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…