σοφός G4680
Wise, skilled, learned; possessing practical wisdom or deep discernment, used of the truly wise and the self-styled.
In classical Greek this adjective ranged from 'skilled' (of a sculptor or musician) to 'prudent' or 'shrewd.' The New Testament sharpens it into a contrast between divine and human wisdom. Jesus thanks the Father for hiding things 'from the wise and understanding' (Matt 11:25; Luke 10:21), while Paul asks 'Where is the wise person?' (1 Cor 1:20) and warns against being 'wise in your own eyes' (Rom 12:16). Yet the word is not always ironic—Paul also speaks of believers as wise master-builders (1 Cor 3:10) and sends greetings to the wise in Rome (Rom 16:19). Spanish 'sabio' and German 'weise' capture both the genuine and the contested senses.
Senses
1. wise, skilled in judgment — Wise or possessing wisdom and discernment—used both positively of genuine understanding and ironically of self-perceived cleverness. Jesus hides truth from 'the wise' in a reversal of expectations (Matt 11:25; Luke 10:21), while Paul interrogates worldly wisdom (1 Cor 1:20; Rom 1:22) yet also commends the wise builder (1 Cor 3:10). The substantive plural 'wise men' appears in Matt 23:34. Spanish 'sabio' and German 'weise' handle both the approving and the critical shades without ambiguity. 20×
AR["أَحْكَمُ", "الحَكيمُ", "الحُكَماءَ", "الحُكَماءِ", "الْحَكِيمِ", "حَكيماً", "حَكيمٌ", "حَكيمٍ", "حُكَماءَ", "حُكَماءُ", "حُكَمَاءَ", "لِلْحُكَماءِ"]·ben["জ্ঞানী", "জ্ঞানী,", "জ্ঞানী-চেয়ে", "জ্ঞানী?", "জ্ঞানী।", "জ্ঞানীদের", "জ্ঞানীদের,", "জ্ঞানীদের;"]·DE["weise"]·EN["to-wise", "wise", "wise-men", "wiser"]·FR["sage"]·heb["חֲכָמִים", "חֲכָמָה-יוֹתֵר", "חָכָם"]·HI["अधिक-बुद्धिमान", "बुदधि-मअनोन-से", "बुदधिमअन", "बुद्धिमान", "बुद्धिमानों", "बुद्धिमानों-की", "बुद्धिमानों-के", "बुद्धिमानों-को"]·ID["bijak", "bijak,", "bijaksana", "bijaksana,", "lebih-bijak", "orang-bijak", "orang-bijak,", "yang-bijak"]·IT["saggio", "sophon", "sophous"]·jav["kang-wicaksana?", "langkung-wicaksana", "para-wicaksana", "para-wicaksana,", "tiyang-wicaksana", "tiyang-wicaksana,", "wicaksana", "wicaksana,", "wicaksana.", "wicaksana;", "wong-wicaksana"]·KO["더-지혜롭다", "지혜로운", "지혜로운-자", "지혜로운-자가", "지혜로운-자들", "지혜로운-자들-을", "지혜로운-자들-의", "지혜로운-자들과", "지혜로운-자들에게", "지혜로운-자들을", "지혜로운-자와", "지혜롭고", "지혜롭다", "지혜롭다고"]·PT["a-sábios", "mais-sábio", "sábio", "sábios", "sábios,"]·RU["быть", "мудр", "мудрее", "мудрецов", "мудрого,", "мудрому", "мудрые", "мудрые,", "мудрый", "мудрым", "мудрыми", "мудрых"]·ES["a-sabios", "más-sabio", "sabio", "sabio?", "sabios"]·SW["mjenzi", "mwenye-hekima", "mwenye-hekima,", "mwenye-hekima.", "mwenye-hekima?", "una-hekima-zaidi-kuliko", "waandishi", "wenye-hekima", "wenye-hekima,", "wenye-hekima;"]·TR["akıllılar", "bilge", "bilgeler", "bilgelerden", "bilgelere", "göre-", "insanlardan-", "içinde-", "mimar", "o-", "ve-", "zayıfları-"]·urd["حکیم", "حکیموں-کو", "حکیموں-کی", "حکیموں-کے", "دانا", "داناؤں", "داناوں", "دانشمند", "دانشمندوں-کا", "زیادہ-حکیم-ہے", "عقلمند"]
Matt 11:25, Matt 23:34, Luke 10:21, Rom 1:14, Rom 1:22, Rom 16:19, Rom 16:27, 1 Cor 1:19, 1 Cor 1:20, 1 Cor 1:25, 1 Cor 1:26, 1 Cor 1:27 (+8 more)
Related Senses
H3045 1. Qal: to know, perceive, understand (829×)H5315 1. soul, inner being (647×)H3820a 1. heart, inner self (mind/will/emotion) (572×)H4672 1. Qal: find, discover (289×)G1492 1. know facts or truths (285×)H3824 1. heart, inner self (mind/will/emotion) (250×)H1245 1. seek, search for (200×)G1097 1. know, be acquainted with (196×)H2142 1. Qal: remember, recall (173×)G2588 1. heart (inner self, mind, will) (158×)H0977 1. choose, select (Qal active) (145×)G2147 1. find, discover (144×)G5590 1. soul, inner self (100×)H4672 2. Niphal: be found, be discovered (99×)H1875 1. seek, search for (96×)H5315 2. life, vitality (94×)H1847 1. knowledge, discernment (90×)H2450 1. wise, prudent (84×)H7911 1. Qal: to forget (83×)H3684 1. fool, dullard (70×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
σοφός, ή, όν, skilled in any handicraft or art, clever, ἁρματηλάτας σ. Refs 5th c.BC+; of a sculptor, Refs 5th c.BC+; even of hedgers and ditchers, Refs; but in this sense mostly of poets and musicians, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐν κιθάρᾳ σ. Refs 5th c.BC+; τὴν τέχνην -ώτεροςRefs 5th c.BC+; γλώσσῃ σ. Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 clever in practical matters, wise, prudent, ὁ χρήσιμ᾽ εἰδώς, οὐχ ὁ πόλλ᾽ εἰδώς, σ. Refs…