laleō · speak

What it means

laleō (λαλέω) is a Greek word of the Bible that means “speak”.

Talk.

How to say it

Approximate pronunciation. Vowels sound as in Spanish (a as in father, e as in bed, i as in machine, o as in note, u as in rule); the syllable in bold is stressed. The voice is your device's.

Its senses in the Bible

1. To use voice and words to communicate with others.
2. To tell someone something, announce it.

From Abbott-Smith (1922) · Thayer (1889)

Word study

Speak. Abbott-Smith and Thayer define it as to utter sounds with the voice, to speak, to talk. It differs from λέγω, “say”, in that it puts the stress on the act of speaking rather than on what is said.

• To speak, to be able to speak (one who was mute) Matthew 9:33
• To speak in other tongues Acts 2:4
• God speaks to human beings Hebrews 1:1
• Jesus speaks in parables or on the Father's behalf Matthew 13:3John 12:49
• The Spirit does not speak on his own John 16:13

How we translate it

“Speak” 84 times, “speaking” 73, “spoken” 39, “spoke” 36, “speaks” 23. It is translated “speak” consistently; “say” or “tell” only where English requires it (“he told them many things in parables”, Matthew 13:3).

How it is translated

The words this translation uses for it, most frequent first.

• speak ×84
• speaking ×73
• spoken ×39
• spoke ×36
• speaks ×23
• said ×10
• say ×9
• saying ×9
• be told ×4
• he says ×2
• others ×8

Related words

Words of the same family, by Strong’s numbering.

Where it appears

• Matthew×26
• Mark×21
• Luke×31
• John×59
• Acts×60
• Romans×3
• 1 Corinthians×34
• 2 Corinthians×10
• Ephesians×3
• Philippians×1
• Colossians×2
• 1 Thessalonians×4
• 1 Timothy×1
• Titus×2
• Hebrews×16
• James×3
• 1 Peter×2
• 2 Peter×2
• 1 John×1
• 2 John×1
• 3 John×1
• Jude×2
• Revelation×12

• Matthew 9:18

  While he was saying these things to them, look, a ruler came and was bowing down before him, saying, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.”

• Matthew 9:33

  And when the demon had been driven out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds were amazed, saying, “Never has anything been seen like this in Israel!”

• Matthew 10:19

  But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour.

• Matthew 10:20

  For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

• Matthew 12:22

  Then a man possessed by a demon, blind and mute, was brought to him; and he healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw.

• Matthew 12:34

  Offspring of vipers, how can you speak good things when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

• Matthew 12:36

  And I tell you that for every careless word that people speak, they will give an account of it on the day of judgment;

• Matthew 12:46

  While he was still speaking to the crowds, look, his mother and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to him.

• Matthew 12:47

  And someone said to him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak to you.”

• Matthew 13:3

  And he told them many things in parables, saying, “Look, the sower went out to sow.

• Matthew 13:10

  And the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?”

• Matthew 13:13

  This is why I speak to them in parables: because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

• Matthew 13:33

  He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.”

• Matthew 13:34

  All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables, and without a parable he was telling them nothing,

• Matthew 14:27

  But at once Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage; it is I; do not be afraid.”

• Matthew 15:31

  so that the crowd was amazed seeing the mute speaking, the maimed whole, and the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.

• Matthew 17:5

  While he was still speaking, look, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and look, a voice from the cloud was saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”

• Matthew 23:1

  Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples,

• Matthew 26:13

  Truly I tell you, wherever this good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told in memory of her.”

• Matthew 26:47

  And while he was still speaking, look, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a large crowd with swords and clubs, from the high priests and elders of the people.

• Matthew 28:18

  And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

• Mark 1:34

  And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, and he would not let the demons speak, because they knew him.

• Mark 2:2

  And many gathered together, so that there was no longer room, not even near the door; and he was speaking the word to them.

• Mark 2:7

  “Why does this man speak like this? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

• Mark 4:33

  And with many such parables he was speaking the word to them, as they were able to hear;

• Mark 4:34

  and he did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.

• Mark 5:35

  While he was still speaking, people come from the synagogue leader’s house, saying, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the Teacher any further?”

• Mark 5:36

  But Jesus, ignoring the word being spoken, says to the synagogue leader, “Do not be afraid; only believe.”

• Mark 6:50

  for they all saw him and were terrified. But he at once spoke with them and says to them, “Take courage; I am he; do not be afraid.”

• Mark 7:35

  And his ears were opened, and the binding of his tongue was loosed, and he was speaking plainly.

• Mark 7:37

  And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well; he even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

• Mark 8:32

  And he was speaking the word openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.

• Mark 11:23

  Truly I tell you that whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is happening, it will be done for him.

• Mark 12:1

  And he began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a pit for the winepress and built a tower, and leased it to tenant farmers and went away on a journey.

• Mark 13:11

  And when they lead you away, handing you over, do not worry beforehand what you are to say, but whatever is given you in that hour, say that; for it is not you who are speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

• Mark 14:9

  And truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”

• Mark 14:31

  But he kept saying emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will never deny you.” And all were also saying the same.

• Mark 14:43

  And at once, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrives, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the high priests and the scribes and the elders.

• Mark 16:17

  And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues;

• Mark 16:19

  So the Lord Jesus, after speaking to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.

And 257 more times.