What does ζωοποιέω (zōopoiéō) mean in the Bible?
zoopoieo means to make alive or give life. In the New Testament, this life-giving belongs to God and is revealed through the Father, the Son, the Spirit, resurrection, and the new covenant.
Greek · G2227
ζωοποιέω
To (re-)vitalize (literally or figuratively)
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ζωοποιέω G2227
Pronunciation zōopoiéō
What does ζωοποιέω (zōopoiéō) mean in the Bible?
zoopoieo means to make alive or give life. In the New Testament, this life-giving belongs to God and is revealed through the Father, the Son, the Spirit, resurrection, and the new covenant.
Reader summary
Full entry for ζωοποιέω (G2227) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G2227?
The BSB source-word alignment has 11 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include gives life (4), a life-giving (1), does not come to life (1), gives [them] life (1), impart life (1).
Where does ζωοποιέω (zōopoiéō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at John 5:21. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Corinthians (3), John (3), Romans (2), 1 Peter (1).
What This Word Actually Means
Zoopoieo means to make alive or give life. In the New Testament, this life-giving belongs to God and is revealed through the Father, the Son, the Spirit, resurrection, and the new covenant. John says the Father raises the dead and gives life, and the Son gives life to whom He wishes. Jesus says the Spirit gives life. Romans 8 promises that the Spirit of the One who raised Jesus will give life to mortal bodies.
First Corinthians 15 says all in Christ will be made alive. Second Corinthians contrasts the killing letter with the life-giving Spirit, and 1 Peter speaks of Christ made alive in the Spirit after suffering for sins. The word should not be thinned into encouragement. It names God's power to overcome death and create life in Christ.
lexical_rangeCanonical synthesisPastoral application
How the Bible Uses It
The selected passages present life-giving as divine action: the Father and Son give life, the Spirit gives life, mortal bodies will be enlivened, all in Christ will be made alive, and Christ Himself is made alive after suffering.
- John.5.21
For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom He wishes.
Jesus says the Father raises and gives life, and the Son gives life to whom He wishes. zoopoieo here reveals the Son's divine authority in life-giving judgment and salvation.
- John.6.63
The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
Jesus says the Spirit gives life and the flesh profits nothing. The life He gives comes through the Spirit and His words, not through fleshly calculation.
- Rom.8.11
And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.
The Spirit who raised Jesus will give life to believers' mortal bodies. zoopoieo supports bodily resurrection hope, not merely inner renewal.
- 1Cor.15.22
For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
In Adam all die, but in Christ all will be made alive. The verb stands inside Paul's resurrection argument and contrasts two representative heads.
- 2Cor.3.6
And He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Paul says the letter kills but the Spirit gives life. Life-giving is tied to new covenant ministry rather than to external letter apart from the Spirit.
- 1Pet.3.18
For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit,
Christ suffered once for sins, was put to death in the body, and was made alive in the Spirit. The life-giving claim is tied to His saving suffering and vindication.
Passage contextBook context
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It gives life 4× John 5:21, John 6:63, Romans 4:17, 2 Corinthians 3:6
a life-giving 1× 1 Corinthians 15:45
does not come to life 1× 1 Corinthians 15:36
gives [them] life 1× John 5:21
impart life 1× Galatians 3:21
made alive 1× 1 Peter 3:18
will also give life 1× Romans 8:11
will be made alive 1× 1 Corinthians 15:22
Show sample aligned rows
John 5:21 ζωοποιεῖ to gives [them] life Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular John 5:21 ζωοποιεῖ to gives life Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular John 6:63 ζωοποιοῦν to gives life Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Neuter Singular Romans 4:17 ζωοποιοῦντος to gives life Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Singular Romans 8:11 ζωοποιήσει to will also give life Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 1 Corinthians 15:22 ζωοποιηθήσονται to will be made alive Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Plural 1 Corinthians 15:36 ζωοποιεῖται to does not come to life Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular 1 Corinthians 15:45 ζωοποιοῦν to a life-giving Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Neuter Singular 2 Corinthians 3:6 ζωοποιεῖ to gives life Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Galatians 3:21 ζωοποιῆσαι to impart life Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row John 5:21
Aligned rows 11
Books represented 6
John 3 Romans 2 1 Corinthians 3 2 Corinthians 1 Galatians 1 1 Peter 1
Source forms
ζωοποιεῖ 3x zōopoiei John 5:21, 2 Corinthians 3:6
ζωοποιοῦν 2x zōopoioun John 6:63, 1 Corinthians 15:45
ζωοποιεῖται 1x zōopoieitai 1 Corinthians 15:36
ζωοποιηθεὶς 1x zōopoiētheis 1 Peter 3:18
ζωοποιηθήσονται 1x zōopoiēthēsontai 1 Corinthians 15:22
ζωοποιῆσαι 1x zōopoiēsai Galatians 3:21
ζωοποιήσει 1x zōopoiēsei Romans 8:11
ζωοποιοῦντος 1x zōopoiountos Romans 4:17
Parsing patterns
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 3x John 5:21, 2 Corinthians 3:6
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active 1x Galatians 3:21
Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular 1x 1 Peter 3:18
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 1x Romans 8:11
Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Plural 1x 1 Corinthians 15:22
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular 1x 1 Corinthians 15:36
Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Neuter Singular 1x 1 Corinthians 15:45
Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Singular 1x Romans 4:17
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Use life-giving language to strengthen resurrection hope, not to promise immediate relief from every earthly affliction.
- Call readers to depend on the Spirit's life rather than fleshly effort or religious form alone.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that zoopoieo means human beings can create spiritual life by technique.
- Do not claim that being made alive is only inward and has no future bodily dimension.
Evidence Summary
Messiah
Greek word. To impart divine life or resurrection power; God's prerogative to make spiritually or physically alive.
Strong's G2227
Lexical occurrences 0 verses Greek text appearances 12 times Verse guides 0 guides
Study link John 5:19–29 Source Gloss
to (re-)vitalize (literally or figuratively)
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
12 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
John 5:21 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
ζωοποιεῖ, zwopoiei
I make to live
Read verse John 5:21 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
ζωοποιεῖ. zwopoiei
I make to live
Read verse John 6:63 Verb Present Active Participle Nominative Singular Neuter
ζωοποιοῦν, zwopoioun
I make to live
Read verse Romans 4:17 Verb Present Active Participle Genitive Singular Masculine
ζωοποιοῦντος zwopoiountov
I make to live
Read verse Romans 8:11 Verb Third Person Singular Future Active Indicative
ζωοποιήσει zwopoihsei
I make to live
Read verse 1 Corinthians 15:22 Verb Third Person Plural Future Passive Indicative
ζωοποιηθήσονται. zwopoihqhsontai
I make to live
Read verse 1 Corinthians 15:36 Verb Third Person Singular Present Passive Indicative
ζωοποιεῖται, zwopoieitai
I make to live
Read verse 1 Corinthians 15:45 Verb Present Active Participle Accusative Singular Neuter
ζωοποιοῦν. zwopoioun
I make to live
Read verse 2 Corinthians 3:6 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
ζωοποιεῖ. zwopoiei
I make to live
Read verse Galatians 3:21 Verb Aorist Active Infinitive
ζωοποιῆσαι, zwopoihsai
I make to live
Read verse 1 Timothy 6:13 Verb Present Active Participle Genitive Singular Masculine
ζωοποιοῦντος zwopoiountov
I make to live
Read verse 1 Peter 3:18 Verb Aorist Passive Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
ζωοποιηθεὶς zwopoihqeiv
I make to live
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 11 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
present 7 future 2 aorist 2
Voice
active 8 passive 3
Mood
indicative 6 participle 4 infinitive 1
NT Occurrences
John 5:21 ζῳοποιεῖ present active indicative ongoing John 5:21 ζῳοποιεῖ present active indicative ongoing John 6:63 ζῳοποιοῦν present active participle participle Romans 4:17 ζῳοποιοῦντος present active participle participle Romans 8:11 ζῳοποιήσει future active indicative prospective 1 Corinthians 15:22 ζῳοποιηθήσονται future passive indicative prospective 1 Corinthians 15:36 ζῳοποιεῖται present passive indicative ongoing 1 Corinthians 15:45 ζῳοποιοῦν present active participle participle 2 Corinthians 3:6 ζῳοποιεῖ present active indicative ongoing Galatians 3:21 ζῳοποιῆσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive 1 Peter 3:18 ζῳοποιηθεὶς aorist passive participle participle
Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Sampled Scripture Occurrences
Representative Scripture witnesses for this entry: passage, original form, and sense in context.
New Testament Witnesses
gives life
Additional Occurrences
John 5:19-47 ζωοποιεῖ zōopoiéō
gives life
Word Origins
ζωοποιέω is built from these roots:
Why This Word Matters
Expresses divine prerogative of life-giving power. John 5:19–29
Affirms Christ’s divine authority to grant life.
Canonical Themes
Messiah
For the Preacher and Teacher
Zoopoieo is a resurrection and divine-power word before it is an encouragement word. John 5 places life-giving in the hands of the Father and the Son, revealing Christ's authority to give life. John 6 and 2 Corinthians 3 identify the Spirit as the one who gives life, so life is not produced by fleshly effort or external letter detached from God's presence. Romans 8 refuses to spiritualize the promise away from the body: the Spirit will give life to mortal bodies.
First Corinthians 15 sets the whole hope in Adam and Christ, where death comes through one head and life through the risen Christ. First Peter 3 ties the verb to Christ's suffering and vindication. The pastoral force is sturdy hope: the God who gives life can overcome death, renew His people, and bring Christ's resurrection victory to completion.
Anchor passage
Rom.8.11
Doctrinal connections
- G2222 Zoe, life: zoopoieo is the verbal action of giving or making alive.
- G1453 Egeiro, to raise: life-giving is closely tied to resurrection in John 5 and Romans 8.
- G386 Anastasis, resurrection: 1 Corinthians 15 places being made alive within resurrection hope.
- G4151 Pneuma, Spirit: John 6, Romans 8, 2 Corinthians 3, and 1 Peter 3 all associate life-giving with the Spirit.
- G599 Apothnesko, to die: the verb's force is sharpened by the death it overcomes.
- G5547 Christos, Christ: all in Christ will be made alive, and Christ's own vindication grounds the hope.
Zoopoieo combines life language with making or causing. It should not be treated as a synonym for feeling better. In the selected passages the subject is divine, the setting is resurrection or covenant life, and the effect is life where death or incapacity would otherwise rule.
From Old to New Testament
Old Testament hope includes God giving life, raising up, and breathing life where death prevails, especially in creation and prophetic restoration imagery. The New Testament centers that life-giving power on Christ's resurrection and the Spirit's application of new covenant life.
Canonical synthesisPastoral application
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain