The Greek verb elegcho means to rebuke, correct, convict, or expose — bringing something hidden or wrong into the open by means of proof or argument. It implies not just accusation but convincing demonstration that someone is in the wrong.
Elegcho operates at multiple levels in the New Testament. The Holy Spirit convicts (elegchei) the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8) — the Spirit's indispensable convicting work that precedes repentance. Ephesians 5:11 commands Christians to 'expose (elegchete) the works of darkness' — light itself is the instrument of exposure. Hebrews 12:5 applies it to God's fatherly discipline: he rebukes the one he loves. The elder is to rebuke sin publicly as a deterrent (1 Timothy 5:20). Scripture itself is profitable for 'reproof' (2 Timothy 3:16) — the Word's convicting function. True biblical rebuke aims at restoration, not condemnation.