Original Word: κλητός
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: klétos
Pronunciation: klay-tos'
Phonetic Spelling: (klay-tos')
Definition: Called, invited
Meaning: called, invited, summoned by God to an office or to salvation.

Word Origin: Derived from the Greek verb καλέω (kaleō), meaning "to call" or "to invite."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The concept of being "called" in the Hebrew Bible is often associated with the verb קָרָא (qara), Strong's Hebrew #7121, which means "to call, proclaim, or summon."

Usage: In the New Testament, "klétos" is used to describe those who are called or invited, particularly in the context of being called by God to salvation and service. It emphasizes the divine initiative in the calling of individuals to faith and the privileges and responsibilities that accompany this calling.

Cultural and Historical Background: In the Greco-Roman world, being "called" or "invited" often referred to being summoned to a banquet or a special event, which was a significant social honor. In the Jewish context, the concept of being called by God was deeply rooted in the Old Testament, where God called individuals like Abraham, Moses, and the prophets for specific purposes. The New Testament expands this idea to include all believers as those who are called by God into a relationship with Him through Jesus Christ.

Cognate: 2822 klētós – literally, "called" (derived from 2564/kaleō, "to call, summon"). See 2821 (klēsis).

In the NT, 2822 /klētós ("divinely called") focuses on God's general call – i.e. the call (invitation) He gives to all people, so all can receive His salvation. God desires every person to call out to Him and receive His salvation (1 Tim 2:4,5). "Unfortunately, many choose not to – but all can; all don't but all can call out to God for His mercy (not just 'some')" (G. Archer). See 2821 /klēsis ("calling").

Word Origin
from kaleó
Definition
called
NASB Translation
called (9), calling (1).

STRONGS NT 2822: κλητός

κλητός, κλητή, κλητον (κλαέω) (from Homer down), called, invited (to a banquet (1 Kings 1:41, 49); 3Macc. 5:14; Aeschines 50, 1); in the N. T.

a. "invited (by God in the proclamation of the gospel) to obtain eternal salvation in the kingdom of God through Christ" (see καλέω, 1 b. β'. (cf. Winer's Grammar, 35 (34))): Romans 8:28; 1 Corinthians 1:24; Jude 1:1; κλητοί καί ἐκλεκτοί καί πιστοί, Revelation 17:14; κλητοί and ἐκλεκτοί are distinguished (see ἐκλεκτός, 1 a.) in Matthew 20:16 (T WH omit; Tr brackets the clause); Matthew 22:14, a distinction which does not agree with Paul's view (see καλέω, as above; (Weiss, Biblical Theol. § 88; Lightfoot's Commentary on Colossians 3:12)); κλητοί Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, genitive of possessor (Winers Grammar, 195 (183); Buttmann, § 132, 23), devoted to Christ and united to him, Romans 1:6; κλητοί ἅγιοι, "holy (or 'saints') by the calling of God," Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:2.

b. called to (the discharge of) some office: κλητός ἀπόστολος, i. e. divinely selected and appointed (see καλέω, as above), Romans 1:1; 1 Corinthians 1:1 (L brackets κλητός); cf. Galatians 1:15.

called.

From the same as klesis; invited, i.e. Appointed, or (specially), a saint -- called.

see GREEK klesis

κηλτοί κληταί κλητάς κλητή κλητοι κλητοί κλητοὶ κλητοις κλητοίς κλητοῖς κλητος κλητός κλητὸς κλητούς kletoi kletoí kletoì klētoi klētoí klētoì kletois kletoîs klētois klētoîs kletos kletòs klētos klētòsInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts