σφραγίζω (sphragizō)
sphragizō
to seal
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 16 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb sphragizō means to place a seal on something, marking it for security or authentication. In the New Testament, this action serves distinct purposes depending on the context. It can denote protection, as when guards seal Jesus’ tomb to prevent tampering (Matthew 27:66), or when angels are restricted from harming the earth until God’s people are marked (Revelation 7:3). Conversely, it indicates concealment, such as in Revelation where John is told to seal up what he has written because the time is near (Revelation 10:4; 22:10).
Significantly, sphragizō also carries the weight of divine authentication. Jesus describes the Father’s seal resting on Him as proof of His identity (John 6:27), while believers are described as sealed by the Holy Spirit for the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30). This usage transforms a physical act into a spiritual reality, suggesting that God’s mark confirms ownership and guarantees security. Translators typically render it simply as "seal," though the underlying sense involves both protection from harm and confirmation of truth.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
To seal something in the ancient world was to make it secure, authenticated, and set apart. When Jesus’ tomb was sealed by Roman guards, it marked a boundary that no human power could cross without consequence. Yet this physical act points to a deeper spiritual reality: God places His own mark on those who belong to Him. This is not a mark of fear, but of ownership and protection.
The New Testament describes believers as sealed by the Holy Spirit. This seal confirms that we are God’s possession and guarantees our security until the day of redemption. It is a promise that what God has started in us, He will finish. The Spirit’s presence is the evidence that we are known, loved, and kept safe in Christ.
While some passages speak of sealing to conceal information until the right time, others use it to show divine approval. For you, this means your life is held securely by God. You do not need to strive for authentication; it has been given as a gift through faith. Rest in the assurance that you are marked by Heaven.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 16 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- sealed;12×
- having sealed3×
- you were sealed2×
- we may have sealed1×
- sealed.1×
- sealed [it]1×
- sealed1×
- may seal1×
- has set his seal1×
- has sealed1×
- do seal1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐσφραγισμένοι·11×
- ἐσφράγισεν3×
- ἐσφραγίσθητε2×
- σφραγισάμενος2×
- ἐσφραγισμένων·1×
- ἐσφραγισμένοι.¶1×
- ἐσφραγισμένοι1×
- σφράγισον1×
- σφραγίσῃς1×
- σφραγίσωμεν1×
- σφραγίσαντες1×
Key Verses
-
Ephesians 1:13
In him you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Good News of your salvation—in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
This verse links belief with being sealed by the Holy Spirit, showing the seal as a guarantee of salvation given at the moment of faith.
-
II Corinthians 1:22
who also sealed us and gave us the down payment of the Spirit in our hearts.
Paul describes the Spirit as both a seal and a down payment, emphasizing that God’s security for believers is also a promise of future fulfillment.
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Matthew 27:66
So they went with the guard and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone.
The physical sealing of the tomb illustrates the absolute security of God’s plan, which human authorities could not break or alter.
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Revelation of John 7:3
saying, “Don’t harm the earth, the sea, or the trees, until we have sealed the bondservants of our God on their foreheads!”
Here the seal serves as a protective mark, distinguishing God’s servants from harm during a time of judgment.