ἐξαίρω

I lift up, remove

Definition

The verb ἐξαίρω means 'to lift up' or 'to remove' in a forceful or decisive manner. In its two New Testament occurrences, both in 1 Corinthians 5, it carries the sense of expelling or ejecting someone from a community. In 1 Corinthians 5:2, Paul urges the church to 'remove' the immoral brother from their midst. This action is reiterated in 1 Corinthians 5:13 with the command, 'Expel the wicked person from among you,' quoting Deuteronomy. The term implies a deliberate act of separation for the purpose of purification and discipline.

Biblical Usage

ἐξαίρω is used exclusively by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 5, specifically addressing church discipline. In both instances (1 Corinthians 5:2, 13), it describes the necessary action of removing an unrepentantly immoral member from the Christian community. The usage is judicial and communal, focused on preserving the holiness of the church body. Paul employs it to correct the Corinthians' prideful inaction, framing removal not as mere exclusion but as a protective and corrective measure.

Etymology

Derived from the preposition ἐξ (ex), meaning 'out of' or 'from,' and the common verb αἴρω (airō), meaning 'to lift, take up, or take away.' The compound form intensifies the base meaning to signify 'to lift out,' 'to remove completely,' or 'to expel.' It shares a root with other 'lifting' words but is distinguished by its focus on removal from a specific sphere or group.

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant for the doctrine of church discipline. It underscores the church's responsibility to maintain its purity and witness by confronting persistent, unrepentant sin within its membership (1 Corinthians 5:6-7). Understanding ἐξαίρω enriches reading by highlighting that such removal is an act of love—aimed at the sinner's eventual restoration (cf. 2 Corinthians 2:5-11) and the protection of the community—not merely punitive. It connects the New Testament church to the holiness principles of the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 17:7, 19:19).

In the Greco-Roman world, expulsion from a voluntary association (like a religious or trade guild) was a known disciplinary measure. For Paul's Jewish readers, the phrase 'expel the wicked person from among you' (1 Corinthians 5:13) directly recalled the communal purity commands in the Torah (e.g., Deuteronomy 13:5, 17:7, 21:21). Paul applies this covenantal concept to the new covenant community, the church, expecting it to function as a distinct and holy society.

ἐκβάλλω (ekballō, G1544) — often 'to cast out,' used more broadly for driving out demons or forcing someone out; implies more external force. ἀφορίζω (aphorizō, G873) — 'to separate, set apart'; can be for holy purposes or, like here, for exclusion, but with a stronger sense of marking a boundary.

Word Details

Scripture References