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Old & New Testament Greek Lexical Dictionary
Strong's #3004 - λέγω
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λέγω
(A), lay, pres. erroneously inferred from λέξομαι, ἔλεκτο, etc.; v. cross λέχομαι.
λέγω
(B),
I
1. pick up, etc.: tenses for signf. 1 and 11, fut. λέξω Od. 24.224: aor. ἔλεξα A. Pers. 292: — Med., fut. in pass. sense λέξομαι E. Alc. 322: aor. ἐλεξάμην Il. 21.27 (trans.); ἐλέγμην Od. 9.335; λέκτο 4.451: — Pass., aor. ἐλέχθην Il. 3.188: also post- Hom. in these senses, but only in compos., esp. with ἀπο-, ἐκ-, κατα-, συν -; post- Hom. pf. εἴλοχα (κατ-, συν -), Pass. εἴλεγμαι, in these senses rarely λέλεγμαι (v. the compds.); also fut. λεγήσομαι (συλ -): aor. 2 ἐλέγην (κατ-, συν -): — gather, pick up, ὀστέα.. λέγωμεν Il. 23.239, cf. Od. 24. 72, Pi. P. 8.53; αἱμασιάς τε λέγων picking out stones for building walls, Od. 18.359 (ubi v. Sch., cf. λογάς 2), cf. 24.224: — Med., gather for oneself, ἐπὶ δὲ ξύλα πολλὰ λέγεσθε Il. 8.507; ὀστέα λευκὰ λέγοντο 24.793; φάρμακα λέξασθαι A.R. 3.807.
2. Med., choose for oneself, pick out, λέξαιτο.. ἄνδρας ἀρίστους Od. 24.108; κούρους Il. 21.27: — Pass., to be chosen, εἰ.. λεγοίμεθα πάντες ἄριστοι 13.276.
II
1. count, tell, ἐν δ' ἡμέας λέγε κήτεσιν he counted us among the seals, Od. 4.452; and in aor. Med., Il. 2.125; ἐγὼ πέμπτος μετὰ τοῖσιν ἐλέγμην I reckoned myself.., Od. 9.335; λέκτο δ' ἀριθμόν he told him over the number, 4.451: — Pass., μετὰ τοῖσιν ἐλέχθην I was counted among these, Il. 3.188. so, but not freq., after Hom., λ. ποντιᾶν ψάφων ἀριθμόν Pi. O. 13.46, cf. A. Ag. 570; καθ' ἓν ἕκαστον λ. Isoc. 2.45; also καὶ σὲ δ' ἐν τούτοις λέγω count you among.., A. Pr. 973; λ. τινὰ οὐδαμοῦ count him as naught, S. Ant. 183; κέρδος λ., εἰ.. count it gain, that.., ib. 462: — Med., λέξατο πάντας [ναύτας ] Pi. P. 4.189: — Pass., λέγεσθαι ἐν τοῖς ἱππικωτάτοις X. Oec. 11.20; ἐνὶ πρώτῃσι λέγεσθαι Call. Del. 16: fut. Med. in pass. sense, ἐν τοῖς οὐκέτ' οὖσι λέξομαι E. l.c.
2. recount, tell over, οὔ τι διαπρήξαιμι λέγων ἐμὰ κήδεα Od. 14.197; σὺ δέ μοι λέγε θέσκελα ἔργα 11.374; τὰ ἕκαστα λέγων 12.165; ὅσα τ' αὐτὸς.. ἐμόγησε, πάντ' ἔλεγ ' 23.308: so in Trag., λ. τύχας, πάθη, μόχθους, etc., A. Pr. 633, Pers. 292, Ag. 555, etc.; also Ἀγαμέμνονι.. λέγ' ὀνείδεα repeated reproaches against him, Il. 2.222; so perh. ψεύδεα πολλὰ λ. Hes. Th. 27 (but v. infr. 111): — Med., τί σε χρὴ ταῦτα λέγεσθαι; why need'st thou tell the tale thereof? Il. 13.275; and so, μηκέτι ταῦτα λεγώμεθα νηπύτιοι ὥς ib. 292, cf. Od. 3.240, 13.296; μηκέτι νῦν δήθ' αὖθι λεγώμεθα Il. 2.435.
III say, speak, first in Hes. Th. 27 (v. supr. 11.2): fut. λέξω Emp. 38.1, A. Ag. 859, Hdt. 4.14, Th. 2.48, Antipho 6.33, etc.: aor. ἔλεξα Anacr. 45, Pl. Sph. 217e, Antipho 1.15 (rare in Pl. and the Orators, common in some dialects, as Boeotian, IG 7.504.2 (Tanagra), Thessalian, ib.9(2).461.21, Ionic, v.l. in Hp. Aër. 12): pf. λέλεχα Gal. 16.249, λέλεγα and λέλογας Hsch. (εἴρηκα in correct writers): — Pass., fut. λεχθήσομαι Th. 5.86, Pl. Ti. 67c, etc.: also fut. Med. in pass. sense, S. OC 1186, E. Hec. 906 (lyr.), etc.; and λελέξομαι Th. 3.53 (v.l. λέξεται), Pl. R. 457b: aor. ἐλέχθην (never ἐλέγην in this sense) S. OT 1442, Th. 6.32, etc.: pf. λέλεγμαι Pi. N. 8.20, Hdt. 2.21, S. Ph. 389, etc. (εἴλεγμαι in this sense only in compd. δι -): rare in compds. (only ἀντιλέγω, ἐπιλέγω, καταλέγω, προλέγω), the pres. in most compds. being supplied by ἀγορεύω, the fut. by ἐρῶ, the aor. by εἶπον, the pf. by εἴρηκα:
1 say, speak, never in Hom., first in Hes. l.c., freq. from Hdt. and Trag. downwds.; of all kinds of oral communications, ἐκέλευε λέγειν εἴ τι θέλοι Hdt. 8.58; so λέγοις ἄν speak, say on, Pl. Plt. 268e, etc.; λ. μῦθον A. Pers. 698 (troch.); ψευδῆ λ. Id. Ag. 625; ἀληθῆ λ. Pl. Phlb. 12b (so in Pass., λόγος λέλεκται πᾶς S. Ph. 389); of oracles, say, declare, Hdt. 8.136; ὥσπερ τοὔνομα λέγει indicates, Pl. Prt. 312c: with Preps., λ. ἀμφί τινος A. Th. 1017, E. Hec. 580; περί τινος Xenoph. 34.2, Democr. 165, S. Aj. 151 (anap.), Th. 2.48; ὑπέρ τινος in his defence, S. El. 555, X. HG 1.7.16; κατά τινος against him, Thgn. 1240a, X. HG 1.5.2; λ. ἐπί τισι εὐχὰς ἀγαθάς express good wishes for them, A. Supp. 625 (anap.); λ. τά τινος take his part, D. 8.64; λ. πρός τι in reference or in answer to.., S. Ant. 753, etc.; εἴς τι X. Mem. 1.5.1.
2. c. acc. et inf., say that.., Pi. P. 2.59, etc.: with neg. οὐ, Pl. R. 348c, etc., but μή ib. 346e, X. Smp. 4.5 (Pass.), and usu. in later Gr., LXX Genesis 38:22; λ. μὴ εἶναι ἀνάστασιν Matthew 22:23 : freq. also folld. by ὡς, ὅτι (generally so in the Act. voice) when the subject of the relative clause may become the object of the principal Verb, γυναῖκα λέγουσιν, ὡς κάθηται.. X. Cyr. 7.3.5, etc.: rarely c. part., λ. Οἰδίπουν ὀλωλότα speak of him as dead, S. OC 1580; λέγουσιν ἡμᾶς ὡς ὀλωλότας A. Ag. 672; λέξασ' ἀδελφῷ σ' ἐνθάδ' ὄντα E. Hel. 888: — Pass., λέξεται ἔχων Id. IT 1047, cf. A. Ag. 170 (cj.).
3. λέγειν τινά τι say something of another, esp. κακὰ λ. τινά speak ill of him, revile him, Hdt. 8.61; ἀγαθὰ λ. τινάς Ar. Ec. 435; τὰ ἔσχατα, τὰ ἀπόρρητα λ. ἀλλήλους, X. Mem. 2.2.9, D. 18.123; also εὖ or κακῶς λ. τινά, A. Ag. 445 (lyr.), S. El. 524, cf. 1028; εὖ λ. τὸν εὖ λέγοντα X. Mem. 2.3.8.
4. call by name, ἃς τρέμομεν λ. S. OC 128 (lyr.): c. dupl. acc., call so and so, λέγοιμ' ἂν ἄνδρα τόνδε τῶν σταθμῶν κύνα A. Ag. 896, cf. S. OC 939 codd., Hdt. 1.32, etc.
5. λ. τινὰ ποιεῖν τι tell, command one to do, A. Ch. 553, S. Ph. 101, X. Cyr. 4.1.22, etc.: so with τινι, S. OC 840, D. 19.150 (no obj. expressed in A. Ag. 925, S. OC 856); λέγε τὸν ἐρωτῶντα ἵνα.. εἴπῃ σοι.. Astramps. Orac. p.1 H.; ὡς ὁ νόμος λέγει D. 22.20; ὁ λέγων μὴ μοιχεύειν Romans 2:22.
6. λ. τι say something, i.e. speak to the point or purpose, βούλῃ λέγειν τι, καὶ λέγων μηδὲν κλύειν; S. Ant. 757; λέγω τι; am I right ? the answer being λέγεις, Id. OT 1475; κινδυνεύεις τι λέγειν Pl. Cra. 404a; ἴσως ἄν τι λέγοις X. Mem. 2.1.12, cf. Cyr. 1.4.20; opp. οὐδὲν λέγει has no meaning, no authority, οὐδὲν λ. τὸ σωφρόνως τραφῆναι Ar. Eq. 334, cf. V. 75; οὐδὲν λέγεις nonsense ! Id. Th. 625; but οὐδὲν λέγειν, also, say what is not, lie, Id. Av. 66, Pl. Ap. 30b; also εὖ γε λέγεις, εὖ λέγεις, εὖ ἂν λέγοις, good news!, that is well !, ib. 24e, Grg. 447b, Prt. 310b; καλῶς, ὀρθῶς λ., you are right, X. Mem. 3.3.4, 3.6.8; κοὔπω λέγω and what is more, Herod. 7.44; τί λέγεις; τὸν ἔποπα παῖ καλεῖς; Ar. Av. 57, cf. Ec. 298 (lyr.).
7. pleon., ἔφη λέγων Hdt. 3.156, 5.36; ἔλεγε φάς Id. 1.122; ἔφασκε λέγων Ar. Av. 472; ἦ δ' ὃς λέγων Id. V. 795; ὡς ἔφη λέγων S. Aj. 757; καὶ λέγων εἶπεν οὕτω πως D. 8.74, etc.
8. at the beginning of letters or documents, Ἄμασις Πολυκράτεϊ ὧδε λέγει.., Μαρδόνιος τάδε λέγει.., etc., Hdt. 3.40, 8.140. ά, etc.; τὰ γράμματα ἔλεγε τάδε Id. 1.124, etc.; γράμμασι λέγον τάδε, of an inscription, Th. 6.54: in roman edicts, Μάρκος Μέττιος Ῥοῦφος.. λέγει POxy. 237 viii 28 (i A.D.).
9. wish to say, mean, οὔτοι γυναῖκας ἀλλὰ Γοργόνας λέγω A. Eu. 48; τί τοῦτο λέγει, πρὸ Πύλοιο; what does πρὸ Πύλοιο mean? Ar. Eq. 1059, cf. 1021, 1375, Ec. 989, Pl. Phd. 60e: freq. in Platonic dialogue, πῶς λέγεις; how do you mean ? in what sense do you say this? Ap. 24e, al.; ἢ πῶς λέγομεν; or what do we mean to say? Grg. 480b; πῶς δὴ οὖν αὐτὸ λέγεις; Phdr. 265c; ποῖόν τί ποτε ἄρα λέγοντ ές φασι.. what they can possibly mean by saying.., Tht. 181c, al.: c. dupl. acc., τοιοῦτόν τι σὲ λέγειν τὸ κρεῖττον Grg. 489d, al.: freq. (esp. in Trag.) to explain more fully, εἴσω κομίζου καὶ σύ, Κασάνδραν λέγω you, I mean Cassandra, A. Ag. 1035; ὁ μάντις, υἱὸν Οἰκλέους λ. Id. Th. 609, cf. 658 (v.l.), Pr. 946; ποταμός, Ἀχελῷον λέγω S. Tr. 9, cf. 1220, Ph. 1261, E. Ph. 987; ἐμὲ λέγων meaning me, Isoc. 12.215; τὸ δ' ὑμεῖς ὅταν λέγω, τὴν πόλιν λ. D. 18.88: sts., however, the word after λέγω is put in appos. with the word to be expld., Ἀντικλείας.., τῆς σῆς λέγω τοι μητρός A. Fr. 175, cf. Th. 658 cod. M; περὶ τῶνδε.., λέγω δὲ Φωκέων D. 19.152; παρ' ὧν.., τούτων τῶν τὴν Ἀσίαν οἰκούντων λέγω Id. 8.24, cf. Pl. Smp. 202b: abs., μηδενὸς ὄντος ἐν [τῇ χώρᾳ] λέγω D. 1.27. περὶ ἃς (sc. ἀπολαύσεις) λέγομεν τὸν σώφρονα in regard to which we use the term 'temperate', Arist. EN 1148a5, cf. Pl. Grg. 494b.
10. ὡς λέγουσι as they say, S. Ant. 23, etc.; ὡς λ. μοι Id. OC 1161: — Pass., λέγεται it is said, c.acc.et inf., X. Mem. 1.2.30, al.; but also πατρὸς λέγεται γενέσθαι.. Id. Cyr. 1.2.1; θανεῖν ἐλέχθη he was said to have been killed, S. OT 292; so λεγόμενον ἐρέω Pi. P. 5.108: τὸ λεγόμενον abs., as the saying goes, Th. 7.68, cf. Pl. Grg. 447a, Smp. 217e, etc.; τὸ λ. δὴ τοῦτο Id. Grg. 514e: ὁ λεγόμενος γραῶν ὕθλος the so-called.., Id. Tht. 176b; οἱ λ. αὐτόνομοι εἶναι X. HG 6.3.8; οἱ λ. ὅτι.. of whom it is said that.., Id. Cyr. 8.6.16.
11. of orators, speak (emphatically), λέγειν δεινός S. OT 545, X. Cyr. 1.5.9, etc.; λέγειν ἠσκηκότες S. Fr. 963, cf. Eup. 95 (v. λαλέω) ; λ. τε καὶ πράσσειν δυνατώτατος Th. 1.139; οἱ ἐν τῷ πλήθει λέγειν δυνάμενοι Isoc. 3.8, cf. D. 19.286; plead one's cause in a court of law, Id. 23.78; δίκας λέγειν ὑπέρ τινος speak as an advocate for.., Din. 1.111.
12. boast of, tell of, τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ῥώμην X. Cyr. 1.3.10; in Poets, sing of, θέλω λ. Ἀτρείδας Anacreont. 23.1.
13. recite what is written, λαβὲ τὸ βιβλίον καὶ λέγε Pl. Tht. 143c; and freq. in Oratt., as λέγε τὸν νόμον D. 21.8 and 10, etc.; of lectures, ἀκούσατέ μου σχόλια λέγοντος Arr. Epict. 3.21.6, cf. 15.8 (the sense of Lat. lego, read, occurs only in the compds. ἀναλέγομαι, ἐπιλέγομαι).
14. say or send word by another, X. An. 1.9.25, 7.4.5.
15. maintain as a thesis, οἱ τὰς ἰδέας λέγοντες Arist. Ph. 193b36, Metaph. 1036b14.
16. nominate, Lat. dicere [dictatorem ], D.C. Fr. 36.26 (Pass.). (Cf. Lat. lègo, legio, legulus ('olivegatherer').)
λέγω ,
[in LXX very freq., chiefly for H559; λέγει for H5001, Genesis 22:16, al.;]
1. in Hom., to pick out, gather, reckon, recount.
2. In Hdt. and Att.., to say, speak, affirm, declare: absol., Acts 13:15; Acts 24:10; seq. orat. dir., Matthew 9:34, Mark 3:11, John 1:29, al.; seq. ὅτι recit., Mark 3:21, Luke 1:24, John 6:14, al.; acc et. inf., Luke 11:18, John 12:29, al.; after another verb of speaking, προσφωνεῖν κ . λέγειν , Matthew 11:17, al.; ἀπεκρίθη (ἐλάλησεν ) λέγων (καὶ λέγει ; Dalman, Words, 24 ff.), Matthew 25:9, Mark 3:33; Mark 7:28, Luke 24:6-7, al.; of unspoken thought, λ . ἐν ἑαυτῷ , Matthew 3:9, Luke 3:8, al.; of writing, 2 Corinthians 8:8, Philippians 4:11, al.; λέγει ἡ γραφή , Romans 4:3, James 2:23, al.; c. acc rei, Luke 8:8; Luke 9:33, John 5:34, al.; σὺ λέγεις (a non-committal phrase; Swete, Mk., 359, 369 f.), Matthew 27:11, Mark 15:2, Luke 23:3, John 18:37; c. dat. pers., seq. orat. dir., Matthew 8:20, Mark 2:17, al. mult.; id. seq. ὅτι , Matthew 3:9, al.; c. prep., πρός , μετά , περί , etc., Mark 4:41, John 11:56, Hebrews 9:5, al.; to mean (cl.), Mark 14:71, John 6:71, 1 Corinthians 10:29, al.; to call, name, Mark 10:18; pass., Matthew 9:9, Mark 15:7, al (cf. ἀντι -, δια - (-μαι ), προ -, συλ -λέγω ).
ἐρῶ , see λέγω ,
εἴρω (fut. ἐρῶ ), see λέγω ,
εἶπον ,
2 aor. of obsol. Pres. ἔπω (cf. Veitch), used as aor. of λέγω , q.v.
SYN .: λαλέω G2980, which refers to the utterance, as λέγω G3004 to the meaning of what is said, its correspondence with thought (Tr., Syn., LXXvi; Thayer, s.v. λαλέω ).
Copyright © 1922 by G. Abbott-Smith, D.D., D.C.L.. T & T Clarke, London.
(1). ";I say, speak"; : see e.g. P Par 47 (= Selections, p. 21 ff.), c. B.C. 153, which is addressed on the verso—πρὸς τοὺς τὴν ἀλήθεαν λέγοντες (= –ας), P Fay 123.23 (c. A.D. 100) γνώσομαι γ ̣ὰρ ̣ εὶ ἀληθῶς λέγι, ";I will find out whether he is speaking the truth,"; P Ryl II. 76.13 (late ii/A.D.) ἂ ̣ καὶ ἀναγνώσομαι λεγομένου τοῦ [π ]ράγματος ";I will read them when the case is argued"; (Edd.), P Flor II. 132.7 (A.D. 257) ἔλε [ξ ]αν πεποιηκέναι ταῦτα ἀγνοίᾳ, ";they said they had done this in ignorance,"; and the magical P Par 574.1228 (iii/A.D.) (= Selections, p. 113) λόγος λεγόμενος ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ, ";invocation to be uttered over the head (of the possessed one)."; For the phrase τὸ αὐτὸ λέγειν, cf. 1 Corinthians 1:10, Weiss (Meyer .10 ad l.) cites a sepulchral inscr. of husband and wife from Rhodes, IMAe 149 (ii/B.C.) ταὐτὰ λἑγοντες ταὐτὰ φρονοῦντες ἤλθομεν τὰν ἀμέτρητον ὁδὸν εἰς Ἀΐδαν. (2). Closely associated is the meaning ";I speak of, mean,"; as in P Fay 110.6 (A.D. 94) ὃ λέγεις ταμε [ῖ ]ον, ";the store-place you speak of,"; P Oxy VI. 907.16 (A.D. 276) λέγω δὴ τῇ Διδύμῃ, ";I mean Didyme."; (3). For the verb = ";I tell, command,"; as in Matthew 5:34; Matthew 5:39, Romans 2:22, cf. P Fay 109.3 (early i/A.D.) παρακληθεὶς τοὺς τρεῖς στατῆρες οὓς εἴρηκέ σοι Σέλευκος δῶναί μοι ἤδη δὸς Κλέωνι, ";please give to Cleon the three staters which Seleucus told you to give me"; (Edd.), ib. 111.9 (A.D. 95–6) Ἡρα ̣κλι ̣δ ̣ας ὁ ̣ [ὀν ]ηλάτης τὼ αἰτίωμα περιεπύησε λέγον ὥτι (l. περιεποίησε λέγων ὅτι) σὺ εἴρηχας πεζῶι [τὰ χ ]υρίδια ἐλα ̣σαι, ";Heraclidas the donkey-driver shifted the blame from himself, saying that you had told him to drive the pigs on foot"; (Edd.). Noteworthy for Revelation 2:1; Revelation 2:8 al. is the use of λέγει or τάδε λέγει as a formal and solemn phrase to introduce the edicts of Emperors and magistrates, e.g. Syll 376.1 (A.D. 67) Αὐτοκράτωρ Καῖσαρ λέγει —Nero’s speech at Corinth giving liberty to the Greeks, OGIS 584.2 (ii/A.D.) Τι (βέριος) Κλαύδιος Ἰοῦνκος ἀνθύπατος λέγει, and the rescript of King Darius I. to a provincial governor in Asia Minor, Magn 115.4 (writing of 1st half ii/A.D.) Βασιλεὺς [βα ]σιλέων Δαρεῖος ὁ Ὑστάσπεω Γαδάται δούλωι τάδε λέγε [ι ]· πυνθάνομαί σε τῶν ἐμῶν ἐπιταγμάτων οὐ κατὰ πάντα πειθαρχεῖν κτλ. : see also Exp VIII. v. p. 286 f. and Lafoscade De epistulis, pp. 63, 77. (4). The active = ";I call, name,"; as in Mark 10:18, Philippians 3:18 (cf. Kennedy EGT ad l.), may be illustrated from P Par 44.5 (B.C. 163) (= Witkowski .2, p. 82) ἠ (= εἰ) ἕτερον θέλις λέγειν, λέγε, ἐγὼ γὰρ ἐνύπνια ὁρῶ πονηρά, and from the usage of the Greek islands, where μὲ λέγει or λέγει με has the meaning ";he names me"; (see Hatzidakis Einl. p. 223). For the passive which is common in the NT in this sense (Matthew 1:16, John 1:38, al.) cf. BGU IV. 1117.9 (B.C. 13) ἐν τῇ Εὐδαίμον [ο ]ς [λε ]γομένῃ ῥύμῃ, P Ryl II. 133.11 (A.D. 33) ἐπιβαλὼν. . εἰς τὸ λεγόμενον Ταορβελλείους ἔμβλημ (α), ";making an attack upon the dam (?) called that of Taorbelles"; (Edd.), ib. 137.19 (A.D. 34) πρὸς τῷ ἐποικίῳ Ληνοῦ λεγομένῳ, ";near the farmstead called that of the Winepress"; (Edd.), al.
For λέγων, λέγοντες, used without construction in the LXX, see Thackeray Gr. i. p. 23, and with Revelation 2:24 ὡς λέγουσιν cf. MGr λένε, ";they say"; (Thumb Handbook, p. 180). As usual the intervocalic γ is commonly omitted in the MGr λέω, λέεις or λές, λέει κτλ. : see Thumb ib. p. 177. The impf. ἔλεγαν in John 9:10 א* al. may be illustrated from BGU II. 595.9 (A.D. 70–80) ἔγραψέ μοι ἐπιστολὴν ὅτι ἔλεγας κτλ., and for ἐλέγοσαν see Syll 928.75 (after B.C. 190) ὡς ἐλέγοσαν οἱ Πριη [νέων ἔγδι ]κοι.
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