ὠφελ-έω G5623
To profit, benefit, or be of advantage; used transitively of helping others and intransitively of being useful.
A practical, marketplace-flavored verb asking the perennial question: what good does it do? Jesus asks, 'What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?' (Mark 8:36; Matt 16:26). Paul insists that circumcision profits if you keep the law (Rom 2:25) and that tongues without interpretation profit nothing (1 Cor 14:6). The word can take three shapes: passive ('be benefited'), absolute ('be of use'), or transitive ('benefit someone'). Spanish 'aprovecha/aprovechar' and German 'nuetzen' consistently select economic-advantage vocabulary, confirming the cost-benefit framing that runs through every occurrence. Hebrews 4:2 poignantly notes that the word preached 'did not profit' hearers who lacked faith.
Senses
1. be benefited, gain profit — To be benefited or gain advantage (passive/middle). The woman who spent all she had on physicians 'was not benefited' (Mark 5:26). Jesus challenges: 'What is a person profited if he gains the whole world?' (Matt 16:26; Luke 9:25). Spanish 'es beneficiado / fueras beneficiado' and French 'profiter' consistently render the subject as recipient of benefit. Corban vows (Matt 15:5; Mark 7:11) ironically invoke this sense to dodge filial duty. 7×
AR["أَستَفيدُ", "تَنْتَفِعُ-بِهِ", "لَمْ تَنْتَفِعْ", "يَسْتَفيدُ", "يَنْتَفِعُ", "يَنْتَفِعْ"]·ben["উপকার-পেয়ে", "উপকৃত-হও", "উপকৃত-হয়েছে", "লাভ-হবে", "লাভ-হয়", "লাভ-হয়।"]·DE["nuetzen", "ὠφελεῖται", "ὠφεληθήσεται", "ὠφεληθῇς--"]·EN["I-am-profited", "having-benefited", "is-profited", "were-benefited", "will-be-benefited", "you-might-be-benefited"]·FR["profiter"]·heb["הוֹעִילוּ", "יֵרָוֶה", "יוֹעִיל", "לֹא-הוֹעִילָה", "מוֹעִיל-אֲנִי", "תֵּהָנֶה", "תּוֹעִיל"]·HI["परन्तु", "लअभ-पओ", "लअभ-होग", "लाभ-हुए", "लाभ-होता-है", "लाभ-होता-है-मुझे"]·ID["bagiku", "diuntungkan", "engkau-akan-mendapat-manfaat", "gunanya", "kamu-tertolong", "tertolong"]·IT["giovare", "opheleitai", "opheletheisa", "ophelethes", "ophelethesetai", "ōphelēthēsan"]·jav["entuk-untung,", "kula-angsal-paédah", "migunani", "migunani-panjenengan-", "mupangat", "panjenengan-tampi-"]·KO["네가-유익-받으면", "유익-얻지-못한,", "유익-을-얻지", "유익을-얻겠느냐", "유익을-얻었을-것이다", "유익이-없느니라", "유익하리요"]·PT["aproveitará", "foram-beneficiados", "fores-beneficiado", "me-aproveita.", "tendo-sido-beneficiada,", "é-beneficiado"]·RU["не-получив-пользы", "получил-бы-пользу", "получили-пользы", "пользуется", "пользы-нет-мне", "пользы-получит"]·ES["aprovecho", "es-beneficiado", "fueras-beneficiado", "fueres-beneficiado", "fueron-beneficiados", "habiendo-sido-beneficiada", "será-beneficiado"]·SW["anafaidika", "atafaidika", "hakufaidika,", "nalo", "ninafaidika", "ungalifaidika", "walifaidika"]·TR["fayda-görmemiş,", "faydalanacak", "faydalandın", "hiçbir şey", "kazanır", "yarar-gördüler", "yararlanacaktın"]·urd["فائدہ-اُٹھا", "فائدہ-اٹھتا-ہوں", "فائدہ-نہیں-ہوا", "فائدہ-پائے", "فائدہ-ہو-گا", "فائدہ-ہوا", "فائدہ-ہوتا-ہے"]
2. be of use, avail — To be of use or avail (intransitive/absolute). Pilate saw 'he was accomplishing nothing' (Matt 27:24). 'The flesh profits nothing' (John 6:63). Spanish 'aprovecha' and German 'nuetzen' frame utility in absolute terms. Paul's rhetorical 'what do you gain?' (Rom 2:25) and the Pharisees' exasperated 'you are accomplishing nothing' (John 12:19) both deploy this impersonal sense. 5×
AR["تَنفَعُ", "تَنْفَعُونَ", "لَا-يَنْفَعُ", "يَنْفَعُ"]·ben["উপকার-করে", "উপকারী,", "লাভ-করছ", "লাভ-হচ্ছে", "লাভ-হয়"]·DE["nuetzen", "ὠφελεῖ"]·EN["it-was-accomplishing", "profits", "you-gain"]·FR["profiter"]·heb["יוֹעִיל", "מוֹעִיל", "מוֹעִילִים", "מוֹעִילָה"]·HI["लाभ-होता", "लाभ-होता-है", "लाभदायक-है"]·ID["berguna", "berguna,", "kamu-berhasil", "menguntungkan"]·IT["giovare", "ophelei", "opheleite"]·jav["guna,", "migunani", "migunani,", "mupangati", "panjenengan-sedaya-begja"]·KO["유익하겠는가", "유익하니라", "유익하지", "유익하지-않다"]·PT["adianta", "aproveita"]·RU["не-помогает", "полезно", "пользует", "успеваете"]·ES["aprovecha", "aprovecháis", "beneficia"]·SW["faidishi", "hamfaidiki", "inafaidi", "itamfaidia", "kinachofaidi"]·TR["başarıyorsunuz", "yarar,", "yarar-sağlamıyor", "yarar-sağlar", "yararlıdır"]·urd["فائدہ-دیتا", "فائدہ-دیتا-ہے", "فائدہ-نہیں", "فائدہ-ہوتے", "فائدہ-ہے"]
3. benefit someone, help — To benefit someone, to help (transitive active). Paul asks what it would profit the Corinthians if he came speaking only in tongues (1 Cor 14:6). He warns the Galatians that Christ 'will profit you nothing' if they rely on circumcision (Gal 5:2). Spanish 'aprovechara / aprovecho' and French 'profiter' retain the advantage frame while the grammar shifts to direct object. Hebrews 4:2 says the word 'did not profit them' who heard without faith. 3×
AR["أُفيدُكُم", "لَن-يَنفَعَكُم", "نَفَعَتْ"]·ben["উপকার-করবে।", "উপকার-করল", "উপকৃত-করব,"]·DE["nuetzen"]·EN["benefited", "will-I-profit", "will-profit"]·FR["profiter"]·heb["אוֹעִיל", "הוֹעִיל", "יוֹעִיל"]·HI["लअभ-देग.", "लाभ-करूँगा", "लाभ-पहुंचाया"]·ID["aku-akan-menguntungkan,", "berguna"]·IT["giovare", "ōphelēsei", "ōphelēsen"]·jav["kula-paédahaken", "migunani", "migunani."]·KO["유익하게-하리오", "유익하지-않으리라.", "유익했으니"]·PT["aproveitarei,", "aproveitará", "aproveitou"]·RU["не-принесёт-пользы", "пользы-принесу", "принесло-пользы"]·ES["aprovechará", "aprovecharé", "aprovechó"]·SW["hatawafaidia", "nitawafaidia", "wafaidisha"]·TR["eğer değilse-", "yarar-sağladı", "yarar-sağlamayacak"]·urd["فائدہ-دوں-گا", "فائدہ-دےگا", "فائدہ-ہوا"]
Related Senses
H5414 1. give, bestow (1855×)H3947 1. take, seize, grasp (Qal) (940×)G2192 1. possess / have (680×)G1325 1. give, bestow (336×)H5159 1. inherited land or property (170×)G2983 1. receive, obtain (134×)H3423 1. Qal: take possession of land (130×)G2983 2. take, take up (113×)G2398 1. one's own, belonging to oneself (91×)G3860 1. hand over, deliver to custody (78×)H7998 1. spoil, plunder, booty (74×)G1325 2. be given, be granted (70×)H5414 2. put, place, set (68×)H7999a 1. pay, repay, recompense (63×)H7069 1. Buy, purchase (59×)H1892 1. vanity, futility, absurdity (58×)H5159 2. heritage as covenant portion (52×)H6299 1. redeem or ransom (Qal active) (49×)H4376 1. Sell (Qal active) (47×)H1350a 1. Redeem, buy back (46×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ὠφελ-έω, future -ήσω Refs: aorist ὠφέλησα Refs 5th c.BC+: perfect -ηκα Refs 5th c.BC+: pluperfect ὠφελήκη Refs:—passive, future ὠφεληθήσομαι Refs 5th c.BC+; more frequently future middle in passive sense, ὠφελήσομαι Refs 5th c.BC+: aorist ὠφελήθην Refs 5th c.BC+: perfect ὠφέλημαι Refs 5th c.BC+: pluperfect ὠφέλητο Refs 5th c.BC+: (ὄφελος):—help, aid, succour, first in Refs 5th c.BC+; opposed to…