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

• Autores: Yan Ma
• Localización: Filología neotestamentaria, ISSN 0214-2996, Vol. 38, Nº. 58, 2025, págs. 187-199
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • 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).