Greek word · G4996

σωφρόνως

sōphronōs

in self-control

From sōs (sound, safe) + phrēn (mind): with a sound mind; prudently, moderately, with self-mastery; keeping desire and impulse within proper bounds; sensible, decent, chaste (especially of women).

Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

σωφρόνως

adv., [in LXX: Wisdom of Solomon 9:11 * ;]

with sound mind, prudently, soberly: Titus 2:12.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Titus 2:12

Range of meaning

From sōs (sound, safe) + phrēn (mind): with a sound mind; prudently, moderately, with self-mastery; keeping desire and impulse within proper bounds; sensible, decent, chaste (especially of women).

Against the English

KJV 'soberly' (through the Latin sobrie) now suggests 'not drunk' or 'grave, solemn'. BSB 'sensible', ESV/NIV 'self-controlled' and NASB 'sensibly' are closer. No single English word captures sound judgement and self-mastery together.

How it drifted

'Sober' narrowed in modern English to not being drunk, or to a serious, gloomy mood. The broader sense of balanced, clear-headed living has faded.

Used elsewhere in the period

Sōphrosynē is one of the four cardinal virtues of Greek ethics (Plato, Republic 4), along with wisdom, courage and justice. Hellenistic Judaism took over the list: Wisdom of Solomon 8:7 names 'self-control and prudence, justice and courage'. 4 Maccabees is built around reason mastering the passions. In Titus 2 the word group runs through every household instruction: older men (2:2), young women trained by older women (2:4–5), young men (2:6). Moralists often attached it to Cretans because they were thought to lack it (1:12).

Similar words

Where it appears

Titus · 1

  1. Titus 2:12 σωφρόνως discreetly

    It instructs us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live sensible, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

    Here: Living with a sound, balanced mind that masters impulse. This is the classical Greek virtue sōphrosynē, which runs through the household instructions of 2:2–6. Here it sums them up.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.