μαγεία
mageía
G3095 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
The practice or art of performing magical acts, sorcery; the use of supposed supernatural powers or rituals to produce effects or control outcomes, often considered illicit or foreign to normative religious practice. In contexts attested, refers particularly to ritual practices, spells, or incantations associated with magic, typically considered suspect, foreign, or dangerous.
Semantic Range
magic, sorcery, occult practice, acts of ritual power, use of incantations or spells, illicit ritual, foreign or suspect religious practice
Root / Etymology
From the verb μαγεύω (mageuō, 'to practice magic, act as a magician'), which derives from μάγος (magos, 'magus, wise man, practitioner of magic'). Ultimately related to Old Persian maguš ('priest'). The etymology traces to the Persian priestly caste specialized in religious rites, which came to be associated more broadly with magical or occult practices in Greek thought.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, μαγεία referred generally to the practices of the μάγοι, the Median or Persian priestly caste, but came to mean any act of sorcery or magic by the Hellenistic period. It carried a strongly foreign and often negative connotation, frequently associated with esoteric, illicit, or fraudulent practices. In the Septuagint and later Jewish and early Christian writings, μαγεία typically denoted practices opposed to legitimate worship or divine will, aligning with the condemnation of 'sorcery' in biblical and other Near Eastern sources. The semantic range of μαγεία is more specific than the English 'magic', as it more often refers to ritual acts judged dangerous or outside the bounds of accepted practice, rather than generic illusion or entertainment. Standard English translations render μαγεία as 'sorcery' or 'magic', though these do not always capture its associations with foreignness or religious deviance in ancient contexts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from μαγεύω; "magic":--sorcery.
Root Family
μαγ- (mageía) — magic, sorcery, ritual practice
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3095-01 |
μαγίαις | magiais | N DAT F PL |
magic arts | to sorceries | sorceries | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3095-01 |
Acts 8:11 | μαγίαις | magiais | N DAT F PL |
magic arts | to sorceries | sorceries |