περιποίησις (peripoiēsis)
peripoiēsis
acquiring
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 5 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun peripoiesis denotes an act of acquisition or obtaining, but with a specific nuance of securing something as one’s own exclusive property. In the New Testament, it appears in only five verses, primarily in Pauline letters and First Peter. It moves beyond simple purchase to imply a deliberate effort that results in lasting ownership.
This term carries significant theological weight when describing God’s relationship with believers. For instance, 1 Thessalonians 5:9 uses it to describe how God chose us for salvation, framing rescue as an act of divine acquisition. Similarly, 1 Peter 2:9 applies the concept to Christians, calling them a people acquired for God’s own possession.
The word’s depth is rooted in its Old Testament background, where it translates Hebrew terms like segullah, meaning a special treasure or personal property. This connection highlights that believers are not merely saved from punishment but are secured as a unique and valued inheritance. Translators often render it as "possession" or "acquiring," emphasizing the permanence of this divine claim.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word peripoiesis carries the weight of securing something as one’s exclusive property. It is not merely a transaction but a deliberate act of acquisition where the owner claims what is uniquely theirs. In Ephesians 1:14, Paul describes the Holy Spirit as a pledge of our inheritance, pointing to God’s own possession. This language reminds us that our value does not come from our performance but from being chosen and secured by Him.
Similarly, 1 Peter 2:9 applies this concept directly to believers, calling us a people for God’s own possession. The imagery shifts from simple purchase to intimate ownership, highlighting that we are a special treasure. This truth offers deep comfort, knowing that our standing before God is permanent and rooted in His faithful claim upon our lives.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 5 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- possession,1×
- obtaining1×
- acquired [possession]1×
- [the] preserving1×
- [the] obtaining1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- περιποίησιν3×
- περιποίησιν,1×
- περιποιήσεως1×
Key Verses
-
Ephesians 1:14
who is a pledge of our inheritance, to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory.
The term identifies the Holy Spirit as a guarantee that secures believers as God's exclusive possession until final redemption.
-
I Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
Peter uses the word to define the Church's identity as a royal priesthood acquired specifically to proclaim God's excellencies.
-
I Thessalonians 5:9
For God didn’t appoint us to wrath, but to the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Paul contrasts wrath with salvation, framing God's appointment of believers as an act of divine acquisition rather than condemnation.