χωρίζω (chōrizō)
chōrizō
to separate/leave
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 12 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb chōrizō means to separate, divide, or put asunder. In the New Testament, it carries a weighty sense of breaking a connection that was once joined. Jesus uses this word when discussing marriage, stating that what God has joined together should not be separated by humans (Matthew 19:6). This usage highlights the permanence of the bond and the gravity of its dissolution.
The term also describes physical or social departure. In Acts, believers are said to separate themselves from certain groups or locations, indicating a deliberate distancing rather than mere movement. Paul employs it in Romans 8 to ask if anything can separate believers from the love of Christ, emphasizing that no external force can achieve this kind of division.
Its root implies a cutting apart, making the separation final and distinct. Translators often render it as "part" or "separate," but the Greek conveys a more active breaking of unity than the English words might suggest. The word appears in contexts involving marriage, community boundaries, and spiritual security, always pointing to a clear distinction between two parties.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word chōrizō carries a heavy weight in Scripture, describing not just movement away from someone, but the active breaking of a bond that was once joined. When Jesus warns against tearing apart what God has united in marriage, He highlights the sacred nature of commitment. This reminds us that our relationships are meant to be enduring, reflecting a steadfast love that does not easily fracture under pressure.
Yet there is profound comfort in how Paul uses this same word in Romans 8. He asks if anything can separate us from the love of Christ, answering with a resounding no. Whether through hardship or distance, the connection between God and His people remains unbroken. This assurance allows us to rest in the knowledge that our spiritual security does not depend on our ability to hold on, but on His faithfulness to keep us.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 12 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- should separate.2×
- will separate1×
- to separate1×
- to depart,1×
- to depart1×
- she shall be separated,1×
- separates himself,1×
- separated1×
- is to be separated;1×
- he was separated [from you]1×
- he should separate himself;1×
- having departed1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- χωριζέτω.¶2×
- ἐχωρίσθη1×
- χωρίσει1×
- χωρίσαι1×
- χωρίζεται,1×
- χωρίζεσθαι,1×
- χωρίζεσθαι1×
- χωρισθῆναι·1×
- χωρισθῇ,1×
- χωρισθεὶς1×
- χωριζέσθω·1×
- κεχωρισμένος1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 19:6
So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, don’t let man tear apart.”
Jesus uses this term to emphasize the permanence of marriage, warning humans not to undo what God has united.
-
Romans 8:35
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Could oppression, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Paul employs the word rhetorically to assert that no external force can break the believer's connection to Christ's love.
-
Acts 18:2
He found a certain Jew named Aquila, a man of Pontus by race, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome. He came to them,
The verb describes the physical departure of Jews from Rome due to political decree, showing its use for forced displacement.