Lexical Summary
agó: To lead, bring, carry, guide
Original Word: ἄγω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: agó
Pronunciation: ä'-gō
Phonetic Spelling: (ag'-o)
KJV: be, bring (forth), carry, (let) go, keep, lead away, be open
NASB: brought, led, bring, go, bringing, going, arrest
Word Origin: [a primary verb]
1. (properly) to lead
2. (by implication) to bring, drive
3. (reflexively) to go
4. (specially) to pass (time)
5. (figuratively) to induce
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
be, bring forth, carry, let go.
A primary verb; properly, to lead; by implication, to bring, drive, (reflexively) go, (specially) pass (time), or (figuratively) induce -- be, bring (forth), carry, (let) go, keep, lead away, be open.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origina prim. verb
Definitionto lead, bring, carry
NASB Translationarrest (1), bring (11), bringing (3), brought (26), go (5), going (2), lead (1), leads (1), led (12), led away (1), session (1), taking (1), took away (1).
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 71: ἄγωἄγω; imperfect
ἦγον; future
ἄξω; 2 aorist
ἤγαγον, infinitive
ἀγαγεῖν (more rarely 1 aorist
ᾖξα, in
ἐπάγω 2 Peter 2:5); passive, present
ά᾿γομαι; imperfect
ἠγόμην; 1 aorist
ἤχθην; 1 future
ἀχθήσομαι; (from
Homer down);
to drive, lead.
1. properly (A. V. ordinarily, to bring);
a. to lead by laying hold of, and in this way to bring to the point of destination: of an animal, Matthew 21:7; Luke 19:35; Mark 11:7 (T Tr WH φέρουσιν); (Luke 19:30); τινα followed by εἰς with the accusative of place, Luke 4:9 (others refer this to 2 c.); Luke 10:34; (ἤγαγον καί εἰσήγαγον, Luke 22:54); John 18:28; Acts 6:12; Acts 9:2; Acts 17:5 (R G);
b. to lead by accompanying to (into) any place: εἰς, Acts 11:26 (Acts 11:25); ἕως, Acts 17:15; πρός τινα, to persons, John 1:42 (John 1:43);
c. to lead with oneself, attach to oneself as an attendant: τινα, 2 Timothy 4:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:14 (Josephus, Antiquities 10, 9, 6 ἀπῆρεν εἰς τήν Αἴγυπτον ἀγών καί Ιερεμιαν). Some refer Acts 21:16 to this head, resolving it ἄγοντες Μνάσωνα παρ' ᾧ ξενισθῶμεν, but incorrectly, see Winers Grammar (and Buttmann) as above.
d. to conduct, bring: τινα (Luke 19:27); John 7:45; (John 19:4, 13); Acts 5:21, 26,(
e. to lead away, to a court of justice, magistrate, etc.: simply, Mark 13:11; (Acts 25:17); ἐπί with the accusative, Matthew 10:18; Luke 21:12 (T Tr WH ἀπαγομένους; (Luke 23:1); Acts (Acts 9:21); Acts 18:12; (often in Attic); (πρός with the accusative, John 18:13 L T Tr WH); to punishment: simply (2 Macc. 6:29 2Macc. 7:18, etc.), John 19:16 Griesbach (R καί ἀπήγαγον, which L T Tr WH have expunged); with the telic infinitive, Luke 23:32; (followed by ἵνα, Mark 15:20 Lachmann); ἐπί σφαγήν, Acts 8:32 (ἐπί θανάτῳ, Xenophon, mem. 4, 4, 3; an. 1, 6, 10).
2. tropically,
a. to lead, guide, direct: John 10:16; εἰς μετάνοιαν, Romans 2:4.
b. to lead through, conduct, to something, become the author of good or of evil to some one: εἰς δόξαν, Hebrews 2:10 (εἰς (others, ἐπί) καλοκἀγαθίαν, Xenophon, mem. 1, 6, 14; εἰς δουλείαν, Demosthenes, p. 213, 28).
c. to more, impel, of forces and influences affecting the mind: Luke 4:1 (where read ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ (with L text T Tr WH)); πνεύματι Θεοῦ ἄγεσθαι, Romans 8:14; Galatians 5:18; ἐπιθυμίαις, 2 Timothy 3:6; simply, urged on by blind impulse, 1 Corinthians 12:2 — unless impelled by Satan's influence be preferable, cf. 1 Corinthians 10:20; Ephesians 2:2; (Buttmann, 383f (328f)).
3. to pass a day, keep or celebrate a feast, etc.: τρίτην ἡμέραν ἄγει namely, ὁ Ἰσραήλ, Luke 24:21 (others (see Meyer) supply αὐτός or ὁ Ἰησοῦς; still others take ἄγει as impersonal, one passes, Vulg.tertiadiesest; see Buttmann, 134 (118)); γενεσίων ἀγομένων, Matthew 14:6 R G; ἀγοραῖοι (which see, 2), Acts 19:38; often in the O. T. Apocrypha (cf. Wahl, Claris Apocr. under the word ἄγω, 3), in Herodotus and Attic writers.
4. intransitive, to go, depart (Winers Grammar, § 38, 1, p. 251 (236); (Buttmann, 144 (126))): ἄγωμεν let us go, Matthew 26:46; Mark 14:42; John 14:31; πρός τινα, John 11:15; εἰς with the accusative of place, Mark 1:38; John 11:7 (Epictetus diss. 3, 22, 55 ἄγωμεν, ἐπί τόν ἀνθύπατον); (followed by ἵνα, John 11:16. Compare: ἀνάγω, ἐπανάγω, ἀπάγω, συναπάγω, διάγω, εἰσάγω, παρεισάγω, ἐξάγω, ἐπάγω, κατάγω, μετάγω παράγω, περιάγω, προάγω, προσάγω, συνάγω, ἐπισυνάγω, ὑπάγω. Synonym: cf. Schmidt, chapter 105.)
Topical Lexicon
Overview Strong’s Greek 71 (ἄγω, with cognates such as ἀγαγεῖν, ἀχθῆναι, ἄγωμεν, etc.) threads through the New Testament as the vocabulary of movement under authority. Whether people, animals, or events are being escorted, compelled, or graciously guided, every occurrence draws attention to the One who ultimately directs history and discipleship.
Narrative Leading in the Gospels
• Physical relocation marks key moments of revelation. The Spirit “led” Jesus into the wilderness for testing (Luke 4:1).
• Fulfilment of prophecy is underlined when the disciples are told, “Go into the village...and bring the colt” (Luke 19:30), preparing the triumphal entry.
• In the Passion accounts, rulers “led Jesus from Caiaphas into the Praetorium” (John 18:28) and later “they led Him away and delivered Him to Pilate” (Luke 23:1). The verb frames the injustice while showing that even hostile escorts serve a redemptive plan.
• Parabolic warning surfaces when the nobleman orders, “Bring here my enemies…and kill them before me” (Luke 19:27), underscoring final accountability.
Imperatives of Discipleship
Jesus repeatedly presses His followers with the first-person plural imperative: “Rise, let us go” (Matthew 26:46; Mark 14:42; John 14:31). The form is communal—He does not merely issue commands but invites partnership in active obedience.
Guidance by the Holy Spirit
The term shifts from physical to spiritual leadership in Pauline theology.
• “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” (Romans 8:14).
• “If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law” (Galatians 5:18).
The contrast appears in 1 Corinthians 12:2 where former idolaters “were being led astray,” illustrating the decisive change of master that conversion entails.
Apostolic Mission and Legal Encounters in Acts
Luke employs ἄγω almost twenty times to chart the Church’s expansion amid opposition.
• The apostles are “brought” before the Sanhedrin yet continue to preach (Acts 5:26-27).
• Saul seeks authority to “bring” believers bound to Jerusalem (Acts 9:2); later, Barnabas “brought him to the apostles” (Acts 9:27), showing God’s redirection of zeal.
• Paul is “brought” before successive governors (Acts 25:6, 17, 23), illustrating how the gospel gains audience through judicial corridors.
The verb thus becomes a narrative hinge between earthly tribunals and heavenly mandate.
Christological Fulfilment and Salvation History
Hebrews anchors the word in atonement: the Father perfected the Author of salvation “in bringing many sons to glory” (Hebrews 2:10).
Similarly, eschatological comfort rests on it: “God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him” (1 Thessalonians 4:14). The same verb that describes guards escorting a prisoner also declares the Shepherd’s victorious return with His flock.
Ethical Warnings and Pastoral Care
James twice opens admonitions with the vocative “Come now” (James 4:13; 5:1), urging self-sufficient merchants and oppressors to see where their chosen path leads.
2 Timothy contrasts profitable service (“Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you,” 2 Timothy 4:11) with false teachers who “captivate weak women...being led astray” (2 Timothy 3:6).
Cultural and Historical Resonance
In classical usage ἄγω described processions, military deployment, and the leading of sacrificial animals. New Testament writers tap these connotations:
• The colt brought to Jesus recalls animals led to temple offerings, hinting at the Lamb of God who is about to be “led like a sheep to slaughter” (Acts 8:32 quoting Isaiah 53:7).
• Civic assemblies are “brought together” (Acts 19:38), mirroring Greek judicial procedure. Scripture appropriates common Greek imagery to display divine sovereignty over civic and cultic life.
Practical Ministry Application
1. Leadership derives from following: before believers can lead others, they must themselves be “led by the Spirit.”
2. Evangelism may require legal and cultural escort—God positions His servants before rulers just as surely as He once placed Paul in Caesar’s courts.
3. Suffering under unjust “escorts” is not defeat; it may be the means by which God “brings” many to glory.
Conclusion
From the wilderness to glory, from human tribunals to the throne of God, ἄγω testifies that every path is under the hand of the One who “works out everything according to the counsel of His will.” The New Testament invites believers to discern who or what is doing the leading—and to choose daily to be led by the Spirit who guides into truth and triumph.
Forms and Transliterations
άγαγε αγαγειν αγαγείν ἀγαγεῖν αγαγετε αγάγετε αγάγετέ ἀγάγετε ἀγάγετέ αγαγέτωσαν αγαγη αγάγη ἀγάγῃ αγάγης αγάγοις αγαγοντα αγαγόντα ἀγαγόντα αγαγοντες αγαγόντες ἀγαγόντες αγαγόντος αγάγω αγάγωμεν αγαγών αγάγωσί αγάγωσιν αγε άγε ἄγε αγει άγει ἄγει αγειν άγειν ἄγειν αγεσθαι άγεσθαι ἄγεσθαι αγεσθε άγεσθε ἄγεσθε άγεται αγηόχασιν αγομενα αγόμενα ἀγόμενα αγόμεναι αγομένη αγόμενον αγομένους αγομένων αγονται άγονται ἄγονται αγοντες άγοντες ἄγοντες άγοντος άγουσι Αγουσιν άγουσιν Ἄγουσιν αγω άγω ἄγω αγωμεν άγωμεν ἄγωμεν αγωσιν ἄγωσιν αξει άξει ἄξει άξεις άξομεν άξουσι άξουσιν άξω αξων άξων ἄξων αχθηναι αχθήναι ἀχθῆναι αχθής αχθησεσθε αχθήσεσθε ἀχθήσεσθε αχθήσεται αχθήσονται ήγαγε ήγαγέ Ηγαγεν ήγαγεν Ἤγαγεν ήγαγες ηγαγετε ηγάγετε ἠγάγετε ηγαγον ήγαγον ήγαγόν ἤγαγον ηγεν ήγεν ἦγεν ηγεσθε ήγεσθε ἤγεσθε ηγετο ήγετο ἤγετο ήγον ήγόν Ηγοντο ήγοντο Ἤγοντο ήκται ηχθη ήχθη ἤχθη ήχθησαν achthenai achthênai achthēnai achthē̂nai achthesesthe achthēsesthe achthḗsesthe agage agagē agágei agágēi agagein agageîn agagete agágete agágeté agagonta agagónta agagontes agagóntes age áge agei ágei agein ágein agesthai ágesthai agesthe ágesthe ago agō ágo ágō agomen agōmen ágomen ágōmen agomena agómena agontai ágontai agontes ágontes agosin agōsin ágosin ágōsin Agousin Ágousin axei áxei axon axōn áxon áxōn echthe ēchthē ḗchthe ḗchthē egagen Ēgagen Ḗgagen egagete egágete ēgagete ēgágete egagon ēgagon ḗgagon egen êgen ēgen ē̂gen egesthe ēgesthe ḗgesthe egeto ēgeto ḗgeto egonto Ēgonto Ḗgonto
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