G1125 — γράφω (gráphō)¶

Core Data¶

Strong's: G1125
Original: γράφω
Transliteration: gráphō
Pronunciation: graf'-o
Part of Speech: Verb (primary)
Root: Primary verb; related to γράμμα (letter, engraving)
Occurrences: 197 unique verses (216 tokens) in NT; 26 books
First Occurrence: Mat 2:5 — "for thus it is written by the prophet"
Hapax Legomenon: No

Lexicon Definition¶

A primary verb; to "grave", especially to write; figuratively, to describe:—describe, write(-ing, -ten).

Verb Form Distribution¶

Form	Code	Count	Typical Rendering
Perfect Passive Indicative	V-RPI	67	"it is written" / "it stands written" (γέγραπται)
Perfect Passive Participle	V-RPP	34	"written" / "what is written" (γεγραμμένον)
Aorist Active Indicative	V-AAI	29	"he wrote" / "I wrote" (ἔγραψεν)
Present Active Indicative	V-PAI	16	"I write" / "we write" (γράφω)
Aorist Active Imperative	V-AAM	14	"Write!" (γράψον)
Present Active Infinitive	V-PAN	7	"to write" (γράφειν)
Aorist Active Infinitive	V-AAN	5	"to write" (γράψαι)
Aorist Passive Indicative	V-2API	4	"was written" (ἐγράφη)
Aorist Active Participle	V-AAP	4	"having written" (γράψας)
Imperfect Active Indicative	V-IAI	2	"was writing" (ἔγραφεν)
Perfect Active Indicative	V-2RAI	2	"I have written" (γέγραφα — John 19:22)
Other	—	~8	Subjunctive, future, present passive, etc.

Note: The Perfect Passive (γέγραπται) accounts for ~52% of all uses — the dominant theological form. The Greek perfect indicates a past writing whose result permanently abides: "it was written and stands written."

Semantic Domains¶

Louw-Nida: - 33.005 — Written Language

Other words in domain 33: ἀναγινώσκω (G314), γραφή (G1124), γράμμα (G1121), βιβλίον (G975), ἐπιγράφω (G1924), ἐγγράφω (G1449)

UBS Semantic Domains: - [033] Communication

Translation Distribution (KJV)¶

Translation	Verses	%
it is written	53	26.9%
written	28	14.2%
write	12	6.1%
I write	9	4.6%
are written	8	4.1%
is written	8	4.1%
to write	8	4.1%
I wrote	7	3.6%
wrote	7	3.6%
I have written	6	3.0%
was written	6	3.0%
It is written	5	2.5%
Write	5	2.5%
Written	4	2.0%
Other forms	31	15.8%

Distribution by Book¶

Book	Count	Per 100 Verses
2 John	2	15.4
3 John	2	14.3
Philemon	3	12.0
1 John	10	9.5
Revelation	28	6.9
Romans	21	4.8
2 Corinthians	12	4.7
Galatians	7	4.7
1 Corinthians	19	4.3
2 Thessalonians	2	4.3
1 Thessalonians	3	3.4
2 Peter	2	3.3
John	20	2.3
Titus	1	2.2
Luke	22	1.9
1 Peter	2	1.9
1 Timothy	2	1.8
Mark	10	1.5
2 Timothy	1	1.2
Acts	11	1.1
Colossians	1	1.1
Matthew	10	0.9
Hebrews	2	0.7
Ephesians	1	0.6

Pattern: Heaviest concentration in the Johannine epistles, Revelation, and Pauline correspondence. Luke (22v) leads the Gospels in raw count. Revelation's 28 occurrences are driven by the heavenly "Write!" commands. The Epistles (especially Romans, 1–2 Corinthians, and 1 John) dominate by density — Paul and John cite and compose written texts constantly.

Semantic Categories¶

1. Authoritative Appeal to Scripture (γέγραπται)¶

The dominant use: quoting OT text with the perfect passive "it is (and stands) written." The perfect tense stresses the permanent, binding force of the written word. - Mat 4:4 — "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God" - Mat 4:7 — "It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God" - Rom 1:17 — "as it is written, The just shall live by faith" - 1Co 1:19 — "For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise"

2. Apostolic Correspondence¶

The present/aorist active: Paul, John, and Peter writing letters to specific communities, explaining purpose, content, and tone. - 1Jo 1:4 — "these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full" - 1Jo 2:1 — "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not" - 2Co 2:4 — "out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears" - 2Pe 3:1 — "This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds"

3. Command to Record Revelation ("Write!")¶

The imperative γράψον, overwhelmingly in Revelation. The exalted Christ and heavenly voices command inscription of visions and beatitudes. - Rev 1:11 — "What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches" - Rev 1:19 — "Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter" - Rev 2:1 — "Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars" - Rev 14:13 — "Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth"

4. The Prophets Wrote / Moses Wrote¶

Historical reference to OT authors as writers — the scriptures attributed to their literary activity. - Jhn 1:45 — "We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write" - Jhn 5:46 — "had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me" - Luk 24:44 — "all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms" - Acts 24:14 — "believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets"

5. Written Things That Must Be Fulfilled¶

γεγραμμένα as a category of predictive writing requiring eschatological completion. - Luk 18:31 — "all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished" - Luk 21:22 — "these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled" - Acts 13:29 — "when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree" - 1Co 10:11 — "they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come"

6. Physical and Legal Inscription¶

Concrete writing on objects — title-boards, writing tablets, ground, bills of divorce, personal notes. - Mat 27:37 — "set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS" - Jhn 19:19–22 — "Pilate wrote a title… What I have written I have written" - Luk 1:63 — "he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John" - Luk 16:6–7 — "Take thy bill… write fifty" (a commercial document)

7. Names Written in the Book of Life¶

Eschatological registration: γράφω as the divine act of recording or not recording names in the heavenly registry. - Rev 13:8 — "all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb" - Rev 20:15 — "whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire" - Rev 21:27 — "they which are written in the Lamb's book of life" - Luk 10:20 — "rejoice, because your names are written in heaven"

Common Collocations¶

Word	Strong's	Co-occurrences	Typical Pattern
θεός (theós)	G2316	39x (20%)	"as it is written … God" — OT quotations about God
πᾶς (pâs)	G3956	38x (19%)	"all things written" — comprehensive fulfillment
λέγω (légō)	G3004	37x (19%)	"saying / it is written" — oral + written witness combined
Ἰησοῦς (Iēsoûs)	G2424	30x (15%)	written of Jesus / written by Jesus' authority
καθώς (kathṓs)	G2531	28x (14%)	"as it is written" — citation formula
ἔχω (ĕchō)	G2192	27x (14%)	"we have written / you have what is written"
κύριος (kýrios)	G2962	25x (13%)	"written in the law of the Lord"
βιβλίον (biblíon)	G975	13x (7%)	"written in a book / the book of life"
ἐκκλησία (ekklēsía)	G1577	13x (7%)	"write to the church" — Revelation's letters
λόγος (lógos)	G3056	13x (7%)	"the written word / words of this prophecy"
νόμος (nómos)	G3551	13x (7%)	"written in the law" — Mosaic written code
ἄγγελος (ággelos)	G32	12x (6%)	"write to the angel of the church" — Revelation

Word Family / Cognates¶

G1124 γραφή (graphē) — scripture, a (specific) writing; 48v; the noun form used for "the scriptures"
G1121 γράμμα (gramma) — a letter, written character, document; 14v; nearer to individual letters or bills
G1123 γραπτός (graptos) — "written" as adjective; 1v (Rom 2:15 — "the law written in their hearts")
G1449 ἐγγράφω (engraphō) — to write in/engrave into; 2v (2Co 3:2; Heb 8:10)
G1924 ἐπιγράφω (epigraphō) — to write upon/inscribe; 5v (Mk 15:26; Acts 17:23; Heb 8:10; 10:16; Rev 21:12)
G5498 χειρόγραφον (cheirographon) — handwriting, bond/certificate; 1v (Col 2:14)

Synonyms¶

No direct synonyms were returned by search_relationships.py for G1125.

Antonyms¶

No antonyms were returned by search_relationships.py for G1125.

Easily Confused Words¶

Word	Strong's	Shared Translation	Key Difference
κατάλογος → κατάγραφω (?)	—	—	—
כָּתַב (kâthab)	H3789	written, wrote, write	Hebrew OT equivalent; same semantic range; 212v in OT
ἐγγράφω (engraphō)	G1449	written	Prefixed form: "write in/engrave into" a medium (heart, stone)
ἐπιγράφω (epigraphō)	G1924	inscription, written	Prefixed form: "write upon" a surface as a label or title
γράμμα (gramma)	G1121	letters, bill	Noun: individual letters or a brief document; γράφω is the verbal act
γραφή (graphē)	G1124	scripture	Noun: the specific body of sacred writings; γράφω is the act

Hebrew Source (via LXX)¶

Hebrew Source	Strong's	Co-occ	PMI	Notes
כָּתַב (kâthab)	H3789	185	34.64	Primary OT equivalent — "to engrave, write"
סֵפֶר (sēpher)	H5612	106	28.56	Book/scroll; gráphō used where LXX renders sepher contexts
תּוֹרָה (tôwrâh)	H8451	32	14.25	Law/Torah; "written in the law" citations
לוּחַ (lûwach)	H3871	12	14.08	Tablet; writing on stone/tablets
דָּבָר (dâbâr)	H1697	91	13.82	Word/matter; written oracles and divine speech

Primary bridge: H3789 כָּתַב (kâthab) is the nearly exact Hebrew counterpart of γράφω, covering the same range from physical inscription to authoritative legal/prophetic writing. The LXX uses γράφω for kâthab in 185 shared contexts.