Greek word · G1844

ἐξορκίζω

exorkizō

to adjure

To put someone under oath; to make someone swear; to charge someone solemnly by a god's name. It is a strengthened form of ὁρκίζω ("make swear"). In later Greek the related ἐξορκιστής means "exorcist", one who commands spirits by a divine name (Acts 19:13 uses ὁρκίζω and ἐξορκιστής).

Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ἐξ-ορκίζω

(later form of ἐξορκόω ), [in LXX: Judges 17:2 (אָלָה), Genesis 24:3, 1 Kings 22:16 (שָׁבַע hi.)* ;]

1. to administer an oath to (Dem., Polyb., al.).

2. to adjure: with accusative of person(s), before κατά, with genitive (as frequently in magic π.; MM, Exp., xiv), Matthew 26:63.†

(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 Matthew 26:63

Range of meaning

To put someone under oath; to make someone swear; to charge someone solemnly by a god's name. It is a strengthened form of ὁρκίζω ("make swear"). In later Greek the related ἐξορκιστής means "exorcist", one who commands spirits by a divine name (Acts 19:13 uses ὁρκίζω and ἐξορκιστής). The common core is binding someone with a sacred name so that they must comply.

Against the English

KJV/WEB/ESV/NASB "adjure" is precise but archaic, and most readers do not know it. BSB/NIV "charge you under oath" is clear. NLT's "demand in the name of" turns it into a strong demand and loses the fact that Jesus is now formally under oath.

How it drifted

"Adjure" has simply dropped out of everyday English. "Charge" on its own could suggest a criminal charge (an accusation), but the words "under oath" prevent that.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament), Abraham says to his servant: "I will make you swear (ἐξορκιῶ σε) by the LORD, the God of heaven" (Gen 24:3). King Ahab says to the prophet Micaiah: "How many times must I adjure you (ἐξορκίζω σε) to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?" (1 Kgs 22:16; LXX 3 Kgdms 22:16). That is a ruler forcing a prophet to speak under oath, much as here. The legal background is Leviticus 5:1: a person who hears a public adjuration and is a witness but does not speak "bears his guilt". The Mishnah (tractate Shevuot 4, c. AD 200) develops this "oath of testimony" with formulas like "I adjure you…". Greek magical papyri and amulets use ἐξορκίζω σε κατά… ("I adjure you by…") constantly.

Similar words

Where it appears

Matthew · 1

  1. Matthew 26:63 ἐξορκίζω I adjure

    But Jesus remained silent. Then the high priest said to Him, “I charge You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God.”

    Here: "I put you under oath". This is the only place the word appears in the New Testament. It places a binding oath on someone else, so that refusing to answer counts as defying God's name.

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