ἐγκᾰλέω G1458
To bring a formal charge or legal accusation against someone; to accuse in a judicial setting.
A technical legal term drawn from Greek courtroom procedure, meaning to lodge a formal charge against a person. In the New Testament it appears exclusively in Luke-Acts and Romans, always in contexts of judicial proceedings — whether before Roman magistrates (Acts 19:38, 19:40), the Sanhedrin (Acts 23:28–29), or the imperial tribunal (Acts 26:2). Paul also uses it theologically in Romans 8:33, asking who shall bring a charge against God's elect. The multilingual evidence confirms this forensic focus: Spanish 'acusar,' French 'accuser,' and German 'anklagen' all point squarely to formal accusation rather than casual blame.
Senses
1. accuse, bring charges against — To bring a formal legal accusation or charge against someone in a judicial context. Every NT occurrence sits within a courtroom or tribunal setting — the Ephesian town clerk warns that complaints must be settled in lawful assembly (Acts 19:38–40), the tribune seeks to know the charges against Paul (Acts 23:28), and Paul himself stands accused before Agrippa (Acts 26:2). The Spanish 'acusar,' French 'accuser,' and German 'anklagen' uniformly confirm the forensic register. In Romans 8:33 the term shifts from earthly courts to the divine tribunal: who will bring charges against those whom God has chosen? 7×
AR["أَنْ-نُتَّهَمَ", "أُتَّهَمُ", "اتَّهَمُوهُ", "فَلْيُقَاضُوا", "مُتَّهَمًا", "يَتَّهِمُ"]·ben["অভিযুক্ত", "অভিযুক্ত-হইতেছি", "অভিযুক্ত-হওয়ার", "অভিযোগ-করবে", "অভিযোগ-করিতেছিল", "তারা-অভিযোগ-করুক"]·DE["anklagen", "ἐγκαλείτωσαν", "ἐγκαλεῖσθαι", "ἐγκαλούμενον", "ἐγκαλοῦμαι", "ἐνεκάλουν"]·EN["I-am-accused", "being-accused", "let-them-accuse", "they-were-accusing", "to-be-accused", "will-bring-charge"]·FR["accuser"]·heb["הֶאֱשִׁימוּהוּ", "יִתְבְּעוּ", "יַאֲשִׁים", "לְהֵאָשֵׁם", "מֻאְשָׁם"]·HI["दोष-लगाएगा", "दोषलगाएगए", "दोषलगातेथे", "दोषलगायाजाताहूँ", "दोषी-ठहराए-जाने-के", "मुकदमा-करें"]·ID["akan-menuduh", "biarlah-mereka-menuntut", "dituduh", "menuduh"]·IT["accusare"]·jav["badhe-ndakwa", "dakwa-sami-dakwa", "dipun-dakwa", "kula-didakwa", "piyambakipun-sedaya-ndakwa"]·KO["고소당하는", "고소당한다", "고소를-당할", "고소하여라", "고소하였다", "고소할"]·PT["acusará", "acusem-se", "de-sermos-acusados", "sou-acusado"]·RU["быть-обвинёнными", "обвинит", "обвиняемого", "обвиняли", "обвиняюсь", "пусть-обвиняют"]·ES["acusará", "acusén", "de-ser-acusados", "lo-acusaban", "siendo-acusado", "soy-acusado"]·SW["akishtakiwa", "atashtaki", "kushtakiwa", "ninashtakiwa", "walimshtaki", "washtaki"]·TR["dava-açsınlar", "suçlanan", "suçlanmak", "suçlanıyorum", "suçlayacak", "suçluyorlardı"]·urd["الزام-لگائے-گا", "الزام-لگایا-جاتا-ہے-مجھ-پر", "الزام-لگایا-ہوا", "الزام-لگنے-کا", "فریاد-کریں", "وہ-الزام-لگاتے-تھے"]
Related Senses
H4941 1. justice, righteousness (134×)H4941 2. judgment, judicial decision (119×)H4941 3. ordinances, statutes (plural) (110×)H8199 1. to judge, adjudicate (98×)G2919 1. judge, pass judgment (76×)H8199 2. judge (person, office-holder) (61×)G2920 1. judgment / condemnation (48×)H7378 1. Qal: quarrel, contend, strive (42×)H4941 4. prescribed ordinance, regulation (34×)G1832 1. it is lawful, it is permitted (32×)G2917 1. judgment, condemnation (27×)G2919 2. be judged, stand trial (27×)H5360 1. vengeance, retribution (27×)H7378 2. Qal: plead, defend, litigate (22×)G2723 1. accuse, bring charges against (20×)G2923 1. judge (one who judges/decides) (19×)G2632 1. condemn, pass judgment against (18×)H1777 1. judge, adjudicate (18×)H1576 1. recompense, retribution (17×)H5359 1. vengeance, retribution (17×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἐγκᾰλέω, call in a debt, Refs 5th c.BC+: generally, demand as one's due, ἀργύριον Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 invoke, τὴν τῶν θεῶν ἰατρείαν Refs 1st c.BC+ __II bring a charge or accusation against a person:—Constr.: with dative person et accusative of things, charge something against one, φόνους ἐ. τινί Refs 5th c.BC+; χόλον κατ᾽ αὐτῶν ἐ. Refs 5th c.BC+: with infinitive, ἐστὶν ἃ ἐνεκάλει τοῖς Ἀθηναίοις…