What does ὠφελέω (ōpheléō) mean in the Bible?
Opheleo means to profit, help, benefit, or be of value. It asks whether something actually does spiritual good.
Greek · G5623
ὠφελέω
To help
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ὠφελέω G5623
Pronunciation ōpheléō
What does ὠφελέω (ōpheléō) mean in the Bible?
Opheleo means to profit, help, benefit, or be of value. It asks whether something actually does spiritual good.
Reader summary
Full entry for ὠφελέω (G5623) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G5623?
The BSB source-word alignment has 15 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include does it profit (2), you would have received (2), avail (1), has value (1), he was accomplishing (1).
Where does ὠφελέω (ōpheléō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 15:5. Its strongest book concentrations include Mark (3), Matthew (3), 1 Corinthians (2), Hebrews (2).
What This Word Actually Means
Opheleo means to profit, help, benefit, or be of value. It asks whether something actually does spiritual good. The New Testament uses it to expose empty religious claims: circumcision has value only with obedience, impressive sacrifice gains nothing without love, and hearing good news does not benefit when it is not joined with faith. Jesus says the flesh profits nothing while His words are spirit and life.
Paul says certain forms of religious dependence make Christ of no value to those who seek justification through them. Hebrews contrasts grace-strengthened hearts with food regulations that did not benefit their devotees. Opheleo therefore presses beyond appearance to real spiritual effect: what helps, what is empty, and what is made fruitful by faith, love, grace, and the Spirit.
How the Bible Uses It
Opheleo asks whether a thing truly helps. It exposes religious activity without faith, love, grace, or the Spirit as empty of lasting spiritual profit.
- John.6.63
The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
Jesus contrasts the Spirit who gives life with flesh that profits nothing, anchoring true benefit in His life-giving words.
- Rom.2.25
Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.
Paul says circumcision has value only if the law is observed, so covenant signs cannot profit when detached from obedience.
- 1Cor.13.3
If I give all I possess to the poor and exult in the surrender of my body, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Even extreme generosity and bodily surrender gain nothing without love, making love essential to spiritual profit.
- 1Cor.14.6
Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?
Paul asks how tongues will benefit the church unless they bring revelation, knowledge, prophecy, or teaching.
- Gal.5.2
Take notice: I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all.
Paul warns that receiving circumcision as a basis of justification makes Christ of no value to them.
- Heb.4.2
For we also received the good news just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, since they did not share the faith of those who comprehended it.
The preached message did not benefit those who heard without sharing the faith of those who comprehended it.
- Heb.13.9
Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace and not by foods of no value to those devoted to them.
Grace strengthens the heart, while food regulations are said to have no value for those devoted to them.
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 does it profit 2× Mark 8:36, Luke 9:25
you would have received 2× Matthew 15:5, Mark 7:11
avail 1× Mark 5:26
has value 1× Romans 2:25
he was accomplishing 1× Matthew 27:24
I gain 1× 1 Corinthians 13:3
profits 1× John 6:63
this is doing you no good 1× John 12:19
value 1× Hebrews 13:9
was of no value 1× Hebrews 4:2
will be of no value 1× Galatians 5:2
will I benefit 1× 1 Corinthians 14:6
will it profit 1× Matthew 16:26
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 15:5 ὠφεληθῇς to you would have received Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 2nd Person Singular Matthew 16:26 ὠφεληθήσεται to will it profit Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular Matthew 27:24 ὠφελεῖ to he was accomplishing Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Mark 5:26 ὠφεληθεῖσα to avail Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Feminine Singular Mark 7:11 ὠφεληθῇς to you would have received Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 2nd Person Singular Mark 8:36 ὠφελεῖ to does it profit Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Luke 9:25 ὠφελεῖται to does it profit Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular John 6:63 ὠφελεῖ to profits Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular John 12:19 ὠφελεῖτε to this is doing you no good Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural Romans 2:25 ὠφελεῖ to has value Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 15:5
Aligned rows 15
Books represented 8
Matthew 3 Mark 3 Luke 1 John 2 Romans 1 1 Corinthians 2 Galatians 1 Hebrews 2
Source forms
ὠφελεῖ 4x ōphelei Matthew 27:24, Mark 8:36, John 6:63, Romans 2:25
ὠφεληθῇς 2x ōphelēthēs Matthew 15:5, Mark 7:11
ὠφελεῖται 1x ōpheleitai Luke 9:25
ὠφελεῖτε 1x ōpheleite John 12:19
ὠφεληθεῖσα 1x ōphelētheisa Mark 5:26
ὠφελήθησαν 1x ōphelēthēsan Hebrews 13:9
ὠφεληθήσεται 1x ōphelēthēsetai Matthew 16:26
ὠφελήσει 1x ōphelēsei Galatians 5:2
Parsing patterns
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 4x Matthew 27:24, Mark 8:36, John 6:63, Romans 2:25
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 2nd Person Singular 2x Matthew 15:5, Mark 7:11
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 1x Hebrews 4:2
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Plural 1x Hebrews 13:9
Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Feminine Singular 1x Mark 5:26
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular 1x 1 Corinthians 14:6
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 1x Galatians 5:2
Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular 1x Matthew 16:26
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Ask whether a practice helps people trust, love, obey, and be strengthened by grace rather than merely whether it looks active.
- Use this word to encourage reform of unhelpful practices without despising faithful traditions that serve the gospel.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that all external religious practices are spiritually worthless.
- Do not claim that benefit is measured by immediate emotional impact or visible activity.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. to help
Strong's G5623
Lexical occurrences 15 verses Greek text appearances 15 times Word forms 3 forms 15 references Verse guides 0 guides
Source Gloss
to help
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
15 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 15:5 Verb Second Person Singular Aorist Passive Subjunctive
ὠφεληθῇς, wfelhqhv
I help, benefit, do good
Read verse Matthew 16:26 Verb Third Person Singular Present Passive Indicative
ὠφελεῖται wfeleitai
I help, benefit, do good
Read verse Matthew 27:24 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
ὠφελεῖ, wfelei
I help, benefit, do good
Read verse Mark 5:26 Verb Aorist Passive Participle Nominative Singular Feminine
ὠφεληθεῖσα, wfelhqeisa
I help, benefit, do good
Read verse Mark 7:11 Verb Second Person Singular Aorist Passive Subjunctive
ὠφεληθῇς· wfelhqhv
I help, benefit, do good
Read verse Mark 8:36 Verb Third Person Singular Future Active Indicative
ὠφελήσει wfelhsei
I help, benefit, do good
Read verse Luke 9:25 Verb Third Person Singular Present Passive Indicative
ὠφελεῖται wfeleitai
I help, benefit, do good
Read verse John 6:63 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
ὠφελεῖ wfelei
I help, benefit, do good
Read verse John 12:19 Verb Second Person Plural Present Active Indicative
ὠφελεῖτε wfeleite
I help, benefit, do good
Read verse Romans 2:25 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
ὠφελεῖ, wfelei
I help, benefit, do good
Read verse 1 Corinthians 13:3 Verb First Person Singular Present Passive Indicative
ὠφελοῦμαι. wfeloumai
I help, benefit, do good
Read verse 1 Corinthians 14:6 Verb First Person Singular Future Active Indicative
ὠφελήσω, wfelhsw
I help, benefit, do good
Read verse Galatians 5:2 Verb Third Person Singular Future Active Indicative
ὠφελήσει. wfelhsei
I help, benefit, do good
Read verse Hebrews 4:2 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ὠφέλησεν wfelhsen
I help, benefit, do good
Read verse Hebrews 13:9 Verb Third Person Plural Aorist Passive Indicative
ὠφελήθησαν wfelhqhsan
I help, benefit, do good
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 15 Tenses Present, Aorist, Future Voices Active, Passive
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Indicative states a fact or reality 12×
Present Active Matt 27:24 · Mark 8:36 · John 6:63 · Rom 2:25 · John 12:19 5×
Present Passive Luke 9:25 · 1 Cor 13:3 2×
Future Active 1 Cor 14:6 · Gal 5:2 2×
Future Passive Matt 16:26 1×
Aorist Active Heb 4:2 1×
Aorist Passive Heb 13:9 1×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 2×
Aorist Passive Matt 15:5 · Mark 7:11 2×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 1×
Aorist Passive Mark 5:26 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 15 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
present 7 aorist 5 future 3
Voice
active 8 passive 7
Mood
indicative 12 subjunctive 2 participle 1
NT Occurrences
Matthew 15:5 ὠφεληθῇς aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 16:26 ὠφεληθήσεται future passive indicative prospective Matthew 27:24 ὠφελεῖ present active indicative ongoing Mark 5:26 ὠφεληθεῖσα aorist passive participle participle Mark 7:11 ὠφεληθῇς aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive Mark 8:36 ὠφελεῖ present active indicative ongoing Luke 9:25 ὠφελεῖται present passive indicative ongoing John 6:63 ὠφελεῖ present active indicative ongoing John 12:19 ὠφελεῖτε present active indicative ongoing Romans 2:25 ὠφελεῖ present active indicative ongoing 1 Corinthians 13:3 ὠφελοῦμαι present passive indicative ongoing 1 Corinthians 14:6 ὠφελήσω future active indicative prospective Galatians 5:2 ὠφελήσει future active indicative prospective Hebrews 4:2 ὠφέλησεν aorist active indicative completed Hebrews 13:9 ὠφελήθησαν aorist passive indicative completed
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)
Word Origins
ὠφελέω is built from this root:
ὠφέλεια G5622
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 core insight of opheleo is that not everything impressive is spiritually profitable. A sign can be covenantal and still not benefit the disobedient. A sacrifice can look total and still gain nothing without love. A message can be heard and still not profit if it is not joined with faith. Speech can be spiritual-sounding and still fail to benefit the church if it does not edify.
This word is pastorally valuable because it refuses to let religious appearance stand as proof of spiritual health. It calls churches to ask whether their practices are bringing people to Christ, strengthening hearts by grace, building up the body, and producing love. True benefit is measured by God's life-giving work, not by visible intensity.
Anchor passage
John.6.63
Doctrinal connections
- John.6.63: the Spirit gives life and Jesus' words are spirit and life.
- Romans.2.25: external covenant signs cannot profit apart from covenant faithfulness.
- 1 Corinthians.13.3: sacrifice without love gains nothing.
- 1 Corinthians.14.6: speech benefits the church when it edifies with understandable truth.
- Galatians.5.2: legal reliance makes Christ of no value to the one seeking justification that way.
- Hebrews.4.2: hearing the good news must be joined with faith to benefit.
Opheleo is a verb of benefit or profit. It often appears with negation or conditional force, so many uses ask what fails to help when separated from faith, love, obedience, grace, or edification.
From Old to New Testament
The prophets repeatedly expose worship that lacks covenant faithfulness, and wisdom asks what truly profits a person. The New Testament carries that concern into Christ-centered terms: profit is measured by life in the Spirit, faith, love, grace, and edification.
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