Original Word: σφραγίζω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: sphragizó
Pronunciation: sfrag-ID-zo
Phonetic Spelling: (sfrag-id'-zo)
Definition: To seal, to set a seal upon, to mark with a seal
Meaning: I seal, set a seal upon.

Word Origin: From the Greek noun σφραγίς (sphragis), meaning "seal" or "signet."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The Hebrew equivalent often associated with the concept of sealing is חָתַם (chatham), Strong's Hebrew 2856, which means to seal or to close up.

Usage: The verb "sphragizó" primarily means to seal or to set a seal upon something. In the biblical context, it conveys the idea of authentication, ownership, security, and approval. It is used both in literal and metaphorical senses, such as sealing a document or a tomb, and sealing believers with the Holy Spirit.

Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient times, seals were used to signify authority, authenticity, and ownership. A seal was often a signet ring or a stamp pressed into wax or clay, leaving an impression that served as a signature. Seals were used to secure documents, mark property, and ensure that something remained untouched until the rightful owner or an authorized person opened it. In the biblical context, sealing also carried a spiritual significance, indicating God's ownership and protection over His people.

4972 sphragízō (from 4973 /sphragís, "a seal") – properly, to seal (affix) with a signet ring or other instrument to stamp (a roller or seal), i.e. to attest ownership, authorizing (validating) what is sealed.

4972 /sphragízō ("to seal") signifies ownership and the full security carried by the backing (full authority) of the owner. "Sealing" in the ancient world served as a "legal signature" which guaranteed the promise (contents) of what was sealed.

[Sealing was sometimes done in antiquity by the use of religious tattoos – again signifying "belonging to."]

Word Origin
from sphragis
Definition
to seal
NASB Translation
put...seal on (1), seal (2), sealed (9), set a seal on (1), set...seal to (2).

STRONGS NT 4972: σφραγίζω

σφραγίζω (Revelation 7:3 Rec.st); 1 aorist ἐσφραγισα; 1 aorist middle participle σφραγισάμενος; passive, perfect participle ἐσφραγισμενος; 1 aorist ἐσφραγίσθην; (in 2 Corinthians 11:10 Rec.st gives the form σφραγίσεται de coniectura vel errore (Tdf.; see his note at the passage)); (σφραγίς, which see); the Sept. for חָתַם; to set a seal upon, mark with a seal, to seal;

a. for security: τί, Matthew 27:66; namely, τήν ἄβυσσον, to close it, lest Satan after being cast into it should come out; hence, the addition ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ, over him i. e. Satan, Revelation 20:3 (ἐν ᾧ —i. e. δώματι —κεραυνός ἐστιν ἐσφραγισμενος, Aeschylus Eum. 828; middle σφραγίζομαι τήν θύραν, Bel and the Dragon, , Theod.).

b. Since things sealed up are concealed (as, the contents of a letter), (σφραγίζω means, tropically, to hide (Deuteronomy 32:34), keep in silence, keep secret: τί, Revelation 10:4; Revelation 22:10 (τάς ἁμαρτίας, Daniel 9:24, Theod.; τάς ἀνομίας, Job 14:17; τούς λόγους σιγή, Stobaeus, flor. 34, 9, p. 215; θαυματα πολλά σοφή σφρηγισσατο σιγή, Norm. paraphr. evang. Ioan. 21,140).

c. in order to mark a person or thing; hence, to set a mark upon by the impress of a seal, to stamp: angels are said σφραγίζειν τινας ἐπί τῶν μετώπων, i. e. with the seal of God (see σφραγίς, c.) to stamp his servants on their foreheads as destined for eternal salvation, and by this means to confirm their hopes, Revelation 7:3, cf. Ewald at the passage; (B. D., under the words, Cuttings and Forehead); hence, οἱ εσφραγισμένοι, fourteen times in Rec. Revelation 7:4-8, four times by G L T Tr WH (δεινοισι σημαντροισιν εσφραγισμένοι, Euripides, Iph. Taur. 1372); metaphorically: τινα τῷ πνεύματι and ἐν τῷ πνεύματι, respecting God, who by the gift of the Holy Spirit indicates who are his, passive, Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 4:30; absolutely, middle with τινα, 2 Corinthians 1:22.

d. in order to prove, confirm, or attest a thing; hence, tropically, to confirm, authenticate, place beyond doubt (a written document τῷ δακτυλίῳ, Esther 8:8): followed by ὅτι, John 3:33; τινα, to prove by one's testimony to a person that he is what he professes to be, John 6:27. Somewhat unusual is the expression σφραγισάμενος αὐτοῖς τόν καρπόν τοῦτον, when I shall have confirmed (sealed) to them this fruit (of love), meaning apparently, when I shall have given authoritative assurance that this money was collected for their use, Romans 15:28. (Compare: κατασφραγίζω.)

seal

From sphragis; to stamp (with a signet or private mark) for security or preservation (literally or figuratively); by implication, to keep secret, to attest -- (set a, set to) seal up, stop.

see GREEK sphragis

εσφραγισάμην εσφράγισαν εσφράγισας εσφραγίσατο εσφραγισεν εσφράγισεν ἐσφράγισεν εσφραγίσθη εσφραγισθητε εσφραγίσθητε ἐσφραγίσθητε εσφραγισμένη εσφραγισμενοι εσφραγισμένοι ἐσφραγισμένοι εσφραγισμένον εσφραγισμένου εσφραγισμενων εσφραγισμένων ἐσφραγισμένων εσφράγισται σφραγιζόμενοι σφραγιζόντων σφραγιή σφραγίσαι σφραγισαμενος σφραγισάμενος σφραγισαντες σφραγίσαντες σφραγίσατε σφραγισης σφραγίσης σφραγίσῃς σφραγισθή Σφραγισον Σφράγισον σφραγισωμεν σφραγίσωμεν esphragisen esphrágisen esphragismenoi esphragisménoi esphragismenon esphragismenōn esphragisménon esphragisménōn esphragisthete esphragisthēte esphragísthete esphragísthēte sphragisamenos sphragisámenos sphragisantes sphragísantes sphragíseis sphragísēis sphragises sphragisēs sphragisomen sphragisōmen sphragísomen sphragísōmen Sphragison SphrágisonInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts