3471. mórainó

Lexicon

mórainó: To make foolish, to become foolish, to lose savor

Original Word: μωραίνω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: mórainó
Pronunciation: mo-rah'-ee-no
Phonetic Spelling: (mo-rah'-ee-no)
Definition: To make foolish, to become foolish, to lose savor
Meaning: (a) I make foolish, turn to foolishness, (b) I taint, and thus: I am tasteless, make useless.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

make foolish, lose savor.

From moros; to become insipid; figuratively, to make (passively, act) as a simpleton -- become fool, make foolish, lose savour.

see GREEK moros

HELPS Word-studies

Cognate: 3471 mōraínō(from 3474 /mōrós) – dull, sluggish ("without an edge"); (figuratively) acting "stupid or silly," "insipid, flat." . . . "to play the fool" (WS, 30). See 3474 (mōros).

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from móros
Definition
to be foolish
NASB Translation
became fools (1), become tasteless (2), made foolish (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 3471: μωραίνω

μωραίνω: 1 aorist ἐμωρανα; 1 aorist passive ἐμωράνθην; (μωρός);

1. in classical Greek to be foolish, to act foolishly.

2. in Biblical Greek a. to make foolish: passive Romans 1:22 (Isaiah 19:11; Jeremiah 10:14; 2 Samuel 24:10); equivalent to to prove a person or thing to be foolish: τήν σοφίαν τοῦ κόσμου, 1 Corinthians 1:20 (τήν βουλήν αὐτῶν, Isaiah 44:25).

b. to make flat and tasteless: passive of salt that has lost its strength and flavor, Matthew 5:13; Luke 14:34.

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: From the Greek word μωρός (mōros), meaning "foolish" or "dull."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The concept of foolishness or losing effectiveness can be related to several Hebrew words, though there is no direct equivalent. Some related Hebrew entries include:
• Strong's Hebrew 5036: נָבָל (nabal) • foolish, senseless
• Strong's Hebrew 5528: סָכַל (sakal) • to be foolish, to act foolishly
• Strong's Hebrew 1984: הָלַל (halal) • to boast, to act foolishly (in certain contexts)

These Hebrew terms capture aspects of foolishness and the loss of wisdom or purpose, paralleling the Greek concept of μωραίνω in its broader spiritual implications.

Usage: The verb μωραίνω is used in the New Testament to describe the process of becoming foolish or losing effectiveness, particularly in the context of salt losing its flavor.

Context: The Greek verb μωραίνω appears in the New Testament primarily in the context of Jesus' teachings. It is used metaphorically to describe the loss of effectiveness or purpose, particularly in relation to the metaphor of salt. In Matthew 5:13, Jesus states, "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its savor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men." Here, μωραίνω is translated as "loses its savor," indicating a loss of the essential quality that makes salt valuable.

The concept of μωραίνω extends beyond the literal sense of salt losing its taste to a broader spiritual and moral application. It suggests a warning against losing one's distinctiveness or purpose as a follower of Christ. In Romans 1:22, Paul uses a related term to describe those who, "Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools," highlighting the folly of turning away from God's wisdom.

The use of μωραίνω in the New Testament serves as a caution against spiritual complacency and the importance of maintaining one's distinctiveness and purpose in the world. It underscores the call for believers to remain effective and true to their calling, avoiding the pitfalls of becoming spiritually insipid or foolish.

Forms and Transliterations

εμωρανεν εμώρανεν ἐμώρανεν εμωράνθη εμωρανθησαν εμωράνθησαν ἐμωράνθησαν μωραίνων μωρανθη μωρανθή μωρανθῇ μωρανθήσεται emoranen emōranen emṓranen emoranthesan emoránthesan emōranthēsan emōránthēsan moranthe mōranthē moranthêi mōranthē̂i

Englishman's Concordance

Matthew 5:13 V-ASP-3S
GRK: τὸ ἅλας μωρανθῇ ἐν τίνι
NAS: the salt has become tasteless, how
KJV: the salt have lost his savour, wherewith
INT: the salt become tasteless with what

Luke 14:34 V-ASP-3S
GRK: τὸ ἅλας μωρανθῇ ἐν τίνι
NAS: salt has become tasteless, with what
KJV: the salt have lost his savour, wherewith
INT: the salt become tasteless with what

Romans 1:22 V-AIP-3P
GRK: εἶναι σοφοὶ ἐμωράνθησαν
NAS: to be wise, they became fools,
KJV: to be wise, they became fools,
INT: to be wise they became fools

1 Corinthians 1:20 V-AIA-3S
GRK: τούτου οὐχὶ ἐμώρανεν ὁ θεὸς
NAS: Has not God made foolish the wisdom
KJV: God made foolish the wisdom
INT: of this not did make foolish God

Strong's Greek 3471
4 Occurrences

ἐμώρανεν — 1 Occ.
ἐμωράνθησαν — 1 Occ.
μωρανθῇ — 2 Occ.