Word
λαλέω
laléō · G2980 · Greek · 298 occurrences
Meanings
-
to speak, to say, to talk, to tell
To speak or talk, with the possible implication of more informal usage (though this cannot be clearly and consistently shown from NT contexts)
ExamplesMatthew 9:18 While He was saying these things to them, behold, a synagogue official came and bowed down before Him, and said, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will become alive again.”
Matthew 9:33 And after the demon was cast out, the man who was previously unable to speak talked; and the crowds were amazed, and were saying, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”
Matthew 10:19 “But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given you in that hour.
-
to whisper, to speak quietly
(An idiom, literally: to speak to the ear) To speak quietly and presumably to a restricted audience
ExamplesLuke 12:3 “Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.
How it’s used In 14 roles
Every occurrence, grouped by the words it is grammatically related to.
the word studied the word it goes with
Who or what does itSubject
296 occurrences in 47 groups
- Not stated: he, she or it 45
- Not stated (participle) 45
- Not stated: I 38
- Not stated (infinitive) 35
- αὐτόςhe, she, it, same 20
- Not stated: we 13
- Other words · 28 groups that occur once or twice (38) 38
What it acts on, or what is saidObject
113 occurrences in 54 groups
- οὗτοςthis 20
- ὅςwho, which, that 17
- λόγοςword, saying, message 13
- ῥῆμαword, saying 8
- εἰμίto be 6
- τίςwho? what?, why? for what reason? 6
- Other words · 43 groups that occur once or twice (47) 47
To or for whomIndirect object
82 occurrences in 19 groups
- αὐτόςhe, she, it, same 31
- σύyou 24
- ἐγώI, we 5
- λαόςpeople 3
- ὄχλοςcrowd, multitude, common people 3
- Other words · 14 groups that occur once or twice (18) 18
With prepositionsPrepositional phrases
111 occurrences in 92 groups
- μετάwith, after+ ἐγώI, we 6
- ἐνin+ παραβολήparable 5
- πρόςto, toward, with+ σύyou 5
- περίconcerning, about, for+ αὐτόςhe, she, it, same 4
- πρόςto, toward, with+ αὐτόςhe, she, it, same 3
- Other words · 87 groups that occur once or twice (107) 107
With adverbsAdverbs
51 occurrences in 20 groups
- ἔτιstill 10
- οὐnot 8
- οὕτωso, thus, in this way 8
- καίand 7
- μήnot 6
- Other words · 15 groups that occur once or twice (16) 16
Named alongside itApposition
23 occurrences in 15 groups
- ῥῆμαword, saying 4
- λόγοςword, saying, message 3
- Other words · 13 groups that occur once or twice (16) 16
What it doesIt is the subject
14 occurrences in 12 groups
- Other words · 12 groups that occur once or twice (14) 14
What is done to itIt is the object
63 occurrences in 43 groups
- ἀκούωto hear 6
- δύναμαιcan 4
- λέγωto say 4
- εἴδωto know 3
- ἔπωto say 3
- κωλύωto hinder, to forbid 3
- Other words · 37 groups that occur once or twice (44) 44
It is given or told toIndirect object
1 occurrences in 2 groups
- ἀντιλέγωto oppose 1
- βλασφημέωto blaspheme, to revile 1
Second object ofSecond object
1 occurrences in 1 groups
- λέγωto say 1
What it is said to bePredicate
4 occurrences in 4 groups
- αἰσχρόςdisgraceful 1
- ἀναγκαῖοςnecessary 1
- τίςwho? what?, why? for what reason? 1
- βάρβαροςbarbarian, foreigner 1
What is said to be itIt is the predicate
4 occurrences in 3 groups
- σύyou 2
- ἐκεῖνοςthat, that one, there 1
- πνεῦμαspirit 1
After prepositionsPrepositional phrases
9 occurrences in 7 groups
- ἐπίon 4
- κατάaccording to, against, down 3
- ἐκτόςexcept, outside 2
- ἐνin 2
- μετάwith, after 2
- περίconcerning, about, for 2
In phrases “… of it”It is the genitive
2 occurrences in 2 groups
- μαρτύριονtestimony, witness 1
- φωνήvoice, sound 1
When two words share a role, as in “Paul and Barnabas said”, the verse appears under each, so a section’s counts can add up to more than the number of occurrences.
MACULA Greek Linguistic Datasets, available at https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-greek/, licensed CC BY 4.0; MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets © 2022-2024 by Biblica, Inc., CC BY 4.0. Westminster Leningrad Codex (tanach.us). OpenScriptures Hebrew Bible morphology (hb.openscriptures.org), CC BY 4.0.
In the other Testament 3 words
- דָבַר dâbar · H1696 · to destroy, to get rid of, to do away with
- Greek λαλέω is the standard Septuagint rendering of Hebrew דָבַר, both denoting the act of speaking or uttering words. The Hebrew term carries a broader range including formal declaration and command, while the Greek term typically focuses on the verbal act of speaking itself, but the core equivalence between the two is direct and consistent.
- מָלַל mâlal · H4448 · to wither, to fade
- Greek λαλέω and Aramaic מָלַל are direct translation equivalents denoting verbal utterance (speaking/talking), attested in aligned LXX passages where the Aramaic portions of Daniel are rendered into Greek.
- מְלַל mᵉlal · H4449 · to wither, to fade
- Greek λαλέω serves as the cross-linguistic equivalent of the Aramaic verb מְלַל, 'to say, to speak,' representing the standard Greek rendering of this Aramaic speech verb in the Septuagint.
Semantic domains 3 entries
- To speak, to say, to talk, to tell33.70
- λαλέω is the ordinary word for speaking. John 4:26 has Jesus telling the Samaritan woman, “I am He, the One speaking to you,” the λαλῶν naming this ordinary speaking by which Jesus identified Himself.
- To whisper, to speak quietly33.91
- The verb can also specifically denote speaking quietly or privately, in contrast to public proclamation. Luke 12:3 states, “whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops,” the ἐλαλήσατε naming this whispered speech destined for public disclosure.
- To oppose, to be hostile toward, to show hostility39.1
- λαλέω can further denote speaking against someone in open hostility. Acts 6:13 describes false witnesses testifying, “This man does not stop speaking against this holy place and the Law,” the λαλῶν naming this hostile speech Stephen was falsely accused of.
Word family 13 words
Words formed from the same root. They share a form, not always a meaning.
λαλέωlaléō · G2980συλλαλέω syllaléō · G4814 · to talk with, to speak with, to converse · 6×καταλαλέω katalaléō · G2635 · to speak evil of, to slander, slander · 5×ἄλαλος álalos · G216 · dumb, mute, unable to speak · 3×λαλιά laliá · G2981 · what is said, talk, utterance · 3×διαλαλέω dialaléō · G1255 · to converse, to discuss · 2×καταλαλία katalalía · G2636 · to speak evil of, to slander, slander · 2×προσλαλέω proslaléō · G4354 · to speak to, to address · 2×ἀλάλητος alálētos · G215 · what cannot be expressed in words · 1×ἀνεκλάλητος aneklálētos · G412 · what cannot be expressed in words · 1×ἐκλαλέω eklaléō · G1583 · to tell, to inform, to report on · 1×κατάλαλος katálalos · G2637 · slanderer, one who insults · 1×
Also from the root λαλέω
Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon λαλῶ; imperfect 3 person singular ἐλάλει, plural ἐλάλουν; future λαλήσω; 1 aorist…
λαλῶ; imperfect 3 person singular ἐλάλει, plural ἐλάλουν; future λαλήσω; 1 aorist ἐλάλησα; perfect λελάληκα; passive, present λαλοῦμαι; perfect λελάλημαι; 1 aorist ἐλαλήθην; 1 future λαληθήσομαι: (from Sophocles down); found in Biblical Greek much more frequent than in secular authors, in the Sept. times without number for דִּבֵּר or דִּבֶּר, more rarely for אָמַר; properly, to utter a sound (cf. (onomatop. la-la, etc.) German lallen), to emit a voice make oneself heard; hence to utter or form words with the mouth, to speak, having reference to the sound and pronunciation of the words and in general the form of what is uttered. while λεγο refers to the meaning and substance of what is spoken; hence λαλεῖν is employed not only of men, especially when chatting and prattling, but also of animals (of birds, Mosch. 3, 47; of locusts, Theocritus, 5, 34; λαλοῦσι μέν, οὐ φραζουσι δέ, of dogs and apes, Plutarch, mor. ii., p. 909 a.), and so of inanimate things (as trees, Theocritus, 27, 56 (57); of an echo, Dio C. 74, 21, 14). Accordingly, everything λεγόμενον is also λαλούμενον, but not everything λαλούμενον is also λεγόμενον (Eupolis in Plutarch, Alc. 13 λαλεῖν ἄριστος, ἀδυνατωτατος λέγειν); (the difference between the words is evident where they occur in proximity, e. g. Rom 3:19 ὅσα ὁ νόμος λέγει, τοῖς ἐν τῷ νόμῳ λαλεῖ, and the very common ἐλάλησεν... λέγων, Mt 13:3, etc.). Moreover, the primary meaning of λαλεῖν, to utter oneself, enables us easily to understand its very frequent use in the sacred writers to denote the utterances by which G o d indicates or gives proof of his mind and will, whether immediately or through the instrumentality of his messengers and heralds. (Perhaps this use may account in part for the fact that, though in classic Greek λαλεῖν is the term for light and familiar speech, and so assumes readily a disparaging notion: in Biblical Greek it is nearly ff not quite free from any such suggestion.) Cf. Day. Schulz die Geistesgaben der ersten Christen, p. 94ff; Tittmann de Synonymis N. T., p. 79f; Trench, Synonyms, § lxxvi.; (and on classical usage Schmidt, Syn. 1:1). But let us look at the N. T. usage in detail:
1. to utter a voice, emit a sound: of things inanimate, as βρονταί, Rev 10:4; with τάς ἑαυτῶν φωνάς added, each thunder uttered its particular voice (the force and meaning of which the prophet understood, cf. Jn 12:28f); Jn 12:3; σάλπιγγος λαλούσης μετ' ἐμοῦ, λέγων (Rec. λέγουσα) followed by direct discourse Rev 4:1; of the expiatory blood of Christ, metaphorically, to crave the pardon of sins, Heb 12:24; of the murdered Abel, long since dead, equivalent to to call for vengeance (see Gen 4:10, and cf. κράζω, 1 at the end), Heb 11:4 according to the true reading λαλεῖ; (G L T Tr WH; the Rec. λαλεῖται must be taken as passive, in the exceptional sense to be talked of, lauded; see below, 5 at the end (πρᾶγμα κατ' ἀγοράν λαλούμενον, Aristophanes Thesm. 578, cf. πάντες αὐτήν λαλοῦσιν, Alciphro fragment 5, ii., p. 222, 10 edition Wagner)).
2. to speak, i. e. to use the tongue or the faculty of speech; to utter articulate sounds: absolutely 1 Cor 14:11; of the dumb, receiving the power of speech, Mt 9:33; Mt 12:22; Mt 15:31; Lk 11:14; Rev 13:15; (τούς (T Tr WH omit)) ἀλάλους λαλεῖν, Mk 7:37; ἐλάλει ὀρθῶς, Mk 7:35; of a deaf-mute man, μή δυνάμενος λαλῆσαι, Lk 1:20 (of idols, στόμα ἔχουσι καί οὐ λαλήσουσι, Psalm 113:13; Psalms 134:16>; cf. 3Macc. 4:16); to speak, i. e. not to be silent, opposed to holding one's peace, λαλεῖ καί μή σιωπήσῃς, Acts 18:9; opposed to hearing, Jas 1:19; opposed to the soul's inner experiences, 2 Cor 4:13 from Ps 115:1; opposed to ποιεῖν (as λόγος to ἔργον which see 3), Jas 2:12.
3. to talk; of the sound and outward form of speech: τῇ ἰδίᾳ διαλέκτῳ, Acts 2:6; ἑτέραις καιναῖς γλώσσαις, Acts 2:4; Mk 16:17 (here Tr text WH text omit καιναῖς), from which the simple γλώσσαις λαλεῖν, and the like, are to be distinguished, see γλῶσσα, 2.
4. to utter, tell: with the accusative of the thing, 2 Cor 12:4.
5. to use words in order to declare one's mind and disclose one's thoughts; to speak: absolutely, ἔτι αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντος, Mt 12:46; Mt 17:5; Mt 26:47; Mk 5:35; Mk 14:43; Lk 8:49; Lk 22:47, Lk 22:60; with the adverbs κακῶς, καλῶς, Jn 18:23; ὡς νήπιος ἐλάλουν, 1 Cor 13:11; ὡς δράκων, Rev 13:11; στόμα πρός στόμα, face to face (German mündlich), 2 Jn 1:12 (after the Hebrew of Num 12:8); εἰς ἀέρα λαλεῖν, 1 Cor 14:9; ἐκ τοῦ περισσεύματος τῆς καρδίας τό στωμα λαλεῖ, out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, namely, so that it expresses the soul's thoughts, Mt 12:34; Lk 6:45; ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων λαλεῖν, to utter words in accordance with one's inner character, Jn 8:44. with the accusative of the thing: τί λαλήσω, λαλήσητε, etc., what I shall utter in speech, etc., Jn 12:50; Mt 10:19; Mk 9:6 (here T Tr WH ἀποκριθῇ); ; τί, anything, Mk 11:23 L T Tr text WH; Rom 15:18; 1 Thess 1:8; οὐκ οἴδαμεν τί λαλεῖ, what he says, i. e. what the words uttered by him mean (WH brackets τί λαλεῖ), Jn 16:18; ταῦτα, these words, Lk 24:36; Jn 8:30; Jn 17:1, Jn 17:13; 1 Cor 9:8; τό λαλούμενον, 1 Cor 14:9; plural Acts 16:14 (of the words of a teacher); τόν λόγον λαλούμενον, Mk 5:36 (see Buttmann, 302 (259) note); λόγους, 1 Cor 14:19; ῤήματα, Jn 8:20; Acts 10:44; παραβολήν, Mt 13:33; βλασφημίας, Mk 2:7 (L T Tr WH βλασφημεῖ); Lk 5:21; ῤήματα βλάσφημα εἰς τινα, Acts 6:11; ῤήματα (Rec. adds βλάσφημα) κατά τίνος, Acts 6:13; σκληρά κατά τίνος, Jude 1:15; ὑπέρογκα, Jude 1:16 (Dan. (Theod.) ); τά μή δέοντα, 1 Tim 5:13 (ἅ μή θέμις, 2 Macc. 12:14; εἰς τινα τά μή καθήκοντα, 3Macc. 4:16; (cf. Winer's Grammar, 480 (448))); διεστραμμένα, Acts 20:30; τό ψεῦδος, Jn 8:44; δόλον, 1 Pet 3:10 from Ps 33:14; ἀγαθά, Mt 12:31; σοφίαν, 1 Cor 2:6f; μυστήρια; 1 Cor 14:2; followed by ὅτι (equivalent to περί τούτου, ὅτι etc. to speak of this, viz. that they knew him (see ὅτι, I. 2 under the end)), Mk 1:34; Lk 4:41; contrary to classic usage, followed by direct discourse, Mk 14:31 L text T Tr WH; Heb 5:5; Heb 11:18, (but in these last two passages of the utterances of God); more correctly elsewhere ἐλάλησε λέγων (in imitation of Hebrew לֵאמֹר יְדַבֵּר (cf. above (at the beginning))), followed by direct discourse: Mt 14:27; Mt 23:1; Mt 28:18; Jn 8:12; Acts 8:26; Acts 26:31; Acts 28:25; Rev 17:1; Rev 21:9; λαλοῦσα καί λέγουσα, Rev 10:8. λαλῶ with the dative of person to speak to one, address him (especially of teachers): Mt 12:46; Mt 23:1; Lk 24:6; Jn 9:29; Jn 15:22; Acts 7:38, Acts 7:44; Acts 9:27; Acts 16:13; Acts 22:9; Acts 23:9; Rom 7:1; 1 Cor 3:1; 1 Cor 14:21, 1 Cor 14:28; 1 Thess 2:16; Heb 1:2 (1); of one commanding, Mt 28:18; Mk 16:19; to speak to, i. e. converse with, one (cf. Buttmann, § 133, 1): Mt 12:46 (47 but WH marginal reading only); Lk 1:22; Lk 24:32; Jn 4:26; Jn 12:29; ἑαυτοῖς (the dative of person) ψαλμοῖς καί ὕμνοις (dative of instrument), Eph 5:19; οὐ λαλεῖν τίνι is used of one who does not answer, Jn 19:10; to accost one, Mt 14:27; λαλῶ τί τίνι, to speak anything to anyone, to speak to one about a thing (of teaching): Mt 9:18; Jn 8:25 (on which see ἀρχή, 1 b.); Jn 10:6; Jn 14:25; Jn 15:11; Jn 18:20f>; 2 Cor 7:14; ῤήματα, Jn 6:63; Jn 14:10; Acts 13:42; οἰκοδομήν καί παράκλησιν, things which tend to edify and comfort the soul, 1 Cor 14:3; of one promulgating a thing to one, τόν νόμον, passive Heb 9:19; λαλῶ πρός τινα, to speak unto one: Lk 1:19; ( L marginal reading T WH); Acts 4:1; Acts 8:26; Acts 9:29; Acts 21:39; Acts 26:14 (R G), 26, 31; Heb 5:5 (אֶל דִּבֵּר, Gen 27:6; Ex 30:11, Ex 30:17, Ex 30:22); λόγους πρός τινα, Lk 24:44; ἐλάλησαν πρός αὐτούς ἀυαγγελιζόμενοι... Ἰησοῦν, Acts 11:20; ὅσα ἄν λαλήσῃ πρός ὑμᾶς, Acts 3:22; σοφίαν ἐν τισίν, wisdom among etc. 1 Cor 2:6; λαλεῖν μετά τίνος, to speak, converse, with one (cf. Buttmann, § 133, 3): Mk 6:50; Jn 4:27; Jn 9:37; Jn 14:30; Rev 1:12; Rev 10:8; Rev 17:1; Rev 21:9, Rev 21:15; λαλεῖν ἀλήθειαν μετά etc. to show oneself a lover of truth in conversation with others, Eph 4:25 (cf. Ellicott); λαλεῖν περί τίνος, concerning a person or thing: Lk 2:33; Lk 9:11; Jn 7:13; Jn 8:26; Jn 12:41; Acts 2:31; Heb 2:5; Heb 4:8; with τίνι, dative of person, added, Lk 2:38; Acts 22:10; τί περί τίνος, Acts 28:21; Lk 2:17; εἰς τινα περί τίνος (the genitive of the thing), to speak something as respects a person concerning a thing, Heb 7:14 R G; εἰς τινα περί with the genitive of person, ibid. L T Tr WH. Many of the examples already cited show that λαλεῖν is frequently used in the N. T. of teachers, — of Jesus, the apostles, and others. To those passages may be added, Lk 5:4; Jn 1:37; Jn 7:46; Jn 8:30, Jn 8:38; Jn 12:50; Acts 6:10; Acts 11:15; Acts 14:1, Acts 14:9; Acts 16:14; 1 Cor 14:34; 2 Cor 2:17; Col 4:3; 1 Thess 2:4; 1 Pet 4:11; with παρρησία added, Jn 7:26; Jn 16:29; ἐπί ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ, Acts 5:40, cf. 4:17, see ἐπί, B. 2 a. β.; τῷ ὀνόματι κυρίου (where L T Tr WH prefix ἐν), of the prophets, Jas 5:10 (see ὄνομα, 2 f.); τίνι (to one) ἐν παραβολαῖς, Mt 13:3, Mt 13:10, Mt 13:13, Mt 13:34; ἐν παροιμίαις, Jn 16:25; ἐξ ἐμαυτοῦ, to speak from myself (i. e. utter what I myself have thought out), Jn 12:49; ἀπ' ἐμαυτοῦ (see ἀπό, II. 2 d. aa., p. 59{a}), Jn 7:17; Jn 14:10; Jn 16:13; ἐκ τῆς γῆς (see ἐκ, II. 2 under the end), Jn 3:31; ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου, 1 Jn 4:5 (see κόσμος, 6); ἐκ Θεοῦ, prompted by divine influence, 2 Cor 2:17; λαλεῖν, τόν λόγον, to announce or preach the word of God or the doctrine of salvation: Mk 8:32; Acts 14:25 (here in T WH marginal reading followed by εἰς τήν Πέργην; see εἰς, A. I. 5 b.); ; Phm 1:14, etc.; τόν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ, Acts 4:29, Acts 4:31; τίνι τόν λόγον, Mk 2:2; Acts 11:19; with παραβολαῖς added, Mk 4:33; τίνι τόν λόγον τοῦ κυρίου (WH text Θεοῦ), Acts 16:32 (the Epistle of Barnabas 19, 9 [ET]); τίνι τόν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ, Acts 13:46; Heb 13:7; τά ῤήματα τοῦ Θεοῦ, Jn 3:34; τά ῤήματα τῆς ζωῆς, Acts 5:20; πρός τινα τό εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ Θεοῦ, 1 Thess 2:2; λαλεῖν καί διδάσκειν τά περί τοῦ Ἰησοῦ (R G κυρίου), Acts 18:25; τό μυστήριον τοῦ Χριστοῦ, Col 4:3. λαλεῖν is used of the O. T. prophets uttering their predictions: Lk 24:25; Acts 3:24; Acts 26:22 (cf. Buttmann, § 144, 20, and p. 301 (258)); 2 Pet 1:21; Jas 5:10; of the declarations and prophetic announcements of God: Lk 1:45, Lk 1:55; Jn 9:29; Acts 7:6; especially in the Epistle to the Hebrews: Heb 1:1, Heb 1:2 (1); Heb 3:5; Heb 4:8; Heb 11:18; ; God, the Holy Spirit, Christ, are said λαλεῖν ἐν τίνι: Heb 1:1, Heb 1:2 (1); Mt 10:20; 2 Cor 13:3; διά στόματος τίνος, Lk 1:70; Acts 3:21; διά Ἠσαΐου, Acts 28:25; of the sayings of angels: Lk 2:17, Lk 2:26; Jn 12:29; Acts 10:7; Acts 23:9; Acts 27:25; the Holy Spirit is said λαλήσειν what it will teach the apostles, Jn 16:13; ὁ νόμος as a manifestation of God is said λαλεῖν τίνι what it commands, Rom 3:19; finally, even voices are said λαλεῖν, Acts 26:14 (R G); Rev 1:12; Rev 10:8. equivalent to to make known by speaking, to speak of, relate, with the implied idea of extolling: Mt 26:13; Mk 14:9; Lk 24:36; Acts 4:20; (cf. Heb 11:4 Rec. (see 1 at the end above)).
6. Since λαλεῖν, strictly denotes the act of one who utters words with the living voice, when writers speak of themselves or are spoken of by others as λαλοῦντες, they are conceived of as present and addressing their readers with the living voice, Rom 7:1; 1 Cor 9:8; 2 Cor 11:17, 2 Cor 11:23; 2 Cor 12:19; Heb 2:5; Heb 6:9; 2 Pet 3:16, or λαλεῖν is used in the sense of commanding, Heb 7:14. The verb λαλεῖν is not found in the Epistles to Galatians and 2 Thessalonians. (Compare: διαλαλέω, ἐκλαλέω, καταλαλέω, προσλαλέω, συλλαλέω; cf. the catalog of comp. in Schmidt, Syn., chapter i § 60.)
1. to utter a voice, emit a sound: of things inanimate, as βρονταί, Rev 10:4; with τάς ἑαυτῶν φωνάς added, each thunder uttered its particular voice (the force and meaning of which the prophet understood, cf. Jn 12:28f); Jn 12:3; σάλπιγγος λαλούσης μετ' ἐμοῦ, λέγων (Rec. λέγουσα) followed by direct discourse Rev 4:1; of the expiatory blood of Christ, metaphorically, to crave the pardon of sins, Heb 12:24; of the murdered Abel, long since dead, equivalent to to call for vengeance (see Gen 4:10, and cf. κράζω, 1 at the end), Heb 11:4 according to the true reading λαλεῖ; (G L T Tr WH; the Rec. λαλεῖται must be taken as passive, in the exceptional sense to be talked of, lauded; see below, 5 at the end (πρᾶγμα κατ' ἀγοράν λαλούμενον, Aristophanes Thesm. 578, cf. πάντες αὐτήν λαλοῦσιν, Alciphro fragment 5, ii., p. 222, 10 edition Wagner)).
2. to speak, i. e. to use the tongue or the faculty of speech; to utter articulate sounds: absolutely 1 Cor 14:11; of the dumb, receiving the power of speech, Mt 9:33; Mt 12:22; Mt 15:31; Lk 11:14; Rev 13:15; (τούς (T Tr WH omit)) ἀλάλους λαλεῖν, Mk 7:37; ἐλάλει ὀρθῶς, Mk 7:35; of a deaf-mute man, μή δυνάμενος λαλῆσαι, Lk 1:20 (of idols, στόμα ἔχουσι καί οὐ λαλήσουσι, Psalm 113:13; Psalms 134:16>; cf. 3Macc. 4:16); to speak, i. e. not to be silent, opposed to holding one's peace, λαλεῖ καί μή σιωπήσῃς, Acts 18:9; opposed to hearing, Jas 1:19; opposed to the soul's inner experiences, 2 Cor 4:13 from Ps 115:1; opposed to ποιεῖν (as λόγος to ἔργον which see 3), Jas 2:12.
3. to talk; of the sound and outward form of speech: τῇ ἰδίᾳ διαλέκτῳ, Acts 2:6; ἑτέραις καιναῖς γλώσσαις, Acts 2:4; Mk 16:17 (here Tr text WH text omit καιναῖς), from which the simple γλώσσαις λαλεῖν, and the like, are to be distinguished, see γλῶσσα, 2.
4. to utter, tell: with the accusative of the thing, 2 Cor 12:4.
5. to use words in order to declare one's mind and disclose one's thoughts; to speak: absolutely, ἔτι αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντος, Mt 12:46; Mt 17:5; Mt 26:47; Mk 5:35; Mk 14:43; Lk 8:49; Lk 22:47, Lk 22:60; with the adverbs κακῶς, καλῶς, Jn 18:23; ὡς νήπιος ἐλάλουν, 1 Cor 13:11; ὡς δράκων, Rev 13:11; στόμα πρός στόμα, face to face (German mündlich), 2 Jn 1:12 (after the Hebrew of Num 12:8); εἰς ἀέρα λαλεῖν, 1 Cor 14:9; ἐκ τοῦ περισσεύματος τῆς καρδίας τό στωμα λαλεῖ, out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, namely, so that it expresses the soul's thoughts, Mt 12:34; Lk 6:45; ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων λαλεῖν, to utter words in accordance with one's inner character, Jn 8:44. with the accusative of the thing: τί λαλήσω, λαλήσητε, etc., what I shall utter in speech, etc., Jn 12:50; Mt 10:19; Mk 9:6 (here T Tr WH ἀποκριθῇ); ; τί, anything, Mk 11:23 L T Tr text WH; Rom 15:18; 1 Thess 1:8; οὐκ οἴδαμεν τί λαλεῖ, what he says, i. e. what the words uttered by him mean (WH brackets τί λαλεῖ), Jn 16:18; ταῦτα, these words, Lk 24:36; Jn 8:30; Jn 17:1, Jn 17:13; 1 Cor 9:8; τό λαλούμενον, 1 Cor 14:9; plural Acts 16:14 (of the words of a teacher); τόν λόγον λαλούμενον, Mk 5:36 (see Buttmann, 302 (259) note); λόγους, 1 Cor 14:19; ῤήματα, Jn 8:20; Acts 10:44; παραβολήν, Mt 13:33; βλασφημίας, Mk 2:7 (L T Tr WH βλασφημεῖ); Lk 5:21; ῤήματα βλάσφημα εἰς τινα, Acts 6:11; ῤήματα (Rec. adds βλάσφημα) κατά τίνος, Acts 6:13; σκληρά κατά τίνος, Jude 1:15; ὑπέρογκα, Jude 1:16 (Dan. (Theod.) ); τά μή δέοντα, 1 Tim 5:13 (ἅ μή θέμις, 2 Macc. 12:14; εἰς τινα τά μή καθήκοντα, 3Macc. 4:16; (cf. Winer's Grammar, 480 (448))); διεστραμμένα, Acts 20:30; τό ψεῦδος, Jn 8:44; δόλον, 1 Pet 3:10 from Ps 33:14; ἀγαθά, Mt 12:31; σοφίαν, 1 Cor 2:6f; μυστήρια; 1 Cor 14:2; followed by ὅτι (equivalent to περί τούτου, ὅτι etc. to speak of this, viz. that they knew him (see ὅτι, I. 2 under the end)), Mk 1:34; Lk 4:41; contrary to classic usage, followed by direct discourse, Mk 14:31 L text T Tr WH; Heb 5:5; Heb 11:18, (but in these last two passages of the utterances of God); more correctly elsewhere ἐλάλησε λέγων (in imitation of Hebrew לֵאמֹר יְדַבֵּר (cf. above (at the beginning))), followed by direct discourse: Mt 14:27; Mt 23:1; Mt 28:18; Jn 8:12; Acts 8:26; Acts 26:31; Acts 28:25; Rev 17:1; Rev 21:9; λαλοῦσα καί λέγουσα, Rev 10:8. λαλῶ with the dative of person to speak to one, address him (especially of teachers): Mt 12:46; Mt 23:1; Lk 24:6; Jn 9:29; Jn 15:22; Acts 7:38, Acts 7:44; Acts 9:27; Acts 16:13; Acts 22:9; Acts 23:9; Rom 7:1; 1 Cor 3:1; 1 Cor 14:21, 1 Cor 14:28; 1 Thess 2:16; Heb 1:2 (1); of one commanding, Mt 28:18; Mk 16:19; to speak to, i. e. converse with, one (cf. Buttmann, § 133, 1): Mt 12:46 (47 but WH marginal reading only); Lk 1:22; Lk 24:32; Jn 4:26; Jn 12:29; ἑαυτοῖς (the dative of person) ψαλμοῖς καί ὕμνοις (dative of instrument), Eph 5:19; οὐ λαλεῖν τίνι is used of one who does not answer, Jn 19:10; to accost one, Mt 14:27; λαλῶ τί τίνι, to speak anything to anyone, to speak to one about a thing (of teaching): Mt 9:18; Jn 8:25 (on which see ἀρχή, 1 b.); Jn 10:6; Jn 14:25; Jn 15:11; Jn 18:20f>; 2 Cor 7:14; ῤήματα, Jn 6:63; Jn 14:10; Acts 13:42; οἰκοδομήν καί παράκλησιν, things which tend to edify and comfort the soul, 1 Cor 14:3; of one promulgating a thing to one, τόν νόμον, passive Heb 9:19; λαλῶ πρός τινα, to speak unto one: Lk 1:19; ( L marginal reading T WH); Acts 4:1; Acts 8:26; Acts 9:29; Acts 21:39; Acts 26:14 (R G), 26, 31; Heb 5:5 (אֶל דִּבֵּר, Gen 27:6; Ex 30:11, Ex 30:17, Ex 30:22); λόγους πρός τινα, Lk 24:44; ἐλάλησαν πρός αὐτούς ἀυαγγελιζόμενοι... Ἰησοῦν, Acts 11:20; ὅσα ἄν λαλήσῃ πρός ὑμᾶς, Acts 3:22; σοφίαν ἐν τισίν, wisdom among etc. 1 Cor 2:6; λαλεῖν μετά τίνος, to speak, converse, with one (cf. Buttmann, § 133, 3): Mk 6:50; Jn 4:27; Jn 9:37; Jn 14:30; Rev 1:12; Rev 10:8; Rev 17:1; Rev 21:9, Rev 21:15; λαλεῖν ἀλήθειαν μετά etc. to show oneself a lover of truth in conversation with others, Eph 4:25 (cf. Ellicott); λαλεῖν περί τίνος, concerning a person or thing: Lk 2:33; Lk 9:11; Jn 7:13; Jn 8:26; Jn 12:41; Acts 2:31; Heb 2:5; Heb 4:8; with τίνι, dative of person, added, Lk 2:38; Acts 22:10; τί περί τίνος, Acts 28:21; Lk 2:17; εἰς τινα περί τίνος (the genitive of the thing), to speak something as respects a person concerning a thing, Heb 7:14 R G; εἰς τινα περί with the genitive of person, ibid. L T Tr WH. Many of the examples already cited show that λαλεῖν is frequently used in the N. T. of teachers, — of Jesus, the apostles, and others. To those passages may be added, Lk 5:4; Jn 1:37; Jn 7:46; Jn 8:30, Jn 8:38; Jn 12:50; Acts 6:10; Acts 11:15; Acts 14:1, Acts 14:9; Acts 16:14; 1 Cor 14:34; 2 Cor 2:17; Col 4:3; 1 Thess 2:4; 1 Pet 4:11; with παρρησία added, Jn 7:26; Jn 16:29; ἐπί ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ, Acts 5:40, cf. 4:17, see ἐπί, B. 2 a. β.; τῷ ὀνόματι κυρίου (where L T Tr WH prefix ἐν), of the prophets, Jas 5:10 (see ὄνομα, 2 f.); τίνι (to one) ἐν παραβολαῖς, Mt 13:3, Mt 13:10, Mt 13:13, Mt 13:34; ἐν παροιμίαις, Jn 16:25; ἐξ ἐμαυτοῦ, to speak from myself (i. e. utter what I myself have thought out), Jn 12:49; ἀπ' ἐμαυτοῦ (see ἀπό, II. 2 d. aa., p. 59{a}), Jn 7:17; Jn 14:10; Jn 16:13; ἐκ τῆς γῆς (see ἐκ, II. 2 under the end), Jn 3:31; ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου, 1 Jn 4:5 (see κόσμος, 6); ἐκ Θεοῦ, prompted by divine influence, 2 Cor 2:17; λαλεῖν, τόν λόγον, to announce or preach the word of God or the doctrine of salvation: Mk 8:32; Acts 14:25 (here in T WH marginal reading followed by εἰς τήν Πέργην; see εἰς, A. I. 5 b.); ; Phm 1:14, etc.; τόν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ, Acts 4:29, Acts 4:31; τίνι τόν λόγον, Mk 2:2; Acts 11:19; with παραβολαῖς added, Mk 4:33; τίνι τόν λόγον τοῦ κυρίου (WH text Θεοῦ), Acts 16:32 (the Epistle of Barnabas 19, 9 [ET]); τίνι τόν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ, Acts 13:46; Heb 13:7; τά ῤήματα τοῦ Θεοῦ, Jn 3:34; τά ῤήματα τῆς ζωῆς, Acts 5:20; πρός τινα τό εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ Θεοῦ, 1 Thess 2:2; λαλεῖν καί διδάσκειν τά περί τοῦ Ἰησοῦ (R G κυρίου), Acts 18:25; τό μυστήριον τοῦ Χριστοῦ, Col 4:3. λαλεῖν is used of the O. T. prophets uttering their predictions: Lk 24:25; Acts 3:24; Acts 26:22 (cf. Buttmann, § 144, 20, and p. 301 (258)); 2 Pet 1:21; Jas 5:10; of the declarations and prophetic announcements of God: Lk 1:45, Lk 1:55; Jn 9:29; Acts 7:6; especially in the Epistle to the Hebrews: Heb 1:1, Heb 1:2 (1); Heb 3:5; Heb 4:8; Heb 11:18; ; God, the Holy Spirit, Christ, are said λαλεῖν ἐν τίνι: Heb 1:1, Heb 1:2 (1); Mt 10:20; 2 Cor 13:3; διά στόματος τίνος, Lk 1:70; Acts 3:21; διά Ἠσαΐου, Acts 28:25; of the sayings of angels: Lk 2:17, Lk 2:26; Jn 12:29; Acts 10:7; Acts 23:9; Acts 27:25; the Holy Spirit is said λαλήσειν what it will teach the apostles, Jn 16:13; ὁ νόμος as a manifestation of God is said λαλεῖν τίνι what it commands, Rom 3:19; finally, even voices are said λαλεῖν, Acts 26:14 (R G); Rev 1:12; Rev 10:8. equivalent to to make known by speaking, to speak of, relate, with the implied idea of extolling: Mt 26:13; Mk 14:9; Lk 24:36; Acts 4:20; (cf. Heb 11:4 Rec. (see 1 at the end above)).
6. Since λαλεῖν, strictly denotes the act of one who utters words with the living voice, when writers speak of themselves or are spoken of by others as λαλοῦντες, they are conceived of as present and addressing their readers with the living voice, Rom 7:1; 1 Cor 9:8; 2 Cor 11:17, 2 Cor 11:23; 2 Cor 12:19; Heb 2:5; Heb 6:9; 2 Pet 3:16, or λαλεῖν is used in the sense of commanding, Heb 7:14. The verb λαλεῖν is not found in the Epistles to Galatians and 2 Thessalonians. (Compare: διαλαλέω, ἐκλαλέω, καταλαλέω, προσλαλέω, συλλαλέω; cf. the catalog of comp. in Schmidt, Syn., chapter i § 60.)
Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (1889), public domain
Topical studies with this word 1 entry
Meanings adapted from the UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament, © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0 and the UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew (from the Semantic Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew), © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0; MACULA Greek Linguistic Datasets, available at https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-greek/, licensed CC BY 4.0; MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets © 2022-2024 by Biblica, Inc., CC BY 4.0. Westminster Leningrad Codex (tanach.us). OpenScriptures Hebrew Bible morphology (hb.openscriptures.org), CC BY 4.0.
Sources
eRhema lexical overview, based on the UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew and the UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament (© United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Macula Hebrew and Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0); released under CC BY-SA 4.0
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