ἐκριζόω (ekrizoō)
ekrizoō
to uproot
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb ekrizōō means to pull something out by its roots, describing a total and irreversible removal. In the New Testament, it appears only four times, carrying a heavy weight of finality. Jesus uses this vivid agricultural image in Matthew 13:29 and 15:13 to describe how weeds or unfruitful plants must be completely uprooted rather than merely trimmed, ensuring they cannot grow back.
Its force comes from its components: ek ("out") and rizā ("root"). This distinguishes it from words meaning simply to cut or prune. The sources note that in Luke 17:6, Jesus uses the command form to illustrate the power of faith, suggesting that true belief has the capacity to uproot obstacles as easily as a tree is pulled from the ground. Jude 12 similarly applies this imagery to false teachers, portraying them as rootless, fruitless trees destined for destruction.
Translators typically render ekrizōō as "uproot" or "pluck up," preserving the physical intensity of the Greek. The word emphasizes not just removal, but the extraction of the source itself. Whether applied to spiritual obstacles or judgment on the wicked, the term conveys a decisive action that leaves no foundation for renewal.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word ekrizōō paints a picture of total removal, pulling something out by its roots so it cannot grow back. In Matthew 15:13, Jesus uses this image to show that anything not planted by the Father will be uprooted. This offers comfort because it means God is actively clearing away what does not belong in His kingdom. You do not have to carry the weight of every problem; He handles the source.
Yet this same power is available to you through faith. In Luke 17:6, Jesus says that even a tiny amount of belief can uproot obstacles like a sycamore tree. This does not mean you will move physical mountains by force, but that your trust in God can remove the barriers that seem impossible to overcome. It invites you to bring your heavy burdens to Him, knowing He has the strength to clear them away completely.
When life feels tangled or stuck, remember that God’s work is thorough. He does not just trim the edges; He deals with the root. This gives hope that no situation is beyond His reach. You can rest in the assurance that He is working for your good, removing what harms you and planting what brings life.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- you may uproot1×
- it will be rooted up.1×
- having been uprooted;1×
- do be uprooted1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐκριζώσητε1×
- ἐκριζώθητι1×
- ἐκριζωθήσεται.1×
- ἐκριζωθέντα·1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 15:13
But he answered, “Every plant which my heavenly Father didn’t plant will be uprooted.
Jesus uses this verse to define the finality of judgment on anything not established by God.
-
Luke 17:6
The Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you would tell this sycamore tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
This occurrence shifts the focus from judgment to the potential of faith to remove obstacles.
-
Jude 1:12
These are hidden rocky reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you, shepherds who without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
Here the word describes the complete destruction and rootlessness of false teachers.