Brief Overview of σεβάζομαι (Strong’s G4573: sebazomai)

Strong’s G4573: A deponent middle/passive verb meaning “to worship, revere, or show religious awe,” derived from σέβας (sebas, “awe, reverence”). It expresses deep veneration or religious devotion, particularly in contexts of worshiping divine beings or showing profound respect to sacred things.

U- Unveiling the Word

σεβάζομαι (sebazomai) emerges from the rich theological soil of religious devotion and sacred reverence in ancient Greek culture. As a deponent verb, it carries the weight of personal engagement in worship, suggesting not merely outward actions but an internal disposition of awe and veneration. The word appears in contexts where profound religious devotion is directed toward deity, though in the New Testament, it notably appears in Romans 1:25 to describe misplaced worship of created things rather than the Creator. This usage powerfully illustrates humanity’s inherent religious nature and our capacity to direct worship either rightly or wrongly. The early church recognized this term’s significance in discussions about proper worship orientation, emphasizing the exclusive worship due to the one true God. Today, this word continues to challenge us to examine our deepest devotions and the proper object of our worship.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: σεβάζομαι, sebazomai, seh-BAD-zoh-my
• Pronunciation Guide: seh (as in “set”) + BAD (as in “bad”) + zoh (as in “zone”) + my (as in “my”)
• Part of Speech: Verb (Deponent Middle/Passive)

Etymology:

• σέβας (sebas) – root meaning “awe, reverence”
• -αζω (-azō) – verbal suffix indicating causative or intensive action
• -μαι (-mai) – middle/passive ending indicating personal involvement

D – Defining Meanings

• To worship with deep reverence
• To show religious awe or veneration
• To treat something or someone as worthy of divine honor

For compound words: The root σέβας conveys the core concept of religious awe, while the -αζω suffix intensifies the action, making it more deliberate and ongoing. The middle/passive ending -μαι indicates personal involvement in the act of worship.

Translation Options:

• “to worship reverently” – best captures the religious nature and personal involvement
• “to venerate” – emphasizes the aspect of deep respect and honor
• “to revere religiously” – highlights both the action and its sacred context

E – Exploring Similar Words

• σέβομαι (sebomai, SEH-boh-my) – See G4576: A simpler form meaning “to worship,” less intensive than σεβάζομαι
• σεβαστός (sebastos, seh-bas-TOS) – See G4575: An adjective meaning “venerable, august,” used as a title for Roman emperors
• εὐσεβέω (eusebeō, yoo-seb-EH-oh) – See G2151: To act piously or show reverence, especially toward God or parents

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

As a deponent middle/passive verb, σεβάζομαι exhibits these features:

• Tense: Present (continuous action)
• Voice: Middle/Passive (subject both performs and receives the action)
• Mood: Indicative, Subjunctive, Optative possible
• Person: First, Second, or Third
• Number: Singular or Plural
• Aspect: Imperfective (ongoing action)

Example morphological changes:

• σεβάζομαι – I worship (present middle/passive indicative)
• σεβαζόμενος – worshiping (present middle/passive participle)
• σεβασθῆναι – to be worshiped (aorist passive infinitive)

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

The major lexicons provide rich insights into σεβάζομαι. BDAG emphasizes its religious connotations and its use in contexts of divine worship. Thayer’s highlights its connection to the concept of awe and religious fear. LSJ provides examples from classical literature showing its use in both religious and imperial contexts. Vine’s notes its relationship to σέβομαι but emphasizes its more intensive nature. Strong’s connects it to the broader word family of religious devotion. LEH provides Septuagint contexts, while Moulton and Milligan offer papyri evidence showing its use in religious contexts outside biblical literature.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
“They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped [σεβάζομαι] and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.” Romans 1:25

Additional References:
This word appears only once in the New Testament, in Romans 1:25.

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

σεβάζομαι represents the profound human capacity for worship and reverence. Its singular appearance in Romans 1:25 serves as a powerful reminder that worship, while natural to humanity, must be properly directed toward God alone. This word proclaims the good news of King Jesus by highlighting our need for proper worship orientation and the fulfillment found in directing our deepest reverence to Him who alone is worthy of such devotion.

D – Did You Know?

• The English word “Sebastian” derives from the same root, originally meaning “venerable” or “revered”
• The title “Augustus” given to Roman emperors is a Latin translation of σεβαστός, from the same word family
• The word appears frequently in ancient Greek magical papyri, showing its significant role in religious practice

Strong’s G4573: A deponent middle/passive verb meaning “to worship, revere, or show religious awe,” derived from σέβας (sebas, “awe, reverence”). It expresses deep veneration or religious devotion, particularly in contexts of worshiping divine beings or showing profound respect to sacred things.

Part of speech: Deponent Middle/Passive Verb

Tags: worship, reverence, devotion, religious awe, veneration, Romans, idolatry, divine worship, religious devotion, sacred respect, Greek verbs, biblical Greek, New Testament Greek, worship vocabulary, religious terminology​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​