ἄγω G0071
To lead, bring, or take; escort a person; intransitively, to go; figuratively, to guide or direct.
Ago is one of the most fundamental movement verbs in Greek, covering the full range of directed motion involving persons. At its core it means to lead or bring someone from one place to another — soldiers escorting Jesus to Pilate, the Spirit leading Christ into the wilderness, disciples fetching a donkey. But it also functions intransitively in the urgent hortatory agomen ('let us go!') at moments of crisis (Matt 26:46; John 11:7). Spanish captures the split neatly: llevaron ('they took') versus vamos ('let us go'). The figurative extension where the Spirit 'leads' believers (Rom 8:14; Gal 5:18) shows the same verb spanning physical and spiritual domains.
Senses
1. bring, lead, take (physically) — The dominant physical sense: to bring, lead, or take a person from one place to another — over three-quarters of all occurrences. Includes bringing toward the speaker (Matt 21:7, the donkey), leading away (Luke 4:1, the Spirit taking Jesus into the wilderness), and escorting under arrest (Mark 13:11). Spanish distinguishes trajeron ('brought toward') from llevaron ('took away'), revealing directional flexibility. German fuehren and French conduire preserve the personal-escort dimension. 53×
AR["أَتياني", "أَتَوْا-بِهِ", "أَتَى", "أَتَى-بِهِ", "أَحضِروا", "أَحْضَرَ", "أَحْضَرَهُ", "أَخَذوهُ", "أَخَذُوا", "أَنْ-يُؤْتَى-بِ", "أَنْ-يُؤْتَى-بِهِ", "أَوصَلوهُ", "قادوهُ", "قَادَهُ", "قَادُوهُ", "وَأَتَوْا-بِـ", "يُؤتى-بِ-هِ"]·ben["আন", "আনল", "আনলেন", "আনা-হতে", "আনিতে-হইতে", "তারা-নিয়ে-এল", "তারা-নিয়ে-গেল", "নিয়ে-এল", "নিয়ে-এসো", "নিয়ে-গেল", "নিয়ে-গেলেন", "লইয়া-গেল"]·DE["fuehren", "führt"]·EN["bring", "brought", "he-brought", "led", "they-led", "to-be-brought"]·FR["conduire", "mener"]·heb["הֵבִיא", "הֵבִיאוּ", "הָבִיאוּ", "הוֹבִילוּ", "הוֹלִיכוּ", "לְהוּבַא", "לְהוּבָא"]·HI["लाए", "लाओ", "लाने", "लाने-की", "लाने।", "लाया", "ले-गए", "ले-गया"]·ID["bawalah", "dibawa", "dibawa.", "membawa", "mereka-membawa"]·IT["condurre"]·jav["bekta", "bekta-mréné", "dipun-bekta", "kabeta", "kabeta.", "mbeta", "ngasta", "ngirid", "tiyang-tiyang-mbekta,"]·KO["그들이-데려왔다", "끌고-갔다", "끌려오도록", "끔고-갔다", "데려갔다", "데려오도록", "데려오라", "데려오셨다", "데리고-왔다", "이끌었다"]·PT["levaram", "levou", "ser-trazido", "ser-trazido.", "trazei", "trouxe", "trouxeram"]·RU["довели", "повели", "повело", "приведите", "привели", "привести", "привёз", "привёл"]·ES["Trajeron", "llevaron", "lo-llevaron", "lo-llevó", "ser-traído", "traed", "trajeron", "trajo", "traédmelos"]·SW["akaleta", "akamleta", "akampeleka", "aletwe", "alimleta", "alimpeleka", "mimi", "wakamleta", "wakampeleka", "waleteni", "walimchukua", "walimleta", "walimpeleka"]·TR["getirdi", "getirdiler", "getirilmesini", "getirin", "götürdü", "götürdüler"]·urd["لاؤ", "لانا", "لایا", "لایا-جائے", "لے گئے", "لے-آؤ", "لے-گئے", "لے-گیا"]
Matt 21:2, Matt 21:7, Mark 13:11, Luke 4:1, Luke 4:9, Luke 4:29, Luke 4:40, Luke 10:34, Luke 18:40, Luke 19:27, Luke 19:30, Luke 19:35 (+38 more)
2. go, come (intransitive) — Intransitive use meaning 'go' or 'come,' functioning as an exhortation rather than transporting another. Nearly all instances use the hortatory subjunctive agomen ('let us go') — Jesus at Gethsemane (Matt 26:46; Mark 14:42) and toward Lazarus's tomb (John 11:7, 15). The imperative age ('come now!') at Mark 1:38 is similarly intransitive. Spanish vamos and vayamos select dedicated intransitive motion words, confirming a genuine sense boundary. 9×
AR["لِـ-نَذْهَبْ", "لِنَذْهَبَ", "لِنَذْهَبْ", "هَلُمَّ"]·ben["এসো", "চল", "চলো", "চলো-যাই", "যাই"]·DE["fuehren", "führt"]·EN["Come-now", "Let-us-go", "let-us-go"]·FR["mener"]·heb["הָבָה", "נֵלֵךְ", "נֵלֵכָה"]·HI["आओ", "चलें"]·ID["Marilah", "Marilah-kita-pergi", "mari-kita-pergi", "marilah-kita-pergi"]·IT["condurre"]·jav["Ayo-mangkat", "Mangga-kita-bidhal", "Mangga-kita-ugi-bidhal", "Sumangga", "mangga-kita-bidhal", "mangga-késah", "mangkat"]·KO["가자", "어서"]·PT["Vamos", "vamos"]·RU["Ну-же", "Пойдём", "пойдём"]·ES["Vamos", "Vayamos", "vamos", "vayamos"]·SW["Njoni", "Twende", "tuende", "twende"]·TR["Gidelim", "Hadi", "gidelim"]·urd["آؤ", "چلیں"]
3. lead, guide (figuratively) — Figurative or spiritual leading by the Holy Spirit, moral forces, or abstract principles. Romans 8:14 and Galatians 5:18 describe believers 'led by the Spirit'; 1 Corinthians 12:2 recalls being 'led astray' to mute idols. Spanish conduce and the passive erais-llevados both select vocabulary emphasizing influence rather than bodily transport. 2 Timothy 3:6 extends this to deceptive manipulation — 'led captive' by false teachers. 5×
AR["المَقوداتِ", "تُقادونَ", "كُنتُم-تُقادونَ", "يَقودُكَ", "يُقَادُونَ"]·ben["চালিত", "চালিত-করছে?", "চালিত-হও,", "চালিত-হতে,", "চালিত-হয়"]·DE["fuehren"]·EN["are-led", "being-led", "leads", "you-are-led", "you-were-being-led"]·FR["conduire", "mener"]·heb["הַנִּמְשָׁכוֹת", "הוּבַלְתֶּם", "מוֹלִיךְ", "מוּנְהָגִים", "נִנְהָגִים-אַתֶּם"]·HI["चलअये-जअते-हो,", "चलाए-जाते-हैं", "चलि", "ले-जाती-है", "ले-जाते-थे"]·ID["dipimpin,", "kamu-dipimpin", "kamu-dituntun", "membimbing?", "yang-dibawa"]·IT["condurre"]·jav["kabeta", "katuntun", "katuntun,", "nuntun?", "panjenengan-kabeta,"]·KO["이끌렸으며", "이끌리는", "인도-받으면,", "인도되는-자들은", "인도하느니라"]·PT["conduz", "sois-guiados", "são-guiados,", "éreis-levados,"]·RU["ведёт", "ведётесь", "велись,", "водимы", "водимых"]·ES["conduce", "erais-llevados", "llevadas", "sois-guiados", "son-guiados"]·SW["mkiongozwa", "mnaongozwa", "unakuongoza", "wanaongozwa"]·TR["goetuerueyor?", "sürükleniyordunuz", "sürüklenmiş", "yönetiliyorsanız", "yönlendiriliyorlar"]·urd["لے-جاتی-ہے", "لے-جاتے-تھے", "چلائی-جانے-والی", "چلائے-جاتے-ہو", "چلائے-جاتے-ہیں"]
4. sense 4 — A civic sense at Acts 19:38: courts 'are held' (agoraioi agontai). Here ago means to conduct or hold a proceeding rather than to move a person. Spanish se-celebran ('are convened') confirms the institutional meaning. Though only one NT occurrence, this civic usage is well attested in classical Greek for conducting festivals, trials, and assemblies. 1×
AR["تُعْقَدُ"]·ben["বসে"]·DE["führt"]·EN["are-held"]·FR["conduire"]·heb["נֶעֱרָכִים"]·HI["होते-हैं"]·ID["diadakan"]·IT["condurre"]·jav["dipun-wontenaken"]·KO["열리고"]·PT["se-realizam,"]·RU["ведутся,"]·ES["se-celebran"]·SW["zinafanywa"]·TR["açılır"]·urd["لگتے-ہیں"]
5. sense 5 — A temporal sense at Luke 24:21, where the Emmaus disciples say 'he leads this third day' — meaning the third day is now passing since these events. Spanish lleva ('carries/spends [time]') reflects this idiomatic temporal usage, distinct from both physical escort and figurative guidance. The verb conveys elapsed duration rather than spatial movement. 1×
AR["يُمْضي"]·ben["অতিবাহিত-হচ্ছে"]·DE["führt"]·EN["he-leads"]·FR["mener"]·heb["מוֹבִיל"]·HI["लाता-है"]·ID["Dia-habiskan"]·IT["condurre"]·jav["sampun-kalampah"]·KO["보낸다"]·RU["ведёт"]·ES["lleva"]·SW["inapita"]·TR["geçiriyor"]·urd["لاتا-ہے"]
Related Senses
H0935 1. come, arrive (Qal) (2413×)G1473 1. first person singular pronoun (2084×)H3318 1. Qal: go out, depart, come forth (891×)H7725 1. to return, come/go back (Qal) (874×)H5927 1. go up, ascend (Qal) (779×)H7971 1. to send, dispatch (Qal) (701×)G2064 1. come / arrive (physical movement toward) (588×)H5307 1. Qal: fall down physically (339×)H5375 1. Qal: to lift up, raise (330×)H5975 1. to stand, stand up (310×)H5674a 1. Qal: pass by, pass through (256×)H3381 1. Qal: to go down, descend (physical movement) (242×)G1831 1. go/come out physically (193×)H5337 1. deliver, rescue, save (Hifil) (188×)H7901 1. lie down, rest, sleep (183×)G1525 1. enter a place physically (179×)H7812 1. prostrate oneself, bow down, worship (173×)H3318 2. Hifil: bring out, lead out, take out (persons) (172×)H7725 2. to bring back, restore (Hifil) (151×)H5674a 2. Qal: cross over (134×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἄγω [ᾰ], imperfect ἦγον, Epic dialect and Ionic dialect ἄγεσκονRefs 5th c.BC+: future ἄξωRefs 8th c.BC+: thematic aorist imperative ἄξετεRefs 8th c.BC+infinitive ἀξέμεναι, -έμεν, Refs 8th c.BC+: aorist 2 ἤγαγονRefs 8th c.BC+aorist 1 ἦξα rare, ἦζεRefs 5th c.BC+, participle ἄξαςRefs, infinitive ἄξαιRefs 5th c.BC+: perfect ἦχαRefs 7th c.BC+, (προ-) Refs 4th c.BC+, (συν-) Refs 5th c.BC+, etc., Doric…