kaleo denotes giving a name or designation, inviting or summoning people, and God’s calling people into stated relations or aims.

The most visible use is giving a person, place, group, or title its recognized designation; the word also marks invitations and summonses, and describes God’s calling people into fellowship, peace, holiness, kingdom, glory, and related stated purposes.

1. Giving or bearing a name or designation · dominant

   Present passive participles identify places, groups, and persons by a recognized designation: in Acts 10:1 the APB renders a cohort “called the Italian Cohort,” and in Acts 1:12 a mountain is “called Olivet.” Future passive forms in John 1:42 and Luke 1:32 place a designation upon Simon and the coming child, while the aorist passive infinitive in Acts 1:19 concerns a place being called Akeldama.

   Acts 10:1Acts 1:12Acts 1:19John 1:42Luke 1:32Acts 14:12
2. God calling people into a stated relation or aim · common

   Passive forms portray people as called, while active forms identify God as the caller. In 1 Corinthians 1:9 the APB renders believers as called “into the fellowship of his Son,” and in 1 Peter 2:9 the one calling them brings them “out of darkness into his marvellous light”; other clauses name peace, sanctification, kingdom and glory, and eternal glory as the stated setting or aim.

   1 Corinthians 1:91 Corinthians 7:151 Peter 2:91 Thessalonians 4:71 Thessalonians 2:121 Peter 5:10
3. Inviting people to a meal or gathering · occasional

   Active forms occur where a person invites another: in 1 Corinthians 10:27 the APB renders an unbeliever who “invites you,” and in Luke 14:16 a man preparing a dinner “invited many.” Perfect passive participles in Luke 14:7 and Luke 14:17 describe those already invited to the meal.

   1 Corinthians 10:27Luke 14:7Luke 14:13Luke 14:16Luke 14:17Luke 14:24
4. Summoning someone for speech or appearance · rare

   An active aorist participle in Acts 4:18 precedes the order not to speak or teach, so the clause depicts calling people before issuing an instruction. In Acts 24:2, an aorist passive participle introduces Tertullus after he “had been called,” marking his appearance before the accusation begins.

   Acts 4:18Acts 24:2

In the Anselm Project Bible: Across these verses, the APB commonly uses “called” for names, designations, and God’s action, but uses “invites” or “invited” in meal settings and “had been called” for an appearance before an accuser. These renderings confirm the clauses’ overall presentations rather than assigning a separate English equivalent in every instance.