σοφός

Matthew 11:25 σοφῶν wise

At that time Jesus declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.

Here: The wise. In Jewish usage this pointed to the recognised sages and scribes, the experts in God's law. There is no article, so it names a kind of person.

Matthew 23:34 σοφοὺς wise [men]

Because of this, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and others you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town.

Here: In Jewish usage, the sages (Hebrew ḥakhamim): recognized teachers of God's wisdom and law. It does not mean simply clever people.

Luke 10:21 σοφῶν wise

At that time Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was well-pleasing in Your sight.

Here: The wise: in a Jewish setting, the learned class, scribes and Torah experts recognised as people of wisdom. No article, so it describes a type of person.

Romans 1:14 σοφοῖς to [the] wise

I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish.

Here: The educated and cultivated: people trained in rhetoric and philosophy, who were counted as 'wise' in society. Here it names a social and educational class, not moral or spiritual wisdom.

Romans 1:22 σοφοὶ wise

Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools,

Here: The self-description they claimed. In the Greek world it pointed to philosophers and educated people. In Jewish usage it meant wisdom that starts from honouring God. Here it stands in pointed contrast with the next word: claiming to be wise people (sophoi), they were turned into fools (mōroi).

Romans 16:19 σοφοὺς wise

Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice over you. But I want you to be wise about what is good and innocent about what is evil.

Here: 'Wise': skilled and discerning in practice, not simply well-informed. It is the ability to recognise the good and do it.

1 Corinthians 1:19 σοφῶν, wise,

For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”

Here: 'The wise ones.' Pairing it with sophian ('the wisdom of the wise') stresses the point: their very own wisdom, the thing they are known for.

1 Corinthians 1:20 σοφός; wise?

Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

Here: The recognised sage, someone with a public reputation for wisdom. Greek has no verb or article here, so the phrase is clipped and abrupt: 'Where's the wise man?'

1 Corinthians 1:25 σοφώτερον wiser

For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.

Here: The comparative form of sophos, "wise". The thing that looks stupid turns out to be wiser. It is neuter to match "the foolish thing".

1 Corinthians 1:26 σοφοὶ wise

Brothers, consider the time of your calling: Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were powerful; not many were of noble birth.

Here: The educated: people trained in rhetoric and philosophy, admired as 'wise' in Greek city culture. This picks up the 'wisdom' Paul has been taking apart since 1:17.

1 Corinthians 1:27 σοφούς, wise

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

Here: The educated elite: philosophers, rhetoricians, people whose learning gave them status. It recalls "Where is the wise man?" in 1:20 and the quotation of Isaiah 29:14 in 1:19.

1 Corinthians 3:10 σοφὸς a wise

By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one must be careful how he builds.

Here: Skilled in a craft, as in 'a wise carpenter'. It also echoes, with some irony, the 'wisdom' the Corinthians prized (chs. 1–2).

1 Corinthians 3:18 σοφὸς σοφός. wise, wise.

Let no one deceive himself. If any of you thinks he is wise in this age, he should become a fool, so that he may become wise.

Here: The prestige word of Corinthian culture: the cultivated, eloquent, philosophically trained person. It names a social rank as well as a mental quality.

1 Corinthians 3:19 σοφοὺς wise

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness.”

Here: The people who are wise by the world's measure. It picks up v. 18, 'if anyone thinks he is wise'. Here it is close to 'the clever'.

1 Corinthians 3:20 σοφῶν wise

And again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”

Here: Paul's own word. The Psalm says "of man" (Greek anthrōpōn). Paul replaces it with "of the wise" to point the verse at the Corinthians who prided themselves on wisdom and eloquence.

1 Corinthians 6:5 σοφός, wise,

I say this to your shame. Is there really no one among you wise enough to arbitrate between his brothers?

Here: Biting irony. 'Wisdom' was the Corinthians' boast (1:18–3:23; 4:10). It also recalls the 'wise' men Moses appointed to judge Israel's disputes (Deut 1:13–16).

Ephesians 5:15 σοφοί, wise,

Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,

Here: 'Wise ones' in the biblical sense: people with practical skill in living according to God's purposes. Verse 17 explains it: 'understand what the will of the Lord is'. The sentence keeps going into verse 16 ('redeeming the time').

James 3:13 σοφὸς [is] wise

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good conduct, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

Here: Wise in the Jewish sense: skilled in living rightly before God, not merely clever or learned. In context (3:1) it points especially at those who want to be teachers.