φρόνιμ-ος G5429
Wise, prudent, or shrewd; possessing practical discernment for sound decisions, sometimes with connotations of cunning.
Phronimos describes someone who thinks clearly and acts wisely in practical matters. Jesus uses it repeatedly in parables to contrast those who prepare wisely with those who do not: the wise man who builds on rock (Matt 7:24), the wise virgins who bring extra oil (Matt 25:2, 4, 8, 9), and the faithful steward (Matt 24:45; Luke 12:42). He also commends it as a quality for mission, telling the disciples to be 'wise as serpents' (Matt 10:16). In one distinctive use (Luke 16:8), the word shifts toward 'shrewd' or 'astute,' where the dishonest manager is praised because the 'sons of this age' are more phronimoi than the 'sons of light' — a morally complex usage that translations handle differently.
2. shrewd, astute (comparative) — Shrewd or astute, with a connotation of cunning resourcefulness that sits in moral tension with straightforward wisdom. At Luke 16:8, Jesus observes that 'the sons of this age are more phronimoi toward their own generation than the sons of light.' Here the comparative form signals not virtue but street-smart calculation. The translation evidence diverges revealingly: Spanish shifts from 'prudentes' to 'más sagaces' (more astute), while French and German retain 'prudent/klug,' flattening the distinction. This tension — commendable wisdom versus morally ambiguous shrewdness — is precisely what makes phronimos theologically rich. 1×
AR["أَحْكَمُ"]·ben["বুদ্ধিমান"]·DE["klug"]·EN["shrewder"]·FR["prudent"]·heb["חֲכָמִים-יוֹתֵר"]·HI["अधिक-चतुर"]·ID["lebih-cerdik"]·IT["saggio"]·jav["langkung-wicaksana"]·KO["더-슬기롭다"]·PT["mais-prudentes"]·RU["благоразумнее"]·ES["más-sagaces"]·SW["wenye-busara-zaidi"]·TR["daha-akıllı"]·urd["زیادہ-ہوشیار"]
▼ 1 more sense below
Senses
1. wise, prudent — Possessing practical wisdom and sound judgment — the ability to discern the right course of action and follow through. This is the word's dominant New Testament sense, appearing in Jesus' parables of preparedness: the wise builder (Matt 7:24), the wise virgins (Matt 25:2, 4, 8, 9), and the faithful steward (Matt 24:45; Luke 12:42). Spanish consistently renders it 'prudente(s),' Hindi 'buddhimān' (possessing intelligence), and German 'klug' (clever, wise) — all affirming a stable core of practical discernment without moral ambiguity. 13×
AR["الحَكيمُ","الحَكِيمُ","الْحَكِيمَاتُ","الْحَكِيمَاتِ","حَكيمٍ","حَكِيمَاتٍ","حَكِيمَاتِ","حُكَماءَ","حُكَماءُ","حُكَمَاءَ"]·ben["জ্ঞানী","জ্ঞানী:","বুদ্ধিমতী","বুদ্ধিমতীদের","বুদ্ধিমতীরা","বুদ্ধিমান","বুদ্ধিমানদের"]·DE["klug"]·EN["to-wise-ones","wise"]·FR["prudent"]·heb["חֲכָמִים","נְבוֹנִים","נְבוֹנוֹת","נָבוֹן"]·HI["बुद्धिमान","बुद्धिमानों","बुद्धिमानों-से"]·ID["bijak","bijaksana","cerdik","kepada-orang-bijaksana","yang-bijaksana"]·IT["prudente","saggio"]·jav["dhateng-tiyang-wicaksana","pinter","wicaksana","wicaksana:"]·KO["슬기로운","슬기로운-자들-에게","슬기로운-자들-이","슬기로운-자들은","슬기로웠다","심사숫는-자들이","지혜로운","지혜로운-자들","지혜로운-자들에게","지혜로운-자들이","지혜롭게"]·PT["a-prudentes","prudente","prudentes","sensatos","sábios","sábios:"]·RU["благоразумный","мудрому","мудры","мудрые","мудрым","разумные","разумный","разумным","что"]·ES["a-prudentes","prudente","prudentes","sabios","sensatos"]·SW["ambaye","kwa-wenye-busara","mwenye-busara","mwenye-busara,","wenye-busara","wenye-hekima","wenye-hekima:"]·TR["akıllı","akıllılar","akıllılara"]·urd["دانا","سمجھدار","سمجھداروں-سے","سمجھداروں-نے","عقلمند"]
Matt 7:24, Matt 10:16, Matt 24:45, Matt 25:2, Matt 25:4, Matt 25:8, Matt 25:9, Luke 12:42, Rom 11:25, Rom 12:16, 1 Cor 4:10, 1 Cor 10:15 (+1 more)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
φρόνιμ-ος, ον, also η, ον Refs 1st c.AD+:— in one's right mind, in one's senses, Refs 5th c.BC+ __II showing presence of mind, ἐν τοῖς δεινοῖς Refs 5th c.BC+presence of mind, Refs __III sensible, prudent, opposed to ἄφρων, Refs 5th c.BC+; opposed to ἀνόητος, Refs 5th c.BC+; τὸν φρόνιμον ζητοῦντας.. ὥσπερ ἀποδεδρακότα Refs 4th c.BC+; φ. περί τινος possessing sagacity or discernment in a thing,…