Greek word · G1458

ἐγκαλέω

enkaleō

to accuse

To call something in against someone, so: to bring a charge, accuse formally, take legal action, file a claim. Its home is the law court, though it can also mean blaming someone in ordinary speech.

Appears 7 times in 7 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ἐγκαλέω, -ῶ,

[in LXX for אמר, etc.; with dative, Zechariah 1:4 (קָרָא אֶל), Wisdom of Solomon 12:12, Sirach 46:19 ;]

1. to call in, demand.

2. to bring a charge against, accuse: with dative of person(s) (as in cl.), Acts 19:38 23:28; before κατά, with genitive of person(s), Romans 8:33. Pass., to be accused: with genitive of thing(s); στάσεως, Acts 19:40; ὦν (perh. by attraction = ἅ), Acts 26:2; before περί, with genitive of thing(s), Acts 23:29 26:7 (Cremer, 743).

† SYN.: αἰτιάομαι (which see), διαβάλλω, ἐπικαλέω, κατηγορέω.

(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 Romans 8:33

Range of meaning

To call something in against someone, so: to bring a charge, accuse formally, take legal action, file a claim. Its home is the law court, though it can also mean blaming someone in ordinary speech.

Against the English

BSB, ESV and NIV have 'bring any charge'; KJV has 'lay any thing to the charge of.' All of these keep the legal sense. WEB's 'could bring a charge' turns the future into a statement of possibility, which softens the picture of an actual coming hearing. NLT's 'dares accuse' brings out the challenge but loses some of the formal legal flavor.

Used elsewhere in the period

Outside this verse the New Testament uses the word only in Acts, and always for formal legal charges: the town clerk at Ephesus says 'let them bring charges' in the courts (Acts 19:38, 40), Lysias reports the charges against Paul (23:28–29), and Paul answers the things 'I am accused of' before Agrippa (26:2, 7). Greek legal papyri use it for lodging a complaint or claim. In the Greek Old Testament, Wisdom of Solomon 12:12 asks God 'who will accuse you…?' with the same verb, in the same kind of rhetorical challenge.

From the study of Acts 19:38

Range of meaning

"To call in, bring a charge against, accuse formally, sue." A legal word for launching a case, used with the dative of the person accused.

Against the English

BSB "bring charges," WEB "press charges," YLT "accuse," KJV "implead" (an old legal word meaning to sue or prosecute). All are accurate; "implead" is just unfamiliar today.

Used elsewhere in the period

In Acts it is consistently legal: the tribune Lysias finds Paul "accused" over questions of Jewish law (23:28–29); Paul defends himself against what he is "accused" of (26:2, 7); the riot itself puts Ephesus in danger of being "charged" with insurrection (19:40). It is common in legal papyri and Greek forensic speeches.

From the study of Acts 23:29

Range of meaning

To bring a charge against, accuse formally, sue. It belongs mostly to legal language: someone 'calls in' a claim against another before an authority.

Against the English

'Accuse' in modern English can mean any blaming. In Greek this verb usually means a formal legal charge. KJV 'accused' and BSB 'the accusation involved' are accurate, but they lose some of the courtroom tone.

Used elsewhere in the period

Common in Greek legal papyri and Attic court speeches for lodging charges. In the New Testament it appears almost only in the trial chapters of Acts (19:38, 40; 23:28, 29; 26:2, 7), plus Romans 8:33 ('Who will bring any charge against God's elect?'), where Paul uses the same courtroom image.

Where it appears

Acts · 6

  1. Acts 19:38 ἐγκαλείτωσαν they should accuse

    So if Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open and proconsuls are available. Let them bring charges against one another there.

    Here: A third-person command ("let them..."), using the technical word for filing a formal accusation. It sets lawful prosecution against the shouting in the theater.

  2. Acts 19:40 ἐγκαλεῖσθαι being accused

    For we are in jeopardy of being charged with rioting for today’s events, and we have no justification to account for this commotion.”

  3. Acts 23:28 ἐνεκάλουν they were accusing

    and since I wanted to understand their charges against him, I brought him down to their Sanhedrin.

  4. Acts 23:29 ἐγκαλούμενον being accused

    I found that the accusation involved questions about their own law, but there was no charge worthy of death or imprisonment.

    Here: 'Being charged', present tense: the charges were still being pressed against Paul. A legal word for formally accusing someone, not general criticism.

  5. Acts 26:2 ἐγκαλοῦμαι I am accused

    “King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today to defend myself against all the accusations of the Jews,

  6. Acts 26:7 ἐγκαλοῦμαι I am accused

    the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. It is because of this hope, O king, that I am accused by the Jews.

    Here: A formal legal term, present tense: 'I am being charged'. It names the proceedings still underway before Festus and Agrippa.

Romans · 1

  1. Romans 8:33 ἐγκαλέσει will bring an accusation

    Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.

    Here: A courtroom verb: to file a formal charge against someone. The future tense points to a coming hearing, the final judgment, not only to accusations heard in daily life.

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