σωματικός
sōmatikós
G4984 attributive adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Pertaining to the body; physical, corporeal, relating to material substance as opposed to immaterial or spiritual aspects. The term may describe that which is of or connected with the human (or animal) body, or more broadly, that which is tangible and not abstract.
Semantic Range
bodily, pertaining to the body, physical, material (as opposed to spiritual or immaterial), connected with corporeal existence
Root / Etymology
From the noun σῶμα (sōma, 'body') with the adjectival suffix -ικός, forming an adjective indicating 'having to do with the body.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
σωματικός appears sparingly in extant Greek literature, with primary attestation in Koine and medical writers. In the Septuagint and New Testament, it is used to contrast physical, bodily matters with spiritual or non-physical aspects (e.g., 1 Timothy 4:8, where 'bodily exercise' is juxtaposed with godliness). In broader Hellenistic Greek (philosophical and medical), σωματικός is sometimes opposed to ψυχικός ('of the soul') or πνευματικός ('of the spirit'), reinforcing the distinction between material or tangible and immaterial or spiritual realities. Standard English translations render σωματικός as 'bodily' or 'physical,' but the Greek term may have a broader nuance, encompassing the entire material or corporeal nature versus abstract or spiritual concepts. It does not, in itself, carry any connotation beyond the description of physicalness or corporeality.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from σῶμα; corporeal or physical:--bodily.
Root Family
σωματικός (sōmatikos) — body, physical, corporeal
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4984-02 |
σωματικῷ | somatiko | ADJ.A DAT N SG |
bodily | to the bodily | bodily | 1 |
G4984-01 |
σωματικὴ | somatike | ADJ.A NOM F SG |
bodily | bodily | bodily | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4984-02 |
Luke 3:22 | σωματικῷ | somatiko | ADJ.A DAT N SG |
bodily | to the bodily | bodily |
G4984-01 |
1 Timothy 4:8 | σωματικὴ | somatike | ADJ.A NOM F SG |
bodily | bodily | bodily |