Bible Encyclopedias
Profess; Profession

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

prṓ - fes ´, prṓ - fesh´un ( נגד , nāghadh ; ὁμολογέω , homologéō , ὁμολογία , homologı́a ): "Profess" means literally "to own before," hence, to make open or public announcement; it occurs only once in the Old Testament as the translation of nāghadh , "to put before," often "to tell," "to show," "to declare" ( Deuteronomy 26:3 ); in the New Testament it is the translation of homologeō , "to speak or say together in common," "to assent," "to confess publicly" (Matthew 7:23 , "Then will I profess unto them, I never knew you"; 1 Timothy 6:12 , the Revised Version (British and American) "didst confess the good confession"; Titus 1:16 , "They profess that they know God"); of epaggéllomai , "to announce one's self," "to make profession" (1 Timothy 2:10; 1 Timothy 6:21 ); of pháskō , "to say," "to assert" (Romans 1:22 ). "Profession" is the translation of homologia (2 Corinthians 9:13; 1 Timothy 6:12; Hebrews 3:1 , the King James Version "the High Priest of our profession" (of our professed faith); Hebrews 4:14; Hebrews 10:23; in each instance the Revised Version (British and American) has "confession"). "Profess" occurs in the King James Version of Ecclesiasticus 3:25, but the verse is omitted by the Revised Version (British and American); margin "Most authorities omit verse 25."