ἐκβάλλω G1544
To cast out, expel (esp. demons); to throw out, eject; to take out, extract; to bring forth, produce; to send out
The quintessential exorcism verb of the New Testament, ekballo carries an inherent force — the prefix ek ('out of') combined with ballo ('to throw') yields a word that almost always involves energy and urgency. Jesus casts out demons with a word (Matt 8:16), the Pharisees accuse him of doing so by Beelzebul's power (Matt 9:34), and the Twelve are commissioned with the same authority (Matt 10:1). Yet the verb's range extends well beyond exorcism: it covers extracting a speck from a brother's eye (Matt 7:4-5), throwing the worthless servant into outer darkness (Matt 25:30), bringing forth treasures from a storehouse (Matt 13:52), and even the gentle image of a shepherd who 'leads out' his sheep (John 10:4). The interplay between violent expulsion and purposeful deployment gives ekballo a dramatic versatility that few Greek verbs can match.
Senses
1. cast out / expel forcibly — The dominant active sense of forceful expulsion — casting out demons, driving out persons, or ejecting entities from a place or community. Fifty-three occurrences make this the overwhelming core of ekballo in the New Testament, covering Jesus' exorcisms (Matt 8:16; Mark 1:34; Luke 11:14), the disciples' commission to cast out demons (Matt 10:1; Mark 3:15; 6:13), and the removal of persons from assemblies or communities (John 9:34-35; 3 John 1:10). Spanish echar fuera, French chasser, and German austreiben all preserve the forceful outward trajectory. The Beelzebul controversy (Matt 12:24-28) makes this sense a theological flashpoint: by whose authority does one ekballo? 53×
AR["أَخرَجوا", "أَخرَجوهُ", "أَنْ-نُخْرِجَهُ", "أُخرِجُ", "أُخْرِجُ", "طَرَدوا", "نُخْرِجَهُ", "يَطرُدُ", "يَطْرُدُ", "يُخرِجوها", "يُخرِجُ", "يُخْرِجُ"]·ben["তাড়াই", "তাড়াচ্ছে", "তাড়াতে", "তাড়ায়", "তাড়িয়ে-দেন", "তারা-বের-করে-দিয়েছে", "তারা-বের-করে-দিল", "বের-করতে", "বের-করি", "বের-করে-দিল"]·DE["austreiben", "treibt-aus"]·EN["I-cast-out", "cast-out", "casts-out", "he-casts-out", "they-cast-out", "to-cast-out"]·FR["chasser"]·heb["גֵּרְשׁוּ", "גָרֵשׁ", "הוֹצִיאוּ", "לְ-גָרֵשׁ", "לְגָרֵשׁ", "לְהוֹצִיא", "מְגָרֵשׁ", "מוֹצִיא"]·HI["को", "निकलतअ", "निकलतअ-है", "निकलतअ-होओन", "निकलन", "निकाल-दिया", "निकालता-हूँ", "निकालता-हूं", "निकालता-है", "निकालना", "निकालने", "निकाला"]·ID["Aku-mengusir", "Ia-mengusir", "mengusir", "mereka-mengusir"]·IT["cacciare"]·jav["mbucal", "ngusir", "nundhung", "nundhung,", "tiyang-tiyang-nundhung."]·KO["내쫓았다", "쥅아내다", "쪰아내고", "쪰아내면", "쪰아내지", "쫓겨냈다", "쫓겨냈다고", "쫓아내기를", "쫓아내면", "쫓아낸다", "쫓아낸다고"]·PT["expulsa", "expulsar", "expulsaram", "expulso", "expulsá-lo", "expulsá-los", "o-expulsaram"]·RU["выбросили", "выгнали", "выгонять", "изгнать", "изгоняет", "изгонять", "изгоняю"]·ES["a-echar-fuera", "echa-fuera", "echar-fuera", "echaron", "echaron-fuera", "echo-fuera", "expulsa", "expulsar", "expulso"]·SW["anamtoa,", "anatoa", "kumtoa", "kuwafukuza", "kuwatoa", "ninatoa", "toa", "wakamfukuza-nje", "wakamtoa", "walimfukuza-nje", "walimtoa"]·TR["attılar", "dışarı-atmaya", "dışarı-attılar", "kovmak", "kovmaya", "kovuyor", "kovuyorum", "çıkarmayı", "çıkarmıyor", "çıkarsınlar", "çıkarırsa", "çıkarıyor", "çıkarıyorsam"]·urd["نکال-دیا", "نکالتا", "نکالتا-ہوں", "نکالتا-ہے", "نکالنا", "نکالنے"]
Matt 7:22, Matt 8:16, Matt 8:31, Matt 9:34, Matt 10:1, Matt 10:8, Matt 12:24, Matt 12:26, Matt 12:27, Matt 12:27, Matt 12:28, Matt 17:19 (+38 more)
2. take out / extract — A gentler extractive sense — taking out or removing a physical object from a location, especially the speck-and-beam discourse of the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 7:4-5; Luke 6:42) and the hyperbolic command to pluck out an offending eye (Mark 9:47). Seven occurrences carry this sense, where the action requires care or precision rather than violent force. Spanish sacar ('to take out, extract') distinguishes this from the explosive echar fuera of Sense 1, revealing the reduced force. The shift from expelling a demon to extracting a splinter shows ekballo's scalar flexibility along the force continuum. 7×
AR["أَخرِج", "أَخرِجْ", "أُخرِجَ", "أُخرِجُ", "اقْلَعْهَا", "لِتُخرِجَ"]·ben["বের-কর", "বের-করতে", "বের-করি"]·DE["austreiben", "treibt-aus"]·EN["I-may-cast-out", "I-might-take-out", "cast-out", "take-out", "to-cast-out", "to-take-out"]·FR["chasser"]·heb["אוֹצִיא", "הוֹצֵא", "לְ-הוֹצִיא", "לְהוֹצִיא", "נַקֵּר"]·HI["निकाल", "निकाल-डाल", "निकालने-को", "निकालूँ", "निकालूं"]·ID["aku-mengeluarkan", "buanglah", "keluarkanlah", "untuk-dikeluarkan", "untuk-mengeluarkan"]·IT["cacciare"]·jav["bucala", "coplok", "ilangia", "kawula-ngilangi", "kula-mbuwang", "mbuwang", "ngilangi"]·KO["빼게", "빼기-위해", "빼기를", "빼라", "빼마", "빼어라"]·PT["arranca", "eu-tire", "tira", "tirar"]·RU["выну", "вынуть", "вынь", "вырви"]·ES["saca", "sacar", "saque", "sácalo"]·SW["kutoa", "ling'oe", "ni-toa", "nitoe", "toa"]·TR["çıkar", "çıkarayım", "çıkarmak-için", "çıkarmak-için."]·urd["اپنی", "نکال", "نکال-دے", "نکالنا", "نکالوں"]
3. throw out / reject violently — Violent throwing or hurling — casting someone or something with physical force, as the tenant farmers who threw the heir out of the vineyard and killed him (Matt 21:39; Mark 12:8; Luke 20:15), or the servant thrown into outer darkness (Matt 22:13; 25:30). Six occurrences emphasize the brutal physicality of the action. Also includes the sailors jettisoning cargo (Acts 27:38), where the violence is directed at objects rather than persons. German austreiben here underrepresents the hurling force that Spanish arrojar ('to hurl') captures vividly. 6×
AR["أَخرَجوهُ", "أَلْقُوهُ", "اطرَحوهُ", "اِطرَحها", "مُلْقِينَ"]·ben["তারা-বের-করে-দিল", "ফেলিয়া-দিতেছিল", "ফেলে-দাও", "বাদ-দাও", "বের-করে-দাও", "বের-করে-দিল"]·DE["austreiben", "treibt-aus"]·EN["cast-out", "threw-out", "throwing-out"]·FR["chasser"]·heb["הִשְׁלִיכוּ", "הַשְׁלִיכוּ", "הַשְׁלֵךְ", "מַשְׁלִיכִים"]·HI["डालो", "निकाल-दे", "निकाला", "फेंक-दिया", "फेंकतेहुए", "फेंको"]·ID["buanglah", "melempar", "membuang", "mereka-melempar"]·IT["cacciare", "cacciare-fuori"]·jav["bucal", "bucalana", "mbucal", "nundhung", "sami-mbucal"]·KO["내던져서", "내던졌다", "내보내라", "내쫓아라", "내쫓았다", "내쫓으라"]·PT["lança-fora", "lançai", "lançando", "lançaram", "lançaram-fora"]·RU["выбрасывая", "выбросили", "выбрось", "выбросьте", "вывели"]·ES["arrojando", "echad", "echaron", "échalo"]·SW["liache", "mtupeni", "nje", "wakamtupa", "wakitupa", "yeye"]·TR["atarak", "attılar", "atın", "dışla"]·urd["نکال-دیا", "نکالا", "پھینک-دو", "پھینکتے-ہوئے", "چھوڑ-دے"]
4. be cast out (passive) — The passive voice — being cast out, expelled, or ejected by another agent — six occurrences where the subject suffers the action. The sons of the kingdom 'will be cast out' into outer darkness (Matt 8:12), and those who ate and drank in Jesus' presence find themselves thrust outside (Luke 13:28). Spanish fue echada fuera and the participial habiendo sido echado fuera mark the passive morphology explicitly. John 12:31 elevates this to cosmic drama: 'the ruler of this world will be cast out,' fusing demonological and eschatological horizons. 6×
AR["أُخرِجَ", "سَـ-يُطْرَحُ", "مَطْرُودِينَ", "يُطرَحونَ", "يُطْرَحُ"]·ben["তাড়িয়ে-দেওয়া-হবে", "তাড়িয়ে-দেওয়া-হলে", "বের-করা-হচ্ছে", "বের-করা-হয়", "বের-করা-হল"]·DE["austreiben", "treibt-aus"]·EN["being-cast-out", "having-been-cast-out", "is-cast-out", "was-put-out", "will-be-cast-out"]·FR["chasser"]·heb["הוּרַח", "יֻשְׁלְכוּ", "יוּשַׁלַּךְ", "כַּ-גֻּרַשׁ", "מֻשְׁלָךְ", "מֻשְׁלָכִים"]·HI["निकल-जअत-है", "निकाला-जाएगा", "निकाली-गई", "निकाले-जाएँगे", "निकाले-जाते-हुए", "निकाले-जाने-पर"]·ID["akan-dibuang", "dibuang", "dikeluarkan", "diusir"]·IT["cacciare"]·jav["badhe-dipun-bucal", "badh醐ipuntundhung", "dipun-usir", "dipunkebur", "kawedalaken?", "sasampunipun-kawusanaken"]·KO["내보내시고", "내보내진다", "내쫓김-당하리라", "쌓겨날-것이다", "쫓겨나는-것을", "쫓겨내시고"]·PT["foi-expulsa", "sendo-lançados", "serão-lançados-fora", "tendo-sido-expulso", "é-lançado"]·RU["будет-изгнан", "выслана-была", "извергается", "изгнанного", "изгнаны-будут", "изгоняемых"]·ES["es-echado?", "fue-echada-fuera", "habiendo-sido-echado-fuera", "será-echado", "serán-echados", "siendo-echados-fuera"]·SW["atatupwa", "kinatupwa", "mkitupwa", "pepo-alipotolewa", "walitolewa", "watatupwa,"]·TR["atılacaklar", "atılmış", "atılır", "dışarı-atılacak", "çıkarıldı", "çıkarılınca"]·urd["نکالا-جائے-گا", "نکالا-جاتا-ہے", "نکالا-گیا", "نکالے-جائیں-گے", "نکالے-جانے-پر", "نکالے-ہوئے"]
5. bring forth / produce — A productive-metaphorical sense of bringing forth or producing from a source — five occurrences where ekballo describes yielding goods from a treasury or storehouse. The scribe trained for the kingdom 'brings out' new and old treasures (Matt 13:52); the good person 'brings forth' good from the good stored in the heart (Matt 12:35). John 10:4 extends this to the shepherd who 'brings out' his sheep — a remarkably tender use of a verb whose default register is violent. Spanish saca and sacar confirm the 'drawing out' nuance, while the Isaiah quotation in Matthew 12:20 applies it to justice being 'brought forth' to victory. 5×
AR["يُخرِج", "يُخرِجَ", "يُخرِجُ"]·ben["প্রকাশ-করে", "বের-করে", "সে-বের-করে-আনে"]·DE["austreiben", "treibt-aus"]·EN["brings-forth", "brings-out", "he-brings-forth", "he-puts-out"]·FR["chasser"]·heb["יוֹצִיא", "מוֹצִיא"]·HI["निकलतअ-है", "निकाले", "ले-जअये"]·ID["ia-keluarkan", "mengeluarkan"]·IT["cacciare"]·jav["mbeta", "ngedalaken", "ngetokaken", "sampun-ngirid-medal"]·KO["꺼내는", "내니라", "내보내리라", "내보내면"]·PT["põe-para-fora", "tira"]·RU["выведет", "выносит", "не-изведёт"]·ES["ha-sacado", "saca", "saque"]·SW["anatoa", "anawatoa-nje", "hutoa", "toa"]·TR["gönderinceye", "çıkarır", "çıkarırsa"]·urd["لے-جائے", "نکال-دیتا-ہے", "نکالتا-ہے"]
6. send out / dispatch — A commissioning-dispatch sense of sending out or deploying someone for a purpose — four occurrences where the forceful connotation is minimal and the emphasis falls on purposeful mission. Jesus urges prayer that the Lord of the harvest 'send out' workers (Matt 9:38; Luke 10:2), and James 2:25 describes Rahab 'sending out' the spies by another way. Mark 1:43 uses it for Jesus 'sending away' the healed leper with stern instructions. Spanish enviar ('to send') and despedir ('to dismiss') replace the violent echar fuera entirely, confirming that the ek- prefix here denotes outward direction rather than forceful ejection. 4×
AR["أخرَجَتهُم", "أَخْرَجَهُ", "يُخرِجَ", "يُخْرِجَ"]·ben["পাঠান", "পাঠিয়ে-দিলেন", "বের-করে-দিয়ে"]·DE["austreiben", "treibt-aus"]·EN["having-sent-out", "he-may-send-out", "he-sends-out", "he-sent-out"]·FR["chasser"]·heb["יוֹצִיא", "שִׁלְּחָה", "שִׁלַּח"]·HI["निकालकर", "भेज-दिया", "भेज-दे", "भेजे"]·ID["Ia-kirim", "Ia-mengirim-pergi", "mengirim", "mengirim-keluar?"]·IT["cacciare"]·jav["ngedalaken", "ngedalaken?", "ngentasaken", "ngirim"]·KO["내보냈다", "보내도록", "보내시도록", "보냈을-때?"]·PT["despediu", "envie", "tendo-os-feito-sair"]·RU["выведшая?", "выслал"]·ES["despidió", "envíe", "envíe-fuera", "habiéndolos-echado-fuera"]·SW["akiwatoa", "alimtoa", "atoe", "atume"]·TR["gönderdi", "göndererek", "gönderse", "göndersin"]·urd["بھیج-دیا", "بھیجے", "نکال-کر?"]
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
ἐκβάλλω, Refs 4th c.AD+ ἐσδέλλω Refs 4th c.BC+future -βᾰλῶ: aorist -έβαλον: perfect -βέβληκα: passive, future -βεβλήσομαιRefs 5th c.BC+:— throw or cast out of, with genitive, Ὀδίον μέγαν ἔκβαλε δίφρου Refs 8th c.BC+: absolutely, throw out, ἐκ δ᾽ εὐνὰς ἔβαλον Refs; καὶ τὴν μὲν..ἰχθύσι κύρμα γενέσθαι ἔκβαλον threw her overboard, Refs 8th c.BC+passive: __1 throw ashore, τὸν δ᾽ ἄρ᾽..νεὸς ἔκβαλε κῦμ᾽…