Brief Overview of ἀσφαλίζω (G805: Asphalizō)

1. Brief Overview:

Transliteration: Asphalizō

Root Words: The term ἀσφαλίζω is derived from the adjective ἀσφαλής (asphalēs), meaning “secure” or “safe.” The verb ἀσφαλίζω means “to make secure” or “to ensure.”

Primary Meanings:

• To Make Secure: The primary meaning of ἀσφαλίζω is to make something secure or safe, implying a process of providing protection or certainty.
• To Guarantee: It also carries the sense of guaranteeing or ensuring something, making it certain or reliable.
• To Establish Firmly: Another meaning is to establish something firmly, ensuring that it remains stable and protected.

2. Detailed Description:

BDAG: BDAG defines ἀσφαλίζω as “to make secure” or “to ensure,” focusing on its usage in providing safety or certainty. The term is used in contexts where something is being made firm or guaranteed.

Thayer’s: Thayer’s Greek Lexicon describes ἀσφαλίζω as “to make safe” or “to secure,” emphasizing its application in guaranteeing safety and stability.

Vines: Vines’ Expository Dictionary notes that ἀσφαλίζω means “to make secure” or “to ensure,” highlighting its role in establishing safety and reliability.

LSJ: The LSJ Lexicon defines ἀσφαλίζω as “to make secure” or “to guarantee,” reflecting its use in contexts of providing certainty and protection.

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance: Strong’s describes ἀσφαλίζω as “to make safe” or “to ensure,” focusing on its meaning of guaranteeing safety and stability.

Bible Verses:

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• 2 Corinthians 1:21 (KJV): “Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;”
• Here, ἀσφαλίζω is used in the sense of establishing or making secure in Christ.

3. Classic Greek Literature:

Usage in Classic Greek Literature:

• Homer: In works such as The Iliad and The Odyssey, while ἀσφαλίζω may not be explicitly used, the concept of securing or ensuring outcomes is present in the portrayal of heroic actions and guarantees.
• Sophocles: Sophocles’ plays, including Oedipus Rex, discuss themes of certainty and stability, reflecting the broader idea of making something secure or guaranteed.
• Aristotle: Aristotle’s writings, such as in Nicomachean Ethics, involve discussions about the principles of stability and assurance, which align with the notion of making things secure or ensuring their reliability.

4. Summary:

ἀσφαλίζω (Asphalizō) primarily means “to make secure” or “to ensure,” referring to the act of providing safety, stability, or certainty. It is used to describe the process of guaranteeing or establishing something firmly. In classic Greek literature, the concept of making something secure is reflected in various themes of stability and assurance, though the term itself may not always be explicitly used.