ἐκκομίζω

Pronunciation Guide: ek-kom-id’-zo (with emphasis on the second syllable)

Basic Definition

Strong’s G1580: The Greek verb ἐκκομίζω (ekkomizō) specifically refers to the act of carrying or bringing something out from one location to another, with a particular emphasis in biblical usage on carrying out the dead for burial. It combines the prefix ἐκ (ek), meaning “out of,” with the verb κομίζω (komizō), meaning “to carry” or “to bring.” In Luke’s Gospel, this term precisely captures the solemn funeral procession as the deceased is transported from the place of death to the burial site outside the city.

Etymology and Morphology

• Part of Speech: Verb
• Root Words: ἐκ (ek, “out of”) + κομίζω (komizō, “to carry, bring”)
• Language Origin: Classical Greek
• Primary Usage: Narrative sections, especially in contexts of funeral customs
• Tense: Imperfect Passive
• Voice: Passive
• Mood: Indicative
• Person: 3rd Person Singular

ἐκκομίζω Morphology:

• ἐκκομίζω (present active indicative, 1st person singular) – I carry out
• ἐκκομίζεις (present active indicative, 2nd person singular) – you carry out
• ἐκκομίζει (present active indicative, 3rd person singular) – he/she/it carries out
• ἐξεκομίζετο (imperfect passive indicative, 3rd person singular) – he/she/it was being carried out (as used in Luke 7:12)
• ἐκκομίσαι (aorist active infinitive) – to carry out

Origin & History

The term ἐκκομίζω has deep roots in classical Greek literature, where it was commonly used to describe the transportation of goods, people, or the dead from one place to another. In the works of Thucydides (History of the Peloponnesian War), the term appears in descriptions of military movements and evacuations. Similarly, Sophocles employs the term in “Antigone” when referring to the forbidden act of carrying out Polynices’ body for proper burial.

In the Septuagint (LXX), while not frequently used, the concept emerges in passages related to funeral processions. The specific term gained significance in Jewish burial customs during the Hellenistic period, as evidenced by its appearance in Jewish historian Josephus’ works (Antiquities of the Jews), where he describes traditional Jewish funeral processions. The term reflects the important Jewish custom of carrying the deceased outside city limits for burial, a practice stemming from Levitical purity laws that considered contact with the dead as ritually defiling.

Expanded Definitions & Translation Options

• The solemn act of carrying out a deceased person from their home or place of death to the burial site
• The formal funeral procession moving through public spaces
• The ritual transport of the dead outside city walls in accordance with Jewish burial customs
• The communal act of accompanying the deceased on their final earthly journey

ἐκκομίζω Translation Options:

• “To carry out” – The most literal translation, emphasizing the physical movement from inside to outside
• “To bear forth” – Captures the ceremonial and solemn nature of the action, especially in funeral contexts
• “To convey away” – Emphasizes the transfer from one location to a distant one
• “To escort out” – Highlights the procession aspect, which would typically involve multiple community members
• “To bear to burial” – A contextual translation that specifies the purpose of the carrying out

Biblical Usage

In the New Testament, ἐκκομίζω appears only once, in Luke 7:12, where it describes the funeral procession of a widow’s only son. The text states, “As He approached the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out [ἐξεκομίζετο], the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her.” Luke’s precise choice of this term provides significant cultural context, as it was customary in Jewish practice to bury the dead outside city walls on the same day as death. The imperfect passive form (ἐξεκομίζετο) indicates an ongoing action—the funeral procession was in progress when Yeshua encountered it.

In the wider Hellenistic literary context, this term appears in works describing Jewish burial customs, including writings by Philo of Alexandria and Josephus. These sources confirm that ἐκκομίζω was a technical term specifically associated with funeral processions in first-century Jewish communities. The term’s singular appearance in Scripture gives it particular significance in this powerful narrative of resurrection, where the act of carrying out for burial is dramatically reversed by the Messiah’s life-giving power.

• “As He approached the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out [ἐξεκομίζετο].” Luke 7:12

Cultural Insights

The use of ἐκκομίζω in Luke 7:12 provides a window into ancient Jewish burial practices. According to Jewish custom, burial typically occurred on the same day as death, especially in the warm climate of the Holy Land where decomposition would begin quickly. The funeral procession would include professional mourners, family members, and community representatives. The deceased would be wrapped in burial cloths and carried on a bier (an open coffin or platform) outside the city walls to the burial site, usually a cave or hewn tomb.

The location of this encounter—at the city gate—is particularly significant. City gates in ancient times were not merely entrances but served as public gathering places where legal matters were addressed and community life happened. Yeshua meeting the funeral procession at this liminal space between life (the city) and death (the burial grounds outside) creates a powerful symbolic backdrop for the miracle that follows. The widow’s son was literally between worlds—being carried from the world of the living to the realm of the dead—when the Author of Life intercepted the procession. This cultural understanding amplifies the theological significance of the moment when death’s progression was halted by divine intervention.

Theological Significance

The singular use of ἐκκομίζω in Luke’s Gospel serves as a powerful theological motif that illustrates the Messiah’s authority over death itself. This narrative presents a striking contrast: a procession of death (carrying out the dead) meets the procession of Life (Yeshua and His disciples entering the city). What follows demonstrates that death’s seemingly inevitable procession can be interrupted and reversed by the word of the Messiah. The passive voice of ἐξεκομίζετο emphasizes the young man’s helplessness—he was being carried out—highlighting humanity’s powerlessness in the face of death without divine intervention.

This account foreshadows Yeshua’s own death and resurrection, where He too would be carried out for burial, only to triumph over death. By raising the widow’s son, Yeshua demonstrates that יהוה’s compassion extends especially to the most vulnerable—in this case, a widow who had lost her only son and thus her social and economic security. The theological implications are profound: in Yeshua, God enters into humanity’s funeral processions, touches what is deemed untouchable (the bier, which would normally render one ritually impure), and transforms mourning into rejoicing. This miracle reveals that in the Messiah’s presence, the direction of ἐκκομίζω is reversed—instead of being carried out to death, the young man is carried back into life and restored to his mother.

Personal Application

When we understand the meaning of ἐκκομίζω, we gain a deeper appreciation for how Yeshua meets us in our moments of deepest grief and hopelessness. Just as He intercepted the funeral procession in Nain, He can interrupt the “carrying out” processes in our own lives—those situations where all hope seems lost and we are merely going through the motions of grief. Perhaps you are experiencing a season where something precious is being “carried out” of your life—a relationship, a dream, an opportunity, or a loved one. The Good News is that the Messiah specializes in disrupting funeral processions.

Consider where you might be in a procession of despair or resignation. Have you given up hope in certain areas of your life, believing that death (literal or metaphorical) has the final word? Yeshua’s encounter with the widow’s son reminds us that no situation is beyond His restorative power. He stands at the gates of our circumstances, ready to speak life where death seems to reign. Our call is to recognize His presence, hear His voice when He speaks, and believe that He can turn our mourning into dancing. When Yeshua touches the situations we have given up for dead, what was being carried out for burial can be carried back in for celebration.

Related Words

• φέρω (pherō, “to bear, carry”) – A more general term for carrying that doesn’t specifically indicate direction or purpose. While ἐκκομίζω specifically denotes carrying outward for burial, φέρω can describe carrying in any direction for any purpose. See G5342
• βαστάζω (bastazō, “to lift, bear, carry”) – Emphasizes the bearing of weight or burden, often used for carrying crosses or burdens. Unlike ἐκκομίζω which focuses on the directional movement outward, βαστάζω highlights the effort of bearing weight. See G941
• ἐκφέρω (ekpherō, “to bring or carry out”) – A similar compound verb that also means to carry out, but has broader applications beyond funeral contexts. While ἐκκομίζω is specifically used for funeral processions in the NT, ἐκφέρω appears in contexts of carrying out money, sick people, or goods. See G1627
• θάπτω (thaptō, “to bury”) – The act that follows ἐκκομίζω in funeral customs—the actual burial or interment. While ἐκκομίζω describes the procession to the burial site, θάπτω refers to the placement of the body in its tomb or grave. See G2290
• πενθέω (pentheō, “to mourn, lament”) – Describes the emotional expression that would accompany the act of ἐκκομίζω during funeral processions. This term focuses on the grief experience rather than physical movement. See G3996

Did you Know?

• Did you know that in ancient Jewish culture, the procession described by ἐκκομίζω was considered a significant mitzvah (commandment)? Participating in a funeral procession and helping to carry the deceased to burial was viewed as one of the highest forms of chesed (loving-kindness), as it was a favor that could never be repaid by the recipient. This understanding gives deeper meaning to the crowd accompanying the widow in Luke 7:12—they were fulfilling a sacred communal obligation.
• Did you know that archaeological findings from first-century burial sites in the Holy Land have uncovered stone benches along processional routes to burial tombs? These served as resting places for those carrying the deceased (the action of ἐκκομίζω), allowing them to set down their burden temporarily during the journey from the city to the burial grounds. These “mourning stations” remind us of the physical demands involved in this sacred task, especially in the hot climate and hilly terrain surrounding many ancient Jewish towns.
• Did you know that in modern Greek, derivatives of ἐκκομίζω are still used in funeral contexts? The term “εκφορά” (ekfora), derived from the same root concept, continues to be used in Greek Orthodox funeral services to describe the solemn procession carrying the deceased from the church to the cemetery. This linguistic continuity across nearly two millennia demonstrates the enduring nature of human rituals surrounding death and burial.

Remember This

The powerful moment when Yeshua intercepted the ἐκκομίζω procession at Nain’s gate stands as an eternal reminder that when human hope is being carried out for burial, divine compassion can transform the journey from a path to the grave into a pathway to resurrection.