μορφ-όω G3445
to be formed, shaped, or molded; to receive definite form
This verb means to give form or shape to something, or in the passive to receive form or be shaped. In Galatians 4:19, Paul expresses his travail for the Galatian believers until Christ is formed in them. The multilingual glosses emphasize formation and shaping (Spanish sea formado, French/German forms of formation). Classical usage includes giving shape to women's bodies or forming soldiers. Paul's metaphor suggests the painful process of Christ's character taking definite shape within believers' lives.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Galatians 4:19 presents Paul's maternal metaphor: he travails in birth until Christ is formed in his spiritual children. The cross-linguistic evidence emphasizes the formation or shaping process. The aorist passive subjunctive suggests a definite, completed formation Paul yearns to see. The image is striking—Paul experiences labor pains until Christ's character and likeness take clear, definite shape in the Galatians. Formation requires painful spiritual labor, but the goal is Christ's full-formed presence within believers. 1×
AR["يَتَصَوَّرَ"]·ben["আকার-পায়"]·DE["gestalten"]·EN["is-formed"]·FR["μορφωθῇ"]·heb["יִתְצוּרַר"]·HI["रुप-ले"]·ID["terbentuk"]·IT["morphōthē"]·jav["kawujudaken"]·KO["형성되도록"]·PT["seja-formado"]·RU["изобразится"]·ES["sea-formado"]·SW["aundwe"]·TR["biçimlensin"]·urd["شکل-بنے"]
Related Senses
G0846 1. third-person pronoun reference (5552×)H???? 1. (4670×)H6213a 1. do, perform, act (2383×)G4160 1. do, act, perform (473×)H5221 1. Hifil: to strike in battle, smite enemies (362×)H0899b 1. garment, article of clothing (216×)H6213a 2. make, construct, fabricate (148×)H3772 1. cut a covenant / make a pact (97×)H5060 1. touch physically (Qal) (96×)H3615 1. complete a task (Piel) (85×)H3772 2. cut off / destroy (Hifil causative) (81×)H3920 1. capture, seize (Qal) (76×)H???? 12. (76×)H3772 3. be cut off / be eliminated (Niphal) (74×)H6213a 3. be done, be made (Niphal) (73×)G4160 2. make, construct, create (62×)H3847 1. Qal: put on, wear (60×)H8210 1. pour out (liquid/libation) (59×)G2440 1. garment or clothing (general) (54×)H4191 4. kill / put to death (Hifil causative) (50×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
μορφ-όω, give shape or form to, γυναικῶν σώματα μορφώσαντες καὶ ὁπλίσαντες ὡς ἐς ἄνδρας μάλιστα Refs 4th c.BC+:—passive, receive shape or form, NT+4th c.BC+