keleuarōtos | keleuaritos | keleuaratos4×κελεύσας | keleuarētos |
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
keleu 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
Where it appears
25 occurrences, every one of them listed
keleuasō“order”happening now · youpresent active indicative 2nd person singular1×
Acts 23:3“order”tote tos Paulos pros auton legata; Tuptarō sin mellatō tos theos, toichor koniirētor; kai sis kathesō krinarōtos min kata ton nomon, kai paranomarōtos keleuasō min tuptirō?Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit here to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck.”
keleuale“ordered”was happening · theyimperfect active indicative 3rd person plural1×
Acts 16:22“ordered”kai sunefistanata tos ochlos kata autoiu, kai tois stratēgois perirēgnuaratois autoiu teim himatieim keleuale rabdizarō,The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered that they be stripped and beaten with rods.
keleuama“ordered”happened · Iaorist active indicative 1st person singular2×
Acts 25:17“ordered”sunercharatoiu oun enthade anabolan mēdenan poieratos ta hexēs kathizaratos epi teu bēmeu keleuama agira ton anēron;So when they came here with me, I did not delay. The next day I sat on the judgment seat and ordered that the man be brought in.
Acts 25:21“ordered”tou de Paulou epikaleratou tērira auton eis tan tou Sebastou diagnōsian, keleuama tērirō auton heōs hou anapempameia auton pros Kaisaron.But when Paul appealed to be held over for the decision of the Emperor, I ordered that he be held until I could send him to Caesar.”
keleuata“ordered”happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular15×
Matthew 8:18“gave orders”Horaratos de tos Iēsus polloin ochloin peri auton keleuata aperchara eis tem peran.When Jesus saw a large crowd around Him, He gave orders to cross to the other side of the sea.
Matthew 14:9“commanded”kai lupiratos tos basilevos dia toin horkoin kai toin sunanakeierōtoin keleuata dōira,The king was grieved, but because of his oaths and his guests, he ordered that her wish be granted
Matthew 18:25“ordered”mē echarōtou de autou apodōara keleuata auton tos kurios pipraskira kai tan gunaikan kai teim tekneim kai panteim hoseim echatō kai apodōira.Since the man was unable to pay, the master ordered that he be sold to pay his debt, along with his wife and children and everything he owned.
Matthew 27:58“ordered”houtos prosercharatos to Pilato aiteta tem sōmem tou Iēsu. tote tos Pilatos keleuata apodōira.He went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him.
Luke 18:40“commanded”histaniratos de tos Iēsus keleuata auton agira pros auton. engizaratou de autou eperōtata auton;Jesus stopped and directed that the man be brought to Him. When he had come near, Jesus asked him,
Acts 5:34“gave orders”anistanaratos de tinos en te sunedrie Farisaios onome Gamaliēl, nomodidaskalos timios panto to lao, keleuata exō brachuem toin anthrōpoin poiara,But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a short time.
Acts 8:38“commanded”kai keleuata histanara tem harmem, kai katabainala amfoterois eis tem hudōrem tos tē Filippos kai tos eunouchos, kai baptizata auton.And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.
Acts 12:19“ordered”Hērōdos de epizētaratos auton kai mē heuriskaratos anakrinaratos toin fulaxoin keleuata apagira, kai katercharatos apo tau Ioudaiau eis Kaisareian diatribate.After Herod had searched for him unsuccessfully, he examined the guards and ordered that they be executed. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and spent some time there.
Acts 21:33“ordered”tote engizaratos tos chiliarchos epilambeta autou kai keleuata dira halusiai duo, kai punthanete tinos atoiō kai tinem atō poiarētos.The commander came up and arrested Paul, ordering that he be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done.
Acts 21:34“ordered”allois de allem tinem epifōnale en to ochlo; mē dunerōtou de autou gnōskara tem asfalem dia ton thorubon keleuata agirō auton eis tan parembolan.Some in the crowd were shouting one thing, and some another. And since the commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be brought into the barracks.
Acts 22:24“ordered”keleuata tos chiliarchos eisagirō auton eis tan parembolan, legaratos mastixai anetazirō auton hina epignōskateia dia han aitian houtōs epifōnale auto.the commander ordered that Paul be brought into the barracks. He directed that Paul be flogged and interrogated to determine the reason for this outcry against him.
Acts 22:30“ordered”Ta de epaurion boulerōtos gnōskara tem asfalem tem tinem katēgoritō hupo toiu Ioudaioiu luata auton, kai keleuata sunerchara toin archierevoin kai pantem tem sunedriem, kai katagaratos ton Paulon histanata eis autoin.The next day the commander, wanting to learn the real reason Paul was accused by the Jews, released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin to assemble. Then he brought Paul down and had him stand before them.
Acts 23:10“ordered”pollau de ginerōtau stasiau fobiratos tos chiliarchos mē diaspiteia tos Paulos hupo autoiu keleuata tem strateumem katabainaratem harpazara auton ek meseu autoiu, agarō tē eis tan parembolan.The dispute grew so violent that the commander was afraid they would tear Paul to pieces. He ordered the soldiers to go down and remove him by force and bring him into the barracks.
Acts 25:6“ordered”Diatribaratos de en autoi hēmerain ouk polloterain oktō ē deka, katabainaratos eis Kaisareian, ta epaurion kathizaratos epi teu bēmeu keleuata ton Paulon agira.After spending no more than eight or ten days with them, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he sat on the judgment seat and ordered that Paul be brought in.
Acts 27:43“ordered”tos de hekatontarchēos boulerōtos diasōzara ton Paulon kōluata autoin teu boulēmeu, keleuata tē toin dunerōtoin kolumbarō aporiptaratoin prōtoin epi tan gēan exeiarō,But the centurion, wanting to spare Paul’s life, thwarted their plan. He commanded those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land.
keleuasar“command”happened · youaorist active imperative 2nd person singular2×
Matthew 14:28“command”Apokriniratos de auto tos Petros legata; Kurior, ei sis asō, keleuasar min erchara pros sin epi teim hudōreim;“Lord, if it is You,” Peter replied, “command me to come to You on the water.”
Matthew 27:64“give orders”keleuasar oun asfalizira ton tafon heōs tau tritau hēmerau, mēpote ercharatois tois mathētois autou kleptaleia auton kai legaleia to lao; Egeirita apo toiu nekroiu, kai eti tas eschatas planas cheirōnas tau prōtau.So give the order that the tomb be secured until the third day. Otherwise, His disciples may come and steal Him away and tell the people He has risen from the dead. And this last deception would be worse than the first.”
keleuaratos“ordered”happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative singular masculine2×
Matthew 14:19“commanded”kai keleuaratos toin ochloin anaklinira epi tou chortou, lambaratos toin pente artoin kai toin duo ichthoin, anableparatos eis ton ouranon eulogata kai klaratos dōata toi mathētoi toin artoin tois de mathētois toi ochloi.And He directed the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He spoke a blessing. Then He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.
Acts 23:35“ordered”Diakouemi su, fēate, hotan kai tois katēgorois su paragineleia; keleuaratos en te praitōrie tou Hērōdou fulassirō auton.he said, “I will hear your case when your accusers arrive.” Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s Praetorium.
keleuaratou“gave the order”happened · of, belonging toaorist active participle genitive singular masculine1×
Acts 25:23“gave the order”Ta oun epaurion ercharatou tou Agrippaou kai tau Bernikau meta pollau fantasiau kai eisercharatoiu eis tem akroatēriem sun tē chiliarchoi kai anēroi toi kata exochan tau politau kai keleuaratou tou Fēstou agita tos Paulos.The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the auditorium, along with the commanders and leading men of the city. And Festus ordered that Paul be brought in.
keleuaratois“ordered”happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative plural masculine1×
Acts 4:15“ordered”keleuaratois de autoin exō teu sunedrieu aperchara sumballale pros allēloinSo they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin and then conferred together.