Word Study for G3525 (νήφω) | Strong's Concordance

nḗphō /nay'-fo/ Ask about this word

Rootof uncertain affinity

Meaningto abstain from wine (keep sober), i.e. (figuratively) be discreet

KJV usagebe sober, watch.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of nḗphō — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word nḗphō, represented by G3525, is defined as abstaining from wine or, figuratively, being discreet. It is translated as "be sober" or "watch." This term appears 7 times across 6 unique verses, emphasizing a state of clear-mindedness and spiritual alertness.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, G3525 is a command for believers to maintain a state of mental and spiritual readiness. Peter uses it to urge believers to "be sober" and vigilant because their adversary, the devil, is like a roaring lion 1 Peter 5:8. This command is linked to hope, instructing them to "be sober, and hope to the end" for the grace that comes at the revelation of Jesus Christ 1 Peter 1:13. Paul contrasts this state of sobriety with spiritual sleep, urging believers to arm themselves with faith and love 1 Thessalonians 5:8. The call is to "watch and be sober," not to sleep as others do 1 Thessalonians 5:6.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words clarify the meaning of being sober and watchful:

G1127 grēgoreúō (to keep awake, i.e. watch (literally or figuratively):--be vigilant, wake, (be) watch(-ful).): This word is frequently paired with G3525 to emphasize a state of active alertness. For instance, believers are commanded to "watch and be sober" 1 Thessalonians 5:6 and to "Be sober, be vigilant" 1 Peter 5:8.
G2518 katheúdō (from κατά and (to sleep); to lie down to rest, i.e. (by implication) to fall asleep (literally or figuratively):--(be a-)sleep.): This term serves as the direct opposite of the alertness called for by G3525. Paul makes a clear distinction, saying "let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober" 1 Thessalonians 5:6, positioning sleep as a state of spiritual unpreparedness.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G3525 is significant, highlighting a believer's required disposition in the world.

Spiritual Warfare: Being sober is presented as a crucial defense in spiritual conflict. It is a necessary posture for resisting the devil 1 Peter 5:8 and for enduring afflictions in ministry 2 Timothy 4:5.
Eschatological Hope: The command to be sober is directly tied to the believer's future hope. It is the mindset required while waiting for the "revelation of Jesus Christ" 1 Peter 1:13 and in light of the fact that "the end of all things is at hand" 1 Peter 4:7.
A Life of Distinction: Sobriety and watchfulness mark the identity of believers as those "of the day," in contrast to the spiritual "sleep" of the world (1 Thessalonians 5:6, 1 Thessalonians 5:8).

Summary

In summary, G3525 moves beyond its literal meaning of abstaining from wine to become a powerful metaphor for spiritual and mental clarity. It is not a passive state but an active, vigilant watchfulness required of all believers. The term frames the Christian life as one lived in readiness—prepared for spiritual attack, grounded in future hope, and distinct from the slumber of the world.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as a verb across 6 occurrences, inflected in 4 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Aorist Active Imperative 2nd Plural 2×
Present Active Subjunctive 1st Plural 2×
Present Active Imperative 2nd Singular 1×
Present Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
1st: First person — the speaker ("I"/"we").
2nd: Second person — the one addressed ("you").
Present: Action in progress or repeated — happening now or continually.
Aorist: Action viewed as a single whole — usually a simple past event.
Active: The subject performs the action.
Imperative: A command or entreaty.
Subjunctive: Possibility or purpose — "might", "should".
Participle: A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 6 verses across 3 of the 27 books. Most frequent in 1 Peter (3 verses); never once in the other 24.

1 Thessalonians

2 Timothy

1 Peter

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.