ἐλέγχω G1651
To reprove, convict of wrongdoing, or expose what is hidden — verbal correction that brings truth to light
A word of moral and judicial force, elegcho carries the sense of confrontation that aims at restoration. In the Gospels, Jesus instructs believers to reprove a sinning brother privately (Matt 18:15), while John's Gospel reveals the Spirit's work of convicting the world of sin (John 16:8). The word can also mean to expose hidden deeds, as in Eph 5:11-13, where light itself becomes the agent of revelation. Spanish 'convencer' and French 'convaincre' capture the forensic dimension, while 'reprendre' reflects the corrective impulse. Across all three senses runs a thread of truth brought to bear on falsehood.
Senses
1. reprove, rebuke — To verbally correct or admonish someone with the goal of bringing about repentance. Jesus commands this kind of direct reproof in Matt 18:15, and Paul urges Timothy to 'reprove, rebuke, exhort' (2 Tim 4:2). The Spanish 'reprende' and French 'reprendre' both foreground this corrective dimension. The aim is always restorative, not punitive. 10×
AR["أُوَبِّخُهُمْ", "الْمُوَبَّخُ", "مُوَبَّخًا", "وَبِّخوها", "وَبِّخْ", "وَبِّخْهُ", "وَبِّخْهُم", "يُوَبِّخَ"]·ben["আমি-তিরস্কার-করি", "খণ্ডন-করতে", "তাদের-তিরস্কার-কর", "তিরস্কার-কর", "তিরস্কার-কর,", "তিরস্কৃত-হচ্ছ", "তিরস্কৃত-হয়ে", "বুঝিয়ে-দাও", "বুঝিয়ে-দাও,"]·DE["ueberführen", "ἐλεγχόμενος", "ἔλεγξον"]·EN["I-reprove", "being-reproved", "expose", "rebuke", "reprove", "to-reprove"]·FR["reprendre"]·heb["הוֹכִיחוּ", "הוֹכַח", "הוּכַח", "לְהוֹכִיחַ", "מוֹכִיחַ", "נִוָּכַח"]·HI["डाँटता-हूँ", "डाँटे-जाते-हुए", "डांटा-जाता-हुआ", "तअ,", "तुम-सअबित-करो", "दअन्त", "दोखह-देन.", "समझ"]·ID["Aku-menegur", "ditegur;", "menegur.", "menegur;", "tegurlah", "yang-ditegur"]·IT["convincere", "riprendere"]·jav["Kawula-mituturi", "dipun-eram", "dipunpitedah", "nuduhaken;", "nyaruwé.", "nyaruwéna", "nyaruwéna,", "padha-dukani,", "tuturi"]·KO["권고하라", "꺼짐하라,", "꺼짓으라", "책망-받을-때에", "책망받는", "책망하도록", "책망하라", "책망한다"]·PT["refutar.", "repreende", "repreendei;", "repreendo", "sendo-corrigido", "sendo-repreendido"]·RU["обличаемый", "обличай", "обличайте;", "обличать", "обличаю", "обличи"]·ES["refutar", "reprende", "reprended", "reprendo", "siendo-reprendido"]·SW["alipoonywa", "karipia", "kemea", "kuwakemea", "mkemee", "nawakemea", "unapokemewa", "wakemee", "yakemueni"]·TR["azarla", "azarlamaya.", "azarlanan", "azarlandığında", "azarlıyorum", "azilarlayin", "uyar"]·urd["سمجھا", "قائل-کرنے-کے", "ملامت-کر", "ملامت-کرو", "ملامت-کیا-جاتا-تھا", "ملامت-کیے-جانے-پر", "ڈانٹ", "ڈانٹتا-ہوں"]
2. convict of guilt — To bring someone to an inner awareness of guilt or wrongdoing, often with judicial overtones. In John 16:8 the Holy Spirit convicts the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment. Paul envisions the unbeliever entering worship and being convicted by prophetic speech (1 Cor 14:24). The Spanish 'convencer' and German 'ueberführen' capture this forensic sense of proving guilt before the conscience. 6×
amh["ለማሳመን"]·AR["مُبَكَّتينَ", "مُوَبَّخينَ", "يوبخ", "يُبَكِّت", "يُبَكِّتُ", "يُوَبَّخُ"]·ben["উদ্ঘাটিত-হয়", "দোষ-ধরে", "দোষী-প্রমাণিত-হয়ে", "দোষী-সাব্যস্ত-করতে", "দোষী-সাব্যস্ত-করবেন", "দোষী-হয়ে"]·ces["usvědčit"]·dan["at-overbevise"]·DE["ueberführen", "zu-überführen"]·ell["ελέγξαι"]·EN["being-convicted", "convicts", "he-is-convicted", "to-convict", "will-convict"]·FR["convaincre", "reprendre"]·guj["ઠપકો-દેવા"]·hat["kondane"]·hau["ya-tsawata"]·heb["יוֹכִיחַ", "להוכיח", "מוֹכִיחַ", "מוּוָכַחִים", "נִוֹכַח", "נוֹכָחוּ"]·HI["दोष-लगाता-है", "दोषी-ठहराए-जाते-हुए", "दोषी-ठहराएगा", "दोषी-ठहराने-को", "दोषी-ठहराया-जाता-है", "धिक्कारे-जाते-हुए"]·hun["meggyőzni"]·ID["akan-menyatakan-salah", "dihukum", "ia-diyakinkan", "membuktikan", "untuk-menyatakan-bersalah"]·IT["convincere", "per-convincere", "rimproverare", "riprendere"]·jav["badhé-ndukani", "dipun-gètok,", "kalepatan", "nganggep", "ngukum", "piyambakipun-dipun-kandhani"]·JA["責める-ために"]·KO["꾸짖는가", "정죄-받으며", "정죄하려", "책망받고", "책망받아", "책망할-것이다"]·mar["दोषी-ठरवण्यास"]·mya["ဖော်ထုတ်စစ်ဆေး"]·nld["te-bestraffen"]·nor["å-overbevise"]·pnb["ثابت-کرن"]·pol["przekonać"]·PT["convence", "convencer", "convencerá", "sendo-convencidos", "sendo-redarguidos", "é-convencido"]·ron["a-mustra"]·RU["обличаемые", "обличает", "обличается", "обличит", "обличить"]·ES["convence", "convencer", "convencerá", "convictos", "es-convencido", "siendo-reprendidos"]·SW["ananihukumu", "anasadikishwa", "ataushuhudia", "kuwaonya", "mkikemewa", "wakihukumiwa"]·swe["att-övertyga"]·tam["கண்டிக்க"]·tel["నిందించుటకు"]·tgl["pagsabihan"]·TH["ตัดสิน"]·TR["ikna edilir", "ikna-edecek", "mahkûm-edilerek", "mahkûm-ediyor", "suçlamak", "suçlananlar"]·ukr["викрити"]·urd["ثابت-کرتا-ہے", "ثابت-کرنے-کو", "قائل کرے گا", "مجرم-ٹھہرائے-جاتے-ہو", "ملامت-کیے-جا-کر", "ملزم-ٹھہرایا-جاتا-ہے"]·VI["kết-án"]·yor["láti-dá-lẹ́bi"]·yue["定罪"]·ZH["定罪"]
3. expose, bring to light — To make manifest what has been concealed, bringing hidden deeds into the open. John 3:20 explains that evildoers avoid the light lest their works be exposed, while Eph 5:13 declares that everything exposed by light becomes visible. This sense extends the word's meaning from personal rebuke to cosmic revelation — darkness itself is unmasked. 2×
AR["المُوَبَّخُ", "تُوَبَّخَ"]·ben["তিরস্কৃত-হয়ে", "প্রকাশিত-হয়"]·DE["ueberführen"]·EN["be-exposed", "being-exposed"]·FR["reprendre"]·heb["הַנִּבְחָן", "יִוָּכְחוּ"]·HI["जाँचे-जाएं", "सअबित-किये-हुए"]·ID["dinyatakan", "yang-ditegur"]·IT["convincere", "riprendere"]·jav["dipun-tuduhaken", "kawedharaken"]·KO["드러나도록", "드러난-것들-은"]·PT["sejam-expostas", "sendo-repreendidas"]·RU["обличаемое", "обличены-были"]·ES["reprendidas", "sean-expuestas"]·SW["funuliwe", "yanayokemewa"]·TR["azarlanan", "açığa-çıkarılsın"]·urd["ظاہر-ہوں", "ملامت-کیے-جانے-والے"]
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)H7592 1. ask, inquire, question (96×)H3034 1. give thanks, praise (Hifil) (94×)G1321 1. teach, instruct actively (92×)H3789 2. Qal active: write, compose (89×)G1125 1. to write, compose (a letter or document) (84×)H5046 2. Hifil: to declare, proclaim (79×)H7892a 1. song, musical composition (78×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἐλέγχω, Refs 8th c.BC+: future ἐλέγξω Refs 5th c.BC+: aorist ἤλεγξα Refs 8th c.BC+:—passive, future ἐλεγχθήσομαι Refs 5th c.BC+: aorist ἠλέγχθην Refs 5th c.BC+: perfect ἐλήλεγμαι Refs is falsa lectio in Refs 5th c.BC+: pluperfect ἐξ-ελήλεγκτο Refs 4th c.BC+:—disgrace, put to shame, μῦθον ἐ. treat a speech with contempt, Refs 8th c.BC+; ἐ. τινά put one to shame, Refs 8th c.BC+ —This usage is only…