Ἰουδαΐζω
Ioudaḯzō
G2450 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To live or behave according to Judean (Ioudaios) customs, observe practices distinctive of the Judean community, or adopt ways of life identified with Judeans. The core sense is 'to follow Judean customs,' but can also include adopting or promoting behaviors, observances, or cultural/religious practices associated with the Judean population.
Semantic Range
to live according to Judean customs, to adopt Judean practices, to observe Judean law, to conform to norms of Judean community, to promote or require adoption of Judean practices
Root / Etymology
Formed from Ἰουδαῖος (Ioudaios, 'Judean') with the verbal suffix -ίζω (-izō), indicating 'to act in the manner of,' thus meaning 'to practice Judean customs' or 'to live as a Judean.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
The verb Ἰουδαΐζω appears primarily in Hellenistic and early Roman period texts, notably in Galatians 2:14 in the New Testament, where Paul addresses the adoption or imposition of Judean customs upon non-Judeans, particularly with regard to dietary practices and possibly broader Torah observance. The term does not necessarily connote religious conversion in the modern sense, but rather refers to lifestyle conforming to Judean custom, such as dietary law, circumcision, or festival observance. In later Christian tradition, translations often rendered this as 'to Judaize' or 'live as the Jews,' but these can obscure the original socio-cultural and geographic sense of the term. In some Hellenistic contexts, -ίζω forms denote adopting a specific way of life or practice (cf. Ἑλληνίζω — 'to Greek-ize,' or 'live as a Greek'), and so Ἰουδαΐζω directly parallels this sense.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from Ἰουδαῖος; to become a Judæan, i.e. "Judaize":--live as the Jews.
Root Family
Ἰουδαΐζω (Ioudaizō) — to practice Judean customs, to act as a Judean, to adopt Judean ways
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2450-01 |
Ἰουδαΐζειν | ioudaizein | V PRS ACT INF |
to live like Jews | to practice Judean customs | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2450-01 |
Galatians 2:14 | Ἰουδαΐζειν | ioudaizein | V PRS ACT INF |
to live like Jews | to practice Judean customs |