σφραγίζω (Rev_7:3 Rec.st); 1 aorist ἐσφραγισα; 1 aorist middle participle σφραγισάμενος; passive, perfect participle ἐσφραγισμενος; 1 aorist ἐσφραγίσθην; (in 2Co_11:10 Rec.st gives the form σφραγίσεται de coniectura vel errore (Tdf.; see his note at the passage)); (σφραγίς, which see); the Sept. for ηΘϊΗν; to set a seal upon, mark with a seal, to seal; a. for security: τί, Mat_27:66; namely, τήν ἄβυσσον, to close it, lest Satan after being cast into it should come out; hence, the addition ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ, over him i. e. Satan, Rev_20:3 (ἐν ᾧ i. e. δώματι κεραυνός ἐστιν ἐσφραγισμενος, Aeschylus Eum. 828; middle σφραγίζομαι τήν θύραν, Bel and the Dragon, , Theod.). b. Since things sealed up are concealed (as, the contents of a letter), (σφραγίζω means, tropically, to hide (Deu_32:34), keep in silence, keep secret: τί, Rev_10:4; Rev_22:10 (τάς ἁμαρτίας, Dan_9:24, Theod.; τάς ἀνομίας, Job_14:17; τούς λόγους σιγή, Stobaeus, flor. 34, 9, p. 215; θαυματα πολλά σοφή σφρηγισσατο σιγή, Norm. paraphr. evang. Ioan. 21,140). c. in order to mark a person or thing; hence, to set a mark upon by the impress of a seal, to stamp: angels are said σφραγίζειν τινας ἐπί τῶν μετώπων, i. e. with the seal of God (see σφραγίς, c.) to stamp his servants on their foreheads as destined for eternal salvation, and by this means to confirm their hopes, Rev_7:3, cf. Ewald at the passage; (B. D., under the words, Cuttings and Forehead); hence, οἱ εσφραγισμένοι, fourteen times in Rec. Rev_7:4-8, four times by G L T Tr WH (δεινοισι σημαντροισιν εσφραγισμένοι, Euripides, Iph. Taur. 1372); metaphorically: τινα τῷ πνεύματι and ἐν τῷ πνεύματι, respecting God, who by the gift of the Holy Spirit indicates who are his, passive, Eph_1:13; Eph_4:30; absolutely, middle with τινα, 2Co_1:22. d. in order to prove, confirm, or attest a thing; hence, tropically, to confirm, authenticate, place beyond doubt (a written document τῷ δακτυλίῳ, Est_8:8): followed by ὅτι, Joh_3:33; τινα, to prove by one's testimony to a person that he is what he professes to be, Joh_6:27. Somewhat unusual is the expression σφραγισάμενος αὐτοῖς τόν καρπόν τοῦτον, when I shall have confirmed (sealed) to them this fruit (of love), meaning apparently, when I shall have given authoritative assurance that this money was collected for their use, Rom_15:28. (Compare: κατασφραγίζω.)

σφραγίζω sphragizō 15x to seal, stamp with a seal, Mat_27:66 ; Rev_20:3 ; to seal up, to close up, conceal, Rev_10:4 ; Rev_22:10 ; to set a mark upon, distinguish by a mark, Eph_1:13 ; Eph_4:30 ; Rev_7:3-5 ; Rev_7:8 ; to seal, to mark distinctively as invested with a certain character, Joh_6:27 ; mid. to set one s own mark upon, seal as one s own, to impress with a mark of acceptance, 2Co_1:22 ; to deliver over safely to someone, Rom_15:28 ; absol. to set to one s seal, to make a solemn declaration, Joh_3:33 * seal.

σφραγίζω , [in LXX chiefly for H2856 ( Deu_32:34 , al. ), also for H5640 (Da TH Dan_8:26 );] to seal, (a) for security: Mat_27:66 , Rev_20:3 ; τ . καρπὸν τοῦτον , fig . ( cf. Deiss., BS , 238 f .; MM , xxiv; DB , iv, 427a), Rom_15:28 ; (b) for concealment, hence, metaph ., to hide (Da TH Dan_9:24 , Joh_14:17 ): Rev_10:4 ; Rev_22:10 ; (c) for distinction, Rev_7:3-8 ; metaph., Eph_4:30 ; mid ., 2Co_1:22 ; (d) for authentication ( Ezr_8:8 ): Joh_3:33 ; Joh_6:27 ( cf. κατα -σφραγίζω ).†

σφραγίζω [page 617] seal. In P Oxy VI. 932 .6 (late ii/A.D.) ἂν ἔρχῃ ἄφες ἀρτάβας ἓξ ἰς τοὺς σάκκους σφραγίσας λαχανοσπέρμου ἵνα πρόχιροι ὦσι , if you come, take out six artabae of vegetable-seed, sealing it in the sacks in order that they may be ready (Edd.), we have clear confirmation of Deissmann s view ( BS p. 238 f.) that by Paul s καρπὸν σφαγίζεσθαι in Rom_15:28 we are to understand the Apostle as meaning that all the proper steps had been taken with regard to the collection. If the fruit is sealed , then everything is in order : the sealing is the last thing that must be done prior to delivery. Cf. also P Hib I. 39 .15 (B.C. 265) where with reference to the embarkation upon a government transport of a quantity of corn, instructions are given that the shipmaster is to write a receipt, and further δεῖγμα σφραγισάσ [θ ]ω , let him seal a sample, obviously to prevent the corn from being tampered with during its transit (Edd.). Other exx, of the verb with varied applications are BGU I. 248 .23 (i/A.D.) πέμψας μοι διὰ Σαβείνου ἐσφραγισμένας δραχμὰς εἴκοσι , P Oxy I. 116 .17 (ii/A.D.) ἔπεμψα ὑμεῖν . . . κ [ί ]στην σταφυλῆς λείαν καλῆς καὶ σφυρίδα φοίνικος καλοῦ ἐσφραγι (σμένας ), I send you a box of very excellent grapes and a basket of excellent dates under seal (Edd.), ib . III. 528 .16 (ii/A.D.) ἔδωκα τῇ ῑβ̄ μετὰ τῶν σῶν ἐπιστολῶν ἐσνσύφραγιζμένα , I gave the letter sealed (to the messenger) on the 12 th together with letters for you (?) (Edd.), ib . VI. 929 .13 (ii/iii A.D.) ταῦτα δὲ πάντα σ̣υν̣ενῆι εἰς τὸν χιτῶνα τὸν καροῖνον , καὶ ἐσφραγίσθη γῇ λευκῇ , all these were inside the brown tunic, and it was sealed with white clay (Edd.) (cf. Job_38:14 ), P Tebt II. 413 .6 (ii/iii A.D.) τὸ χαρτάριν ἔλαβεν Σερηνίων ἐσνσύφραγισμένον , Serenion took the papyrus sealed, P Lond 171 b .15 (iii/A.D.) (= II. p. 176) διέθετό μοι διαθήκην α [ὐ ]τοῦ ἐσφραγισμένην , and P Oxy XIV. 1677 .7 (iii/A.D.) τὸ ἐντολικὸν Πτολεμαΐτος ὡς ἔδ [ω ]κεν̣ μοι ἐσφραγισμένον , the order for Ptolemais sealed as he gave it to me (Edd.). From the idea of sealing for security, it is an easy transition to seal up, hide, conceal, as in Rev_10:4 ; Rev_22:10 . Again, the verb passes into the sense distinguish, mark, as when, in P Tebt II. 419 .5 (iii/A.D., an agent is instructed πέμψον τὴν ὄνον ὅπως σφραγισθῇ , send the ass to be branded (cf. Rev_7:3 ff ), and from this again into confirm, authenticate, as in Chrest . I. 89 .5 (A.D. 149), where it is certified regarding an animal for sacrifice κ ]αὶ δοκιμάσας ἐσφράγισα ὡς ἔστιν καθαρός (cf. Joh_6:27 ). The comp d . ἐπισφραγίζω occurs in P Oxy III. 471 .17 (ii/A.D.) ὁ μὲν γὰρ τελευταῖος ὑπομνημα [τ ]ισμὸς [ἐ ]πισφραγίζει τὴν δούλην αὐτοῦ , for the last memorandum confirms (the question of) his slave (?) (Edd.), and συνσφραγίζω in BGU IV. 1204 .3 (B.C. 28) ̣τ̣α ̣π̣ρ̣ο , ̣ς ̣Π̣α̣νίσκον γράμματα συνεσφράγισμαι ὑμεῖν , and P Ryl II. 90 .9, .44 (early iii/A.D.). In his Ant. Kunstprosa ii. p. 477 Norden advocates a connexion of the Pauline σφραγίζεσθαι with the language of the Greek mysteries, but see Anrich, Das Mysterienwesen , p. 120 ff. Fine specimens of sealed rolls may be soen in the table attached to the edition of the Elephantine Papyri issued along witli the Berlin Urkunden . Cf. also Archiv v. p. 384, No. 76. On sealing as a protection against falsification in the case of written documents, Erman s important art. in Mιlanges Nicole , p. 126 ff. should be consulted.

σφραγίζω σφρα_γίζω, "to seal", Eur. :—Mid. "to seal for oneself, have sealed", Plut. : —Pass., perf. part. ἐσφραγισμένος "sealed up, kept under seal", Aesch. "to mark as with a seal, to mark", Anth. ; δεινοῖς σημάντροισιν ἐσφραγισμένοι, of wounded persons, Eur. metaph. "to set a seal on, confirm, stamp with approval", NTest. , Anth. : Mid. "to assure of" a thing, c. acc. rei, NTest. : "to limit", Anth. "to seal or accredit" as a faithful servant, as a believer, τινά NTest. [Etym: from σφρα_γίς]

σφραγίζω [in LXX chiefly for חָתַם (Deu.32:34, al.), also for סָתַם (Da TH Dan.8:26) ;] to seal, __(a) for security: Mat.27:66, Rev.20:3; τ. καρπὸν τοῦτον, figuratively (cf. Deiss., BS, 238 f.; MM, xxiv; DB, iv, 427a), Rom.15:28; __(b) for concealment, hence, metaphorically, to hide (Da TH Dan.9:24, Jhn.14:17): Rev.10:4 22:10; __(with) for distinction, Rev.7:3-8; metaphorically, Eph.4:30; mid., 2Co.1:22; __(d) for authentication (Est.8:8): Jhn.3:33 6:27 (cf. κατα-σφραγίζω).† (AS)