The Meaning of Sṓphrōn in the Pastoral Epistles: A Lexical Semantic Analysis

The Meaning of Σώφρων in the Pastoral Epistles A Lexical Semantic Analysis

The Greek word σώφρων occurs four times in the New Testament, all of which are in the Pastoral Epistles, namely 1 Tim 3:2, Titus 1:8, 2:2, and 2:5. Appropriately defining the meaning of σώφρων must have significance to the interpretation of the Pastoral Epistles. However, different English versions...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Ma, Yan (Author)
Format: Print Article
Language:English
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Interlibrary Loan:Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany)
Published: 2025
In: Filología neotestamentaria
Year: 2025, Volume: 38, Issue: 58, Pages: 187-199
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Summary:The Greek word σώφρων occurs four times in the New Testament, all of which are in the Pastoral Epistles, namely 1 Tim 3:2, Titus 1:8, 2:2, and 2:5. Appropriately defining the meaning of σώφρων must have significance to the interpretation of the Pastoral Epistles. However, different English versions render this word differently in the four verses. In this paper, I argue that the meaning of σώφρων should be restraining sensual desires, with possible stress on sexual desire, and the gloss "temperate" captures the lexical meaning of σώφρων by conducting a lexical semantic analysis based on Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL).
ISSN:0214-2996
Contains:Enthalten in: Filología neotestamentaria