πλάσσω (plassō)
plassō
to mold
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb plassō means to shape or mold material, such as clay or wax, into a specific form. It appears only twice in the New Testament, carrying the concrete imagery of a craftsman working with pliable substance. In Romans 9:20 and 1 Timothy 2:13, the word underscores the creator’s authority to determine the nature and purpose of what has been formed.
Its root sense is physical manipulation, yet it serves a theological function by highlighting the relationship between maker and made. The sources note that it often translates the Hebrew yatsar in the Septuagint, linking the Greek term to the ancient concept of God as the potter who shapes humanity. This usage emphasizes that the formed object does not dictate its own design but reflects the intention of the one who molded it.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When we read that God molds us, it helps to picture a potter working with clay. The word implies shaping something pliable into a specific purpose. In Romans 9:20, this image reminds us that the Creator knows exactly what He intends for His creation. We do not dictate our own design; instead, we reflect the intention of the One who formed us.
This truth offers comfort when life feels chaotic or when we struggle with our identity. You are not an accident or a mistake. The hands that shaped you have a plan. Even in seasons of difficulty, remember that the Potter is working to bring beauty from what might seem like broken pieces. Your value comes from being known and formed by Him.
Let this assurance settle in your heart. You are held by wisdom far greater than your own. Trust in the One who knows your purpose better than you do. There is peace in surrendering to His careful work, knowing He is faithful to complete what He has started in you.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- was formed,1×
- having formed [it];1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐπλάσθη,1×
- πλάσαντι·1×
Key Verses
-
Romans 9:20
But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed ask him who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?”
This verse uses the word to illustrate the Creator's absolute authority over the created, silencing human complaints by highlighting the potter-clay relationship.
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I Timothy 2:13
For Adam was formed first, then Eve.
Here the term simply denotes the act of formation in creation order, establishing Adam as the first formed before Eve.