Word Study for G4680 (σοφός) | Strong's Concordance

sophós /sof-os'/ Ask about this word

Rootakin to σαφής (clear)

Meaningwise (in a most general application)

KJV usagewise. Compare φρόνιμος.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of sophós — 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 sophós, represented by G4680, is a term for wise in a very general application. It appears 22 times across 21 unique verses in the Bible. The word is used to describe both the wisdom of God and the wisdom of humanity, often placing the two in direct and stark contrast.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical usage, G4680 frequently serves to distinguish divine revelation from human intellect. Jesus gives thanks that the Father has hidden things from the wise and prudent, revealing them to "babes" instead (Matthew 11:25; Luke 10:21). This concept is echoed in Paul's writings, where he states that God chooses what is foolish in the world to confound the wise 1 Corinthians 1:27. To be truly wise, one who seems wise in this world must become a fool 1 Corinthians 3:18. Conversely, the term is applied positively to God, who is called the "only wise God" (Jude 1:25; 1 Timothy 1:17), and to believers, who are instructed to walk as wise Ephesians 5:15.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words expand upon the concept of wisdom and its opposite:

G4678 sophía (wisdom): As the noun form of sophós, this word signifies the quality of wisdom itself. It is used when God declares He will destroy the "wisdom of the wise" 1 Corinthians 1:19.
G781 ásophos (unwise): This is the direct antonym, used to contrast believers' conduct: "not as fools, but as wise" Ephesians 5:15.
G3474 mōrós (foolish): This word for what is dull or stupid is set against sophós. God chose the foolish things to confound the wise 1 Corinthians 1:27, and one must become a fool to be wise 1 Corinthians 3:18.
G4908 synetós (prudent): Often appearing alongside sophós, this term refers to one who is sagacious. God hides spiritual truth from the "wise and prudent" to show that human intelligence cannot grasp it on its own Matthew 11:25.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G4680 is significant, primarily in its portrayal of two conflicting forms of wisdom.

Rejection of Worldly Wisdom: The Bible consistently shows that human-centered wisdom is not only insufficient but can be an impediment to knowing God. Paul asks, "hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?" 1 Corinthians 1:20. Those "professing themselves to be wise... became fools" Romans 1:22.
The Supremacy of God's Wisdom: True wisdom is presented as an inherent attribute of God. He is the "only wise God" Romans 16:27, and His wisdom is so far above man's that "the foolishness of God is wiser than men" 1 Corinthians 1:25.
The Believer's Mandate: Christians are called to a practical, godly wisdom. Paul, as a "wise masterbuilder," laid a foundation by God's grace 1 Corinthians 3:10. This wisdom is demonstrated through a person's good works and meekness James 3:13 and is to be applied to what is good while remaining simple concerning evil Romans 16:19.

Summary

In summary, G4680 is far more than a simple adjective. It is a pivotal word used to contrast the arrogant, self-sufficient wisdom of the world with the humble, revealed wisdom that originates from God. It underscores the biblical theme of spiritual inversion, where God chooses the weak and foolish to shame the strong and wise. The term defines a core attribute of God and sets forth a clear call for believers to seek and live by a wisdom not their own.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists one rendering for this word. It is counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the number is how many of them use it. Select it to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as an adjective across 21 occurrences, inflected in 7 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it. These are this word’s own inflections, not words built from it — for those, see Related Words.

σοφὸς
σοφοὺς
σοφῶν
σοφοὶ
σοφῷ
σοφοῖς
σοφώτερον

Related Words

2 entries in Strong’s name this word as their origin. These are its derivatives — a different relationship from the inflected forms above, which are this same word bent by grammar.

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

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 21 verses across 8 of the 27 books. Most frequent in 1 Corinthians (10 verses); never once in the other 19.

Matthew

Luke

Romans

1 Corinthians

Ephesians

1 Timothy

James

Jude

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, by grammatical form, 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.