Greek · G4983 · unreviewed

σῶμα

Body

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σῶμα G4983

Pronunciation sōma

What does σῶμα (sōma) mean in the Bible?

σῶμα (sōma) is a Greek word meaning "body". σῶμα, -τος, τό, [in LXX for גְּוִיָּה ,בָּשָׂר, etc. Illustrates the organic unity of believers in Christ. This term runs through the canonical themes of Messiah.

Full entry for σῶμα (G4983) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

body

Extended definition

The physical body as the instrument through which the soul expresses itself and experiences God's presence or absence.

a body.

1Prop., of the human body,

aas always in Hom. (opposite to δέμας), of the dead body: Mat.27:58, 59 Mrk.15:43, al.;

bof the living body: Luk.11:34, 1Co.6:13, al.; ἐν σ. εἶναι, Heb.13:3; as the instrument of the soul, τὰ διὰ τοῦ σ., 2Co.5:10; opposite to πνεῦμα, Rom.8:10, 1Co.5:3 7:4, Jas.2:26; to ψυχή, Mat.6:25 10:28, Luk.12:22 (cf. Wis.1:1, al.); to τὸ π. καὶ ἡ ψ., 1Th.5:23; σ. ψυχικόν, opposite to σ. πνευματικόν, 1Co.15:44; ὁ ναὸς τοῦ σ. αὐτοῦ (genitive epexeg.), Jhn.2:21; τὸ σ. τ. ταπεινώσεως (Hebraistic "genitive of definition"; M, Pr., 73f.; Bl., §35, 5), opposite to τὸ σ. τ. δοξῆς αὐτοῦ, Php.3:21; similarly, τὸ σ. τ. σαρκός, Col.1:22; σ. τοῦ θανάτου (subject to death), Rom.7:24; σ. τ. ἁμαρτίας, Rom.6:6; __(with) periphr., ἀνθρώπου, then absol., σῶμα (Soph., Xen., al.), a person, and in later writers (Polyb., al.), a slave: Rev.18:13 (cf. MM, i, ii, xxiv; Deiss., BS, 160).

2Of the bodies of animals: living, Jas.3:3; dead, Heb.13:11 ( Exo.29:14, al.).

3Of inanimate objects (cf. Eng. "heavenly bodies"): 1Co.15:37, 38 40 (Diod., al.).

4Of any corporeal substance (Plat., al.): opposite to σκιά, Col.2:17. Metaphorical, of a number of persons united by a common bond; in NT, of the Church as the spiritual body of Christ: Rom.12:5, 1Co.10:16, 17 12:13, 27, Eph.1:23 2:16 4:4, 12, 16 5:23, 30, Col.1:18, 24 2:19 3:15; ἓν σ. κ. ἓν πνεῦμα, Eph.4:4.

Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith

Why This Word Matters

Illustrates the organic unity of believers in Christ. Luke 23:50–56

Confirms the physical death of Christ. Romans 12:3-8

Grammatical Forms

How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.

Nominative · Singular · Neuter Matt 5:29 · Matt 5:30 · Matt 6:22 · Matt 6:23 · Matt 6:25 · Matt 26:26 · Mark 14:22 · Luke 11:34 · Luke 11:36 · Luke 12:23 · Luke 17:37 · Luke 22:19 · Luke 23:55 · John 20:12 · Rom 6:6 · Rom 8:10 40×

Nominative · Plural · Neuter Matt 27:52 · John 19:31 · 1 Cor 6:15 · 1 Cor 15:40 · Heb 13:11 6×

Genitive · Singular · Neuter Matt 6:22 · Matt 26:12 · Luke 11:34 · John 2:21 · Rom 7:4 · Rom 7:24 · Rom 8:13 · Rom 8:23 · 1 Cor 6:18 · 1 Cor 7:4 · 1 Cor 10:16 · 1 Cor 11:27 · 1 Cor 12:12 · 1 Cor 12:15 · 1 Cor 12:16 · 1 Cor 12:22 36×

Genitive · Plural · Neuter Rev 18:13 1×

Dative · Singular · Neuter Matt 6:25 · Mark 5:29 · Luke 12:22 · Rom 6:12 · Rom 12:4 · 1 Cor 5:3 · 1 Cor 6:13 · 1 Cor 6:20 · 1 Cor 7:34 · 1 Cor 12:18 · 1 Cor 12:25 · 1 Cor 15:35 · 2 Cor 4:10 · 2 Cor 5:6 · 2 Cor 12:2 · 2 Cor 12:3 25×

Accusative · Singular · Neuter Matt 10:28 · Matt 27:58 · Matt 27:59 · Mark 14:8 · Mark 15:43 · Luke 12:4 · Luke 23:52 · Luke 24:3 · Luke 24:23 · John 19:38 · John 19:40 · Acts 9:40 · Rom 4:19 · 1 Cor 6:18 · 1 Cor 9:27 · 1 Cor 11:29 30×

Accusative · Plural · Neuter Rom 1:24 · Rom 8:11 · Rom 12:1 · Eph 5:28 4×

Canonical Themes

Messiah

Biblical Occurrences

Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.

New Testament Witnesses

Luke 23:50–56 σῶμα sōma Nominative · Singular · Neuter

body

Romans 12:3-8 σῶμα sōma Dative · Singular · Neuter

Body, unified organism.

Additional Occurrences

Mark 14:12–25 σῶμα sōma

body; physical embodiment

Mark 15:42–47 σῶμα sōma

body; physical body

Appears In

Compound and idiomatic lexemes in which this word is a constituent. Follow a link to study the phrase and its other participating words.

Word Pictures (Robertson)

A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.

1 Corinthians 12 — One Spirit, Many Gifts, and One Body in Christ 1 Corinthians 6 — Judge Righteously, Flee Sexual Immorality, and Glorify God in Your Body Colossians 1 — The Supremacy of Christ and the Gospel of Reconciliation Colossians 2 — Fullness in Christ and Freedom from Christ-Plus Religion Luke 22 — The Passover Betrayal, the New Covenant Meal, and the Suffering Servant King Luke 24 — The Risen Christ Opens the Scriptures, Commissions Witnesses, and Ascends in Blessing Mark 14 — The Son of Man Handed Over: Anointing, Supper, Gethsemane, Betrayal, Trial, and Denial Mark 15 — The Crucified King: Condemnation, Mockery, Death, Confession, and Burial Matthew 10 — The Mission of the Twelve, Costly Witness, and Allegiance to Christ Philippians 3 — Counting All Things Loss and Pressing On Toward Christ Romans 12 — Living Sacrifices, Renewed Minds, Humble Service, and Love Without Hypocrisy Romans 6 — Dead to Sin and Alive to God in Christ Jesus Romans 7 — Released from the Law, Exposed by the Law, and Crying Out for Deliverance Romans 8 — No Condemnation, Life in the Spirit, and the Unbreakable Love of God in Christ

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

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

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

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