ἐκλανθάνω (eklanthanō)
eklanthanō
to forget
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb eklanthanō describes forgetting in a total and absolute sense. It is not merely a lapse of memory or a casual oversight; it implies that something has slipped entirely from awareness. The prefix ek intensifies the root lanthano, suggesting an escape from notice so complete that the subject is utterly lost to mind.
This word appears only once in the New Testament, in Hebrews 12:5. In this context, it addresses the reader’s tendency to forget divine encouragement when facing hardship. The author warns against letting God’s exhortation vanish completely from one’s consciousness during trials.
Because of its rarity and intensity, eklanthanō carries significant weight. It highlights how easily spiritual truths can fade when not actively held in view. The text uses this strong term to urge believers to keep divine words present and active in their daily lives.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When hardship strikes, it is easy for God’s words to slip from our minds. The Greek word eklanthanō captures this total forgetting. It describes a state where divine encouragement has completely vanished from awareness. This is not a minor lapse but a deep fading of spiritual focus during trials.
The author of Hebrews uses this strong term to remind us that we must actively hold onto God’s truth. Spiritual realities fade when we do not keep them present in our daily lives. This word invites you to pause and remember that God’s correction comes from love, not anger.
Let this reminder anchor your heart. Even when circumstances feel heavy, God’s exhortation remains available. You can choose to bring those words back into focus, finding strength in the fact that He speaks to you as a loving Father.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- you have forgotten1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐκλέλησθε1×
Key Verses
-
Hebrews 12:5
You have forgotten the exhortation which reasons with you as with children, “My son, don’t take lightly the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by him;
This verse uses eklanthanō to warn believers against letting God's chastening vanish from their consciousness during suffering.