Introduction

Understanding Greek words is essential in Biblical studies as it deepens comprehension of the New Testament and its cultural and linguistic context. The Greek word ἐξαίρω (exairō) is particularly significant because it conveys the idea of lifting up, raising, or removing. This word appears in various contexts in the New Testament, often describing the removal of something from a place or situation. Studying this word provides insights into the nuances of Greek language and thought in both Biblical and ancient Greek literature.

Key Information

• The Greek Word: ἐξαίρω (exairō) [eks-AI-roh]
• Etymology: Derived from ἐκ (ek), meaning “out of,” and αἴρω (airō), meaning “to raise” or “to lift.”
• Part of Speech: Verb; typically found in active and passive voices.
• The F.O.G Word Choice: Coming Soon.

Primary Meanings

• To lift up or raise up.
• To remove or take away.
• To exalt or elevate.

Similar Words: ἀναιρέω (anaireō) [an-ai-REH-o], meaning “to take up” or “to do away with.” While ἀναιρέω can imply removal or destruction, ἐξαίρω focuses more on the act of lifting up or taking something out from a particular place.

Further Insights: ἐξαίρω is a compound verb, combining the prefix ἐκ (out of) with αἴρω (to lift). This construction emphasizes a sense of removal or elevation from a specific context. It is often used metaphorically to describe removing someone from danger or lifting them to a place of prominence. Below is a table showing the full declension of ἐξαίρω in its active and passive forms:

Lexicon Insights

BDAG: Describes ἐξαίρω as “to lift up, raise high,” with a focus on either physical lifting or the removal of an object or person from a certain place. It is used metaphorically in some contexts to mean elevating someone’s status.

Thayers: Explains ἐξαίρω primarily as “to raise up, to lift up,” often in a literal sense but also used to imply an exaltation or significant removal. The word is frequently used in the New Testament to describe actions of taking something away from a dangerous or undesirable situation.

Vines: Notes that ἐξαίρω can denote a range of meanings from “lifting up” to “taking away.” Vines emphasizes its metaphorical usage to indicate an elevation to a position of honor or the removal from danger.

LSJ: Focuses on classical uses of ἐξαίρω, highlighting its meaning as “to lift up,” “to exalt,” or “to remove.” It was often used in ancient Greek to describe actions like hoisting sails or lifting weights.

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance: Defines ἐξαίρω as “to lift up” or “to remove,” providing insight into its use across various New Testament passages where it depicts the act of raising or removing with authority or purpose.

Scripture References

• Luke 1:52 – “He hath put down the mighty from their seats and exalted (ἐξαίρω) them of low degree.”
• Acts 13:22 – “And when he had removed (ἐξαίρω) him, he raised up unto them David to be their king.”
• Hebrews 10:9 – “Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away (ἐξαίρω) the first, that he may establish the second.”

Classical Usage

Summary of ἐξαίρω (G1808: exairō)

ἐξαίρω is a versatile Greek verb with meanings centered around lifting up, removing, or exalting. It is a term that finds its place in both Biblical and classical Greek literature, where it often signifies elevation or removal from one state to another. Its uses in the New Testament and classical texts provide a nuanced understanding of God’s actions in delivering or exalting individuals, aligning with both physical and metaphorical interpretations.

Did You Know?

The word ἐξαίρω has roots in nautical terminology in ancient Greek, where it was used to describe the hoisting of sails on a ship. This imagery of lifting and removing aligns well with its metaphorical use in Biblical texts to depict God lifting people from danger or elevating them to positions of honor.