← G1627 G1629 →

ἐκφεύγω

ekpheúgō

G1628 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To flee out from, to escape out of a place or situation, especially with emphasis on departing a location of danger, threat, or captivity. The verb most often highlights both the departure and successful removal from a hazardous context. Broader senses can extend to eluding pursuit, avoiding harm, or evading negative circumstances.

Semantic Range

to flee out (of danger or confinement), to escape (physically or figuratively), to avoid capture, to elude threat, to depart from a hazardous situation

Root / Etymology

From ἐκ ('out of, from') and φεύγω ('to flee, escape'). The compound construction underscores movement from inside to outside, particularly in urgent or dire situations.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, ἐκφεύγω is commonly used in contexts of warfare, legal disputes, and physical danger—referring to literal escape. In Hellenistic and Koine texts, including the Septuagint and New Testament, the word expands to include figurative escapes (e.g., escaping judgment, temptation, or moral peril) but primarily retains the core sense of 'to escape (out of)'. In legal and narrative texts, it can suggest eluding arrest, evading death, or successfully avoiding negative outcomes. English translations often use 'escape' or 'flee', but sometimes miss the compound's stress on 'out from within'. Related to φεύγω, which means simply 'to flee' without specifying direction, ἐκφεύγω contributes an explicit sense of exiting danger or confinement. Not notably used for abstract or metaphorical escapes in non-Jewish Greek prior to the Koine period; occasionally so in later religious or philosophical Greek.

Translation Consistency

primary "escape" 8 occurrences

ἐκφεύγω literally means ‘flee out’ with emphasis on getting out of danger or confinement; ‘escape’ best captures the typical sense of departing and successfully removing oneself from threat, matches the majority of attested renderings, and reads naturally in English.

✓ All renderings match approved senses

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from ἐκ and φεύγω; to flee out:--escape, flee.

Root Family

ἐκφεύγω (ekpheugō) — to flee, escape, avoid

Root φεὐγ- to flee, escape, avoid

Word Forms

6 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G1628-04 ἐκφυγεῖν ekphugein V AOR ACT INF to escape to flee out to escape out 2
G1628-06 ἐξέφυγον exephugon V AOR ACT IND 1P SG escaped I fled out escaped 2
G1628-01 ἐκπεφευγέναι ekpepheugenai V PRF ACT INF had escaped to have escaped out had escaped 1
G1628-02 ἐκφεύξῃ ekpheuxe V FUT MID IND 2P SG will escape you will escape out you will escape out 1
G1628-03 ἐκφευξόμεθα ekpheuxometha V FUT MID IND 1P PL escape we will escape out will we escape out 1
G1628-05 ἐκφύγωσιν ekphugosin V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P PL escape they may escape out they may escape out 1

Occurrences in Scripture

8 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G1628-04 Luke 21:36 ἐκφυγεῖν ekphugein V AOR ACT INF to escape to flee out to escape out
G1628-01 Acts 16:27 ἐκπεφευγέναι ekpepheugenai V PRF ACT INF had escaped to have escaped out had escaped
G1628-04 Acts 19:16 ἐκφυγεῖν ekphugein V AOR ACT INF they fled to flee out to escape out
G1628-02 Romans 2:3 ἐκφεύξῃ ekpheuxe V FUT MID IND 2P SG will escape you will escape out you will escape out
G1628-06 2 Corinthians 11:33 ἐξέφυγον exephugon V AOR ACT IND 1P SG escaped I fled out I escaped out
G1628-05 1 Thessalonians 5:3 ἐκφύγωσιν ekphugosin V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P PL escape they may escape out they may escape out
G1628-03 Hebrews 2:3 ἐκφευξόμεθα ekpheuxometha V FUT MID IND 1P PL escape we will escape out will we escape out
G1628-06 Hebrews 12:25 ἐξέφυγον exephugon V AOR ACT IND 3P PL escaped I fled out escaped
← G1627 Greek Lexicon G1629 →