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ζωοποιέω

zōopoiéō

G2227 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To make alive, to cause to live, to impart or restore life. The primary meaning is to bring to life or cause something or someone to enter or return to a state of living, whether literally (reviving the dead, causing animate existence) or figuratively (restoring vigor, renewing, revitalizing). Secondary senses can include the sustaining or preservation of life, depending on context.

Semantic Range

to cause to live, to make alive (literally), to restore life, to revitalize, to quicken (figuratively), to impart spiritual vitality, to preserve life

Root / Etymology

Compound of ζῶον (living being, animal) and ποιέω (to make, to do), thus literally 'to make alive' or 'to cause to be a living being.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

ζωοποιέω is found in a range of Koine Greek sources, including the Septuagint and the New Testament, as well as post-biblical Christian literature. In classical Greek usage, the verb is rare and generally refers to making alive or causing to live, often in the sense of giving birth or reviving something lifeless. In the Greek Jewish Scriptures (LXX), it commonly translates Hebrew verbs such as חָיָה (ḥayah, to live, give life) and is often used with reference to God as the one who brings the dead to life or preserves the lives of mortals (e.g., Deut 32:39, 1 Sam 2:6). In the New Testament, ζῳοποιέω is used both literally (raising to life, 1 Cor 15:36) and figuratively (infusing spiritual vitality or renewal, as in 2 Cor 3:6, 'the Spirit gives life'). In post-NT usage, it becomes a key theological term for spiritual vivification but in the first-century context refers primarily to the act of causing to live. English translations often render the word as 'make alive,' 'quicken,' or 'give life,' but can obscure nuances between literal resurrection, metaphorical renewal, or preservation of life. The verb differs from γεννάω (to beget, give birth) in focusing on the impartation or restoration of life itself, not on generation or birth. Contrasts with terms such as ἀνασταίνω (to raise up, often used for resurrection with emphasis on bodily restoration), since ζωοποιέω underscores the dynamic imparting of life force.

Translation Consistency

primary "revive" 2 occurrences

“Revive” naturally covers the primary sense of causing to live or restoring life and also fits the common figurative uses (revitalize, quicken, renew). It is a single, natural English verb that maps well to both literal and spiritual/figurative contexts in the SILEX range and will read clearly when inflected for person and tense.

Alternatives (10 occurrences):
"makes alive" (3x) "making alive" (2x) "make alive" (2x) "made alive" (2x) "having been made alive" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from the same as ζῶον and ποιέω; to (re-)vitalize (literally or figuratively):--make alive, give life, quicken.

Root Family

ζωοποιέω (zōopoieō) — to make alive, to cause to live, to give life, to restore life

Root ζωοποιε- to make alive, to render living, to give or restore life

Word Forms

8 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G2227-01 ζῳοποιεῖ zoopoiei V PRS ACT IND 3P SG gives life makes alive makes alive 3
G2227-07 ζῳοποιοῦν zoopoioun V PRS ACT PTCP NOM N SG life-giving making alive making alive 2
G2227-08 ζῳοποιοῦντος zoopoiountos V PRS ACT PTCP GEN M SG who gives life to of the one making alive of the one reviving 2
G2227-02 ζῳοποιεῖται zoopoieitai V PRS PASS IND 3P SG comes to life is being made alive is being made alive 1
G2227-04 ζῳοποιήσει zoopoiesei V FUT ACT IND 3P SG will-give-life-to will make alive will make alive 1
G2227-03 ζῳοποιῆσαι zoopoiesai V AOR ACT INF to give life to make alive to make alive 1
G2227-06 ζῳοποιηθήσονται zoopoiethesontai V FUT PASS IND 3P PL will be made alive they will be made alive will be made alive 1
G2227-05 ζῳοποιηθεὶς zoopoietheis V AOR PASS PTCP NOM M SG but made alive having been made alive having been made alive 1

Occurrences in Scripture

12 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G2227-01 John 5:21 ζῳοποιεῖ zoopoiei V PRS ACT IND 3P SG gives them life makes alive makes alive
G2227-01 John 5:21 ζῳοποιεῖ zoopoiei-2 V PRS ACT IND 3P SG gives life makes alive makes alive
G2227-07 John 6:63 ζῳοποιοῦν zoopoioun V PRS ACT PTCP NOM N SG that gives life making alive making alive
G2227-08 Romans 4:17 ζῳοποιοῦντος zoopoiountos V PRS ACT PTCP GEN M SG who gives life to of the one making alive of the one reviving
G2227-04 Romans 8:11 ζῳοποιήσει zoopoiesei V FUT ACT IND 3P SG will-give-life-to will make alive will make alive
G2227-06 1 Corinthians 15:22 ζῳοποιηθήσονται zoopoiethesontai V FUT PASS IND 3P PL will be made alive they will be made alive will be made alive
G2227-02 1 Corinthians 15:36 ζῳοποιεῖται zoopoieitai V PRS PASS IND 3P SG comes to life is being made alive is being made alive
G2227-07 1 Corinthians 15:45 ζῳοποιοῦν zoopoioun V PRS ACT PTCP ACC N SG life-giving making alive making alive
G2227-01 2 Corinthians 3:6 ζῳοποιεῖ zoopoiei V PRS ACT IND 3P SG gives life makes alive makes alive
G2227-03 Galatians 3:21 ζῳοποιῆσαι zoopoiesai V AOR ACT INF to give life to make alive to make alive
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