πολῠ-ποίκῐλος G4182
many-colored, multifaceted; displaying great variety or complexity
This vivid compound adjective combines 'many' with 'variegated' to describe something displaying numerous colors or forms. In Ephesians 3:10, Paul describes God's wisdom as 'manifold'—kaleidoscopic in its variety and complexity. The term was used for multicolored fabrics, intricate patterns, and complex designs. God's wisdom isn't monochrome or simple but displays infinite variety, revealed through the church's diverse unity to cosmic powers.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The manifold, multifaceted wisdom of God displayed in Ephesians 3:10 through the church. Like a richly variegated tapestry or multi-hued mosaic, God's wisdom exhibits infinite variety and complexity. Multilingual renderings ('manifold', 'multíforme', 'mannigfaltig') capture the many-colored, intricate nature. The church's diverse unity—Jew and Gentile reconciled—reveals to heavenly powers the kaleidoscopic brilliance of divine wisdom. 1×
AR["المُتَنَوِّعَةُ"]·ben["বহুবিধ"]·DE["mannigfaltig"]·EN["manifold"]·FR["πολυποίκιλος"]·heb["רַבַּת-גְּוָנִים"]·HI["बहुत-विधिये"]·ID["beragam"]·IT["polupoikilos"]·jav["maneka-warna"]·KO["매우-다양한"]·PT["multiforme"]·RU["многоразличная"]·ES["multíforme"]·SW["ya-namna-nyingi"]·TR["-O-"]·urd["گوناگوں"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
πολῠ-ποίκῐλος, ον, much-variegated, φάρεα Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 manifold, σοφία τοῦ θεοῦ NT+5th c.AD+