σοφίζω (G4679) — Greek Lexicon

σοφίζω

sophízō

G4679 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To make wise, instruct in wisdom, or act with cleverness; in some contexts, to devise or contrive, often with implication of craftiness or subtlety. Primary sense is to impart or acquire practical understanding; secondarily, can indicate use of sophistication or rhetorical skill, at times with a nuance of trickery or specious reasoning.

Semantic Range

to make wise, to teach wisdom, to act skillfully or cleverly, to contrive or invent, to devise with craftiness or cunning, to employ sophistry or specious reasoning

Root / Etymology

Derived from σοφός (wise, skilled, clever), with the verb-forming suffix -ίζω indicating the act of rendering or acting in the manner of wisdom or skill; literally, 'to make wise' or 'act wisely'.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, σοφίζω broadly meant to impart wisdom or to instruct, and could be used neutrally for teaching or educating. It could also mean 'to invent skillfully' or 'to devise cleverly', especially of inventors or craftsmen. By the late classical and Hellenistic periods, it sometimes acquired a pejorative nuance, referring to using cleverness or rhetorical sophistication in a deceptive or specious way—a sense that carries into some New Testament contexts (e.g., 2 Peter 1:16, where μυθοι σοφισμένοι are 'cleverly devised myths'). The verb is rare in LXX and NT, but when present can signal either genuine wisdom or artificial, contrived wisdom depending on context. English translations sometimes render it as 'cunningly devised', 'to make wise', or 'to invent', but may not fully convey the potential for both positive instruction and negative sophistry inherent in the term.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from σοφός; to render wise; in a sinister acceptation, to form "sophisms", i.e. continue plausible error:--cunningly devised, make wise.

Root Family

σοφίζω (sophizō) — make wise, instruct, act wisely, devise cleverly

Root σοφ- to be wise, to act wisely, to instruct, to devise

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`G4679-02`	σοφίσαι	sophisai	`V AOR ACT INF`	to make wise	to make wise	to make wise	1
`G4679-01`	σεσοφισμένοις	sesophismenois	`V PRF PASS PTCP DAT M PL`	cleverly devised	to those having been cleverly devised	with cleverly devised	1

Occurrences in Scripture

2 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`G4679-02`	2 Timothy 3:15	σοφίσαι	sophisai	`V AOR ACT INF`	to make wise	to make wise	to make wise
`G4679-01`	2 Peter 1:16	σεσοφισμένοις	sesophismenois	`V PRF PASS PTCP DAT M PL`	cleverly devised	to those having been cleverly devised	with cleverly devised

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