ἐξαιρ-έω G1807
To rescue, deliver; to tear out, pluck out — extraction from danger or forcible physical removal
The verb ἐξαιρέω (ἐκ + αἱρέω, 'take out') splits into two dramatically different senses in the New Testament. In the middle voice, it becomes a powerful rescue verb: God 'delivered' Joseph from all his afflictions (Acts 7:10), came down to 'rescue' Israel from Egypt (Acts 7:34), and sent an angel to 'deliver' Peter from prison (Acts 12:11). In the active voice with physical objects, it takes on a visceral literalness: Jesus commands that if your eye causes you to sin, 'tear it out' (Matt 5:29; 18:9). Spanish tracks the split precisely — 'librar/libró' (set free) for rescue versus 'sácalo' (pull it out) for physical extraction — showing that the two senses occupy different conceptual territories across languages.
Senses
1. rescue, deliver (from danger or oppression) — To rescue, deliver, or set free from danger, oppression, or enemies — the soteriological middle-voice sense. God is the primary agent: rescuing Joseph from afflictions in Egypt (Acts 7:10), descending to deliver Israel from bondage (Acts 7:34), sending an angel to free Peter from Herod's prison (Acts 12:11), and promising to deliver Paul from the Jewish people and the Gentiles (Acts 26:17). The Roman commander also 'rescued' Paul from the mob (Acts 23:27). Spanish 'librar/libró' (to free), French 'arracher/délivrer' (to snatch away / to deliver), and Arabic 'anqadha' (أنقذ, to rescue) all deploy salvation and liberation vocabulary, confirming the theological weight of this sense. 6×
AR["أَنْقَذَ", "أَنْقَذَهُ", "أَنْقَذْتُهُ", "أُنْقِذَ", "مُنْقِذُكَ", "يُنقِذَنا"]·ben["উদ্ধার-করতে", "উদ্ধার-করলেন", "উদ্ধার-করিতেছি", "উদ্ধার-করিলাম", "উদ্ধার-করেছেন", "উদ্ধার-করেন"]·DE["befreit", "ἐξέληται"]·EN["I-rescued", "he-might-rescue", "rescued", "rescuing", "to-rescue"]·FR["arracher", "délivrer"]·heb["הִצִּיל", "הִצִּילוֹ", "הִצַּלְתִּיו", "יַצִּילֵנוּ", "לְהַצִּילָם", "מַצִּיל"]·HI["छुड़ातेहुए", "छुड़ाने-को", "छुड़ाया", "छुदये", "मैंनेछुड़ाया"]·ID["Dia-melepaskan", "Menyelamatkan", "melepaskan", "menyelamatkan,", "untuk-melepaskan"]·IT["exelētai", "liberare"]·jav["Panjenenganipun-ngluwari", "kula-ngluwèkaken,", "ngentasaken", "ngluwari", "ngreksa"]·KO["건져내셨다", "건졌다", "건지기-위해", "건지시려", "구출하며", "구출하였다"]·PT["livrando", "livrou", "nos-livrasse", "para-livrar"]·RU["избавил", "избавить", "избавляющий", "отнял"]·ES["librar", "librándote", "libró", "rescate", "rescaté"]·SW["akaniokoa", "alimwokoa", "atuokoe", "kuwaokoa", "nikikuokoa", "nilimwokoa"]·TR["kurtararak", "kurtardı", "kurtardım", "kurtarmak", "kurtarsın"]·urd["بچاتے-ہوئے", "بچایا", "میں-نے-بچایا", "چھڑائے", "چھڑانے"]
2. tear out, pluck out (physical removal) — To tear out, pluck out, or forcibly remove a body part — the literal active-voice sense of physical extraction. Used exclusively in Jesus' hyperbolic teaching about radical self-discipline: 'If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away' (Matt 5:29; cf. Matt 18:9). The violent physicality distinguishes this sharply from the rescue sense. Spanish 'sácalo' (pull it out) and French 'arracher' (to rip out) both convey forceful removal of something attached, while the German gloss 'befreit' (freed) interestingly blurs the boundary — perhaps reflecting the theological point that removing the offending member 'frees' one from sin. 2×
AR["اقْلَعْهَا"]·ben["উপড়ে-ফেলো", "তুলে-ফেল"]·DE["befreit"]·EN["pluck-out", "tear-out"]·FR["arracher"]·heb["נַקֵּר"]·HI["निकअल", "निकाल-दे"]·ID["cungkillah"]·IT["liberare"]·jav["copot", "cuplaka"]·KO["빼라", "빼어"]·PT["arranca"]·RU["вырви"]·ES["sácalo"]·SW["ling'oe"]·TR["oy-çıkar", "çıkar"]·urd["نکال"]
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
ἐξαιρ-έω, future -ησω, later ἐξελῶ Refs 1st c.BC+aorist 2 ἐξεῖλον, Epic dialect and Lyric poetry ἔξελον Refs 8th c.BC+; infinitive ἐξελεῖν:—middle, future ἐξαιρήσομαι Refs 4th c.BC+aorist 2 ἐξειλόμην,Refs 5th c.BC+ —passive, perfect -ῄρημαι, Ionic dialect -αραίρημαιRefs 5th c.BC+:—take out, ἔνθεν.. ἔξελε πέπλους Refs 8th c.BC+; ἐπείνιν καθαροῦ λέβητος ἔξελε Κλωθώ Pi.[same place]; τὸ δέλτα τοῦ…