sober minded, sophrosune, G4997

by Krisan Marotta | Jul 22, 2026 | 04 Bible Study 101, Word Study - Greek

Tools and resources you need to do a word study on the Greek word for soundness of mind, sophrosune, G4997.

Strong’s number: G4997

Greek Lexical Dictionary: Strong's #4997 - σωφροσύνη

Greek Word: σωφροσύνη

Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine

Transliteration: sóphrosuné

Phonetic Spelling: (so-fros-oo'-nay)

KJV: soberness, sobriety

Etymology: [from G4998 (σώφρων - sensible)] From sophron; soundness of mind, i.e. (literally) sanity or (figuratively) self-control -- soberness, sobriety.

NASB Translation: discreetly (1), self-restraint (1), sober (1).

New Testament Usage

Sophrosune - 3x discreetly(1), self-restraint(1), sober(1).

Acts 26:25 But Paul said, "I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter words of sober truth.
1 Timothy 2:9 Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments,
1 Timothy 2:15 But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint.

Sōphrosunē is a contraction of saophrosunē found in Homer (Eighth Century B.C.). Its etymological meaning is “of sound mind,” a combination of saos (“sound, whole, healthy”) and phrenes (“mind”). In classical Greek it could denote the “rational,” what is “intellectually sound,” or “discretion,” i.e., moderation and self-control (Luck, “sōphrōn,” Kittel, 7:1097)

Sophron (G4998 adjective) - prudent(1), sensible(3). (sophron from sozo = to save + phren = mind)

1 Timothy 3:2 An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
Titus 2:2 - Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance.
Titus 2:5 - to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be dishonored.

Englishman's concordance: σώφρων (sóphrón)

Lexicons

Thayers G4997: soundness of mind self-control, sobriety

Strongs G4997: From G4998; soundness of mind, that is, (literally) sanity or (figuratively) self control: - soberness, sobriety.

Mounce G4997: propriety, appropriateness; reasonableness, mental soundness

Hebrew equivalent words: (see below)

Precepts Austin: sophrosune

Classical Greek

Philosophers wrangled over the exact definition of sōphrosunē (Plato discussed it at length in his Charmides). In general, it refers “to a basic attitude which alone makes possible certain concrete modes of conduct” (Luck, ibid., 7:1098). Its main manifestation is restraint, an effort to control one’s emotions using reason.

Thus, sōphrosunē is an attitude arising from within oneself and manifests itself in an outward life of moderation and self-control.

An antonym in classical Greek is the word hubris (5036B), “lack of self-restraint,” which reveals itself in greed, pride, gluttony, overstepping of bounds, etc.

Sōphrosunē was expected of people in the Greek world. Following Plato the Stoics classified sōphrosunē as one of the four cardinal virtues of life. In popular philosophy these virtues could be subdivided into long lists of virtue and vices (ibid., 7:1100).

Sōphrosunē, when applied to women, meant self-control and restraint in sexual desires, and hence, “chastity.”

In the Septuagint sōphrosunē does not appear in the canonical books. According to Luck its main Hebrew equivalent is mûsār, “discipline, correction.” (Mûsār is generally translated paideia [3672] in the Septuagint.) An analysis of mûsār, however, shows a profound difference in emphasis from sōphrosunē. According to Gilchrist mûsār denotes “correction which results in education.” The theological basis for mûsār is “grounded in the covenant relationship which Yahweh establishes with His people.” It is “education that is theocentric,” and “mûsār primarily points to a God-centered way of life, and only secondarily to ethical behavior” (Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, “yās̱ar”).

Thus, mûsār is restraint and discipline that originates from without, while Greek understanding of sōphrosunē arises from within. The translators of the Septuagint thus avoided the use of sōphrosunē (and its cognates, none of which appear in canonical books).

Sōphrosunē only appears “in texts extant in Greek alone or giving clear evidence of Hellenistic influence” (Luck, “sōphrōn,” Kittel, 7:1100).

In Philo sōphrosunē has its normal Hellenistic usage.

In the noncanonical books of the Septuagint sōphrosunē appears nine times. In Esther 3:13 (Septuagint only) it is (according to Artaxerxes) a quality of Haman. He has “sound judgment” (RSV). In Wisdom of Solomon 8:7 it appears with Plato’s other cardinal virtues as a product of the teaching of personified Wisdom. The writer has combined Greek and Jewish concepts.

Sōphrosunē is the result of having wisdom; wisdom is attained through instruction (paideia, 6:17).

Sōphrosunē appears six times in the highly Stoic 4 Maccabees. The Greek understanding of the word predominates. Emotions hinder sōphrosunē (1:3). The writer refers to the four cardinal virtues in 1:6,18. He calls these virtues “kinds of wisdom” (1:18, RSV). Reason (logismos [3027]) rules over the emotions through “the restraining power of self-control” (1:30, RSV). He defines sōphrosunē as “mastery over desires” (1:31). The writer shows his Jewish adherence to the Law when he attributes the attainment of the virtues to study of the Law (5:16-24). Via sōphrosunē the Jew can “master all pleasures and desires” (verse 23, RSV). Thus, sōphrosunē becomes a virtue which results from instruction in the Law.

Paul employed this noun when he stood before Agrippa as well as before Festus who interrupted the speaker’s defense by accusing him of being out of his mind. He acknowledged the apostle’s abundant learning and even claimed Paul was insane precisely because of his constant study of the Scriptures. Festus’ implication was that Paul was confused because of the nature of what he studied.

The apostle countered this impugning of the Old Testament by claiming that what he studied consisted of words of truth and words of soberness (sōphrosunē); that is, words that produced mental soundness, rationality, and self-control (Acts 26:25).

This crucial term also occurs in Paul’s first epistle to his spiritual son Timothy. After giving instructions concerning public worship Paul instructed women to dress orderly, kosmiō (see 2860), a term which comes from the same Greek noun kosmos (2862) which means “world.” The idea is that the outward apparel should be arranged in an orderly fashion so it reflects the orderly arrangement of the redeemed soul. If this is done the clothing will manifest two things: (1) modesty, a quality which does not unnecessarily expose the human body so as to draw undue attention to itself; and (2) sobriety (sōphrosunē), which has to do with a soundness of mind that reflects scriptural discretion and chastity (1 Timothy 2:9). (Complete Biblical Library Greek-English Dictionary)