Greek word · G1439

ἐάω

eaō

to allow

To let, allow, permit; to leave something alone; to let something go or take its course; to give something up (BDAG). In ordinary Greek it is the everyday word for not stepping in.

Appears 11 times in 11 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ἐάω, -ῶ,

[in LXX for רפה hi., etc. ;]

1. to let, permit: with accusative, with inf., with accusative and inf. (M, Pr., 205): Matthew 24:43, Luke 4:41 22:51, Acts 14.16; 16.7, 19:30 23.32 27:32 28:4 , 1 Corinthians 10:13.

2. to let alone, leave: ἀγκύρας, Acts 27:40 (cf. προσ-εάω).

† (AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Acts 14:16

Range of meaning

To let, allow, permit; to leave something alone; to let something go or take its course; to give something up (BDAG). In ordinary Greek it is the everyday word for not stepping in.

Against the English

KJV and YLT have "suffered" in its old meaning of "permitted". Modern versions have "allowed", "let" or "permitted". Every one of these is accurate. The risk lies in what readers add to them: either approval ("God was fine with it") or harsh judgment ("God abandoned them"). The Greek word carries neither.

How it drifted

The KJV's "suffered" has drifted. Today it suggests pain, not permission.

Used elsewhere in the period

Luke uses it often for simple permitting or preventing: "the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them" (Acts 16:7); "Justice has not allowed him to live" (28:4); the soldiers "let" the lifeboat fall away (27:32). It differs from paradidōmi, "hand over", used in Romans 1:24, 26, 28 ("God gave them over"). That verb describes a judicial handing over. Psalm 81:12 (LXX 80:13) has a closer idea of judgment, but with different verbs: "I sent them off after their hearts' pursuits; they will walk in their own pursuits."

From the study of Luke 4:41

Range of meaning

To let, permit or allow; with a negative, to refuse to allow or to prevent.

Against the English

KJV “suffered them not” uses the old sense of “suffer” as “permit”, which modern readers can misread as “made them suffer”. Modern versions say “would not allow”.

How it drifted

English “suffer” in the sense of “allow” has become archaic.

Used elsewhere in the period

Common in the New Testament and in papyri. Compare Luke 22:51 (“Let it be, no more of this”) and Acts 16:7 (“the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them”).

Where it appears

Matthew · 1

  1. Matthew 24:43 εἴασεν allowed

    But understand this: If the homeowner had known in which watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.

    Here: 'Let, allowed'. This puts responsibility on the householder: the break-in happened because he let it happen by sleeping. KJV's 'suffered' means exactly this.

Luke · 2

  1. Luke 4:41 εἴα was He allowing

    Demons also came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But He rebuked the demons and would not allow them to speak, because they knew He was the Christ.

    Here: Imperfect tense: each time a demon began to speak, he kept refusing to let it. A repeated, consistent policy through the evening.

  2. Luke 22:51 ἐᾶτε do allow

    But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And He touched the man’s ear and healed him.

Acts · 7

  1. Acts 14:16 εἴασεν allowed

    In past generations, He let all nations go their own way.

    Here: "He let them, left them alone to." The verb sums up the whole earlier period as a single act. It is the ordinary word for permitting or not stepping in. It is not a law-court word for handing someone over to punishment.

  2. Acts 16:7 εἴασεν did allow

    And when they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not permit them.

  3. Acts 19:30 εἴων were allowing

    Paul wanted to go before the assembly, but the disciples would not allow him.

  4. Acts 23:32 ἐάσαντες having allowed

    The next day they returned to the barracks and let the horsemen go on with him.

  5. Acts 27:32 εἴασαν allowed

    So the soldiers cut the ropes to the lifeboat and set it adrift.

  6. Acts 27:40 εἴων they were leaving [them]

    Cutting away the anchors, they left them in the sea as they loosened the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and made for the beach.

  7. Acts 28:4 εἴασεν.¶ has permitted.

    When the islanders saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “Surely this man is a murderer. Although he was saved from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.”

    Here: A simple past: "did not allow." They speak of Paul's death as already settled, though he is still standing there. They expect him to swell up or drop dead any moment (v. 6).

1 Corinthians · 1

  1. 1 Corinthians 10:13 ἐάσει will allow

    No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide an escape, so that you can stand up under it.

    Here: Future tense: a promise. 'He will not let…' assumes God sets the limits of the test, even when the pressure comes from elsewhere.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.