ἐξέρχομαι G1831
To go out, come out, depart; of physical exit from a place, authoritative commands to exit, and figurative spreading or issuing forth.
Exerchomai is the New Testament's workhorse verb for leaving an enclosed space — exiting a house, departing a city, coming out of a tomb. With 219 occurrences it appears in nearly every narrative context, from Jesus going out to pray to demons being expelled from their hosts. The compound structure (ek + erchomai, 'out of' + 'come/go') preserves its spatial core even in extended uses: news 'goes out' into a region, words 'proceed out of' the mouth, and lightning 'comes forth' from east to west. The multilingual evidence neatly tracks the semantic divisions — Spanish salir and German hinausgehen cover physical exit, while Korean 나가다 (nagada, 'go out') and Arabic kharaja both carry the same inside-to-outside directionality. The imperative use in exorcism contexts is particularly striking, where Jesus' bare command 'Come out!' (Mark 1:25, 5:8) carries the full authority of divine speech.
Senses
1. go/come out physically — Physical movement from inside to outside — the dominant sense at 193 occurrences, covering all concrete instances of exiting, leaving, or departing a location. Jesus 'went out' of the house (Matt 13:1), the whole city 'came out' to meet him (Matt 8:34), the sower 'went out' to sow (Matt 13:3), and unclean spirits 'came out' of possessed persons (Matt 17:18). Spanish salió, French sortit, Korean 나갔다, and Swahili -toka all converge on the same directional motion frame. The aorist form exelthen is overwhelmingly narrative, driving story forward from scene to scene. 193×
AR["خَرَجَ", "خَرَجَتْ", "وَخَرَجَ"]·ben["তিনি-বের-হলেন", "বের-হয়েছে", "বের-হল", "বের-হলেন", "বেরিয়ে-এসেছিল", "বেরিয়ে-গেল"]·DE["geht-hinaus", "hinausgehen"]·EN["came-out", "has-gone-out", "he-went-out", "it-came-out", "went-out"]·FR["sortir"]·heb["יָצְא-וּ", "יָצְאָה", "יָצָא"]·HI["निकल", "निकल-गया", "निकला", "निकली", "निक्ल", "फैल-गई", "फैली", "बेटी-को", "में"]·ID["Dia-keluar", "Dia-pergi", "Ia-keluar", "dia-pergi", "ia-keluar", "keluar", "keluarlah", "menyebarlah", "pergi", "pergi-keluar", "telah-keluar"]·IT["uscire"]·jav["medal", "metu", "miyos", "panjenenganipun-medal", "sampun-medal", "sumebar"]·KO["나갔다", "나왔다", "떠났다", "퍼졌다"]·PT["saiu"]·RU["вышел", "вышла"]·ES["ha-salido", "salió"]·SW["akatoka", "alitoka", "ametoka", "ikasambaa", "ikatoka", "ilitoka", "nje", "ukatoka"]·TR["yayıldı", "çıktı"]·urd["نِکلا", "نکل-گئی", "نکل-گیا", "نکلا", "نکلی", "پھیل-گئی"]
Matt 8:34, Matt 9:26, Matt 13:3, Matt 17:18, Matt 20:1, Matt 21:17, Matt 27:49, Mark 1:26, Mark 1:28, Mark 1:35, Mark 2:12, Mark 2:13 (+38 more)
2. come out as command — Imperative commands to come out or go out — 13 occurrences where the verb carries the force of authoritative directive. Most strikingly in exorcism: 'Come out of him, unclean spirit!' (Mark 5:8; cf. Mark 1:25, 9:25, Luke 4:35). Also in the midnight cry 'Come out to meet the bridegroom!' (Matt 25:6) and Paul's command to separate from unbelievers (2 Cor 6:17). The imperative mood is cross-linguistically marked: Spanish Sal/Salid, Korean 나와라 (nawara), and German Geh hinaus all shift to direct-address command forms. The exorcism uses are theologically loaded — the single verb exerchomai encodes both the demon's involuntary ejection and Christ's sovereign authority. 13×
AR["اخرُج", "اخرُجوا", "اخْرُجوا", "اخْرُجْ", "اخْرُجْنَ", "اُخْرُجوا", "اُخْرُجْ", "اِخْرُجْ"]·ben["বের-হ", "বের-হও", "বেরিয়ে-এসো"]·DE["geht-hinaus", "hinausgehen"]·EN["Come-out", "Go-out", "come-out", "go-out"]·FR["sortir"]·heb["צְאוּ", "צֵא"]·HI["आत्मा", "निकल", "निकल-आ", "निकल-जा", "निकलो"]·ID["Keluarlah", "Pergilah", "berangkatlah", "keluarlah", "pergilah"]·IT["uscire"]·jav["Medala", "Metua", "Metua,", "késah", "medal", "medal-a", "medala", "metua"]·KO["나가라", "나오라", "나오라,", "나와라"]·PT["Sai", "Sai,", "Saí", "sai", "saí"]·RU["Выйди", "выйди", "выйдите", "выходите"]·ES["Sal", "Salid", "sal", "salid"]·SW["Ondoka", "Toka", "Toka,", "Tokeni", "mtoke", "toka", "tokeni", "utoke"]·TR["Çık", "Çık,", "Çıkın", "çık", "çıkın", "çıkın."]·urd["نِکل-جا", "نکل", "نکل-جا", "نکلو"]
Matt 25:6, Mark 1:25, Mark 5:8, Mark 9:25, Luke 4:35, Luke 9:4, Luke 13:31, Luke 14:21, Luke 14:23, Acts 7:3, Acts 22:18, 2 Cor 6:17 (+1 more)
3. go forth or spread — Figurative issuing forth or spreading — 10 occurrences where what 'comes out' is not a person but a report, a word, or a phenomenon. News 'went out' into all the land (Matt 9:26), evil things 'proceed out of the heart' (Matt 15:18-19), and lightning 'comes forth' from the east (Matt 24:27). Arabic kharaja and Korean 나오다 (naoda) both naturally extend from physical to figurative exit, but several languages introduce distinct vocabulary: Spanish sale ('comes out') versus se difundió ('spread') reveals the metaphorical extension. The 'ruler from Bethlehem' who 'shall come forth' (Matt 2:6, quoting Micah 5:2) shows this sense carrying prophetic and messianic weight. 10×
AR["تَخْرُجُ", "سَيَخرُج", "سَيَخْرُجُ", "يَخرُجُ", "يَخْرُجَ", "يَخْرُجُ"]·ben["বের-হবে", "বের-হবেন", "বের-হয়", "বেরিয়ে-আসে", "সে-বাইরে-যাবে", "সে-বের-হবে"]·DE["geht-hinaus", "hinausgehen"]·EN["come-out", "comes-forth", "comes-out", "goes-out", "he-will-go-out", "will-come-out", "will-go-out"]·FR["sortir"]·heb["יֵצֵא", "יוֹצְאוֹת", "יוֹצֵא", "יוֹצֵאת"]·HI["निकल-जाए", "निकलति-हैन", "निकलती-है", "निकलते-हैन", "निकलेगा", "निक्ले", "बाहर-निकलेगा", "वह-निकलेगा"]·ID["akan-keluar", "dia-pergi", "ia-akan-keluar", "keluar"]·IT["uscire"]·jav["badhe-medal,", "badhé-medal", "medal", "medal,", "piyambakipun-badhe-medal"]·KO["결코", "그가-나올-것이다", "나가면", "나갈-것이며", "나온다", "나올-것이다"]·PT["saem", "sai", "sairá"]·RU["выйдет", "выйдет,", "исходит", "исходят"]·ES["saldrá", "sale", "salen", "salga", "saliere"]·SW["anapotoka", "atatoka", "atoka", "hatatoka", "kutoka", "unatoka", "vinatoka"]·TR["artık", "çıkacak", "çıkar", "çıkarsa"]·urd["باہر-نکلے-گا", "نکل-جائے", "نکلتا-ہے", "نکلتی-ہے", "نکلتے-ہیں", "نکلے-گا"]
4. depart or withdraw — Deliberate departure or withdrawal from a person or community — 3 occurrences where the emphasis falls on relational separation rather than spatial exit. Peter says 'Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man' (Luke 5:8); the Caesarean believers accompany Paul as he 'departs' (Acts 21:5, 21:8). Spanish Apártate ('distance yourself') rather than simple sal ('go out') signals the relational dimension. Korean 떠나다 (tteonada, 'to leave/part from') likewise distinguishes this from mere physical exit. Though small, this cluster captures a genuine nuance: exerchomai here is less about passing through a doorway and more about breaking fellowship or taking leave. 3×
AR["اخرُج", "خَرَجْنَا"]·ben["বেরিয়ে", "বেরিয়ে-যাও"]·DE["geht-hinaus"]·EN["Depart", "having-departed"]·FR["sortir"]·heb["יָצְאנוּ", "צֵא"]·HI["निकल", "निकलकर"]·ID["Pergilah", "keluar"]·IT["uscire"]·jav["Késaha", "késah,"]·KO["나서", "떠나서", "떠나소서"]·PT["tendo-saído,"]·RU["Выйди", "выйдя,"]·ES["Apártate", "saliendo"]·SW["Ondoka", "tukitoka"]·TR["Git", "çıkarak"]·urd["-کے", "نکل-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×)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×)H5265 1. set out, journey, depart (Qal) (133×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἐξέρχομαι, future -ελεύσομαι (but in Attic dialect ἔξειμι (A) supplies the future, also imperfect ἐξῄειν): aorist 2 ἐξῆλθον, the only tense used in Refs 8th c.BC+:— go or come out of, with genitive loci, τείχεος, πυλάων, πόληος, Refs 8th c.BC+; ἐ. δωμάτων, χθονός, etc., Refs 5th c.BC+; of an actor, come out on the stage, Refs 5th c.BC+: absolutely, come forth, ἐ. καὶ ἀμῦναι Refs 8th c.BC+ __b…