Strong's Lexicon
laleó: To speak, to talk, to utter
Original Word:λαλέω
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:laleó
Pronunciation:lah-LEH-oh
Phonetic Spelling:(lal-eh'-o)
Definition:To speak, to talk, to utter
Meaning:(I talk, chatter in classical Greek, but in NT a more dignified word) I speak, say.
Word Origin:A primary verb
Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: - דָּבַר (dabar) - Strong's Hebrew 1696: To speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing
- אָמַר (amar) - Strong's Hebrew 559: To say, speak, utter
Usage:The Greek verb "laleó" primarily means "to speak" or "to talk." It is used in the New Testament to describe the act of speaking, whether in conversation, proclamation, or teaching. The term can refer to both formal and informal speech and is often used in contexts where the content of the speech is significant, such as preaching the Gospel or conveying divine messages.
Cultural and Historical Background:In the Greco-Roman world, speech was a powerful tool for communication, persuasion, and teaching. Public speaking was highly valued, and rhetoric was a key component of education. In the Jewish context, speaking was also central to religious life, with oral traditions and teachings being passed down through generations. The New Testament reflects this cultural emphasis on speech, highlighting the importance of words in conveying truth and building community.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom lalos (talkative)
Definitionto talk
NASB Translationmade (1), proclaiming (1), said (6), say (5), saying (7), says (2), speak (95), speak forth (1), speaking (54), speaks (25), spoke (44), spoken (38), stating (1), talked (1), talking (5), tell (1), telling (1), things spoken (2), told (7), uttered (1), whispered* (1).
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 2980: λαλέωλαλέω,
λαλῶ; imperfect 3 person singular
ἐλάλει, plural
ἐλάλουν; future
λαλήσω; 1 aorist
ἐλάλησα; perfect
λελάληκα; passive, present
λαλοῦμαι; perfect
λελάλημαι; 1 aorist
ἐλαλήθην; 1 future
λαληθήσομαι: (from
Sophocles down); found in Biblical Greek much more frequent than in secular authors, in the
Sept. times without number for
דִּבֵּר or
דִּבֶּר, more rarely for
אָמַר; properly,
to utter a sound (cf. (onomatop.
la-la, etc.) German
lallen),
to emit a voice make oneself heard; hence
to utter or form words with the mouth, to speak, having reference to the sound and pronunciation of the words and in general the form of what is uttered. while
λεγο refers to the meaning and substance of what is spoken; hence
λαλεῖν is employed not only of men, especially when
chatting and prattling, but also of animals (of birds,
Mosch. 3, 47; of locusts,
Theocritus, 5, 34;
λαλοῦσιμέν,
οὐφραζουσιδέ, of dogs and apes,
Plutarch, mor. ii., p. 909 a.), and so of inanimate things (as trees,
Theocritus, 27, 56 (57); of an echo, Dio C. 74, 21, 14). Accordingly, everything
λεγόμενον is also
λαλούμενον, but not everything
λαλούμενον is also
λεγόμενον (
Eupolis in
Plutarch, Alc. 13
λαλεῖνἄριστος,
ἀδυνατωτατοςλέγειν); (the difference between the words is evident where they occur in proximity, e. g.
Romans 3:19ὅσαὁνόμοςλέγει,
τοῖςἐντῷνόμῳλαλεῖ, and the very common
ἐλάλησεν ...
λέγων,
Matthew 13:3, etc.). Moreover, the primary meaning of
λαλεῖν,
to utter oneself, enables us easily to understand its very frequent use in the sacred writers to denote the utterances by which
G o d indicates or gives proof of his mind and will, whether immediately or through the instrumentality of his messengers and heralds. (Perhaps this use may account in part for the fact that, though in classic Greek
λαλεῖν is the term for light and familiar speech, and so assumes readily a disparaging notion: in Biblical Greek it is nearly ff not quite free from any such suggestion.) Cf. Day. Schulz die Geistesgaben der ersten Christen, p. 94ff; Tittmann de Synonymis N. T., p. 79f;
Trench, Synonyms, § lxxvi.; (and on classical usage
Schmidt, Syn. 1:1). But let us look at the N. T. usage in detail:
1.to utter a voice, emit a sound: of things inanimate, asβρονταί,Revelation 10:4; withτάςἑαυτῶνφωνάς added, each thunder uttered its particular voice (the force and meaning of which the prophet understood, cf.John 12:28f);John 12:3;σάλπιγγοςλαλούσηςμετ'ἐμοῦ,λέγων (Rec.λέγουσα) followed by direct discourseRevelation 4:1; of the expiatory blood of Christ, metaphorically,to crave the pardon of sins,Hebrews 12:24; of the murdered Abel, long since dead, equivalent toto call for vengeance (seeGenesis 4:10, and cf.κράζω, 1 at the end),Hebrews 11:4 according to the true readingλαλεῖ; (GLTTrWH; theRec.λαλεῖται must be taken as passive, in the exceptional senseto be talked of, lauded; see below, 5 at the end (πρᾶγμακατ'ἀγοράνλαλούμενον,Aristophanes Thesm. 578, cf.πάντεςαὐτήνλαλοῦσιν, Alciphro fragment 5, ii., p. 222, 10 edition Wagner)).
2.to speak, i. e. to use the tongue or the faculty of speech; to utter articulate sounds: absolutely1 Corinthians 14:11; of the dumb, receiving the power of speech,Matthew 9:33;Matthew 12:22;Matthew 15:31;Luke 11:14;Revelation 13:15; (τούς (TTrWH omit))ἀλάλουςλαλεῖν,Mark 7:37;ἐλάλειὀρθῶς,Mark 7:35; of a deaf-mute man,μήδυνάμενοςλαλῆσαι,Luke 1:20 (of idols,στόμαἔχουσικαίοὐλαλήσουσι,Psalm 113:13 ();; cf. 3Macc. 4:16);to speak, i. e. not to be silent, opposed to holding one's peace,λαλεῖκαίμήσιωπήσῃς,Acts 18:9; opposed to hearing,James 1:19; opposed to the soul's inner experiences,2 Corinthians 4:13 fromPsalm 115:1 (); opposed toποιεῖν (asλόγος toἔργον which see 3),James 2:12.
3.to talk; of the sound and outward form of speech:τῇἰδίᾳδιαλέκτῳ,Acts 2:6;ἑτέραιςκαιναῖςγλώσσαις,Acts 2:4;Mark 16:17 (hereTr textWH text omitκαιναῖς), from which the simpleγλώσσαιςλαλεῖν, and the like, are to be distinguished, seeγλῶσσα, 2.
4.to utter, tell: with the accusative of the thing,2 Corinthians 12:4.
5.to use words in order to declare one's mind and disclose one's thoughts; to speak: absolutely,ἔτιαὐτοῦλαλοῦντος,Matthew 12:46;Matthew 17:5;Matthew 26:47;Mark 5:35;Mark 14:43;Luke 8:49;Luke 22:47, 60; with the adverbsκακῶς,καλῶς,John 18:23;ὡςνήπιοςἐλάλουν,1 Corinthians 13:11;ὡςδράκων,Revelation 13:11;στόμαπρόςστόμα, face to face (Germanmündlich),2 John 1:12 (after the Hebrew ofNumbers 12:8);εἰςἀέραλαλεῖν,1 Corinthians 14:9;ἐκτοῦπερισσεύματοςτῆςκαρδίαςτόστωμαλαλεῖ, out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, namely, so that it expresses the soul's thoughts,Matthew 12:34;Luke 6:45;ἐκτῶνἰδίωνλαλεῖν, to utter words in accordance with one's inner character,John 8:44. with the accusative of the thing:τίλαλήσω,λαλήσητε, etc., what I shall utter in speech, etc.,John 12:50;Matthew 10:19;Mark 9:6 (hereTTrWHἀποκριθῇ);;τί, anything,Mark 11:23LTTr textWH;Romans 15:18;1 Thessalonians 1:8;οὐκοἴδαμεντίλαλεῖ, what he says, i. e. what the words uttered by him mean (WH bracketsτίλαλεῖ),John 16:18;ταῦτα, these words,Luke 24:36;John 8:30;John 17:1, 13;1 Corinthians 9:8;τόλαλούμενον,1 Corinthians 14:9; pluralActs 16:14 (of the words of a teacher);τόνλόγονλαλούμενον,Mark 5:36 (seeButtmann, 302 (259) note);λόγους,1 Corinthians 14:19;ῤήματα,John 8:20;Acts 10:44;παραβολήν,Matthew 13:33;βλασφημίας,Mark 2:7 (LTTrWHβλασφημεῖ);Luke 5:21;ῤήματαβλάσφημαεἰςτινα,Acts 6:11;ῤήματα (Rec. addsβλάσφημα)κατάτίνος,Acts 6:13;σκληράκατάτίνος,Jude 1:15;ὑπέρογκα,Jude 1:16 (Dan. (Theod.));τάμήδέοντα,1 Timothy 5:13 (ἅμήθέμις, 2 Macc. 12:14;εἰςτινατάμήκαθήκοντα, 3Macc. 4:16; (cf.Winer's Grammar, 480 (448)));διεστραμμένα,Acts 20:30;τόψεῦδος,John 8:44;δόλον,1 Peter 3:10 fromPsalm 33:14 ();ἀγαθά,Matthew 12:31;σοφίαν,1 Corinthians 2:6f;μυστήρια;1 Corinthians 14:2; followed byὅτι (equivalent toπερίτούτου,ὅτι etc.to speak of this, viz.that they knew him (seeὅτι, I. 2 under the end)),Mark 1:34;Luke 4:41; contrary to classic usage, followed by direct discourse,Mark 14:31L textTTrWH;Hebrews 5:5;Hebrews 11:18, (but in these last two passages of the utterances of God); more correctly elsewhereἐλάλησελέγων (in imitation of Hebrewלֵאמֹריְדַבֵּר (cf. above (at the beginning))), followed by direct discourse:Matthew 14:27;Matthew 23:1;Matthew 28:18;John 8:12;Acts 8:26;Acts 26:31;Acts 28:25;Revelation 17:1;Revelation 21:9;λαλοῦσακαίλέγουσα,Revelation 10:8.λαλῶ with the dative of personto speak to one, address him (especially of teachers):Matthew 12:46;Matthew 23:1;Luke 24:6;John 9:29;John 15:22;Acts 7:38, 44;Acts 9:27;Acts 16:13;Acts 22:9;Acts 23:9;Romans 7:1;1 Corinthians 3:1;1 Corinthians 14:21, 28;1 Thessalonians 2:16;Hebrews 1:2 (1); of one commanding,Matthew 28:18;Mark 16:19;to speak to, i. e.converse with, one (cf.Buttmann, § 133, 1):Matthew 12:46 (47 butWH marginal reading only);Luke 1:22;Luke 24:32;John 4:26;John 12:29;ἑαυτοῖς (the dative of person)ψαλμοῖςκαίὕμνοις (dative of instrument),Ephesians 5:19;οὐλαλεῖντίνι is used of one who does not answer,John 19:10;to accost one,Matthew 14:27;λαλῶτίτίνι,to speak anything to anyone, to speak to one about a thing (of teaching):Matthew 9:18;John 8:25 (on which seeἀρχή, 1 b.);;2 Corinthians 7:14;ῤήματα,John 6:63;John 14:10;Acts 13:42;οἰκοδομήνκαίπαράκλησιν, things which tend to edify and comfort the soul,1 Corinthians 14:3; of onepromulgating a thing to one,τόννόμον, passiveHebrews 9:19;λαλῶπρόςτινα,to speak unto one:Luke 1:19; (L marginal readingTWH);Acts 4:1;Acts 8:26;Acts 9:29;Acts 21:39;Acts 26:14 (RG), 26, 31;Hebrews 5:5 (אֶלדִּבֵּר,Genesis 27:6;Exodus 30:11, 17, 22);λόγουςπρόςτινα,Luke 24:44;ἐλάλησανπρόςαὐτούςἀυαγγελιζόμενοι ...Ἰησοῦν,Acts 11:20;ὅσαἄνλαλήσῃπρόςὑμᾶς,Acts 3:22;σοφίανἐντισίν, wisdom among etc.1 Corinthians 2:6;λαλεῖνμετάτίνος,to speak, converse, with one (cf.Buttmann, § 133, 3):Mark 6:50;John 4:27;John 9:37;John 14:30;Revelation 1:12;Revelation 10:8;Revelation 17:1;Revelation 21:9, 15;λαλεῖνἀλήθειανμετά etc. to show oneself a lover of truth in conversation with others,Ephesians 4:25 (cf. Ellicott);λαλεῖνπερίτίνος,concerning a person or thing:Luke 2:33;Luke 9:11;John 7:13;John 8:26;John 12:41;Acts 2:31;Hebrews 2:5;Hebrews 4:8; withτίνι, dative of person, added,Luke 2:38;Acts 22:10;τίπερίτίνος,Acts 28:21;Luke 2:17;εἰςτιναπερίτίνος (the genitive of the thing), to speak something as respects a person concerning a thing,Hebrews 7:14RG;εἰςτιναπερί with the genitive of person, ibid.LTTrWH. Many of the examples already cited show thatλαλεῖν is frequently used in the N. T. of teachers, — of Jesus, the apostles, and others. To those passages may be added,Luke 5:4;John 1:37;John 7:46;John 8:30, 38;John 12:50;Acts 6:10;Acts 11:15;Acts 14:1, 9;Acts 16:14;1 Corinthians 14:34;2 Corinthians 2:17;Colossians 4:3;1 Thessalonians 2:4;1 Peter 4:11; withπαρρησία added,John 7:26;John 16:29;ἐπίὀνόματιἸησοῦ,Acts 5:40, cf. 4:17, seeἐπί, B. 2 a.β.;τῷὀνόματικυρίου (whereLTTrWH prefixἐν), of the prophets,James 5:10 (seeὄνομα, 2 f.);τίνι (to one)ἐνπαραβολαῖς,Matthew 13:3, 10, 13, 34;ἐνπαροιμίαις,John 16:25;ἐξἐμαυτοῦ, to speak from myself (i. e. utter what I myself have thought out),John 12:49;ἀπ'ἐμαυτοῦ (seeἀπό, II. 2 d. aa., p. 59{a}),John 7:17;John 14:10;John 16:13;ἐκτῆςγῆς (seeἐκ, II. 2 under the end),John 3:31;ἐκτοῦκόσμου,1 John 4:5 (seeκόσμος, 6);ἐκΘεοῦ, prompted by divine influence,2 Corinthians 2:17;λαλεῖν,τόνλόγον, to announce or preach the word of God or the doctrine of salvation:Mark 8:32;Acts 14:25 (here inTWH marginal reading followed byεἰςτήνΠέργην; seeεἰς, A. I. 5 b.);;Philippians 1:14, etc.;τόνλόγοντοῦΘεοῦ,Acts 4:29, 31;τίνιτόνλόγον,Mark 2:2;Acts 11:19; withπαραβολαῖς added,Mark 4:33;τίνιτόνλόγοντοῦκυρίου (WH textΘεοῦ),Acts 16:32 (the Epistle of Barnabas 19, 9 [ET]);τίνιτόνλόγοντοῦΘεοῦ,Acts 13:46;Hebrews 13:7;τάῤήματατοῦΘεοῦ,John 3:34;τάῤήματατῆςζωῆς,Acts 5:20;πρόςτινατόεὐαγγέλιοντοῦΘεοῦ,1 Thessalonians 2:2;λαλεῖνκαίδιδάσκειντάπερίτοῦἸησοῦ (RGκυρίου),Acts 18:25;τόμυστήριοντοῦΧριστοῦ,Colossians 4:3.λαλεῖν is used of the O. T. prophets uttering their predictions:Luke 24:25;Acts 3:24;Acts 26:22 (cf.Buttmann, § 144, 20, and p. 301 (258));2 Peter 1:21;James 5:10; of the declarations and prophetic announcements of God:Luke 1:45, 55;John 9:29;Acts 7:6; especially in the Epistle to the Hebrews:Hebrews 1:1, 2 (1);; God, the Holy Spirit, Christ, are saidλαλεῖνἐντίνι:Hebrews 1:1, 2 (1);Matthew 10:20;2 Corinthians 13:3;διάστόματοςτίνος,Luke 1:70;Acts 3:21;διάἨσαΐου,Acts 28:25; of the sayings of angels:Luke 2:17, 26;John 12:29;Acts 10:7;Acts 23:9;Acts 27:25; the Holy Spirit is saidλαλήσειν what it will teach the apostles,John 16:13;ὁνόμος as a manifestation of God is saidλαλεῖντίνι what it commands,Romans 3:19; finally, even voices are saidλαλεῖν,Acts 26:14 (RG);Revelation 1:12;Revelation 10:8. equivalent toto make known by speaking, to speak of, relate, with the implied idea of extolling:Matthew 26:13;Mark 14:9;Luke 24:36;Acts 4:20; (cf.Hebrews 11:4Rec. (see 1 at the end above)).
6. Sinceλαλεῖν, strictly denotes the act of one who utters words with the living voice, when writers speak of themselves or are spoken of by others asλαλοῦντες, they are conceived of as present and addressing their readers with the living voice,Romans 7:1;1 Corinthians 9:8;2 Corinthians 11:17, 23;2 Corinthians 12:19;Hebrews 2:5;Hebrews 6:9;2 Peter 3:16, orλαλεῖν is used in the sense ofcommanding,Hebrews 7:14. The verbλαλεῖν is not found in the Epistles to Galatians and 2 Thessalonians. (Compare:διαλαλέω,ἐκλαλέω,καταλαλέω,προσλαλέω,συλλαλέω; cf. the catalog of comp. inSchmidt, Syn., chapter i § 60.)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
preach, say, speak
A prolonged form of an otherwise obsolete verb; to talk, i.e. Utter words -- preach, say, speak (after), talk, tell, utter. Comparelego.
see GREEKlego
Forms and Transliterations
εἰπόντος ελαλει ελάλει ἐλάλει ελαληθη ελαλήθη ἐλαλήθη ελαλησα ελάλησα ελάλησά ἐλάλησα ελαλησαμεν ελαλήσαμεν ἐλαλήσαμεν ελαλησαν ελάλησαν ἐλάλησαν ελάλησας ελάλησάς ελαλησατε ελαλήσατε ἐλαλήσατε ελάλησε ελάλησέ ελαλησεν ελάλησεν ἐλάλησεν ἐλάλησέν ελαλουμεν ελαλούμεν ἐλαλοῦμεν ελαλουν ελάλουν ἐλάλουν λαλει λαλεί λαλεῖ λάλει λαλειν λαλείν λαλεῖν λαλεις λαλείς λαλεῖς λαλεισθαι λαλείσθαι λαλεῖσθαι λαλείται λαλειτε λαλείτε λαλεῖτε λαλειτω λαλείτω λαλειτωσαν λαλείτωσαν λαλη λαλή λαλῇ λαληθεις λαληθείς λαληθεὶς λαληθεισης λαληθείσης λαληθέν λαληθεντος λαληθέντος λαληθεντων λαληθέντων λαληθή λαληθηναι λαληθήναι λαληθῆναι λαληθησεται λαληθήσεται λαληθήσεταί λαληθησομενων λαληθησομένων λάλημα λαλησαι λαλήσαι λαλήσαί λαλῆσαι λαλῆσαί λαλησαντες λαλήσαντες λαλήσαντι λαλήσαντος λαλησας λαλήσας λαλήσασι λαλήσατε λαλησάτω λαλήσατω λαλησάτωσαν λαλησει λαλήσει λαλήσεις λαλήσετε λαληση λαλήση λαλήσῃ λαλήσης λαλησητε λαλήσητε λαλήσητέ λαλησομεν λαλήσομεν λάλησον λαλήσουσι λαλησουσιν λαλήσουσιν λαλησω λαλήσω λαλήσωμεν λαλήσωσι λαλήσωσιν λαλητόν λαλουμεν λαλούμεν λαλοῦμεν λαλουμενη λαλουμένη λαλουμενοις λαλουμένοις λαλουμενον λαλούμενον λαλουν λαλούν λαλοῦν λαλουντα λαλούντα λαλοῦντα λαλουντας λαλούντας λαλοῦντας λαλουντες λαλούντες λαλοῦντες λαλουντι λαλούντι λαλοῦντι λαλουντος λαλούντος λαλούντός λαλοῦντος λαλοῦντός λαλουντων λαλούντων λαλούσα λαλουσαι λαλούσαι λαλοῦσαι λαλουσαν λαλούσαν λαλοῦσαν λαλουσης λαλούσης λαλουσί λαλούσι λαλουσιν λαλούσιν λαλοῦσιν λαλω λαλώ λαλῶ λαλων λαλών λαλῶν λαλώσι λαλωσιν λαλώσιν λαλῶσιν λελαληκα λελάληκα λελαλήκαμεν λελάληκας λελαλήκασι λελαλήκατε λελάληκε λελάληκέ λελαληκεν λελάληκεν λελαλημενοις λελαλημένοις λελαληται λελάληταί eipontos eipóntos elalei elálei elalesa elalēsa elálesa elálēsa elalesamen elalēsamen elalḗsamen elalesan elalēsan elálesan elálēsan elalesate elalēsate elalḗsate elalesen elalēsen elálesen elálesén elálēsen elálēsén elalethe elalēthē elalḗthe elalḗthē elaloumen elaloûmen elaloun eláloun lale lalē lalei laleî lalêi lalē̂i lálei lalein laleîn laleis laleîs laleisthai laleîsthai laleite laleîte laleito laleitō laleíto laleítō laleitosan laleitōsan laleítosan laleítōsan lalesai lalêsai lalêsaí lalēsai lalē̂sai lalē̂saí lalesantes lalēsantes lalḗsantes lalesas lalēsas lalḗsas lalese lalēsē lalesei lalēsei lalḗsei lalḗsēi lalesete lalēsēte lalḗsete lalḗsēte laleso lalēsō lalḗso lalḗsō lalesomen lalēsomen lalḗsomen lalesousin lalēsousin lalḗsousin laletheis laletheìs lalētheis lalētheìs laletheises laletheíses lalētheisēs lalētheísēs lalethenai lalethênai lalēthēnai lalēthē̂nai lalethenton lalethénton lalēthentōn lalēthéntōn lalethentos lalethéntos lalēthentos lalēthéntos lalethesetai lalethḗsetai lalethḗsetaí lalēthēsetai lalēthḗsetai lalēthḗsetaí lalethesomenon lalethesoménon lalēthēsomenōn lalēthēsoménōn lalo lalô lalō lalō̂ lalon lalôn lalōn lalō̂n lalosin lalôsin lalōsin lalō̂sin laloumen laloûmen laloumene laloumenē lalouméne lalouménē laloumenois lalouménois laloumenon laloúmenon laloun laloûn lalounta laloûnta lalountas laloûntas lalountes laloûntes lalounti laloûnti lalounton lalountōn laloúnton laloúntōn lalountos laloûntos laloûntós lalousai laloûsai lalousan laloûsan lalouses lalousēs laloúses laloúsēs lalousin laloûsin lelaleka lelalēka leláleka lelálēka lelaleken lelalēken leláleken lelálēken lelalemenois lelaleménois lelalēmenois lelalēménois lelaletai lelalētai leláletaí lelálētaí
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