ποιητής (poiētēs)
poiētēs
doer
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 6 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun poiētēs generally means a maker or author, but in the New Testament it carries a specific ethical weight as "doer." While its root relates to creation, the text shifts focus from producing objects to performing actions. This usage appears most frequently in James and Romans, where it contrasts with passive hearing or mere intellectual agreement.
Its most striking application is found in James 1:22-25, where believers are urged to be poiētai of the word, not just listeners. The parallel in Romans 2:13 reinforces this by stating that those who are doers of the law will be justified. In both cases, the term emphasizes active obedience and the practical outworking of faith.
Interestingly, Acts 17:28 uses the word in a different sense, quoting a Greek poet to describe humans as God’s offspring. This rare instance retains the original meaning of "maker" or "creator," showing how the word can bridge the gap between divine creation and human action depending on context.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word poiētēs reminds us that faith is an activity, not just a belief. In James and Romans, it describes those who actually live out what they hear. This shifts the focus from passive listening to active obedience in daily life.
When we face challenges, this call to be 'doers' offers a clear path forward. Instead of worrying about whether we understand everything perfectly, we can simply choose to act on the truth we already know. It is a gentle invitation to let our actions match our convictions.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 6 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- doers2×
- a doer2×
- poets1×
- a doer,1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ποιητὴς2×
- ποιηταὶ2×
- ποιητῶν1×
- ποιητής,1×
Key Verses
-
James 1:22
But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves.
This verse directly commands believers to be doers of the word, warning against self-deception when hearing is not matched by action.
-
Romans 2:13
For it isn’t the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified
Paul clarifies that justification comes through doing the law, not merely hearing it, highlighting the necessity of practical obedience.
-
James 1:25
But he who looks into the perfect law of freedom and continues, not being a hearer who forgets but a doer of the work, this man will be blessed in what he does.
The blessing is promised specifically to the one who continues in the work, emphasizing persistence in faithful action over time.