To say, to speak, to declare. Legō is the most common verb of speech in the NT, appearing over 2,300 times. From the same root as logos (word), it connects speech with reason and meaning. When Jesus says 'I say to you,' He uses legō — rational, authoritative declaration.
The connection between legō and logos is profound: God's speech creates reality. 'God said, let there be light' (Genesis 1:3 LXX). Jesus' 'I say to you' carries divine authority — His words don't just describe reality but shape it. The NT is essentially a record of what God said through His Son. Christianity is a religion of the spoken word — truth communicated, not merely intuited.