Greek word · G1620

ἐκτίθημι

ektithēmi

to explain/expose

Literally 'to set out, put outside', and so 'to expose' an infant (Acts 7:21, of the baby Moses). Figuratively 'to set forth, lay out, explain' something in order.

Appears 4 times in 4 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ἐκ-τίθημι

[in LXX for נָתַן ni., etc. ;]

to set out, expose: Acts 7:21, Metaphorical, to set forth, expound: Acts 11:4 28:23; with accusative of thing(s), Acts 18:26.†

(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 28:23

Range of meaning

Literally 'to set out, put outside', and so 'to expose' an infant (Acts 7:21, of the baby Moses). Figuratively 'to set forth, lay out, explain' something in order.

Against the English

'Expounded' (KJV, BSB) and 'explained' (WEB) are both fine. The imperfect tense, 'he was explaining' or 'he kept explaining', is lost in most English, though the time phrase 'from morning to evening' makes up for it.

Used elsewhere in the period

Acts 11:4 (Peter 'explained to them in order' what happened at Cornelius' house); Acts 18:26 (Priscilla and Aquila 'explained to him the way of God more accurately'). All three figurative uses in the New Testament are Luke's.

From the study of Acts 18:26

Range of meaning

Literally 'put out, set outside'. It is used of abandoning an infant (Acts 7:21, Moses). Figuratively it means 'set forth, explain, lay out in detail'.

Against the English

'Explained' (BSB, WEB, ESV, NASB, NIV, NLT) and 'expounded' (KJV, YLT). Both are accurate. 'Expounded' better keeps the sense of a careful, orderly presentation.

Used elsewhere in the period

Luke uses the figurative sense for orderly explanation in Acts 11:4 (Peter 'explained it to them in order') and 28:23 (Paul 'expounded… testifying to the kingdom of God… from the Law of Moses and the Prophets').

Where it appears

Acts · 4

  1. Acts 7:21 ἐκτεθέντος When was being exposed

    When he was set outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and brought him up as her own son.

  2. Acts 11:4 ἐξετίθετο he was explaining [it]

    But Peter began and explained to them the whole sequence of events:

  3. Acts 18:26 ἐξέθεντο they expounded

    And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.

    Here: Literally 'put out, set forth'. Here it means laying out a matter step by step, as Peter does in Acts 11:4 and Paul in 28:23. The subject is plural: both Priscilla and Aquila did the explaining.

  4. Acts 28:23 ἐξετίθετο he was expounding

    So they set a day to meet with Paul, and many people came to the place he was staying. He expounded to them from morning to evening, testifying about the kingdom of God and persuading them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and the Prophets.

    Here: Imperfect tense: 'he kept setting it out', an ongoing, step-by-step explanation lasting the whole day.

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