"to exercise cleverness to the detriment of any one, to outwit; to make a victim of subtlety, to practice on the insidious dealing, Acts 7:19*"
Definition and meaning
to exercise cleverness to the detriment of any one, to outwit; to make a victim of subtlety, to practice on the insidious dealing, Acts 7:19*
In the original Greek the word is written: κατασοφίζομαι
Historical context
The Roman Empire provided infrastructure no previous civilization had built — roads, sea routes, a common language in Greek, and relative peace across the Mediterranean. Jewish synagogues existed in every major city, giving Paul a starting point everywhere he traveled. The early church had no buildings, no political power, no social standing — and spread faster than any movement in ancient history.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of katasophizomai (G2686) across the King James Bible.
The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live.
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Common questions
Strong's G2686 (katasophizomai) is a Greek word that means: to exercise cleverness to the detriment of any one, to outwit; to make a victim of subtlety, to practice on the insidious dealing, Acts 7:19* It appears 1 times in the King James Bible.
The word katasophizomai (G2686) appears 1 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G2686 is katasophizomai, a Greek word defined as: to exercise cleverness to the detriment of any one, to outwit; to make a victim of subtlety, to practice on the insidious dealing, Acts 7:19*. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
katasophizomai is a Greek word found in the New Testament.