What does μαγεύω (mageúō) mean in the Bible?
μαγεύω (mageúō): To practice magic arts, specifically the deceptive manipulation associated with Magian sorcery rather than mere illusion
Greek · G3096
μαγεύω
To practice magic
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μαγεύωG3096
Pronunciationmageúō
What does μαγεύω (mageúō) mean in the Bible?
μαγεύω (mageúō): To practice magic arts, specifically the deceptive manipulation associated with Magian sorcery rather than mere illusion
Full entry for μαγεύω (G3096) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G3096?
The BSB source-word alignment has 1 aligned row for this entry. Common renderings include had practiced sorcery (1).
Where does μαγεύω (mageúō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Acts 8:9. Its strongest book concentrations include Acts (1).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Ithad practiced sorcery1×Acts 8:9
Show sample aligned rows
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowActs 8:9
Aligned rows1
Books represented1
Acts1
Source forms
μαγεύων1xmageuōnActs 8:9
Parsing patterns
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular1xActs 8:9
Evidence Summary
Greek word. To practice magic arts, specifically the deceptive manipulation associated with Magian sorcery rather than mere illusion
Strong'sG3096
Lexical occurrences1 verseGreek text appearances1 timeWord forms1 form1 referenceVerse guides0 guides
Study linkActs 8:9-25Source Gloss
to practice magic
Extended definitionSource: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
To practice magic arts, specifically the deceptive manipulation associated with Magian sorcery rather than mere illusion
1to be a Magus, or skilled in Magian lore.
2to practise magic: Act.8:9.
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpusGreek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
1 Greek text appearance shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Acts 8:9Verb Present Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
μαγεύωνmageuwn
I practice sorcery or magic
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.
Grammatical Forms
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.
Form groups1Aligned forms1TensesPresentVoicesActive
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Participleverbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality1×
Present ActiveActs 8:91×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 1 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
present1
Voice
active1
Mood
participle1
NT Occurrences
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)
Where It Appears in Scripture
Where this word appears in Scripture: passage, original form, and sense in context.
New Testament Witnesses
Practicing magical arts or enchantments.
Word Origins
μαγεύω is built from this root:
Why This Word Matters
Contrasts human manipulation of power with divine sovereignty.Acts 8:9-25