What does σκοπέω (skopéō) mean in the Bible?
Σκοπέω means to look at attentively, keep watch on, or direct one's regard toward something. Paul's uses show several forms of disciplined attention.
Greek · G4648
σκοπέω
To watch out
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σκοπέω G4648
Pronunciation skopéō
What does σκοπέω (skopéō) mean in the Bible?
Σκοπέω means to look at attentively, keep watch on, or direct one's regard toward something. Paul's uses show several forms of disciplined attention.
Reader summary
Full entry for σκοπέω (G4648) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G4648?
The BSB source-word alignment has 6 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include [But] watch (1), Be careful (1), carefully observe (1), fix our eyes (1), should look (1).
Where does σκοπέω (skopéō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Luke 11:35. Its strongest book concentrations include Philippians (2), 2 Corinthians (1), Galatians (1), Luke (1).
What This Word Actually Means
Σκοπέω means to look at attentively, keep watch on, or direct one's regard toward something. Paul's uses show several forms of disciplined attention. Second Corinthians 4 fixes attention beyond visible affliction toward unseen and eternal realities. Galatians 6 commands a gentle restorer to watch himself lest he also be tempted. Philippians 2 directs believers to attend to the interests of others in the pattern of Christ's self-emptying service.
The verb is not a call to suspicious surveillance or denial of visible suffering. It names purposeful regard: hope looks through present affliction to eternal glory, humility notices another's good, and restoration includes sober self-watchfulness. Christian attention is trained by the gospel, neither absorbed in self nor careless about one's own vulnerability.
How the Bible Uses It
Paul uses σκοπέω for deliberate attention directed toward eternal hope, another's interests, and one's own vulnerability in restoration. What believers watch shapes how they endure and serve.
- 2Cor.4.18
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Paul does not deny visible affliction; he evaluates it in relation to the unseen eternal glory God is preparing through resurrection hope.
- Gal.6.1
Brothers, if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.
The spiritual restorer must attend to himself, combining gentle help with awareness that he too can be tempted.
- Php.2.4
Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Looking to another's interests belongs to the communal humility exemplified supremely in the mind and self-giving action of Christ.
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 [But] watch 1× Galatians 6:1
Be careful 1× Luke 11:35
carefully observe 1× Philippians 3:17
fix our eyes 1× 2 Corinthians 4:18
should look 1× Philippians 2:4
to watch out for 1× Romans 16:17
Show sample aligned rows
Luke 11:35 σκόπει to Be careful Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular Romans 16:17 σκοπεῖν to to watch out for Verb - Present Infinitive Active 2 Corinthians 4:18 σκοπούντων to fix our eyes Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Plural Galatians 6:1 σκοπῶν to [But] watch Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular Philippians 2:4 σκοποῦντες to should look Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural Philippians 3:17 σκοπεῖτε to carefully observe Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Luke 11:35
Aligned rows 6
Books represented 5
Luke 1 Romans 1 2 Corinthians 1 Galatians 1 Philippians 2
Source forms
σκόπει 1x skopei Luke 11:35
σκοπεῖν 1x skopein Romans 16:17
σκοπεῖτε 1x skopeite Philippians 3:17
σκοποῦντες 1x skopountes Philippians 2:4
σκοπούντων 1x skopountōn 2 Corinthians 4:18
σκοπῶν 1x skopōn Galatians 6:1
Parsing patterns
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural 1x Philippians 3:17
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular 1x Luke 11:35
Verb - Present Infinitive Active 1x Romans 16:17
Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Plural 1x 2 Corinthians 4:18
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural 1x Philippians 2:4
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular 1x Galatians 6:1
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Do not turn attention to unseen realities into denial of the concrete affliction Paul openly names.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not read σκοπέω as permission for intrusive monitoring of others; Galatians 6 directs the restorer to watch himself.
- Do not use looking to others' interests to demand the erasure of legitimate needs, boundaries, or personal responsibility.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. Means to look carefully and purposefully, often implying watchful consideration or scrutiny of a specific target.
Strong's G4648
Lexical occurrences 6 verses Greek text appearances 6 times Word forms 3 forms 6 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Romans 16:17-20 Source Gloss
to watch out
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
6 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Luke 11:35 Verb Second Person Singular Present Active Imperative
σκόπει skopei
regard attentively, take heed
Read verse Romans 16:17 Verb Present Active Infinitive
σκοπεῖν skopein
regard attentively, take heed
Read verse 2 Corinthians 4:18 Verb Present Active Participle Genitive Plural Masculine
σκοπούντων skopountwn
regard attentively, take heed
Read verse Galatians 6:1 Verb Present Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
σκοπῶν skopwn
regard attentively, take heed
Read verse Philippians 2:4 Verb Second Person Plural Present Active Imperative
σκοπεῖτε, skopeite
regard attentively, take heed
Read verse Philippians 3:17 Verb Second Person Plural Present Active Imperative
σκοπεῖτε skopeite
regard attentively, take heed
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 groups 3 Aligned forms 6 Tenses Present Voices Active
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Imperative command or strong request 2×
Present Active Luke 11:35 · Phil 3:17 2×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 1×
Present Active Rom 16:17 1×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 3×
Present Active 2 Cor 4:18 · Gal 6:1 · Phil 2:4 3×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 6 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
present 6
Voice
active 6
Mood
participle 3 imperative 2 infinitive 1
NT Occurrences
Luke 11:35 σκόπει present active imperative imperative Romans 16:17 σκοπεῖν present active infinitive infinitive 2 Corinthians 4:18 σκοπούντων present active participle participle Galatians 6:1 σκοπῶν present active participle participle Philippians 2:4 σκοποῦντες present active participle participle Philippians 3:17 σκοπεῖτε present active imperative imperative
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 Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
New Testament Witnesses
To watch carefully, observe.
Showing 1 selected witness from 6 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
σκοπέω is built from this root:
Why This Word Matters
Calls for active vigilance in protecting doctrinal purity. Romans 16:17-20
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
Attention is a moral and pastoral practice. Paul can acknowledge severe outward wasting while fixing his gaze on unseen, eternal realities because resurrection gives suffering a larger horizon. He can command believers to look beyond private interests because Christ's humility reorders communal life. He can also require self-watchfulness during restoration because spiritual maturity never means immunity to temptation.
These are not competing directions. Gospel attention looks upward to God's promise, outward to the good of others, and inward with sober humility. Teachers should not use the unseen to minimize trauma, illness, or injustice; Paul names affliction honestly. Nor should concern for others erase appropriate self-examination. Σκοπέω invites deliberate, truth-shaped regard that sustains hope, prevents proud correction, and resists the tunnel vision of selfish ambition.
What the church keeps before its eyes influences the kind of people it becomes.
Anchor passage
2Cor.4.18
Doctrinal connections
- 2 Corinthians 4:7-5:10, affliction, unseen glory, resurrection, and walking by faith
- Galatians 6:1-5, gentle restoration, self-watchfulness, and burden-bearing
- Philippians 2:1-11, another's interests and the mind of Christ
- Numbers 21:4-9, looking toward God's appointed provision
- Psalm 123:1-4, eyes lifted to the Lord for mercy
- Hebrews 12:1-3, fixing attention on Jesus in endurance
Σκοπέω is related to σκοπός, a mark or object of attention. The verb involves looking toward, observing, or paying careful attention. Its object may be expressed directly or supplied by context, and the ethical force depends on what is watched and why.
From Old to New Testament
Israel is repeatedly called to remember and attend to the Lord's works and commands. The faithful lift their eyes to God for mercy. In the New Testament, Christ becomes the pattern and goal of attention as believers endure, serve others, and restore gently under resurrection hope.
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