Foolishness
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23, where the local argument determines whether the emphasis is doctrinal, ethical, pastoral, or ministry-related. The companion therefore treats Foolishness as a passage-governed word study rather than a detached lexical slogan.
Reader summary
Full entry for μωρία (G3472) · Open the biblical lexicon
23, where the local argument determines whether the emphasis is doctrinal, ethical, pastoral, or ministry-related. The companion therefore treats Foolishness as a passage-governed word study rather than a detached lexical slogan.
The BSB source-word alignment has 5 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include foolishness (5).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at 1 Corinthians 1:18. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Corinthians (5).
G3472 is represented in this Pauline-focused companion by the reviewed display gloss "foolishness." In Paul's letters, the term appears in passages such as 1Cor. 1. 18, 1Cor. 1. 21, 1Cor. 1. 23, where the local argument determines whether the emphasis is doctrinal, ethical, pastoral, or ministry-related. The companion therefore treats Foolishness as a passage-governed word study rather than a detached lexical slogan.
It gives teachers a compact way to notice the term, compare several Pauline settings, and move toward application only after the immediate context has set the boundary. The aim is disciplined clarity: the Greek term can sharpen reading, but it does not replace the grammar, flow, and theological burden of the passage itself.
G3472 appears in Pauline contexts that require close attention to the passage. This companion uses three local anchors to keep the word foolishness tied to Paul's argument and pastoral aim.
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1Cor.1.18 anchors G3472 in a local Pauline context where foolishness must be read from the argument of the passage rather than from a bare word list.
For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.
1Cor.1.21 shows another Pauline setting for the same term, helping teachers compare usage without forcing every occurrence to carry the same emphasis.
But we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
1Cor.1.23 gives a further control text so doctrine and application remain passage-governed and not driven by the gloss alone.
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. Foolishness that rejects God's wisdom; in Paul, divine wisdom appears absurd to human reason.
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
5 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
folly, absurdity
Read versefolly, absurdity
Read versefolly, absurdity
Read versefolly, absurdity
Read versefolly, absurdity
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 this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
This word appears as a noun across 3 case and number patterns. The form changes show how the word functions in a sentence; they do not change the basic lexical meaning by themselves.
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 5 lexical occurrence verses.
μωρία is built from this root:
G3472 helps teachers slow down where English readers may move too quickly. The word can illuminate Paul's reasoning, but only when it is held inside the sentence, paragraph, and letter. Across 1Cor.1.18, 1Cor.1.21, 1Cor.1.23, the pastoral value is not novelty. It is the steady discipline of asking how the word serves Paul's gospel logic, church instruction, moral warning, or ministry encouragement in context.
1Cor.1.18
Foolishness is the reviewed display gloss for G3472. In this Pauline-focused companion, local STEP TAGNT evidence shows about 5 Pauline use(s), with common forms including N-NSF 3, N-GSF 1, N-ASF 1. Treat these form signals as support for reading the passage, not as a replacement for context.
The Pauline use of G3472 should be joined to larger biblical theology only through the cited passages and their own contexts. This keeps foolishness from becoming a free-floating doctrinal shortcut.
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