Word Study for G5198 (ὑγιαίνω)

hygiaínō /hoog-ee-ah'-ee-no/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom ὑγιής

Meaningto have sound health, i.e. be well (in body); figuratively, to be uncorrupt (true in doctrine)

KJV usagebe in health, (be safe and) sound, (be) whole(-some).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of hygiaínō — 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 hygiaínō, represented by G5198, is defined as having sound health or, figuratively, being uncorrupt and true in doctrine. It appears 12 times across 12 unique verses in the Bible. The term is used both literally to describe physical well-being and metaphorically to refer to the health and integrity of Christian teaching.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, G5198 carries a dual meaning of physical and spiritual soundness. In the Gospels, it refers to literal health, as when Jesus states that "They that are whole need not a physician" Luke 5:31, or when the prodigal son is received "safe and sound" by his father Luke 15:27. A similar sense is found in 3 John, which expresses a wish for the recipient to "be in health" 3 John 1:2. In the pastoral epistles, the word's focus shifts to spiritual and doctrinal integrity. It is frequently used to describe sound doctrine Titus 2:1, wholesome words 1 Timothy 6:3, and the necessity of being sound in the faith Titus 1:13.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the concept of spiritual and doctrinal health:

G1319 didaskalía: Defined as doctrine, learning, teaching. This word is frequently modified by G5198 to form the phrase "sound doctrine" (2 Timothy 4:3, Titus 1:9, Titus 2:1), indicating that biblical teaching must be healthy and uncorrupted.
G3056 lógos: Meaning word, doctrine, or saying, this term refers to the substance of what is taught. The command to "Hold fast the form of sound words" 2 Timothy 1:13 and to consent to wholesome words 1 Timothy 6:3 ties doctrinal health directly to the specific teachings of Christ and the apostles.
G4102 pístis: Defined as faith, belief, or assurance. Sound teaching is intended to produce a healthy faith. Paul instructs that elders should be "sound in faith" Titus 2:2 and that those who are led astray by false teachers must be rebuked so "they may be sound in the faith" Titus 1:13.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G5198 is significant, highlighting the vital nature of correct belief.

Doctrinal Purity as Health: The repeated use of G5198 establishes a powerful metaphor where true doctrine is life-giving and healthy, while false teaching is a corrupting sickness. The warning that people will not endure sound doctrine underscores this danger 2 Timothy 4:3.
A Standard for Leadership: Soundness in faith and doctrine is a non-negotiable qualification for church leaders. An elder must hold firmly to the faith so he can use sound doctrine to encourage and refute opposition Titus 1:9, and aged men are to be examples of being sound in faith Titus 2:2.
Holistic Well-being: The word's application to both body and spirit points to a holistic understanding of a person's well-being. The prayer for a believer to prosper and "be in health, even as thy soul prospereth" 3 John 1:2 directly connects physical wellness with spiritual vitality.

Summary

In summary, G5198 is much more than a term for physical wellness. It serves as a crucial theological concept, equating doctrinal integrity with health and vitality. It illustrates that the teachings of the faith are not merely intellectual propositions but are considered the foundation for spiritual life, wholeness, and maturity. The word connects the literal idea of a sound body to the essential nature of a sound and uncorrupted 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 12 occurrences, inflected in 9 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Present Active Participle Dative Singular Feminine 3×
Present Active Participle Accusative Singular Masculine 2×
Present Active Infinitive 1×
Present Active Participle Accusative Plural Masculine 1×
Present Active Participle Dative Plural Masculine 1×
Present Active Participle Genitive Plural Masculine 1×
Present Active Participle Genitive Singular Feminine 1×
Present Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine 1×
Present Active Subjunctive 3rd Plural 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Genitive: Possession or source — often "of".
Dative: The indirect object — often "to" or "for".
Accusative: The direct object of the verb.
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
Feminine: Feminine grammatical gender.
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Present: Action in progress or repeated — happening now or continually.
Active: The subject performs the action.
Subjunctive: Possibility or purpose — "might", "should".
Infinitive: The verb as a noun — "to do".
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 12 verses across 5 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Titus (4 verses); never once in the other 22.

Luke

1 Timothy

2 Timothy

Titus

3 John

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.