Word Study for G5563 (χωρίζω)

chōrízō /kho-rid'-zo/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom χώρα

Meaningto place room between, i.e. part; reflexively, to go away

KJV usagedepart, put asunder, separate.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of chōrízō — 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 chōrízō, represented by G5563, is used to mean to place room between, i.e. part. It appears 18 times across 12 unique verses in the Bible. The term carries the sense of division, with translations including depart, put asunder, and separate.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, G5563 is applied in several distinct contexts. It conveys a strong prohibition against divorce, as seen in the command, "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder" Matthew 19:6. The word is also used to express the unbreakable bond between God and believers, with the apostle Paul asking what could possibly separate them from Christ's love Romans 8:35. On a more literal level, it describes physical movement, such as the apostles being commanded not to depart from Jerusalem Acts 1:4 or Paul's departure from Athens Acts 18:1.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide contrast and clarify the meaning of separation:

G4801 syzeúgnymi (to yoke together, i.e. (figuratively) conjoin (in marriage)): This is the direct opposite of G5563 in the context of marriage, highlighting the divine act of union that man is forbidden to break Matthew 19:6.
G2644 katallássō (to change mutually, i.e. (figuratively) to compound a difference): In cases of marital departure, this word presents the alternative to separation: to be reconciled to her husband 1 Corinthians 7:11.
G3306 ménō (to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy)): This word offers a direct contrast to departure. If a wife does depart, she is instructed to remain unmarried, underscoring a change in state from the marital union 1 Corinthians 7:11.
G1299 diatássō (to arrange thoroughly, i.e. (specially) institute, prescribe, etc.): This term can be the cause of a separation, as when Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome Acts 18:2.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G5563 is significant, particularly in defining relationships—both human and divine.

Divine Command on Marriage: The use of put asunder G5563 establishes a clear theological principle regarding the permanence of marriage. The union that God hath joined together G4801 is not to be dissolved by human action Mark 10:9.
The Believer's Eternal Security: The word is central to one of Scripture's most powerful assurances. Paul uses it to declare that no external force—neither tribulation G2347 nor persecution G1375, nor height G5313 nor depth G899—can separate a believer from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:35, Romans 8:39).
Christ's Priestly Holiness: The term is used to describe the unique status of Jesus as High Priest, who is separate from sinners. This separation signifies his moral perfection and sinless nature, which qualifies him for his role Hebrews 7:26.

Summary

In summary, G5563 is a versatile word that moves from the literal to the theological. It describes physical departure Acts 18:1, establishes the sacred prohibition to not put asunder a marriage Matthew 19:6, and ultimately provides the framework for understanding the unbreakable spiritual union that believers have with God. Its use illustrates a core biblical theme: while human relationships and locations can be separated, the believer's relationship with God cannot.

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 13 occurrences, inflected in 11 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Present Active Imperative 3rd Singular 2×
Present Passive Infinitive 2×
Aorist Active Infinitive 1×
Aorist Passive Indicative 3rd Singular 1×
Aorist Passive Infinitive 1×
Aorist Passive Participle Nominative Singular Masculine 1×
Aorist Passive Subjunctive 3rd Singular 1×
Future Active Indicative 3rd Singular 1×
Perfect Passive Participle Nominative Singular Masculine 1×
Present Passive Imperative 3rd Singular 1×
Present Passive Indicative 3rd Singular 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Singular: One.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
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.
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.
Imperative: A command or entreaty.
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.

Related Words

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 12 verses across 7 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Acts and 1 Corinthians (3 verses each); never once in the other 20.

Matthew

Mark

Acts

Romans

1 Corinthians

Philemon

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.