Word Study for G4737 (στεφανόω)

stephanóō /stef-an-o'-o/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom στέφανος

Meaningto adorn with an honorary wreath (literally or figuratively)

KJV usagecrown.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of stephanóō — 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 stephanóō, represented by G4737, means to adorn with an honorary wreath, either literally or figuratively. It appears 4 times across 3 unique verses in the Bible. The term signifies the act of bestowing a crown as a symbol of honor, victory, or as a reward for a significant achievement.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In scripture, G4737 is used to describe the supreme honor bestowed upon Jesus. For his suffering of death, Jesus was crowned with glory and honour Hebrews 2:9. This follows the statement that God crownedst him with glory and honour and set him over the works of His hands Hebrews 2:7. The term also establishes a principle for believers, using the analogy of an athlete: a competitor who strives for masteries is not crowned unless he strives lawfully 2 Timothy 2:5, connecting the reward to adherence to specific rules.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words clarify the context in which one is crowned:

G118 athléō (to contend in the competitive games:--strive): This word is directly linked to receiving a crown. To be crowned G4737, one must first strive G118 according to the rules 2 Timothy 2:5.
G3545 nomímōs (legitimately (specially, agreeably to the rules of the lists):--lawfully): This term defines the manner of striving required for a crown. The reward of being crowned G4737 is conditional upon competing lawfully G3545, as seen in 2 Timothy 2:5.
G1391 dóxa (glory (as very apparent), in a wide application): This describes the nature of the crown itself. Jesus was crowned with glory and honour Hebrews 2:9, indicating a reward of divine radiance and splendor.
G5092 timḗ (esteem (especially of the highest degree), or the dignity itself:--honour): Used alongside glory, this word specifies that the crown represents the highest form of dignity and value. Jesus was crowned with glory and honour Hebrews 2:7.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G4737 is significant, highlighting key principles of reward and exaltation.

Honor Through Suffering: The word establishes a direct link between suffering and subsequent honor. Jesus was crowned with glory and honour specifically "for the suffering of death" Hebrews 2:9.
A Conditional Reward: The act of being crowned is not automatic but is contingent upon proper conduct. As seen in 2 Timothy 2:5, the crown is only given to one who strives "lawfully," emphasizing that the reward follows adherence to divine principles.
Conferral of Glory and Dignity: Being crowned is synonymous with being invested with "glory and honour" (Hebrews 2:7, 2:9). It is an act that bestows a high status and visible dignity, as exemplified in the exaltation of Christ.

Summary

In summary, G4737 moves beyond the simple image of a wreath to represent a profound spiritual concept. It is a cornerstone for understanding divine reward, illustrating that honor is bestowed as a result of righteous striving and faithful suffering. The word is used to articulate both the exaltation of Jesus Christ and the prize awaiting believers who compete according to the rules of faith.

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 3 occurrences, inflected in 3 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Aorist Active Indicative 2nd Singular 1×
Perfect Passive Participle Accusative Singular Masculine 1×
Present Passive Indicative 3rd Singular 1×

Accusative: The direct object of the verb.
Singular: One.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
2nd: Second person — the one addressed ("you").
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Present: Action in progress or repeated — happening now or continually.
Aorist: Action viewed as a single whole — usually a simple past event.
Perfect: A completed act whose results continue.
Active: The subject performs the action.
Passive: The subject is acted upon.
Indicative: A plain statement of fact.
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 3 verses across 2 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Hebrews (2 verses); never once in the other 25.

2 Timothy

Hebrews

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.