Original Word: ἐκδιώκω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: ekdiókó
Pronunciation: ek-dee-OH-ko
Phonetic Spelling: (ek-dee-o'-ko)
Definition: To drive out, to expel, to persecute
Meaning: I persecute, expel by persecuting, drive out, vex, harass.

persecute.

From ek and dioko; to pursue out, i.e. Expel or persecute implacably -- persecute.

see GREEK ek

see GREEK dioko

1559 ekdiṓkō (from 1537 /ek, "completely out of" and 1377 /diṓkō, "chase") – properly, pursue, chase ("hunt down") with passion and personal vengeance (used only in 1 Thes 2:15).

Word Origin
from ek and diókó
Definition
to pursue out, i.e. expel or persecute
NASB Translation
drove (1).

STRONGS NT 1559: ἐκδιώκω

ἐκδιώκω: future ἐκδιώξω; 1 aorist ἐξεδιωξα;

1. to drive out, banish: τινα, Luke 11:49 (here WH Tr marginal reading διώξουσιν; some refer this to 2); (Thucydides 1, 24; Lucian, Tim. 10; the Sept. 1 Chronicles 8:13; Joel 2:20, etc.).

2. to pursue equivalent to to persecute, oppress with calamities: τινα, 1 Thessalonians 2:15 (some refer this to 1); (Psalm 118:157 (); Sir. 30:19; Demosthenes, 883, 27).

Word Origin: From the preposition ἐκ (ek, meaning "out of" or "from") and the verb διώκω (diṓkō, meaning "to pursue" or "to persecute").

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The concept of driving out or expelling, as captured by ἐκδιώκω, can be related to several Hebrew terms that convey similar meanings. Some corresponding Hebrew entries include:
• H1644 גָּרַשׁ (garash): To drive out, expel, or cast out.
• H7291 רָדַף (radaph): To pursue, chase, or persecute.

These Hebrew terms reflect similar actions of expulsion or pursuit, often used in the Old Testament to describe the removal of individuals or groups from a place or the pursuit of enemies.

Usage: The term ἐκδιώκω is used in the context of driving out or expelling someone with force or intensity. It can also imply a form of persecution where the subject is pursued with the intent to remove or eliminate them from a particular place or situation.

Context: The Greek verb ἐκδιώκω appears in the New Testament to describe actions of expulsion or intense persecution. It combines the forceful connotation of "driving out" with the pursuit implied by διώκω. This term is often used in contexts where individuals or groups are forcibly removed or pursued with hostility.

In the New Testament, ἐκδιώκω is used to describe the actions of those who sought to expel or persecute early Christians. The term captures the intensity and determination of those who opposed the spread of the Gospel. It reflects the broader theme of persecution faced by the early church, as believers were often driven out of synagogues, cities, or regions due to their faith in Christ.

The use of ἐκδιώκω highlights the conflict between the nascent Christian movement and established religious or political authorities. It underscores the cost of discipleship and the reality of suffering for one's faith, as believers were often pursued and expelled from their communities.

An example of this term in the New Testament is found in Acts 13:50 (BSB): "The Jews, however, incited the religious women of prominence and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their district."

εκδιώκοντές εκδιώκοντος εκδιώξαι εκδιωξαντων ἐκδιωξάντων εκδιώξουσιν εκδιώξω εκδιωχθήσονται εξεδίωκον εξεδίωξαν εξεδιώχθη ekdioxanton ekdioxánton ekdiōxantōn ekdiōxántōnInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts