Understanding ἐκβάλλω (ekballō) Strong’s G1544: The Powerful Act of Casting Out That Reveals Divine Authority

Pronunciation Guide: ek-BAL-lo

Basic Definition

Strong’s G1544: ἐκβάλλω (ekballō) fundamentally means “to cast out” or “to drive out.” It combines the preposition ἐκ (ek, “out from”) with βάλλω (ballō, “to throw”), creating a forceful image of expulsion or removal. This compound verb conveys the idea of removing something from its current position with deliberate intent and authority.

Etymology and Morphology

• Verb (present active indicative, 1st person singular)
• Compound word: ἐκ (ek, “out from”) + βάλλω (ballō, “to throw”)
• Primary usage in narrative sections, particularly in the Gospels
• Frequently used in contexts of spiritual warfare, cleansing, and divine commissioning
• Appears in both literal and metaphorical contexts

ἐκβάλλω Morphology:

• ἐκβάλλω (present active indicative, 1st person singular) – I cast out
• ἐκβάλλεις (present active indicative, 2nd person singular) – you cast out
• ἐκβάλλει (present active indicative, 3rd person singular) – he/she/it casts out
• ἐκβάλλομεν (present active indicative, 1st person plural) – we cast out
• ἐκβάλλετε (present active indicative, 2nd person plural) – you (plural) cast out
• ἐκβάλλουσιν (present active indicative, 3rd person plural) – they cast out
• ἐκβάλλειν (present active infinitive) – to cast out
• ἐκβαλών (aorist active participle, nominative masculine singular) – having cast out
• ἐξέβαλον (aorist active indicative, 3rd person plural) – they cast out
• ἐκβληθήσεται (future passive indicative, 3rd person singular) – he/she/it will be cast out

Origin & History

The verb ἐκβάλλω has ancient roots in classical Greek literature, where it was used to describe physical expulsion or removal. In works like Herodotus’ “Histories,” the term described the forceful ejection of people from their homelands. Thucydides employed it when describing military expulsions, emphasizing the element of force and authority.

In the Septuagint (LXX), ἐκβάλλω took on additional theological significance, appearing in contexts where God removes people from His presence or from promised lands. A particularly notable example is in Genesis 3:24, where God “drove out” (ἐξέβαλεν) Adam from the Garden of Eden. This usage established a pattern of divine authority exercised through removal or expulsion, often as a consequence of sin or disobedience.

The early Church Fathers, particularly Origen in his “Contra Celsum” and John Chrysostom in his homilies, expanded on this concept, interpreting ἐκβάλλω in spiritual warfare contexts. They viewed the Messiah’s casting out of demons as evidence of His divine authority and the inauguration of God’s Kingdom breaking into the world.

Expanded Definitions & Translation Options

• To forcefully remove or expel someone or something from a place
• To drive out evil spirits or demons by divine authority
• To send out workers or messengers with urgency and purpose
• To extract or remove something with deliberate intention
• To reject or exclude someone from a community or position

ἐκβάλλω Translation Options:

• “Cast out” – Emphasizes the forceful nature of the action and works well in contexts of exorcism
• “Drive away” – Highlights the movement away from a specific location and the authority of the one doing the driving
• “Send forth” – Captures the commissioning aspect present in passages about workers being sent into the harvest
• “Expel” – Conveys the authoritative rejection aspect when used in contexts of judgment or discipline
• “Extract” – Appropriate in contexts where something is being deliberately removed from another thing

Biblical Usage

ἐκβάλλω appears prominently throughout the New Testament, particularly in the Gospels where it occurs over 80 times. Its first appearance in Matthew 7:4 establishes a pattern of removing something undesirable to improve a situation. However, its most theologically significant usage is found in exorcism narratives, where the Messiah demonstrates His divine authority by casting out demons. These accounts reveal the cosmic conflict between God’s Kingdom and the kingdom of darkness.

In the Synoptic Gospels, ἐκβάλλω often appears in conjunction with the proclamation of the Kingdom of God, demonstrating that the expulsion of evil is a tangible manifestation of God’s reign breaking into the world. The Gospel of Mark particularly emphasizes this connection, presenting ἐκβάλλω as evidence of the Messiah’s authority and divine identity.

Beyond exorcism contexts, ἐκβάλλω also appears in agricultural metaphors, where workers are “sent out” into the harvest (Matthew 9:38), and in disciplinary contexts where unrepentant individuals are “put out” of the community (3 John 1:10).

• “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take [ἐκβάλλω] the speck out of your brother’s eye.” Matthew 7:4-5
• “And He was casting [ἐκβάλλων] out a demon, and it was mute.” Luke 11:14
• “And Jesus said to them, ‘This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer and fasting.’ After leaving that place, they were passing through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know about it.” Mark 9:29-30
• “The Spirit immediately drove [ἐκβάλλει] Him out into the wilderness.” Mark 1:12
• “Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send [ἐκβάλῃ] out workers into His harvest.” Matthew 9:38
• “And when He had made a scourge of cords, He drove [ἐξέβαλεν] all of them out of the temple.” John 2:15
• “So the demons implored Him, saying, ‘If You cast [ἐκβάλλεις] us out, send us into the herd of swine.'” Matthew 8:31

Cultural Insights

In first-century Jewish culture, the ability to cast out demons was seen as evidence of divine authority. The Pharisees recognized this connection, which is why they accused Yeshua (Jesus) of casting out demons by Beelzebul (Matthew 12:24). This accusation reveals the cultural understanding that only by divine power could one successfully expel evil spirits. The Messiah countered this accusation by pointing out that if Satan were casting out Satan, his kingdom would be divided against itself—a logical impossibility that underscored the true source of His power.

The concept of “casting out” also connected to Jewish purification rituals, where unclean elements were removed from the community to maintain ritual purity. This cultural framework helps explain why exorcism was seen as a restoration of God’s intended order rather than merely a supernatural spectacle. When Yeshua cast out demons, He was symbolically restoring Israel to its proper state of holiness and demonstrating His role as the divine purifier promised in the prophets.

The Hebrew concept of “shaliach” (emissary or sent one) also illuminates the commissioning aspect of ἐκβάλλω. When the Messiah “sent out” disciples, He was engaging in a process similar to the rabbinical tradition where a rabbi would commission students to represent him with full authority. This explains why being “cast out” as workers carried with it the implicit understanding of bearing the sender’s authority.

Theological Significance

ἐκβάλλω reveals profound theological truths about God’s sovereignty and the manifestation of His Kingdom. When the Messiah cast out demons, He was demonstrating that the promised Kingdom of God had arrived and was actively displacing the kingdom of darkness. This act of divine authority fulfilled prophetic expectations about the Messianic age, particularly Isaiah’s vision of liberation and restoration (Isaiah 61:1-2).

The use of ἐκβάλλω in exorcism narratives also illuminates the compassionate character of God. Rather than simply demonstrating power, these acts revealed יהוה (Yahweh)’s heart for the oppressed and His desire to restore humanity to wholeness. Each expulsion of an evil spirit represented God’s reclaiming of what rightfully belonged to Him—human beings created in His image. This theological perspective emphasizes that God’s authority is exercised for redemptive purposes rather than merely as a display of power.

Furthermore, the paradoxical use of ἐκβάλλω in Mark 1:12, where the Spirit “drove out” Yeshua into the wilderness, reveals the mysterious interplay between divine sovereignty and messianic mission. This passage suggests that even the Messiah Himself submitted to the Father’s authority and timing, demonstrating that God’s power works through submission and obedience rather than through domination.

Personal Application

Understanding ἐκβάλλω invites us to examine our own lives for areas where we need to participate in “casting out” what doesn’t belong. Just as the Messiah instructed His disciples to remove the log from their own eye before helping others (Matthew 7:5), we too must allow God’s transforming power to expel sinful patterns, harmful relationships, or destructive thought patterns from our lives.

This process isn’t about self-improvement but about yielding to divine authority. When we recognize that the same power that cast out demons is available to us through the indwelling Holy Spirit, we can approach our spiritual struggles with confidence rather than fear. The theology of ἐκβάλλω reminds us that God’s authority is always directed toward restoration and wholeness, even when the process involves difficult separation or removal.

Related Words

• ἀποβάλλω (apoballō) – to throw away, cast aside; emphasizes discarding something as worthless, whereas ἐκβάλλω focuses more on the forceful removal. See G577
• ἐκδιώκω (ekdiōkō) – to drive out, persecute; shares the idea of expulsion but carries stronger connotations of hostility and pursuit. See G1559
• ἐξέρχομαι (exerchomai) – to go out, depart; describes movement outward that may be voluntary, while ἐκβάλλω typically involves forced removal. See G1831
• ἐξαποστέλλω (exapostellō) – to send away, send forth; focuses on the commissioning aspect also present in ἐκβάλλω but with less emphasis on forceful removal. See G1821
• ἀποτίθημι (apotithēmi) – to put away, lay aside; suggests a deliberate setting aside rather than forceful expulsion. See G659

Did you Know?

• Did you know that the same word ἐκβάλλω used for casting out demons is also used in Mark 1:12 to describe how the Spirit “drove” Yeshua into the wilderness? This fascinating parallel suggests that divine authority sometimes operates through apparent hardship or isolation. Just as demons were cast out by divine authority, so too was the Messiah Himself subjected to the Father’s authoritative direction—even when it led to challenging circumstances.
• Did you know that modern Greek still uses forms of ἐκβάλλω in everyday speech? In contemporary Greek, the word “εκβάλλω” (ekvállo) is used to describe the ejection of unwanted items, expulsion from institutions, or the extraction of conclusions from evidence. This linguistic continuity demonstrates the enduring utility of the concept across millennia of Greek language development.
• Did you know that rabbinical tradition included a formal process called “niddui” (excommunication) that functioned similarly to the New Testament concept of ἐκβάλλω in disciplinary contexts? This Jewish practice involved temporarily removing individuals from community participation to promote repentance. Understanding this background helps illuminate passages like Matthew 18:15-17, where the Messiah establishes community discipline procedures that would have resonated with Jewish cultural expectations.

Remember This

ἐκβάλλω reveals the profound truth that God’s authority is always purposeful—whether driving out darkness, commissioning workers, or redirecting His people—and ultimately demonstrates His redemptive power working to restore all things to their proper place in His Kingdom.