Lexical Summary kludónizomai: To be tossed by waves, to be agitated or unsettled. Original Word: κλυδωνίζομαι Strong's Exhaustive Concordance toss to and fro. Middle voice from kludon; to surge, i.e. (figuratively) to fluctuate -- toss to and fro. see GREEK kludon NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom kludón Definition to be tossed by waves NASB Translation tossed here and there by waves (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2831: κλυδωνίζομαικλυδωνίζομαι, participle κλυδωνιζόμενος; (κλύδων); to be tossed by the waves; metaphorically, to be agitated (like the waves) mentally (A. V. tossed to and fro): with the dative of instrum. παντί ἀνέμῳ τῆς διδασκαλίας, Ephesians 4:14 (cf. James 1:6; οἱ ἄδικοι κλυδωνισθήσονται καί ἀναπαύσασθαι οὐ δυνήσονται, Isaiah 57:20; ὁ δῆμος ταρασσόμενος καί κλυδωνιζόμενος οἰχήσεται φεύγων, Josephus, Antiquities 9, 11, 3; κλυδωνιζόμενος ἐκ τοῦ ποθου, Aristaenet. epistles 1, 26, p. 121, Boissonade edition (ep. 27, 14 edition Abresch)). Topical Lexicon Maritime Imagery in the Ancient Mediterranean Sailors on the first-century Mediterranean dreaded the sudden, churning gales that produced steep, confused seas. A small craft caught in such a storm rose sharply on one swell only to plunge into the next, the mast jerking violently. Luke’s detailed account of the Adriatic storm in Acts 27 reveals how common—and feared—these conditions were. Paul borrows that picture in Ephesians 4:14, evoking hearers who had either sailed themselves or watched cargo ships pitch in the Aegean below the city of Ephesus. To be “wave-tossed” communicated immediate danger, helplessness, and disorientation. Biblical Theology of Wave-Tossed Instability Scripture frequently employs restless seas to symbolize moral and spiritual chaos: Against this backdrop, κλυδωνίζω highlights immaturity and vulnerability to deception. In contrast, the Lord is portrayed as the One who “stilled the storm to a whisper” (Psalm 107:29) and whose word grants solidity (Matthew 7:24-25). Context in Ephesians 4:14 Paul’s single use of κλυδωνίζω sits within a tightly constructed paragraph (Ephesians 4:11-16). Apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor-teachers are given “to equip the saints for works of ministry, to build up the body of Christ… so that we may no longer be infants, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by the cunning of men in their deceitful scheming” (Ephesians 4:12-14). The apostle contrasts two states: 1. Infancy: spiritually unformed, easily driven off course. κλυδωνίζω therefore accents the danger of remaining undeveloped in doctrine and character. Pastoral and Discipleship Implications 1. Doctrinal grounding safeguards believers from manipulative teachers who “market” novel ideas. Connection with Other Scriptures While κλυδωνίζω itself appears only once, its thematic relatives span both Testaments: Historical Ministry Significance Early church writers seized on Ephesians 4:14 during seasons of doctrinal turbulence. Irenaeus appealed to it against Gnostic speculations; Athanasius cited it while defending Nicene orthodoxy. Reformers likewise invoked the verse to oppose the vacillation of popular but unscriptural trends. Practical Application for the Church Today • Catechize: systematic, Scripture-saturated instruction remains essential. Summary κλυδωνίζω paints a vivid scene of perilous instability. Paul wields the image to urge the church toward doctrinal solidity and spiritual adulthood under Christ the Head. The storm still rages—ideologies, half-truths, and enticing distortions swirl about—but Scripture, Spirit-empowered teachers, and a connected body provide the ballast that keeps believers from being swept away. Forms and Transliterations κεκλωσμένη κεκλωσμένην κεκλωσμένης κεκλωσμένον κεκλωσμένου κεκλωσμένω κλυδωνιζομενοι κλυδωνιζόμενοι κλυδωνισθήσονται κλώνες kludonizomenoi kludōnizomenoi klydonizomenoi klydonizómenoi klydōnizomenoi klydōnizómenoiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ephesians 4:14 V-PPM/P-NMPGRK: ὦμεν νήπιοι κλυδωνιζόμενοι καὶ περιφερόμενοι NAS: to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about KJV: children, tossed to and fro, and INT: we might be infants being tossed and carried about |