ἐκκλάω (ekklaō)
ekklaō
to break off
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb ekklao means to break off or cut away, describing a physical separation from a larger whole. It appears only three times in the New Testament, all within Romans 11:17-20. In this passage, Paul uses it as part of an agricultural metaphor involving an olive tree.
Paul describes wild branches being broken off due to unbelief, while gentile believers are grafted in. The word emphasizes that these original branches were forcibly removed from their natural position. This imagery highlights the fragility of privilege and the seriousness of rejecting God's grace, as the connection is severed completely rather than merely weakened.
Its root combines a prefix indicating separation with a verb for breaking. Unlike terms for gentle removal, this word implies force and finality. The sources note its rare usage in the Septuagint to describe tearing garments, reinforcing the sense of violent detachment. Translators consistently render it as "broken off" to preserve the stark reality of exclusion from the covenant community.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word ekklao describes a forceful breaking away, like a dry branch snapped from a living tree. In Romans 11, Paul uses this image to show how unbelief severs a person from the spiritual nourishment of God’s covenant people. It is not a gentle fading but a decisive separation that leaves the branch withered and alone.
This imagery serves as a sobering reminder for all believers. Your standing before God rests on faith, not on heritage or past privilege. The same grace that sustains you also calls you to humility, knowing that connection to Christ is maintained through trust, not entitlement.
Let this truth ground your heart in gratitude. You are part of a living tree, sustained by roots you did not plant. Walk in that faith with confidence and care, trusting in the One who holds you fast.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- were broken off,1×
- they were broken off,1×
- Were broken off1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐξεκλάσθησαν,2×
- ἐξεκλάσθησαν1×
Key Verses
-
Romans 11:17
But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the root and of the richness of the olive tree,
This verse introduces the metaphor by contrasting the broken-off natural branches with the grafted wild olive, highlighting the sudden shift in who receives nourishment from the root.
-
Romans 11:20
True; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. Don’t be conceited, but fear;
Here the word clarifies that unbelief was the direct cause of the breaking off, while faith is what allows the new branches to stand securely in their place.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does ekklao mean in the New Testament?
Why does Paul use such a harsh image for breaking off?
Does this mean believers can lose their salvation?
Every Occurrence (3 verses across 1 books)
Romans 3 verses
But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became…
Romans 11:19You will say then, “Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.”
Romans 11:20True; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. Don’t be conceited, but fear;