λέγω (in the N. T. only the present and imperfect active and present passive are in use; 3 person plural imperfect ἐλεγαν, John 11:56 Tdf. (cf. ἔχω, at the beginning));
I. in its earliest use in Homer to lay (like Latin lego, German legen; cf. J. G. Müller in Theol. Studien und Kritiken for 1835, p. 127ff; Curtius, § 538); to cause to lie down, put to sleep;
1. to collect, gather; to pick out.
2. to lay with, count with; to enumerate, recount, narrate. describe; (cf. English tale, German zählen).
II. to put word to word in speaking, join words together, i. e. "to say (how it differs from λαλεῖν, see under that word at the beginning); once so by Homer in Iliad 2, 222 (yet cf. Schmidt, Syn. 1:1, §§ 20; 48, 2; Liddell and Scott, under the word, B. II. 2); often in Pindar, and by far the most common use in Attic; the Sept. more than thirteen hundred times for אָמַר; often also for נְאֻם (saying, dictum); very rarely for דִּבֵּר; and so in N. T.
1. universally,
a. absolutely, to speak: Acts 13:15; Acts 24:10; to say, foll. by direct discourse, Matthew 9:34; Matthew 12:44; Matthew 16:2 (here T brackets WH reject the passage); Mark 3:30; Luke 5:39 (WH brackets the clause); John 1:29, 38; (1 Corinthians 12:3 L T Tr WH); James 4:13, and very often; the direct discourse is preceded by ὅτι recitative, Matthew 9:18 (T omits ὅτι); Mark 1:15 (T omits; WH brackets λέγων); Mark 2:12 (L and WH brackets λέγοντας); Mark 3:21; Mark 5:28; Mark 6:14f, 35; Mark 7:20; Luke 1:24; Luke 4:41; Luke 17:10; John 6:14; John 7:12; John 8:33; John 9:9, 41; John 16:17; Acts 2:13; Acts 11:3; Hebrews 10:8; Revelation 3:17, etc.; followed by the accusative with an infinitive, Luke 11:18; Luke 24:23; John 12:29; Acts 4:32; Acts 28:6, etc.; followed by ὅτι, Luke 22:70; John 8:48; John 18:31; 1 Timothy 4:1 (for other examples see 2 a. below); followed by an indirect question, Matthew 21:27; Mark 11:33; Luke 20:8.
b. The N. T. writers, particularly the historical, are accustomed to add the verb λέγειν followed by direct discourse to another verb which already contains the idea of speaking, or which states an opinion concerning some person or thing; as τό ῤηθέν... προφήτου λέγοντος, Matthew 2:17; Matthew 8:17; Matthew 12:17; Matthew 13:35; κηρύσσων... καί (L T WH omit; Tr brackets καί) λέγων, Matthew 3:2; κράζειν λέγειν, Matthew 9:27; Matthew 21:15; Mark 10:47; Luke 4:41 (here L T Tr marginal reading κραυγάζειν); Acts 14:15; προσφώνειν καί λέγειν, Matthew 11:17; Luke 7:32; ἀπεκρίθη καί λέγει, Mark 7:28; αἰνεῖν τόν Θεόν καί λέγειν, Luke 2:13; γογγύζειν καί λέγειν, John 6:42. to verbs of speaking, judging, etc., and those which denote in general the nature or the substance of the discourse reported, the participle λέγων is added (often so in the Sept. for לֵאמֹר (Winer's Grammar, 535f (499), cf. 602 (560))) followed by direct discourse: ἀπεκρίθη λέγων, Matthew 25:9, 44; Mark 9:38 (T WH omit λέγων); Acts 15:13; Revelation 7:13, etc. (see ἀποκρίνομαι, 1 c.); εἶπαν... λέγοντες, Mark (Mark 8:28 T WH Tr marginal reading); Mark 12:26; Luke 20:2 (in Greek writings ἔφη λέγων); ἐλάλησε λέγων (see λαλῶ, 5); ἐμαρτύρησε, John 1:32; κέκραγεν λέγων, John 1:15; ἐδίδασκεν... λέγων, Matthew 5:2; (ἐβόησεν or) ἀνεβόησεν... λέγων, Matthew 27:46; Luke 9:38; ἀνέκραξεν λέγων, Mark 1:24; Luke 4:34 (T WH omit; Tr brackets λέγων); also after ᾄδειν, Revelation 5:9; Revelation 15:3; αἴρειν (or ἐπαίρειν) φωνήν, Luke 17:13; Acts 14:11; θαυμάζειν, Matthew 8:27; Matthew 9:33; Matthew 21:20; after προφητεύειν, Matthew 15:7; γογγύζειν, Matthew 20:12; εἶπεν ἐν παραβολαῖς, Matthew 22:1; παρέθηκε παραβολήν, Matthew 13:24; διεμαρτύρατο, Hebrews 2:6; ἐπήγγελται, Hebrews 12:26, and a great many other examples It is likewise added to verbs of every kind which denote an act conjoined with speech; as ἐφάνη, φαίνεται λέγων, Matthew 1:20; Matthew 2:13; προσεκύνει λέγων, Matthew 8:2; Matthew 9:18; Matthew 14:33; Matthew 15:25; add, Matthew 8:3; Matthew 9:29; Matthew 14:15; Mark 5:35 Luke 1:66; Luke 5:8; Luke 8:38; Luke 10:17; Luke 15:9; Luke 18:3; Luke 19:18; Acts 8:10, 18; Acts 12:7; Acts 27:23; 1 Corinthians 11:25, etc. On the other hand, the verb λέγω in its finite forms is added to the participles of other verbs: Matthew 27:41; Mark 8:12; Mark 14:45, 63, 67; Mark 15:35; Luke 6:20; John 1:36; John 9:8; Acts 2:13 Hebrews 8:8; ἀποκριθείς λέγει, Mark 8:29; Mark 9:5, 19; Mark 10:24, 51; Mark 11:22, 33 (L Tr marginal reading brackets T Tr WH omit ἀποκριθείς); Luke 3:11; Luke 11:45; Luke 13:8 (nowhere so in Acts, nor in Matt. nor in John); κράξας λέγει, Mark 5:7 (Rec. εἶπε); Mark 9:24. ἔγραψε λέγων (לֵאמֹר יִכְתֹּב 2 Kings 10:6; 2 Samuel 11:15, etc.), he wrote in these words, or he wrote these words (A. V. retains the idiom, he wrote saying (cf. e. below)): Luke 1:63; 1 Macc. 8:31 1 Macc. 11:57; Josephus, Antiquities 11, 2, 2; 13, 4, 1; examples from the Syriac are given by Gesenius in Rosenmüller's Repertor. i., p. 135. ἔπεμψε or ἀπέστειλε λέγων, i. e. he ordered it to be said by a messenger: Matthew 22:16; Matthew 27:19; Luke 7:19; Luke 19:14; John 11:3; Acts 13:15; Acts 16:35 (see in εἶπον, 3 b.); otherwise in Matthew 21:37; Mark 12:6.
c. ἡ φωνή λέγουσα: Matthew 3:17; Matthew 17:5; Luke 3:22 (G L T Tr WH omit λέγουσα); Revelation 6:6; Revelation 10:4, 8; Revelation 12:10; Revelation 14:13, etc. λέγειν φωνή μεγάλη, Revelation 5:12; Revelation 8:13; ἐν φωνή μεγάλη, Romans 14:7, 9.
d. In accordance with the Hebrew conception which regards thought as internal speech (see εἶπον, 5), we find λέγειν ἐν ἑαυτῷ, to say within oneself, i. e. to think with oneself: Matthew 3:9; Matthew 9:21; Luke 3:8; ἐν τῇ καρδία αὐτοῦ, Revelation 18:7.
e. One is said to speak, λέγειν, not only when he uses language orally, but also when he expresses himself in writing ((cf. b. sub at the end)): 2 Corinthians 7:3; 2 Corinthians 8:8; 2 Corinthians 9:3, 4; 2 Corinthians 11:16, 21; Philippians 4:11, and often in Paul; so of the writers of the O. T.: Romans 10:16, 20; Romans 11:9; Romans 15:12; λέγει ἡ γραφή, Romans 4:3; Romans 10:11; Romans 11:2; James 2:23, etc.; and simply λέγει, namely, ἡ λέγουσα, i. e. ἡ γραφή (our it is said): Romans 15:10 (11 L Tr marginal reading); Galatians 3:16; Ephesians 4:8; Ephesians 5:14; cf. Winers Grammar, 522 (486f) and 588 (547); Buttmann, § 129, 16; λέγει, namely, ὁ Θεός, 2 Corinthians 6:2; λέγει, Δαυίδ ἐν ψαλμῷ, Acts 13:35; λέγει ὁ Θεός, Hebrews 5:6; ἐν τῷ ὡσεη, Romans 9:25; ἐν Ἠλίᾳ, Romans 11:2; ἐν Δαυίδ, Hebrews 4:7; λέγει τό πνεῦμα τό ἅγιον, Hebrews 3:7; ὁ νόμος λέγει, 1 Corinthians 14:34; τί, 1 Corinthians 9:8; Romans 3:19.
f. λέγειν is used of every variety of speaking: as of inquiry, Matthew 9:14; Matthew 15:1; Matthew 17:25; Matthew 18:1; Mark 2:18; Mark 5:30; Luke 4:22; Luke 7:20; John 7:11; John 9:10; John 19:10; Romans 10:18; Romans 11:1, 11, etc.; followed by εἰ interrogative (see εἰ, II. 2), Acts 21:37; λέγει, τίς, equivalent to one bids the question be asked, Mark 14:14; Luke 22:11; of reply, Matthew 17:25; Matthew 20:7; Mark 8:24 (L marginal reading εἶπεν); John 1:21; John 18:17; of acclaim, Revelation 4:8, 10; of exelamation, Revelation 18:10, 16; of entreaty, Matthew 25:11; Luke 13:25; equivalent to to set forth in language, make plain, Hebrews 5:11.
g. λέγω with the accusative of the thing. to say a thing: ὁ, Luke 9:33 (i. e. not knowing whether what he said was appropriate or not); Luke 22:60; to express in words, Philemon 1:21; τοῦτο, John 8:6; John 12:33; τοιαῦτα, Hebrews 11:14; ταῦτα, Luke 8:8; Luke 11:27, 45; Luke 13:17; John 5:34; Acts 14:18; 1 Corinthians 9:8; τάδε (referring to what follows), Acts 21:11; Revelation 2:1, 8, 12, 18; Revelation 3:1, 7, 14; τί, what? Romans 10:8; Romans 11:4; Galatians 4:30; 1 Corinthians 14:16; πολλά, John 16:12; τά λεγόμενα, Luke 18:34; Acts 28:24; Hebrews 8:1; ὑπό τίνος, Acts 8:6; Acts 13:45 (L T Tr WH λαλουμένοις); Acts 27:11; λέγω ἀλήθειαν, John 8:45; Romans 9:1; 1 Timothy 2:7; ἀληθῆ, John 19:35; ἀνθρώπινον, Romans 6:19; σύ λέγεις, namely, αὐτό, properly, thou sayest, i. e. thou grantest what thou askest, equivalent to it is just as thou sayest; to be sure, certainly (see εἶπον, 1 c.): Matthew 27:11; Mark 15:2; Luke 23:3, cf. Luke 22:70; John 18:37 ((all these passages WH marginal reading punctuate interrogatively)); παραβολήν, to put forth, Luke 14:7; τό αὐτό, to profess one and the same thing, 1 Corinthians 1:10 cf. 1 Corinthians 1:12.
h. with the dative of the person to whom anything is said: followed by direct discourse, Matthew 8:20; Matthew 14:4; Matthew 18:32; Matthew 19:10; Mark 2:17, 27; Mark 7:9; Mark 8:1; John 1:43 (John 1:44); John 2:10, and scores of other examples; λέγειν τίνι. κύριε, κύριε, to salute anyone as lord, Matthew 7:21; imperative λέγε μοι, Acts 22:27 (generally εἶπε μοι, ἡμῖν); plural Luke 10:9; ἀμήν λέγω ὑμῖν, I solemnly declare to you (in the Gospels of Matt. Mark and Luke); for which the Greek said ἐπ' ἀληθείας λέγω ὑμῖν, Luke 4:25, and λέγω ὑμῖν ἀληθῶς, Luke 9:27; in John everywhere (twenty-five times, and always uttered by Christ) ἀμήν ἀμήν λέγω σοι (ὑμῖν), I most solemnly declare to thee (you), John 1:51 (John 1:52); John 3:11, etc.; with the force of an asseveration λέγω τίνι, without ἀμήν: Matthew 11:22; Matthew 12:36; Matthew 23:39; Luke 7:9, 28; Luke 10:12; Luke 12:8; Luke 17:34; Luke 18:8, 14; ναί λέγω ὑμῖν, Matthew 11:9; Luke 7:26; Luke 11:51; Luke 12:5; λέγω σοι, Luke 12:59. with a dative of the thing, in the sense of commanding (see 2 c. below), Matthew 21:19; Luke 17:6; in the sense of asking, imploring, Luke 23:30; Revelation 6:16. λέγω τίνι τί, to tell a thing to one: Matthew 10:27; 2 Thessalonians 2:5; τήν ἀλήθειαν, John 16:7; μυστήριον, 1 Corinthians 15:51; παραβολήν, Luke 18:1; of a promise, Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29; Revelation 3:6; equivalent to to unfold, explain, Mark 10:32; followed by indirect discourse, Matthew 21:27; Mark 11:33; Luke 20:8; τίνι τινα, to speak to one about one, John 8:27; Philippians 3:18.
i. :λέγω followed by prepositions: πρός τινα, which denotes — either to one (equivalent to the dative): followed by direct discourse, Mark 4:41; Mark 10:26; Luke 8:25; Luke 9:23; Luke 16:1; John 2:3; John 3:4; John 4:15; John 6:5; John 8:31; Acts 2:7 (R G),Acts 2:12; Acts 28:4,17; followed by ὅτι recitative, Luke 4:21; πρός τινα τί, Luke 11:53 R G L Tr marginal reading; Luke 24:10; — or as respects one, in reference to one (cf. Buttmann, § 133, 3; Winers Grammar, § 31, 5; 405 (378); Krüger, § 48, 7, 13; Bleek on Hebrews 1:7: Meyer on Romans 10:21): Luke 12:41; Hebrews 1:7. (others add Hebrews 1:8, 13; Hebrews 7:21); μετά τίνος, to speak with one, John 11:56, περί τίνος, of, concerning, one (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 47, 4), Matthew 21:45; John 1:47 (John 1:48); John 2:21; 11:13; 13:18,22; Hebrews 9:5; περί τίνος, ὅτι, Luke 21:5; τί περί τίνος, John 1:22; John 9:17; Acts 8:34; Titus 2:8; τίνι περί τίνος, Matthew 11:7; Mark 1:30; Mark 8:30 (Lachmann εἴπωσιν); πρός τινα περί τίνος, Luke 7:24; ὑπέρ τίνος, to speak for, on behalf of, one, to defend one, Acts 26:1 (L T Tr WH marginal reading περί); ἐπί τινα, to speak in reference to, of (see ἐπί. C. L 2 g. γγ.; Buttmann, § 147, 23), one, Hebrews 7:13; εἰς τινα (τί βλασφημων), against one, Luke 22:65; in speaking to have reference to one, speak with respect to one, Acts 2:25 (cf. Winer's Grammar, 397 (371)); in speaking to refer (a thing) to one, with regard to, Ephesians 5:32; εἰς τόν κόσμον, to the world (see εἰς, A. I. 5 b.), John 8:26 (L T Tr WH λαλῶ).
k. with adverbs, or with phrases having adverbial force: καλῶς, rightly, John 8:48; John 13:13; ὡσαύτως, Mark 14:31; τί κατά συγγνώμην, ἐπιταγήν, by way of advice (concession (see συγγνώμη)), by way of command, 1 Corinthians 7:6; 2 Corinthians 8:8; κατά ἄνθρωπον (see ἄνθρωπος, 1 c.), Romans 3:5; Galatians 3:15; 1 Corinthians 9:8; Λυκαονιστί, Acts 14:11. In conformity with the several contexts where it is used, λέγω, like the Latin dico, is
2. specifically,
a. equivalent to to asseverate, affirm, aver, maintains: followed by an accusative with an infinitive, Matthew 22:23; Mark 12:18; Luke 20:41; Luke 23:2; Luke 24:23; Acts 5:36; Acts 8:9; Acts 17:7; Acts 28:6; Romans 15:8; 2 Timothy 2:18; Revelation 2:9; Revelation 3:9; with the included idea of insisting on, περιτέμνεσθαι (that you must be (cf. Winers Grammar, § 44, 3 b.; Buttmann, § 141, 2)), Acts 15:24 Rec.; with the simple infinitive without a subject-accusative, Luke 24:23; James 2:14; 1 John 2:6, 9; followed by ὅτι (where the accusative with an infinitive might have been used), Matthew 17:10; Mark 9:11; Mark 12:35; Luke 9:7; John 4:20; John 12:34; 1 Corinthians 15:12; λέγω τίνι ὅτι, etc. to declare to one that etc. (cf. Buttmann, § 141, 1): Matthew 3:9; Matthew 5:20, 22; Matthew 12:36; Matthew 13:17; Matthew 17:12; Matthew 21:43 (WH marginal reading omits ὅτι); Matthew 26:21; Mark 9:13; Mark 14:18, 25, 30; Luke 3:8; Luke 10:12; Luke 13:35 (Tr WH omit; L brackets ὅτι); Luke 14:24; 18:8; 19:26,40 (WH text omits; Tr brackets ὅτι); Luke 21:3; 22:16,37, etc.; John 3:11; John 5:24; John 8:34; John 10:7 (Tr WH omits; L brackets ὅτι); John 16:20; Galatians 5:2; λέγω τινα, ὅτι, by familiar attraction (cf. Winers Grammar, § 66, 5 a.; Buttmann, § 151, 1) for λέγω, ὅτι τίς: John 8:54; John 9:19; John 10:36 (where for ὑμεῖς λέγετε, ὅτι οὗτος, ὅν... ἀπέστειλε, βλασφημεῖ; the indirect discourse passes into the direct, and βλασφημεῖς is put for βλασφημεῖ; (Buttmann, § 141, 1)).
b. equivalent to to teach: with the dative of person followed by direct discourse, 1 Corinthians 7:8, 12; τί τίνι, John 16:12; Acts 1:3; τοῦτο followed by ὅτι, 1 Thessalonians 4:15.
c. to exhort, advise; to command, direct: with an accusative of the thing, Luke 6:46; λέγουσιν (namely, αὐτά)... καί οὐ ποιοῦσιν, Matthew 23:3; τί τίνι, Mark 13:37; John 2:5; τίνι followed by an imperative, Matthew 5:44; Mark 2:11; Luke 7:14; Luke 11:9; Luke 12:4; Luke 16:9; John 2:8; John 13:29; 1 Corinthians 7:12; λέγω with an infinitive of the thing to be done or to be avoided (cf. Winers Grammar, § 44, 3 b.; Buttmann, § 141, 2): Matthew 5:34, 39; Acts 21:4, 21; Romans 2:22; Romans 12:3; followed by ἵνα, Acts 19:4; περί τίνος (the genitive of the thing) followed by ἵνα, 1 John 5:16 (see ἵνα, II. 2 b.); followed by μή with subjunctive 2 Corinthians 11:16. in the sense of asking, seeking, entreating: with the dative of person followed by an imperative, 1 Corinthians 10:15; 2 Corinthians 6:13; followed by an infinitive (Winers Grammar, 316 (296f); Buttmann, as above), Revelation 10:9 (Rec. imperative). χαίρειν τίνι λέγω, to give one a greeting, bid him welcome, salute him, 2 John 1:10f (see χαίρω, at the end).
d. to point out with words, intend, mean, mean to say (often so in Greek writings; cf. Passow, under the word, p. 30a; (Liddell and Scott, under the word, C. 10)): τινα, Mark 14:71; John 6:71; τί, 1 Corinthians 10:29; τοῦτο followed by direct discourse, Galatians 3:17; τοῦτο followed by ὅτι, 1 Corinthians 1:12.
e. to call by a name, to call, name; equivalent to καλῷ τινα with the accusative of predicate: τί με λέγεις ἀγαθόν; Mark 10:18; Luke 18:19; add, Mark 12:37; John 5:18; John 15:15; Acts 10:28; (1 Corinthians 12:3 R G); Revelation 2:20; passive with predicate nominative: Matthew 13:55; 1 Corinthians 8:5; Ephesians 2:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:4; Hebrews 11:24; ὁ λεγόμενος, with predicate nominative he that is surnamed, Matthew 1:16 (so Matthew 27:17); Matthew 10:2; John 20:24; Colossians 4:11; he that is named: Matthew 9:9; Matthew 26:3, 14; Matthew 27:16; Mark 15:7; Luke 22:47; John 9:11; cf. Fritzsche on Matthew, p. 31f; of things, places, cities, etc.: τό ὄνομα λέγεται, Revelation 8:11; participle called, Matthew 2:23; Matthew 26:36; Matthew 27:33; John 4:5; John 11:54; John 19:13; Acts 3:2; Acts 6:9; Hebrews 9:3; with Ἑβραϊστί added, John 19:13, 17; (cf. John 5:2 Tdf.); applied to foreign words translated into Greek, in the sense that is: Matthew 27:33; John 4:25; John 11:16; John 21:2; also ὁ λέγεται, John 20:16; ὁ λέγεται ἑρμηνευόμενον (L Tr WH μεθερμηνευόμενον), John 1:38(39); διερμηνευομένη λέγεται, Acts 9:36.
f. to speak out, speak of, mention: τί, Ephesians 5:12 (with which cf. ό᾿κνω καί λέγειν, Plato, rep. 5, p. 465 c.); (Mark 7:36 T Tr text WH. On the apparent ellipsis of λέγω in 2 Corinthians 9:6, cf. Winers Grammar, 596f (555); Buttmann, 394 (338). Compare: ἀντιλέγω, διαλέγω (διαλέγομαι), ἐκλέγω, ἐπιλέγω, καταλέγω, παραλέγω (παραλέγομαι), προλέγω, συλλέγω; cf. the catalog of comp. in Schmidt, Syn., chapter 1, 60.)

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