Word Study for G4977 (σχίζω) | Strong's Concordance

schízō /skhid'-zo/ Ask about this word

Rootapparently a primary verb

Meaningto split or sever (literally or figuratively)

KJV usagebreak, divide, open, rend, make a rent.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of schízō — 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 schízō, represented by G4977, is a primary verb meaning to split or sever. It appears 11 times across 9 unique verses in the Bible. Its definition encompasses both literal and figurative actions, including to break, divide, open, rend, or make a rent. This word is used to describe moments of sudden and often forceful separation.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, G4977 is used to mark events of great significance. Most notably, it describes the veil of the temple being rent from top to bottom at the moment of Jesus' death, an event recorded in three Gospels (Matthew 27:51; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:45). In the same passage, the earth quaked and the rocks also rent Matthew 27:51. The word is also used figuratively to describe social and religious conflict, as when a city's multitude was divided over the apostles' teaching Acts 14:4, or when a dissension arose that divided the Pharisees and Sadducees Acts 23:7.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide additional context for the concepts of division and separation:

G1266 diamerízō (to partition thoroughly): This word is used in the same context as G4977 in the account of the crucifixion, where the soldiers parted Jesus' raiment rather than rending his tunic John 19:24.
G4714 stásis (dissension, insurrection, uproar): This term often describes the cause of a figurative schism. In Acts, a dissension among the religious leaders led to the multitude being divided Acts 23:7.
G4579 seíō (to rock, quake, shake): This verb is used in direct parallel with G4977 to describe the supernatural events at the crucifixion, where the earth did quake and the rocks rent Matthew 27:51.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G4977 is centered on moments of divine intervention and human conflict.

Access and Revelation: The heavens being opened (schízō) at Jesus' baptism signifies a direct divine revelation Mark 1:10. The rending of the temple veil at His death is a similarly powerful moment, marking a profound shift Matthew 27:51.
Physical and Spiritual Stress: The word is used to describe objects under immense stress, such as a net full of fish that was not broken John 21:11 or an old garment that would make a rent if patched with new cloth Luke 5:36.
Divisive Power of Truth: The use of G4977 to describe a crowd or group being divided highlights how the introduction of apostolic teaching or a controversial subject can create sharp lines of separation within a community (Acts 14:4; Acts 23:7).

Summary

In summary, G4977 is a potent word that signifies a forceful splitting or severing. Whether describing the literal tearing of the temple veil and rocks, the opening of the heavens, or the figurative division of a crowd, schízō consistently points to moments of dramatic and decisive separation. It captures the physical and social ruptures that occur at pivotal points in the biblical narrative.

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 10 occurrences, inflected in 5 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Aorist Passive Indicative 3rd Singular 6×
Aorist Active Subjunctive 1st Plural 1×
Aorist Passive Indicative 3rd Plural 1×
Future Active Indicative 3rd Singular 1×
Present Passive Participle Accusative Plural Masculine 1×

Accusative: The direct object of the verb.
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
1st: First person — the speaker ("I"/"we").
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Present: Action in progress or repeated — happening now or continually.
Future: Action yet to take place.
Aorist: Action viewed as a single whole — usually a simple past event.
Active: The subject performs the action.
Passive: The subject is acted upon.
Indicative: A plain statement of fact.
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 9 verses across 5 of the 27 books. 4 books tie for most frequent (2 verses each); never once in the other 22.

Matthew

Mark

Luke

John

Acts

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.