G1721 ἔμφυτος (émphytos)

Greek 📖 Greek Word Study

Adjective

Quick Definition

ἔμφυτος, ον Adj inborn, ingrown, congenital, natural

Strong's Definition

implanted (figuratively)

Derivation: from G1722 (ἐν) and a derivative of G5453 (φύω);

KJV Usage: engrafted

UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament

ἔμφυτος (G1721)

adjc. | -ον | φύω

85.31 · Existence in Space · Be in a Place

placed in, permanently established in, implanted (a figurative extension of meaning of ἔμφυτος ‘to be implanted,’ not occurring in the NT) to be permanently in a place, with the implication of development

JAS 1:21

UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

ἔμφυτος (see ἐν, III. 3), ἔμφυτον (ἐμφύω to implant), in secular authors (from Herodotus down) inborn, implanted by nature; cf. Grimm, Exeget. Hdb. on Sap. (xii. 10), p. 224; implanted by others' instruction: thus Jas_1:21 τόν ἔμφυτον λόγον, the doctrine implanted by your teachers (others by God; cf. Brückner in DeWette, or Huther at the passage), δέξασθε ἐν πραΰτητι, receive like mellow soil, as it were.

Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary

ἔμφυτος emphytos 1x

implanted, ingrafted, infixed, Jas. 1:21*

Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon

** ἔμ-φυτος, -ον

(< ἐμφύω, to implant), [in LXX: ἔ. ἡ κακία αὐτῶν, Wi 12:10 * ;]

innate (Wi 12:10).

rooted, implanted: Ja 1:21 (v. Mayor, in l).†

Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT

ἔμφυτος. The meaning of ‘‘inborn,’’ ‘‘natural,’” which Hort advocates for Jas 1°, as distinguished from ‘‘ implanted ” from without, is supported by BGU II. 613'°(time of Anton. Pius) κ]ατὰ τὴν ἔμφυτόν cov εὐμένειαν, ‘in accordance with your natural kindness”: cf. P Oxy VI. 899!9(A.D. 200) διὰ τὴν ἔμφυτόν σου εὐεργεσίαν, CP Herm I. 52 - 17 (iii/A.D.) κατὰ τὴν ἔμφυτον αὐτοῦ πρὸς το[ὺς ὑπ͵]ηκόους φιλανθρωπίαν, Cagnat ΤΥ. 1447 (Cyzicus, i/a.D.) τῆι δὲ ἐμφύτωι φιλανθρωπίᾳ πρός τε τοὺς ἐνχωρίους καὶ τοὺς ξένους ἐχρήσατο, Sy// 32615 (i/a.D.) τῶν δὲ Σκυθᾶν τὰν ἔμφυτον [αὐϊτοῖς ἀθεσίαν ἐκφανῆ καταστασάντων. The late Ρ Hamb I. 235 (a.p. 569) ἀμπελικὸν χωρίον ἔμφυτον may be compared with P Giss I. 567 (vi/A.pD.) χωρίον ἀμπελικὸν ζωόφ[υ]τίον, where the editor (see Intr. p. 96 n.1) understands ζωόφυτον as={édutov ‘‘pflanzenernahrend,” ‘‘fruchtbar.’’ For the verb = “‘graft,’”” see Sy/7 531° (iii/a.p.) ἐὰν δὲ μὴ eupute ine] τὰ φυτά, ἀποτεισάτω ἑκάστου δραχμήν : cf. “ἢ συκᾶς [ἐμφυ]τί εύειν. ἐν. It is impossible in our limits to deal exhaustively with the extended uses in late Greek of this ‘‘maid-of-all-work ” among the prepositions. Most of these uses, so far as they touch upon points of interpretation in the NT, are referred to in Moulton’s Prolegomena (see Index s.v.), and the evidence there adduced from the Kowwy may be supplemented from the Dissertations by Kuhring and Rossberg (for full titles see ‘‘ Abbreviations”). As however these Dissertations are not readily accessible, it may be well with their aid to illustrate the developments of ἐν here, as far as our space permits. We may begin with its encroachment in Hellenistic upon the use of the simple cases. Thus P Par 63 *#i-3 (p.c, 165) ἐνεσχημένους ἔν τισιν ἀγνοήμασιν may be compared with the Pauline Gal 5! μὴ πάλιν ζυγῷ δουλείας ἐνέχεσθε, and in 1111} . πλέον τῆς ὑποστάσεώς μου ἐν ὅλῃ ἀρούρῃ μιᾷ καὶ πρὸς κατ᾽ ἔτος, ‘registered more than my actual substance by one whole aroura and more each year,” ἐν is added without materially altering the sense. For this ‘‘ usurping” ἐν Kuhring (p. 12) also quotes P Oxy III. 48717 (A.D. 156) τὰ ἐκκ (/. ἐκ) τῆς xplas ἐν end ὀφλήματα ἀποδοῦναι, “‘officia mea efficere.” In OG/S 567 (B.C. 237) ἐν τῶι ἐν Κανώπωι ἱερῶι, the prePart III. 209 2y positional phrase represents subj. gen., and in P Petr II. 2 (3)! (B.c. 260) (= 2d. III. 28 (c)!) εἰ ἔρρωσαι καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἄϊλλοις ἀλύπως ἀπαλλάσσεις, it takes the place of the acc. of respect, if the restoration is to be trusted. On ἐν used in the LXX instead of an acc. after αἱρετίζω, εὐδοκῶ, etc., sce Thackeray Οὐ. i. p. 47. The question to the oracle P Fay 1373 (i/a.D.) (= Se/ectious, p. 69) χρημάτισόν pot, ἢ μείνω. ἐν Βακχιάδι ; *« Answer me, Shall I remain in Bacchias?” may serve to illustrate the ordinary /oca/ use of ἐν, within the limits of some space, while the closely related idea of proximity is seen in P Tebt I. 60% (B.c. 118) παραδεί(σων) τῶν ἐν περιμέτρῳ τῆς κώ(μης). Interesting confirmation of the RV rendering of Lk 249 is afforded by P Oxy III. 5235 (ii/A.b.) where a certain Antonius invites a friend to dine with him ἐν τοῖς KnAav8((ov) Σαραπίω(νος), ‘in the house of Claudius Serapion”’: cf. Rey L***‘ii.1 (jii/B.c.) ἐν tots ᾿Απολλωνίου τοῦ διοικητοῦ, P Tebt I. 12° (B.c. 118) ἐν τοῖς “Apevvews, “in A.’s office,” and 2b. 2727 (B.c. 113) ἐν τῶι “Opf[ov] βασιλικοῦ γραμματέως. For ἐν denoting condition, state, we may cite Polycrates’ letter to his father P Petr II. 11 (τὴ8 (iii/B.c.) ypade . . ἵνα εἰδῶμεν ἐν οἷς el, and such passages as P Par 63178 (B.C. 164) (=P Petr III. p. 34) ἕτερός τις ἐμ. βαρυ[τέϊραι κείμενος ἐξουσίαι, ‘“any other persons in high office,” P Tebt I. 334 (B.C. 112) (= Selections, p. 30) ἐν μίζονι ἀξιώματι κα[ὶ] τιμῆι κείμενος, of a Roman senator, 7d. 5%7 (B.c. 118) τὴν ἐν ἀφέσει γῆν, 18 τὴν ἐν ἀρετῆι κειμένην βα(σιλικὴν) γῆν. See also P Petr II. 39(¢)!® ἐὰν ἐν δυνατῶι ἧι. The preposition is used with the verb ἀνδραγαθέω to denote perseverance in a certain course of action in BGU IV. 1205'* (B.c. 28) ἀνδραγάθι (= -- εἰ) ἐν τῆι ἀριθμήστι] καὶ ἐν [τ]ῆι εἰσαγωγῆι, and similarly 24, 12061. P Tebt I. 58 (B.c. 111) shows ἐν = ‘Sin the number οἵ" ἐν ols εἰσιν of διὰ τοῦ νομοῦ κω(μο)γρ(αμματεῖς) : cf. P Par 63 (B.c. 164) (= P Petr III. p. 26) ἐν τοῖς ““συμπᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις" καταριθμεῖσθαι κτλ., “in the expression ‘all men’ are included,” etc., and P Petr II. 4 (6)!® (8.6. 255-4) Swov γάρ ἐστιν ἐν ὄχλωι ἀτιμάζεσθαι, where the meaning is ‘‘in the presence of’’—‘‘for it is a dreadful thing to be insulted before a crowd.” JTrom this it is a natural transition to a usage which helps with several NT passages. Thus in P Tebt I. 5257 (B.c. 118) we have τὰς δὲ πράξεις τῶν ἐν αὐτοῖς, where the editors translate “but the executions in cases which come before the collectors,’’ and in support of this rendering compare 74. 27°° (B.C. 113) TO ἐν αὐτῶι ὀφειλόμενον πρὸς τὴν ἐπιγραφήν, “the amount owing to the epigraphe in his department,” 7b. 72382 (B.C. 114-3) ἂς (sc. ἀρούρας) ἐν Mappet τοπογραμματεῖ, 25. 120%" (B.c. 97 or 64): cf. τ Cor 6%, 14", perhaps Jude 1. All are cases where παρά c. dat. might equally have been expected in a classical writer: cf. the variant reading in Mt 2125. A good parallel to Ac 17% is afforded by γὼ 8508 (B.c. 173-2) κριθέντω ἐν ἄνδροις τρίοις ods συνείλοντο. Another abnormal use of ἐν = ‘‘amounting to,” as in Ac 714 (LXX), is seen in BGU III. 970" (ii/A.D.) mpoonvévkaμὲν αὐτῷ προοῖκα ἐν δραχμαῖς ἐννακοσίαις ---αο passage which also resembles, in its use with a numeral, the difficult ἐν (67s) of Mk 45 (ΝῊ). [Cannot the εἰς there be ‘‘at all rates up fo” thirty-fold?] Cf. also BGU IV. 10508 (marriage-

Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon

ἔμφυτος (emphutos) — implanted/ingrafted. ἔμφῠτος, ον, inborn, natural, ἔ. μαντικὴν εἶχε [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἡ μὲν [ἰδέα] ἔ. οὖσα, ἐπιθυμία ἡδονῶν [Refs 4th c.BC+]; αἰσχροκέρδεια, πονηρία, [LXX+4th c.BC+]; ἔ. ἡ ἀρετή, opposed to διδακτός, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὐκ ἦν ταῦτα τοῖς Ἀθηναίοις πάτρια.. οὐδ᾽ ἔ. [Refs 4th c.BC+]. adverb -τως[Refs 1st c.AD+]

II. planted, Χωρίον [Refs 6th c.AD+]; ἐλαῖαι [Refs 2nd c.AD+]

II.2. implanted, λόγος [NT]

STEPBible — Tyndale Abridged Greek Lexicon

ἔμ-φυτος, -ον (ἐμφύω, to implant), [in LXX: ἔ. ἡ κακία αὐτῶν, Wis.12:10 * ;] __1. innate (Wis.12:10). __2. rooted, implanted: Jas.1:21 (see Mayor, in l).† (AS)

Bible Occurrences (1)

1:21

📖 Greek Word Study — In-Depth Study from Precept Austin

Implanted (1721) emphutos

Implanted (1721) (emphutos from emphuto = to implant; in turn from en = in + phuo = to generate, produce, bring forth, let grow) means inborn, native or engrafted. The literal picture was that of planting a seed in the ground and figuratively as used by James of the "seed" of the Word of Truth planted in the "good soil" of the heart where it took root. In His parable of the seed and the soils, Jesus explained that the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance. (Lk 8:15, cp "good soil" Mt 13:8, 23) Comment: As an aside mushrooms spring up overnight, but they are usually poisonous. The best fruits require time, cultivation, patience. A rare plant called ''godliness'' grows wonderfully when ''fertilized'' with the fruit of perseverance (2Pe 1:6-note) in turn fertilized "in your faith" in "His precious and magnificent promises" (2Pe 1:4-note, 2Pe 1:5-note). In secular literature emphutos was used most often in the sense of implanted by natural process. BDAG comments "as something implanted the word is permanently established in the individual and like inborn assets functions in an exceptional manner." Spurgeon - Receive it as a graft. As the tree is prepared by the knife to receive the new shoot that is to be put into it, and does so receive it as to make it its own, and to use it for its own fruit-bearing purposes, even in that way “receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.” Barclay - The word for inborn is emphutos (Greek #1721), and is capable of two general meanings. (i) It can mean inborn in the sense of innate as opposed to acquired. If James uses it in that way he is thinking of much the same thing as Paul was thinking of when he spoke of the Gentiles doing the works of the law by nature because they have a kind of law in their hearts (Romans 2:14-15); it is the same picture as the Old Testament picture of the law "very near you; it is in your mouth, and in your heart" (Deuteronomy 30:14). It is practically equal to our word conscience. If this is its meaning here, James is saying that there is an instinctive knowledge of good and evil in a man's heart whose guidance we should at all times obey. (ii) It can mean inborn in the sense of implanted, as a seed is planted in the ground. In 4Ezra 9:31 we read of God saying: "Behold, I sow my law in you, and you shall be glorified in it for ever." If James is using the word in this sense, the idea may well go back to the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-8), which tells how the seed of the word is sown into the hearts of men. Through his prophets and his preachers, and above all through Jesus Christ, God sows his truth into the hearts of men and the man who is wise will receive it and welcome it. (James 1- William Barclay's Daily Study Bible) Hiebert makes the point that emphutos... may denote that which is inborn, or native. The Word of God is not native to the human heart. The word can also denote a subsequent implantation, which is clearly the meaning here. Although the Word is not native to the human heart, it is well suited to be planted therein. As a living seed, its nature is to root itself deeply into the soil of the believing heart. Implanted at regeneration, the living Word actively roots itself in the heart as a vital part of the new nature. In Ro 6:5 (see note), this adjective is used of the believer's being "united with" the indwelling Christ. The rendering "engrafted" (KJV) is not quite adequate, since the Word is not a bud grafted into us.' Rather, the figure is that of seed sown in the heart. The power of this seed to root itself deeply is not an automatic process. The imperative verb denotes that a welcoming human response is involved. MacArthur - With the Holy Spirit to interpret and empower, it (the Word of Truth) becomes a vital element in the new spiritual life of the child of God, for “ï»¿the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heartï»¿” (ï»¿Heb. 4:12-noteï»¿). The Word of God is the gospel in its fullness and “ï»¿is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believesï»¿” (ï»¿Ro 1:16ï»¿-note). (Macarthur J. James. Moody) Spurgeon writes... That evil branch is cut away, now be ready to have a branch of a better kind inserted into you, even “ï»¿the engrafted word, which is able to have your souls,ï»¿” that you may bring forth better fruit than the old crabbed stock of nature can possibly yield. Perhaps you have seen a man grafting a tree. What a gash he makes in the tree before he puts in the graft! How he wounds it to make the sap flow into the new wood! If the Lord has made any of your hearts bleed to-night by the sharp cutting of his Spirit, we are not sorry, if it shall the better prepare you for receiving the grafts of his own nature, and his own Word. WHICH IS ABLE TO SAVE YOUR SOULS: ton dunamenon (PPPMSA) sosai (AAN) tas psuchas humon: (Ac 13:26; Ro 1:16; 1Co 15:2; Eph 1:13; 2Ti 3:15, 16, 17; Titus 2:11; He 2:3; 1Pe 1:9) Which is able - God's Word of Truth has the inherent ability, capability or power to accomplish the goal of saving our souls (the first time when we are born again and every day thereafter!). Peter alludes to the inherent ability of God's Word using the metaphor of a "seed" writing to the believers that... you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. (See notes 1 Peter 1:23) So even as a biological seed has the inherent ability when planted to germinate and bring about new life, so too, the living and active Word of God has the inherent ability to bring about new spiritual life and to then sustain that spiritual life (which course calls for continual intake - 1Pe 2:2 -note) As someone has well said the power of the Gospel is not seen in great preaching, large churches, or glorious music but is best seen in transformed lives.