ποι-ητής G4163
A doer or performer of actions, especially of God's law or word; also a poet or literary composer in classical usage.
Poiētēs literally means 'one who makes,' and its two NT senses reflect the word's journey from the Greek literary world into Jewish-Christian moral discourse. James seizes on it to challenge his readers: 'Be doers of the word, not hearers only' (Jas 1:22), and Paul contrasts mere hearers of the law with its doers (Rom 2:13). Yet in Acts 17:28, when Paul addresses the Athenian philosophers, he reaches back to the classical meaning and quotes 'some of your own poets' (poiētai) -- a deft rhetorical move that bridges Greek literary culture and the gospel message.
Senses
1. doer, one who does/performs — A doer, one who acts on or carries out something -- particularly God's law or word. James uses this term emphatically: believers must become poiētai logou, doers of the word (Jas 1:22-25), not merely listeners. Paul argues similarly in Rom 2:13 that 'doers of the law' will be justified. Spanish 'hacedor/hacedores,' French 'celui qui fait,' and German 'Tater' all convey active, practical obedience rather than passive hearing. 5×
AR["عامِلو", "عامِلينَ", "عامِلًا"]·ben["কর্মী", "পালনকারীরা"]·DE["Taeter"]·EN["a-doer", "doers"]·FR["auteur", "celui-qui-fait"]·heb["עוֹשִׂי", "עוֹשֵׂי", "עוֹשֶׂה"]·HI["करनेवाला", "करनेवाले"]·ID["pelaku", "pelaku,", "pelaku-pelaku"]·IT["fattore", "poiētai", "poiētēs"]·jav["kang-nglampahi", "kang-nglampahi,", "nindakaken"]·KO["행하는-자,", "행하는-자-가", "행하는-자들"]·PT["praticante", "praticantes"]·RU["делателем", "делатель", "делатель,", "делателями", "исполнители"]·ES["hacedor", "hacedores"]·SW["mtendaji", "watendaji"]·TR["yapanlari", "yapıcıları", "yapıcısı"]·urd["کرنے-والا", "کرنے-والا٬", "کرنے-والے"]
2. poet, literary composer — A poet or literary composer, one who creates verse. In Acts 17:28, Paul quotes pagan Greek poets on the Areopagus: 'as some of your own poiētai have said, for we are also his offspring.' This is the original classical Greek meaning of the word -- the 'maker' par excellence was the poet who shaped language into art. Spanish 'poetas' and English 'poets' preserve this literary sense, which Paul deploys as common ground with his Athenian audience. 1×
AR["شُعَراءِ"]·ben["কবিদের"]·DE["ποιητῶν"]·EN["poets"]·FR["auteur"]·heb["מְשׁוֹרְרֵיכֶם"]·HI["कवियों-ने"]·ID["penyair-penyair"]·IT["fattore"]·jav["pujangga"]·KO["시인들이"]·RU["поэтов"]·ES["poetas"]·SW["washairi"]·TR["şairlerinin"]·urd["شاعروں"]
Related Senses
G0846 1. third-person pronoun reference (5552×)H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)H???? 1. (4670×)H6213a 1. do, perform, act (2383×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)G4160 1. do, act, perform (473×)H5221 1. Hifil: to strike in battle, smite enemies (362×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)H0899b 1. garment, article of clothing (216×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)H6213a 2. make, construct, fabricate (148×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ποι-ητής, οῦ, ὁ, maker, μηχανημάτων Refs 5th c.BC+; ζῴων, of the painter, Refs; inventor, θεῶν Refslawgiver, Refs __2 workman, Refs 3rd c.BC+ __II composer of a poem, author, π. κωμῳδίας Refs 5th c.BC+: absolutely, poet, Refs 5th c.BC+; Homer was called ὁ π., Refs 5th c.BC+; so also Hesiod, Refs 5th c.BC+ __II.b composer of music, Refs 5th c.BC+ __II.2 author of a speech, opposed to deliverer of it, π. λόγων Refs 5th c.BC+