Lexical Summary sigaó: To be silent, to keep silence, to hold one's peace Original Word: σιγάω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance hold peace, be silentFrom sige; to keep silent (transitively or intransitively) -- keep close (secret, silence), hold peace. see GREEK sige NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom sigé Definition to keep silent, to keep secret NASB Translation became silent (1), keep silent (3), kept secret (1), kept silent (2), quiet (1), silent (1), stopped speaking (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4601: σιγάωσιγάω, σίγω; 1 aorist ἐσίγησα; perfect passive participle σεσιγημενος; (σιγή); from Homer down; to keep silence, hold one's peace: Luke 9:36; Luke 18:39 L T Tr WH; (Luke 20:26); Acts 12:17; Acts 15:12; 1 Corinthians 14:28, 30, 34; passive, to be kept in silence, be concealed, Romans 16:25. (Synonym: see ἡσυχάζω.) Topical Lexicon Concept of Silence in Scripture Silence in the biblical narrative is never mere absence of sound. It can mark reverence, stunned conviction, interior reflection, or orderly restraint. The verb σιγάω (Strong’s 4601) captures these nuances, revealing times when disciples, opponents, congregations, and whole ages of history fell quiet before God’s dealings. Occurrences in the New Testament Luke employs the verb three times (Luke 9:36; 18:39; 20:26). Acts records four uses, all pivotal to corporate decision-making or miraculous deliverance (Acts 12:17; 15:12; 15:13). Paul applies the term to the hidden mystery of the gospel (Romans 16:25) and three times to regulate gathered worship in Corinth (1 Corinthians 14:28; 14:30; 14:34). Together these ten texts sketch a theology of appropriate silence. Silence Before Divine Revelation At the Transfiguration “they kept silent and in those days told no one what they had seen” (Luke 9:36). Holy silence follows heavenly disclosure. Likewise, Paul describes the gospel “kept secret for long ages” (Romans 16:25), a purposeful divine reticence until Christ’s advent. Revelation often moves from secrecy to proclamation; silence prepares the heart to receive the word that will later be heralded. Silence as Recognition of Authority When Jesus answers His questioners, “they were astonished at His reply and fell silent” (Luke 20:26). The crowd attempts to impose silence on the blind beggar (Luke 18:39), illustrating how social authority can suppress a cry for mercy. Yet the Lord hears. In both cases σιγάω exposes who truly holds authority: Christ silences critics; crowds wrongly silence the needy. Silence and Congregational Order Acts 15:12 recounts that “the whole assembly fell silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul.” Their hush allows orderly testimony, modeling the very principle Paul later codifies for Corinth: “If there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church” (1 Corinthians 14:28); “if a revelation comes to someone who is seated, the first speaker should be silent” (1 Corinthians 14:30); and “the women should keep silent in the churches” (1 Corinthians 14:34) for the sake of peace and edification. Here σιγάω undergirds the Spirit’s desire that worship be intelligible, orderly, and respectful of God-ordained roles. Silence and Deliverance Peter “motioned to them with his hand to be silent” after his miraculous release from prison (Acts 12:17). Quiet attention is necessary to relay God’s saving acts accurately. In Acts 15:13 James waits “after they had become silent” before giving judgment, showing how silence can create space for discerning God’s will. The Gospel Mystery Once Silenced Romans 16:25 speaks of the “mystery kept hidden for long ages past.” The pre-incarnate silence of redemptive purpose magnifies the glory of its unveiling in Christ. What was once unspoken is now proclaimed to all nations for the obedience of faith. Pastoral and Practical Implications 1. Cultivate reflective silence after encountering Scripture or witnessing God’s power, allowing truth to penetrate the heart. Historical Witness Early church writers echo this pattern. The Didache urges congregants to “be silent” except when giving thanks. Justin Martyr notes that prophetic reading was followed by “a period of silence” before exhortation. Such practices reflect the apostolic model where σιγάω safeguarded attentive worship and doctrinal clarity. Summary Strong’s Greek 4601 portrays silence as an intentional, reverent posture before God, a recognition of rightful authority, a mechanism for orderly edification, and a backdrop against which the gospel’s once-hidden mystery now resounds. Biblical silence is therefore not emptiness but a vessel filled with awe, obedience, and anticipated proclamation. Forms and Transliterations εσίγησα εσιγησαν εσίγησαν ἐσίγησαν εσίγησε Εσιγησεν Ἐσίγησεν σεσιγημενου σεσιγημένου σίγα σιγαν σιγάν σιγᾷν σιγᾶν σιγατω σιγάτω σιγατωσαν σιγάτωσαν σιγησαι σιγήσαι σιγῆσαι σιγήσετε σιγηση σιγήσῃ σιγήσης σιγήσομαι σιγών esigesan esigēsan esígesan esígēsan Esigesen Esigēsen Esígesen Esígēsen sesigemenou sesigeménou sesigēmenou sesigēménou sigā̂in sigan sigato sigatō sigáto sigátō sigatosan sigatōsan sigátosan sigátōsan sigesai sigêsai sigēsai sigē̂sai sigese sigēsē sigḗsei sigḗsēiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Luke 9:36 V-AIA-3PGRK: καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐσίγησαν καὶ οὐδενὶ NAS: alone. And they kept silent, and reported KJV: And they kept [it] close, and told INT: and they were silent and to no one Luke 18:39 V-ASA-3S Luke 20:26 V-AIA-3P Acts 12:17 V-PNA Acts 15:12 V-AIA-3S Acts 15:13 V-ANA Romans 16:25 V-RPM/P-GNS 1 Corinthians 14:28 V-PMA-3S 1 Corinthians 14:30 V-PMA-3S 1 Corinthians 14:34 V-PMA-3P Strong's Greek 4601 |
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