The Greek verb keleuo means to command, order, or direct. It appears about 26 times in the New Testament, primarily in narrative contexts where authorities — Roman governors, Jewish officials, and occasionally Jesus — give direct orders. It is a strong word of authority.
Keleuo is the verb of command authority. Pilate commanded (ekeleusen) that Jesus be flogged and crucified (Matthew 27:26); the Jewish authorities commanded the apostles not to speak in Jesus' name (Acts 4:18; 5:40). Roman centurions use it to direct their soldiers. In every case, keleuo expresses the power of one who has authority to direct others. The most remarkable use of keleuo is in Matthew 8:18, where Jesus 'commanded' (ekeleusen) the disciples to cross to the other side — issuing the order that set up the storm-calming miracle. In Matthew 14:28, Peter asks Jesus to 'command' (keleusen) him to come to him on the water. Peter recognized that to walk on water he needed a specific authoritative word from Christ. This is the theology of keleuo: extraordinary acts are possible when we operate under Christ's specific command. The centurion in Matthew 8:9 understood this perfectly: 'I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, "Go," and he goes; and that one, "Come," and he comes.'