"that which is made or done; a work, workmanship, creation, Rom. 1:20; met. Eph. 2:10*"
Definition and meaning
that which is made or done; a work, workmanship, creation, Rom. 1:20; met. Eph. 2:10*
In the original Greek the word is written: ποίημα
Historical context
Paul wrote Romans from Corinth, one of the most important commercial cities in the empire. Rome had a Jewish population of around 50,000. The letter addresses real tensions between Jewish believers with centuries of Torah tradition and Gentile believers with no such background. Emperor Nero was on the throne. Within ten years he would execute both Paul and Peter.
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 poiema (G4161) across the King James Bible.
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
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Common questions
Strong's G4161 (poiema) is a Greek word that means: that which is made or done; a work, workmanship, creation, Rom. 1:20; met. Eph. 2:10* It appears 2 times in the King James Bible.
The word poiema (G4161) appears 2 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G4161 is poiema, a Greek word defined as: that which is made or done; a work, workmanship, creation, Rom. 1:20; met. Eph. 2:10*. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
poiema is a Greek word found in the New Testament.