What does μωρός (mōrós) mean in the Bible?
Μωρός means foolish, dull, or lacking the wisdom that accords with God. Paul uses it both in the scandalous language of the cross and in direct warnings about empty controversy.
Greek · G3474
μωρός
Foolish
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μωρός G3474
Pronunciation mōrós
What does μωρός (mōrós) mean in the Bible?
Μωρός means foolish, dull, or lacking the wisdom that accords with God. Paul uses it both in the scandalous language of the cross and in direct warnings about empty controversy.
Reader summary
Full entry for μωρός (G3474) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G3474?
The BSB source-word alignment has 12 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include foolish (3), [are] fools (1), a fool (1), a foolish (1), foolish [ones] (1).
Where does μωρός (mōrós) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 5:22. Its strongest book concentrations include Matthew (6), 1 Corinthians (4), 2 Timothy (1), Titus (1).
What This Word Actually Means
Μωρός means foolish, dull, or lacking the wisdom that accords with God. Paul uses it both in the scandalous language of the cross and in direct warnings about empty controversy. First Corinthians 1 speaks paradoxically of the “foolishness of God,” not because God lacks wisdom, but because His saving work in the crucified Christ appears foolish to worldly standards and proves wiser than humanity.
Second Timothy 2 commands the Lord's servant to reject foolish and ignorant controversies because they generate quarrels. Titus 3 similarly calls foolish disputes about genealogies and law unprofitable and worthless. The adjective therefore exposes both worldly contempt for the gospel and religious arguments that consume energy without producing truth, love, or good works.
How the Bible Uses It
Paul uses μωρός to contrast God's cross-shaped wisdom with worldly judgment and to condemn controversies that are pointless, quarrelsome, and fruitless.
- 1Cor.1.25
For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.
The phrase “foolishness of God” is deliberate paradox: what the world dismisses in the cross surpasses human wisdom and strength.
- 2Tim.2.23
But reject foolish and ignorant speculation, for you know that it breeds quarreling.
Foolish controversies are rejected because they breed quarrels, while the Lord's servant must teach gently and patiently.
- Titus.3.9
But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, arguments, and quarrels about the law, because these things are pointless and worthless.
Titus must avoid disputes that are unprofitable and worthless so the church can devote itself to excellent and profitable good works.
Book contextPassage 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 foolish 3× Matthew 25:2, 2 Timothy 2:23, Titus 3:9
[are] fools 1× 1 Corinthians 4:10
a fool 1× 1 Corinthians 3:18
a foolish 1× Matthew 7:26
foolish [ones] 1× Matthew 25:3
foolish ones 1× Matthew 25:8
foolish things 1× 1 Corinthians 1:27
foolishness 1× 1 Corinthians 1:25
fools 1× Matthew 23:17
You fool 1× Matthew 5:22
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 5:22 Μωρέ to You fool Adjective - Vocative Masculine Singular Matthew 7:26 μωρῷ to a foolish Adjective - Dative Masculine Singular Matthew 23:17 μωροὶ to fools Adjective - Vocative Masculine Plural Matthew 25:2 μωραὶ to foolish Adjective - Nominative Feminine Plural Matthew 25:3 μωραὶ to foolish [ones] Adjective - Nominative Feminine Plural Matthew 25:8 μωραὶ to foolish ones Adjective - Nominative Feminine Plural 1 Corinthians 1:25 μωρὸν to foolishness Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular 1 Corinthians 1:27 μωρὰ to foolish things Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural 1 Corinthians 3:18 μωρὸς to a fool Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular 1 Corinthians 4:10 μωροὶ to [are] fools Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 5:22
Aligned rows 12
Books represented 4
Matthew 6 1 Corinthians 4 2 Timothy 1 Titus 1
Source forms
μωραὶ 3x mōrai Matthew 25:2, Matthew 25:3, Matthew 25:8
μωροὶ 2x mōroi Matthew 23:17, 1 Corinthians 4:10
μωρὰ 1x mōra 1 Corinthians 1:27
μωρὰς 1x mōras 2 Timothy 2:23
Μωρὰς 1x Mōras Titus 3:9
Μωρέ 1x Mōre Matthew 5:22
μωρὸν 1x mōron 1 Corinthians 1:25
μωρὸς 1x mōros 1 Corinthians 3:18
Parsing patterns
Adjective - Nominative Feminine Plural 3x Matthew 25:2, Matthew 25:3, Matthew 25:8
Adjective - Accusative Feminine Plural 2x 2 Timothy 2:23, Titus 3:9
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural 1x 1 Corinthians 1:27
Adjective - Dative Masculine Singular 1x Matthew 7:26
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural 1x 1 Corinthians 4:10
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular 1x 1 Corinthians 3:18
Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular 1x 1 Corinthians 1:25
Adjective - Vocative Masculine Plural 1x Matthew 23:17
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Distinguish honest doctrinal inquiry from controversy whose manner and fruit are demonstrably quarrelsome and unprofitable.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not take “the foolishness of God” literally as though God possessed deficient wisdom; Paul uses a comparative paradox.
- Do not label every difficult or secondary theological question foolish merely to avoid careful study or accountable disagreement.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. foolish
Strong's G3474
Lexical occurrences 12 verses Greek text appearances 13 times Word forms 9 forms 12 references Verse guides 0 guides
Source Gloss
foolish
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
13 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 5:22 Adjective Singular Masculine
Μωρέ, mwre
stupid, foolish
Read verse Matthew 7:26 Adjective Dative Singular Masculine
μωρῷ, mwrw
stupid, foolish
Read verse Matthew 23:17 Adjective Plural Masculine
μωροὶ mwroi
stupid, foolish
Read verse Matthew 23:19 Adjective Plural Masculine
μωροὶ mwroi
stupid, foolish
Read verse Matthew 25:2 Adjective Nominative Plural Feminine
μωραί. mwrai
stupid, foolish
Read verse Matthew 25:3 Adjective Nominative Plural Feminine
μωραί, mwrai
stupid, foolish
Read verse Matthew 25:8 Adjective Nominative Plural Feminine
μωραὶ mwrai
stupid, foolish
Read verse 1 Corinthians 1:25 Adjective Nominative Singular Neuter
μωρὸν mwron
stupid, foolish
Read verse 1 Corinthians 1:27 Adjective Accusative Plural Neuter
μωρὰ mwra
stupid, foolish
Read verse 1 Corinthians 3:18 Adjective Nominative Singular Masculine
μωρὸς mwrov
stupid, foolish
Read verse 1 Corinthians 4:10 Adjective Nominative Plural Masculine
μωροὶ mwroi
stupid, foolish
Read verse 2 Timothy 2:23 Adjective Accusative Plural Feminine
μωρὰς mwrav
stupid, foolish
Read verse Titus 3:9 Adjective Accusative Plural Feminine
μωρὰς mwrav
stupid, foolish
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 this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
This word appears as a noun across 9 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.
Form patterns 9 Aligned forms 12 Case pattern Nominative (6) Number pattern Plural (8)
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Nominative · Plural · Feminine Matt 25:2 · Matt 25:3 · Matt 25:8 3×
Nominative · Singular · Neuter 1 Cor 1:25 1×
Nominative · Singular · Masculine 1 Cor 3:18 1×
Nominative · Plural · Masculine 1 Cor 4:10 1×
Dative · Singular · Masculine Matt 7:26 1×
Accusative · Plural · Feminine 2 Tim 2:23 · Titus 3:9 2×
Accusative · Plural · Neuter 1 Cor 1:27 1×
Vocative · Singular · Masculine Matt 5:22 1×
Vocative · Plural · Masculine Matt 23:17 1×
Word Origins
μωρός is built from this root:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
The same adjective can expose opposite judgments. The world sees a crucified Messiah and declares folly, but Paul announces that God's apparent foolishness is wiser than human systems because the cross saves those who believe and ends boasting. Within the church, however, some questions really are foolish because they generate controversy without advancing faith, love, holiness, or good works.
Timothy and Titus are not told to avoid doctrine; they are commanded to protect sound teaching from quarrelsome speculation. Teachers need this distinction. We must not soften the offense of the cross to gain cultural approval, and we must not mistake argumentative novelty for courage. Gospel wisdom can answer serious questions patiently, correct opponents gently, and walk away from cycles that only inflame pride.
The test is not whether a topic is difficult, but whether its handling accords with apostolic truth and bears useful, peaceful, godly fruit.
Anchor passage
1Cor.1.25
Doctrinal connections
- 1 Corinthians 1:18-31, the cross overturning worldly wisdom
- 2 Timothy 2:14-26, avoiding foolish controversy and correcting gently
- Titus 3:3-11, grace, good works, and unprofitable disputes
- Proverbs 18:2-8, fools delighting in airing opinions and stirring harm
- Isaiah 29:13-16, human wisdom overturned by God
- Luke 24:25-27, foolish slowness corrected by Christ through Scripture
Μωρός can mean foolish, dull, or senseless. In the “foolishness of God” construction, Paul uses rhetorical paradox rather than attributing a defect to God. In the pastoral letters, the adjective evaluates controversies by their truth and fruit.
From Old to New Testament
Wisdom literature exposes speech and argument detached from the fear of the Lord. The prophets announce God's overturning of human cleverness. In the cross, divine wisdom appears under worldly shame, and the church learns to prize truth that produces godliness over speculation that produces quarrels.
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