To change is to alter something, transform its condition or exchange one thing for another, with context determining the action's direction. Romans describes people exchanging God's glory for created images, an action the surrounding argument condemns.
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Reader summary
Full entry for ἀλλάσσω (G236) · Open the biblical lexicon
To change is to alter something, transform its condition or exchange one thing for another, with context determining the action's direction. Romans describes people exchanging God's glory for created images, an action the surrounding argument condemns.
The BSB source-word alignment has 6 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include change (2), exchanged (1), they will be changed (1), we will all be changed (1), will be changed (1).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Acts 6:14. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Corinthians (2), Acts (1), Galatians (1), Hebrews (1).
To change is to alter something, transform its condition or exchange one thing for another, with context determining the action's direction. Romans describes people exchanging God's glory for created images, an action the surrounding argument condemns. Galatians records Paul's wish to change his tone while expressing perplexity about his hearers. First Corinthians promises that believers will be changed when the dead are raised imperishable.
These changes cannot be judged alike merely because one verb names them. The object, agent and surrounding evaluation matter. Paul's altered tone concerns his pastoral address, the exchange of glory concerns misdirected worship, and the promised transformation belongs to the resurrection argument. The verb supplies movement between conditions without making every change beneficial or every resistance to change faithful.
An idolatrous exchange, a wished change of tone and promised resurrection transformation show why the verb requires its objects and argument. Change can be condemned, desired or promised.
And exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
People exchange the immortal God's glory for created images, within Paul's account of failed thanksgiving and misdirected worship.
How I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you.
Paul wishes to be present and change his tone because he is perplexed, expressing pastoral concern rather than changing the gospel's substance.
Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—
The promised change belongs to the surrounding account of the dead raised imperishable and mortality clothed with immortality.
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItA compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
Greek word. To change fundamentally or transform, emphasizing alteration of nature or substance rather than mere modification.
To change fundamentally or transform, emphasizing alteration of nature or substance rather than mere modification.
(ἄλλος), [in LXX chiefly for חָלַף, מוּר hi., etc. ;]
Textus Receptus witness, full corpusGreek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
6 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
I change, alter
Read verseI change, alter
Read verseI change, alter
Read verseI change, alter
Read verseI change, alter
Read verseI change, alter
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.
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
How this verb appears across 6 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
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)
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 6 lexical occurrence verses.
ἀλλάσσω is built from this root:
The verb cannot tell readers whether a change is good until its sentence supplies the object and direction. Romans names a disastrous exchange, moving worship toward created images. Galatians names a wished adjustment in communication, with Paul's perplexity and concern for Christ's formation in his hearers visible around it. First Corinthians names the future change required when perishability gives way to imperishability.
Those movements differ in agent, purpose and outcome. Teaching all three through a slogan about personal transformation would erase Paul's actual concerns. A better explanation follows each argument and lets the resurrection promise remain a promise grounded in God's work. No present person's spiritual status or detailed end-time timetable can be established from the change verb alone.
1Cor.15.51
The Greek comparator distinguishes alteration, transformation and exchange. A shared verb neither makes a false witness's allegation true nor fixes the moral evaluation of every change it describes.
Hebrews 1:10-12 cites the contrast between creation wearing out and the Lord remaining. Its scriptural quotation establishes that comparison; the changing verb alone cannot define God's character or resolve every detail of resurrection chronology.