σφρᾱγ-ίζω G4972
To seal — either to authenticate by setting a mark of ownership, or to seal shut for security or concealment
A verb carrying the weight of ancient seal impressions pressed into wax or clay. In the New Testament, it most frequently describes God's act of marking believers with the Holy Spirit as a seal of ownership and authentication (Eph 1:13; 4:30; 2 Cor 1:22). But it also retains the concrete sense of physically closing something — sealing Christ's tomb with a stone (Matt 27:66), sealing the abyss over Satan (Rev 20:3), or sealing up a prophetic scroll. The two senses divide neatly: marking versus enclosing.
Senses
1. mark with a seal, authenticate — To set a seal upon someone or something as a mark of authentication, ownership, or divine approval. This is predominantly a theological sense in the NT: God seals believers with the Holy Spirit (2 Cor 1:22; Eph 1:13; 4:30), the Father has sealed the Son (John 6:27), and to believe is to 'set one's seal' that God is true (John 3:33). Spanish 'sellar' and German 'versiegeln' both carry the authenticating force. Romans 15:28 uses it metaphorically for Paul securing the collection for Jerusalem. 12×
AR["الخاتِمُ", "المَختومينَ", "خَاتِمًا", "خَتَمَ", "خَتَمُوا", "خُتِمتُم", "مَختومونَ", "نَختِمَ"]·ben["আমরা-সীলমোহর-করি", "মোহর-করে", "মোহর-করেছে", "মোহর-দিয়েছেন", "মোহরাঙ্কিত-হয়েছ", "সীল-করে", "সীলমোহর-করা", "সীলমোহর-করা;", "সীলমোহর-করা।", "সীলমোহর-করাদের,"]·DE["versiegeln", "σφραγίσαντες"]·EN["has-sealed", "having-been-sealed", "having-sealed", "sealed", "we-seal", "you-were-sealed"]·FR["sceller"]·heb["חֲתוּמִים", "חָתְמ-וּ", "חָתַם", "חָתַמְתִּי", "נֶחְתַּמְתֶּם", "שֶׁחָתַם", "שֶׁנַּחְתֹּם"]·HI["जिसने-मुहर-लगाई", "तुम-छअप-लगे", "मुहर-लगाई-है,", "मुहर-लगाकर", "मुहरबन्द", "मुहरबन्द;", "मुहरबन्दों-की,", "मुहरबन्द।", "हम-मुहर-लगाएँ"]·ID["dimeteraikan", "dimeteraikan.", "dimeteraikan;", "kami-memeteraikan", "kamu-dimeteraikan", "memeteraikan", "menyegel", "menyegel,", "telah-memeterai", "yang-dimeteraikan,"]·IT["esphragisen", "sigillare", "sphragisantes"]·jav["dipuncap", "dipunsegel", "ingkang-dipunsegel", "kita-nyegel", "ngesèp", "nyap", "panjenengan-dipun-cap", "sampun-ngesèhaken,", "sampun-ngrampungi"]·KO["봉인하고", "인치도록", "인치된", "인치된-자들-의", "인치셨다", "인치신", "인치심받았다", "인치심을-받았다", "확인했다"]·PT["fostes-selados", "selados", "selemos", "selou", "selou,", "tendo-selado"]·RU["-запечатавший", "запечатав", "запечатавший", "запечатаем", "запечатанных", "запечатанных,", "запечатанных.", "запечатанных;", "запечатлел", "запечатлены"]·ES["fuisteis-sellados", "habiendo-sellado", "que-selló", "sellados", "sellemos", "selló"]·SW["alimtia-muhuri", "aliyetutia-muhuri", "amethitibisha", "mlitiwa-muhuri", "nikiisha-tia-muhuri", "tutakapowatia-muhuri", "wakitia-muhuri", "waliotiwa-muhuri", "waliotiwa-muhuri,", "waliotiwa-muhuri.", "waliotiwa-muhuri;"]·TR["muhurlendiniz", "mühürledi", "mühürlenmiş", "mühürlenmişlerin", "mühürleyelim", "mühürleyerek", "mühürleyince", "o-"]·urd["مُہر-لگا-کر", "مُہر-لگائی", "مُہر-کیا", "مہر-لگا-کے", "مہر-لگائوں-کا", "مہر-لگائی-گئی", "مہر-لگائیں", "مہر-لگائے-ہوئے"]
2. seal shut, close up — To seal something shut — closing, securing, or concealing contents so they cannot be accessed or read. Applied to physical sealing of Christ's tomb (Matt 27:66), the closing up of prophetic visions (Rev 22:10 contrasts with Daniel's sealed scroll), and the binding of Satan in the abyss sealed over him (Rev 20:3). The emphasis falls on restriction and enclosure rather than authentication. 3×
AR["اِختِم", "تَخْتِمْ", "خَتَمَها"]·ben["যা", "সীলমোহর-কর", "সীলমোহর-দিলেন"]·DE["versiegeln"]·EN["Seal-up", "sealed", "you-should-seal"]·FR["sceller"]·heb["חֲתוֹם", "חָתַם", "תַּחְתֹּם"]·HI["मुहर-लगा", "मुहर-लगाई"]·ID["Meteraikanlah", "ia-memeterai", "memeterai"]·IT["sigillare"]·jav["Segel", "piyambakipun-ngecap", "sami-ngecap"]·KO["봉인하라", "봉인하였다", "봉인하지"]·PT["Sela", "seles", "selou"]·RU["Запечатай", "запечатал", "запечатывай"]·ES["Sella", "selles", "selló"]·SW["Funga-kwa-muhuri", "akatia-muhuri", "usitie-muhuri"]·TR["mühürle", "mühürledi"]·urd["مُہر-لگاؤ", "مُہر-لگائی", "مُہر-کر-رکھ"]
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)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×)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×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)H7592 1. ask, inquire, question (96×)H3034 1. give thanks, praise (Hifil) (94×)G1321 1. teach, instruct actively (92×)H3789 2. Qal active: write, compose (89×)G1125 1. to write, compose (a letter or document) (84×)H5046 2. Hifil: to declare, proclaim (79×)H7892a 1. song, musical composition (78×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
σφρᾱγ-ίζω, Ionic dialect σφρηγίζω, close or enclose with a seal, σφραγίζεις λύεις τ᾽ ὀπίσω.. πεύκην (={δέλτον}) Refs 5th c.BC+; τὸ σιτάριον Refs 1st c.AD+:—middle, τὸν θησαυρόν Refs 2nd c.BC+; μόνη δὲ κλῇθρ᾽ ἐγὼ σφραγίζομαι LXX+5th c.BC+; δεῖγμα σφραγισάσθω let him seal up with his seal a sample (of the corn), Refs 3rd c.BC+:—passive, ἐν ᾧ [δώματι] κεραυνός ἐστιν ἐσφραγισμένος LXX+4th c.BC+; οὐ…