4680. sophos

Strong's Lexicon

sophos: Wise, learned, skilled

Original Word: σοφός
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: sophos
Pronunciation: so-foce'
Phonetic Spelling: (sof-os')
Definition: Wise, learned, skilled
Meaning: wise, learned, cultivated, skilled, clever.

Word Origin: Derived from the root word σάφα (sáphē), meaning "clear" or "wise."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: - חָכָם (chakam) - Strong's Hebrew 2450, meaning wise, skillful, or shrewd.

- תּוּשִׁיָּה (tushiyah) - Strong's Hebrew 8454, often translated as sound wisdom or success.

Usage: In the New Testament, "sophos" is used to describe someone who possesses wisdom, either in a practical sense or in a more philosophical or spiritual sense. It often refers to those who are skilled in the affairs of life, knowledgeable in divine things, or able to discern and apply truth effectively. The term can also imply a contrast between human wisdom and divine wisdom, highlighting the superiority of God's wisdom.

Cultural and Historical Background: In the Greco-Roman world, wisdom (σοφία, sophia) was highly valued and often associated with philosophers and teachers who were respected for their knowledge and understanding. Jewish tradition also held wisdom in high regard, particularly as it related to the fear of the Lord and living a life in accordance with God's commandments. The New Testament writers, particularly Paul, often contrasted the wisdom of the world with the wisdom of God, emphasizing that true wisdom comes from knowing Christ.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a prim. word
Definition
skilled, wise
NASB Translation
wise (16), wise man (2), wise men (1), wiser (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 4680: σοφός

σοφός, σοφή, σοφόν (akin to σαφής and to the Latinsapio, sapiens, sapor, 'to have a taste', etc.; Curtius, § 628; (Vanicek, p. 991)), the Sept. for חָכָם; (from Theognis, Pindar, Aeschylus down); wise, i. e.

a. skilled, expert: εἰς τί, Romans 16:19; of artificers (cf. Grimm, Exeg. Hdbch. on Sap. (), p. 151): ἀρχιτέκτων, 1 Corinthians 3:10; Isaiah 3:3 (δημιουργός, of God, Xenophon, mem. 1, 4, 7).

b. wise, i. e. skilled in letters, cultivated, learned: Romans 1:14, 22; of the Greek philosophers (and orators, see σοφία, a.), 1 Corinthians 1:19f, 26; 1 Corinthians 3:18f,(20); of the Jewish theologians, Matthew 11:25; Luke 10:21; of Christian teachers, Matthew 23:34.

c. wise in a practical sense, i. e. one who in action is governed by piety and integrity: Ephesians 5:15; James 3:13; and accordingly is a suitable person to settle private quarrels, 1 Corinthians 6:5.

d. wise in a philosophic sense, forming the best plans and using the best means for their execution: so of God, Romans 16:27, and Rec. in 1 Timothy 1:17; Jude 1:25; σοφώτερον, contains more wisdom, is more sagaciously thought out, 1 Corinthians 1:25. [SYNONYMS: σοφός, συνετός, φρόνιμος: σοφός wise, see above; συνετός intelligent, denotes one who can 'put things together' (συνιέναι), who has insight and comprehension; φρόνιμος prudent (A. V. uniformly, wise), denotes primarily one who has quick and correct perceptions, hence, 'discreet,' 'circumspect,' etc.; cf. Schmidt, chapter 147. See σοφία, at the end]

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

wise.

Akin to saphes (clear); wise (in a most general application) -- wise. Compare phronimos.

see GREEK phronimos

Forms and Transliterations

σοφά σοφαί σοφάς σοφή σοφήν σοφοι σοφοί σοφοὶ σοφοις σοφοίς σοφοῖς σοφόν σοφος σοφός σοφὸς σοφού σοφους σοφούς σοφοὺς σοφω σοφώ σοφῷ σοφων σοφών σοφῶν σοφώς σοφώτερα σοφωτερον σοφώτερον σοφώτερος σπάδοντας σπάδοντι sopho sophō sophoi sophoí sophoì sophôi sophō̂i sophois sophoîs sophon sophôn sophōn sophō̂n sophos sophós sophòs sophoteron sophōteron sophṓteron sophous sophoús sophoùs

Englishman's Concordance

Matthew 11:25 Adj-GMP
GRK: ταῦτα ἀπὸ σοφῶν καὶ συνετῶν
NAS: these things from [the] wise and intelligent
KJV: from the wise and
INT: these things from wise and learned

Matthew 23:34 Adj-AMP
GRK: προφήτας καὶ σοφοὺς καὶ γραμματεῖς
NAS: you prophets and wise men and scribes;
KJV: prophets, and wise men, and scribes:
INT: prophets and wise [men] and scribes

Luke 10:21 Adj-GMP
GRK: ταῦτα ἀπὸ σοφῶν καὶ συνετῶν
NAS: these things from [the] wise and intelligent
KJV: from the wise and
INT: these things from wise and intelligent

Romans 1:14 Adj-DMP
GRK: καὶ βαρβάροις σοφοῖς τε καὶ
NAS: both to the wise and to the foolish.
KJV: both to the wise, and
INT: and barbarians to wise both and

Romans 1:22 Adj-NMP
GRK: φάσκοντες εἶναι σοφοὶ ἐμωράνθησαν
NAS: Professing to be wise, they became fools,
KJV: to be wise, they became fools,
INT: professing to be wise they became fools

Romans 16:19 Adj-AMP
GRK: δὲ ὑμᾶς σοφοὺς μὲν εἶναι
NAS: you, but I want you to be wise in what is good
KJV: you wise unto
INT: however you wise indeed to be

Romans 16:27 Adj-DMS
GRK: μόνῳ σοφῷ θεῷ διὰ
NAS: to the only wise God, through
KJV: To God only wise, [be] glory through
INT: [to the] only wise God through

1 Corinthians 1:19 Adj-GMP
GRK: σοφίαν τῶν σοφῶν καὶ τὴν
NAS: THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND THE CLEVERNESS
KJV: the wisdom of the wise, and
INT: wisdom of the wise and the

1 Corinthians 1:20 Adj-NMS
GRK: ποῦ σοφός ποῦ γραμματεύς
NAS: Where is the wise man? Where
KJV: Where [is] the wise? where
INT: Where [is the] wise where [the] scribe

1 Corinthians 1:25 Adj-NNS-C
GRK: τοῦ θεοῦ σοφώτερον τῶν ἀνθρώπων
NAS: of God is wiser than men,
KJV: of God is wiser than men; and
INT: of God wiser than men

1 Corinthians 1:26 Adj-NMP
GRK: οὐ πολλοὶ σοφοὶ κατὰ σάρκα
NAS: that there were not many wise according
KJV: not many wise men after the flesh,
INT: not many wise according to flesh [there are]

1 Corinthians 1:27 Adj-AMP
GRK: καταισχύνῃ τοὺς σοφούς καὶ τὰ
NAS: to shame the wise, and God
KJV: to confound the wise; and God
INT: he might put to shame the wise and the

1 Corinthians 3:10 Adj-NMS
GRK: μοι ὡς σοφὸς ἀρχιτέκτων θεμέλιον
NAS: to me, like a wise master builder
KJV: as a wise masterbuilder,
INT: to me as a wise builder [the] foundation

1 Corinthians 3:18 Adj-NMS
GRK: τις δοκεῖ σοφὸς εἶναι ἐν
NAS: you thinks that he is wise in this
KJV: seemeth to be wise in this
INT: anyone thinks [himself] wise to be among

1 Corinthians 3:18 Adj-NMS
GRK: ἵνα γένηται σοφός
NAS: so that he may become wise.
KJV: that he may be wise.
INT: that he might be wise

1 Corinthians 3:19 Adj-AMP
GRK: δρασσόμενος τοὺς σοφοὺς ἐν τῇ
NAS: [He is] THE ONE WHO CATCHES THE WISE IN THEIR CRAFTINESS;
KJV: He taketh the wise in
INT: catches the wise in the

1 Corinthians 3:20 Adj-GMP
GRK: διαλογισμοὺς τῶν σοφῶν ὅτι εἰσὶν
NAS: THE REASONINGS of the wise, THAT THEY ARE USELESS.
KJV: the thoughts of the wise, that
INT: thoughts of the wise that they are

1 Corinthians 6:5 Adj-NMS
GRK: ὑμῖν οὐδεὶς σοφὸς ὃς δυνήσεται
NAS: you one wise man who
KJV: is not a wise man among
INT: you no one a wise [man] who will be able

Ephesians 5:15 Adj-NMP
GRK: ἀλλ' ὡς σοφοί
NAS: not as unwise men but as wise,
KJV: but as wise,
INT: but as wise

James 3:13 Adj-NMS
GRK: Τίς σοφὸς καὶ ἐπιστήμων
NAS: among you is wise and understanding?
KJV: Who [is] a wise man and
INT: Who [is] wise and understanding

Strong's Greek 4680
20 Occurrences

σοφῷ — 1 Occ.
σοφῶν — 4 Occ.
σοφώτερον — 1 Occ.
σοφοὶ — 3 Occ.
σοφοῖς — 1 Occ.
σοφός — 6 Occ.
σοφοὺς — 4 Occ.