The Greek verb ekpheugō means to escape or flee out from — a successful flight from danger, captors, or judgment. The prefix ek- intensifies the escape: fully out and away from the threat. This differs from mere flight (pheugō) by emphasizing the completed escape.
Ekpheugō appears in both literal and eschatological contexts. Paul escaped Damascus in a basket through the wall (Acts 9:25; 2 Cor 11:33). But its most theologically weighty use is in Romans 2:3: 'Do you think you will escape (ekpheugō) God's judgment?' — and Hebrews 2:3: 'How shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation?' Both uses are rhetorical negatives: escape from divine judgment is impossible for those who reject the gospel. The corollary is 1 Thessalonians 5:3 — sudden destruction will come, and no one will escape. But for those in Christ, judgment has already been faced and borne by the Substitute.