verb
kleiamō
Strong’sG2808
I shut, shut up
stem klei-16 times in the New Testamentin 6 of 27 books13 forms occur
What it means
A plain-English reading of the word, with the lexicons it draws on — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, and Liddell-Scott-Jones — right below it, in full.
AI Summary
Shut or close something — a door, a prison, the abyss, city gates, or heaven itself — so that it can no longer be entered or passed through 1234. The passive is used of a door, room, or place being shut, as when disciples gather behind closed doors or a prison is found shut fast 1. The word also carries figurative uses: to shut up the sky so that no rain falls, to shut up one's heart against another's need (withholding compassion), to shut off the kingdom of heaven so that people cannot enter it, and to speak of a door as "shut" or "opened" to picture an opportunity denied or granted 12.
In the Greek Old Testament the word can also mean to deliver someone up bound, that is, to hand a person over in chains into another's power 3.
Sources: 1 Abbott-Smith 2 Strong's 3 LSJ 4 Dodson. Condensed by anthropic/claude-sonnet-5 on 2026-09-23 — it may still misstate what these say; check them yourself if it matters to you.
The lexicons it was drawn from, in full:
Abbott-Smith — the 1922 lexicon entry, in full
κλείω,
[in LXX chiefly for סגר;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G2808 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidkli'-o
to close (literally or figuratively)
Froma primary verb;
King Jamesshut (up).
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
A, future κλείσω Refs 5th c.BC+; rare future κατα-κλιῶ, see at {κατακλείω}: aorist ἔκλεισα Refs 5th c.BC+: perfect κέκλεικα LXX+4th c.BC+: pluperfect ἐκεκλείκειν Refs 2nd c.AD+:*mdash;middle, aorist 1 ἐκλεισάμην (κατ-) Refs 5th c.BC+ —passive, future κλεισθήσομαι Refs: aorist ἐκλείσθην Refs 4th c.BC+, etc.: perfect κέκλειμαι (later κέκλεισμαι falsa lectio in Refs 5th c.BC+:—Ionic dialect κληΐω (ἀπο-) Refs 5th c.BC+: aorist ἐκλήῑσα Refs 8th c.BC+, Epic dialect κλήῑσα Refs 8th c.BC+; infinitive κληῗσαι Refs — middle, future κληΐσσομαι conjecture in Refs 4th c.AD+:—passive, aorist ἀπ-εκληΐσθην Refs 5th c.BC+: perfect κεκλήϊμαι Refs: pluperfect ἀπ-εκεκλέατο Refs codices:—old Attic dialect κλῄω (also Trag.,Refs, future κλῄσω Refs 5th c.BC+: aorist ἔκλῃσα Refs 5th c.BC+perfect κέκλῃκα (ἀπο-) Refs 5th c.BC+:—middle, future κεκλῄσομαι Refs: aorist περι-κλῄσασθαι Refs 5th c.BC+:—passive, aorist ἐκλῄσθην (κατ-, ξυν-) Refs, etc.: perfect κέκλῃμαι (see. below):— Doric dialect future κλᾳξῶ Refs 3rd c.BC+aorist ἀπό-κλᾳξον, -κλᾴξας, Refs 3rd c.BC+:—middle, imperfect κατ-εκλᾴζετο Refs 3rd c.BC+:—passive, aorist κατ-εκλᾴσθην Refs, but participle συγκατα-κλαιχθείςRefs: perfect 3rd.pers. plural κατα-κέκλᾱνται Refs 5th c.BC+ —Cf. κλῄζω (B). (κλείς):—shut, close, bar, Refs 8th c.BC+ barred the doors, Refs; ἐκλήϊσεν ὀχῆας shot the bars, so as to close the dooe door,Refs 5th c.BC+; κανθώς Cerc.[same place]; λάρυγγα Refs 2nd c.AD+:—passive, βλέφαρα κέκλῃται Refs 5th c.BC+
A.2 shut up, close, block up, Βόσπορον κλῇσαι Refs 5th c.BC+:—passive, Refs 5th c.BC+
A.II shut in, enclose, πόλιν.. πύργων μηχανῇ κεκλῃμένην Refs 4th c.BC+; compare κλῄζω (B).
A.III confine, πλάστιγξ αὐχένα πώλων ἔκλῃε Refs 5th c.BC+:— passive, to be confined, χέρας βρόχοισι κεκλῃμένα Refs
A.III.2 deliver bound, τινὰ εἰς τὰς τοῦ βασιλέως χεῖρας LXX
H. G. Liddell, R. Scott, H. S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon (9th ed., 1925–1940) — digitised by the Perseus Digital Library and corrected and expanded by Tyndale House, Cambridge, via STEPBible-Data's TFLSJ table, CC BY 4.0. Covers all of Greek literature, not just the Bible.
Translated as
Every occurrence, sorted by the English it was actually given — the evidence for what the word means, not a gloss of it.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain — berean.bible.
Biblang forms
What the New Testament actually uses, first — the whole system this verb is built from is one click further down.
| Form and the Greek behind it | What it is | Usually | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| kleiavōκλείετε | happening now · yepresent active indicative 2nd person plural | shut | 1× |
| kleiatiκλείσει | will happen · he/she/itfuture active indicative 3rd person singular | shut | 1× |
| kleiataἔκλεισεν | happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular | shut | 1× |
| kleiitaἐκλείσθη | happened · he/she/itaorist passive indicative 3rd person singular | shut | 2× |
| kleiilaἐκλείσθησαν | happened · theyaorist passive indicative 3rd person plural | shut | 1× |
| kleiotēκέκλεισται | has happened · he/she/itperfect middle or passive indicative 3rd person singular | shut | 1× |
| kleiateiaκλείσῃ | happened · he/she/itaorist active subjunctive 3rd person singular | closes | 1× |
| kleiileiaκλεισθῶσιν | happened · theyaorist passive subjunctive 3rd person plural | shut | 1× |
| kleiaraκλεῖσαι | happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive | shut | 2× |
| kleiarōntosκλείων | happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative singular masculine | shuts | 1× |
| kleiarantosκλείσας | happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative singular masculine | shut | 1× |
| kleiorēntemκεκλεισμένον | has happened · objectperfect middle or passive participle direct singular neuter | locked | 1× |
| kleiorēntaiuκεκλεισμένων | has happened · of, belonging toperfect middle or passive participle genitive plural feminine | shut | 2× |
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 172, by mood, including the ones the New Testament never uses
Statements — indicative mood, 7 occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | kleiamō | kleiame | kleiami | kleiama | kleiamē | kleiamelē |
| you 2nd person singular | kleiasō | kleiase | kleiasi | kleiasa | kleiasē | kleiaselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | kleiatō | kleiate | kleiati1×κλείσει | kleiata1×ἔκλεισεν | kleiatē | kleiatelē |
| we 1st person plural | kleianō | kleiane | kleiani | kleiana | kleianē | kleianelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | kleiavō1×κλείετε | kleiave | kleiavi | kleiava | kleiavē | kleiavelē |
| they 3rd person plural | kleialō | kleiale | kleiali | kleiala | kleialē | kleialelē |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | kleiomō | kleiome | kleiomē | kleiomelē |
| you 2nd person singular | kleiosō | kleiose | kleiosē | kleioselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | kleiotō | kleiote | kleiotē1×κέκλεισται | kleiotelē |
| we 1st person plural | kleionō | kleione | kleionē | kleionelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | kleiovō | kleiove | kleiovē | kleiovelē |
| they 3rd person plural | kleiolō | kleiole | kleiolē | kleiolelē |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | will happen future | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | kleiimi | kleiima |
| you 2nd person singular | kleiisi | kleiisa |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | kleiiti | kleiita2×ἐκλείσθη |
| we 1st person plural | kleiini | kleiina |
| ye 2nd person plural | kleiivi | kleiiva |
| they 3rd person plural | kleiili | kleiila1×ἐκλείσθησαν |
May, might — subjunctive mood, 2 occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | kleiameiō | kleiameia | kleiameiē |
| you 2nd person singular | kleiaseiō | kleiaseia | kleiaseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | kleiateiō | kleiateia1×κλείσῃ | kleiateiē |
| we 1st person plural | kleianeiō | kleianeia | kleianeiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | kleiaveiō | kleiaveia | kleiaveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | kleialeiō | kleialeia | kleialeiē |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | kleiomeiō | kleiomeiē |
| you 2nd person singular | kleioseiō | kleioseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | kleioteiō | kleioteiē |
| we 1st person plural | kleioneiō | kleioneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | kleioveiō | kleioveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | kleioleiō | kleioleiē |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | kleiimeia |
| you 2nd person singular | kleiiseia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | kleiiteia |
| we 1st person plural | kleiineia |
| ye 2nd person plural | kleiiveia |
| they 3rd person plural | kleiileia1×κλεισθῶσιν |
Commands — imperative mood, no occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | kleiasōr | kleiasar | kleiasēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | kleiatōr | kleiatar | kleiatēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | kleiavōr | kleiavar | kleiavēr |
| they 3rd person plural | kleialōr | kleialar | kleialēr |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | kleiosōr | kleiosēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | kleiotōr | kleiotēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | kleiovōr | kleiovēr |
| they 3rd person plural | kleiolōr | kleiolēr |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | kleiisar |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | kleiitar |
| ye 2nd person plural | kleiivar |
| they 3rd person plural | kleiilar |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | kleiamoiō | kleiamoia |
| you 2nd person singular | kleiasoiō | kleiasoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | kleiatoiō | kleiatoia |
| we 1st person plural | kleianoiō | kleianoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | kleiavoiō | kleiavoia |
| they 3rd person plural | kleialoiō | kleialoia |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | kleiomoiō |
| you 2nd person singular | kleiosoiō |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | kleiotoiō |
| we 1st person plural | kleionoiō |
| ye 2nd person plural | kleiovoiō |
| they 3rd person plural | kleioloiō |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | kleiimoia |
| you 2nd person singular | kleiisoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | kleiitoia |
| we 1st person plural | kleiinoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | kleiivoia |
| they 3rd person plural | kleiiloia |
The “to …” form — infinitive, 2 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | kleiarō | kleiari | kleiara2×κλεῖσαι | kleiarē |
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | kleiorō | kleiorē | ||
| acted on passive voice | kleiiri | kleiira |
Used as an adjective — participle, 5 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | kleiarōntos1×κλείων | kleiarintos | kleiarantos1×κλείσας | kleiarēntos |
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | kleiorōntos | kleiorēntos3× | ||
| acted on passive voice | kleiirintos | kleiirantos |
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
klei 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
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
16 occurrences, every one of them listed
kleiavō“shut”happening now · yepresent active indicative 2nd person plural1×
Matthew 23:13… vi, grammatevoir kai Farisaioir hupokritoir, hoti kleiavō tan basileian toiu ouranoiu emprosthen toiu …… scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s …
kleiati“shut”will happen · he/she/itfuture active indicative 3rd person singular1×
Revelation 3:7… kleidan David, tos anoigarōntos kai oudenos kleiati, kai kleiarōntos kai oudenos anoigatō;… What He opens no one can shut, and what He shuts no one …
kleiata“shut”happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular1×
Revelation 20:3… balata auton eis tan abussan, kai kleiata kai sfragizata epanō autou, hina mē …… he threw him into the Abyss, shut it, and sealed it over him …
kleiita“shut”happened · he/she/itaorist passive indicative 3rd person singular2×
Matthew 25:10… meta autou eis toin gamoin, kai kleiita tas thuras.… wedding banquet, and the door was shut.
Luke 4:25“shut up”… hēmerai Ēliaou en to Israēl, hote kleiita tos ouranos epi eteim treis kai …… widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and great …
kleiila“shut”happened · theyaorist passive indicative 3rd person plural1×
Acts 21:30… auton exō teu hiereu, kai eutheōs kleiila tais thurais.… and at once the gates were shut.
kleiotē“shut”has happened · he/she/itperfect middle or passive indicative 3rd person singular1×
Luke 11:7… mi kopoin parechasōr; ēdē tas thuras kleiotē, kai teim paidieim mu meta mu …… bother me. My door is already shut, and my children and I are …
kleiateia“closes”happened · he/she/itaorist active subjunctive 3rd person singular1×
1 John 3:17“closes”… ton adelfon autou chreian echarōnton kai kleiateia teim splanchneim autou apo autou, pōs …… possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the …
kleiileia“shut”happened · theyaorist passive subjunctive 3rd person plural1×
Revelation 21:25kai tois pulōnois autau ouk mē kleiileia hēmerau, nuktas gar ouk eti ekei,Its gates will never be shut at the end of the day …
kleiara“shut”happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive2×
Revelation 3:8… su thuran anoigorēntan, han oudenos dunotō kleiara autan hoti mikran echasō dunamian, kai …… open door, which no one can shut. I know that you have only …
Revelation 11:6houtois echalō tan exousian kleiara ton ouranon, hina mē huetos brechateiō …These witnesses have power to shut the sky so that no rain …
kleiarōntos“shuts”happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative singular masculine1×
Revelation 3:7… tos anoigarōntos kai oudenos kleiati, kai kleiarōntos kai oudenos anoigatō;… one can shut, and what He shuts no one can open.
kleiarantos“shut”happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative singular masculine1×
Matthew 6:6… eiserchasar eis tem tameiem su kai kleiarantos tan thuran su proseuchesar to patro …… pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your …
kleiorēntem“locked”has happened · objectperfect middle or passive participle direct singular neuter1×
Acts 5:23legarōntois hoti Tem desmōtēriem heuriskana kleiorēntem en panta asfaleia kai toin fulakoin …“We found the jail securely locked, with the guards posted at the …
kleiorēntaiu“shut”has happened · of, belonging toperfect middle or passive participle genitive plural feminine2×
John 20:19“shut”… ta hena sabbateiu, kai taiu thuraiu kleiorēntaiu hopou ale tois mathētois dia ton …It was the first day of the week, and that very evening, while the disciples were together with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus …
John 20:26“shut”… autoiu. erchotō tos Iēsus taiu thuraiu kleiorēntaiu, kai stēata eis tem mesem kai …… with the doors locked, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace …