Strong's Lexicon ponéros: Evil, wicked, bad, malicious Original Word: πονηρός Word Origin: Derived from a derivative of the base of πονέω (poneō), meaning "to toil" or "to work hard," often with the connotation of pain or trouble. Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: - H7451 (רַע, ra): Often translated as "evil" or "wicked," used to describe actions or intentions that are morally wrong or harmful. - H7489 (רָעַע, ra'a): A verb meaning "to be evil" or "to do wickedly." Usage: The Greek word "ponéros" is used in the New Testament to describe that which is morally or ethically evil, wicked, or malicious. It often refers to actions, thoughts, or individuals that are contrary to God's nature and commands. The term can also denote the influence of evil, such as the evil one (Satan) or evil spirits. Cultural and Historical Background: In the Greco-Roman world, the concept of "evil" was often associated with chaos, disorder, and actions that disrupted societal harmony. In the Jewish context, "ponéros" aligns with the Hebrew understanding of evil as anything that opposes God's will and righteousness. The New Testament writers, influenced by both Jewish and Hellenistic thought, used "ponéros" to describe the pervasive nature of sin and the spiritual battle between good and evil. HELPS Word-studies 4190 ponērós (an adjective which is also used substantively, derived from 4192 /pónos, "pain, laborious trouble") – properly, pain-ridden, emphasizing the inevitable agonies (misery) that always go with evil. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom poneó (to toil) Definition toilsome, bad NASB Translation bad (5), crimes (1), envious (1), envy* (1), evil (50), evil one (5), evil things (1), malignant (1), more evil (1), more wicked (1), vicious (1), wicked (6), wicked man (1), wicked things (1), worthless (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4190: πονηρόςπονηρός (on the accent cf. Lob. ad Phryn., p. 3 Göttling, Lehre v., Accent, p. 304f; (Chandler §§ 404, 405); Lipsius, Grammat. Untersuch., p. 26), πονηρά, πονηρόν; comparitive πονηρότερος (Matthew 12:45; Luke 11:26); (πονέω, πόνος); from Hesiod (Homer (ep. 15, 20), Theog.) down; the Sept. often for רַע ; 1. full of labors, annoyances, hardships; a. pressed and harassed by labors; thus Hercules is called πονηροτατος καί ἄριστος, Hesiod fragment 43, 5. b. bringing toils, annoyances, perils: (καιρός, Sir. 51:12); ἡμέρα πονηρά, of a time full of peril to Christian faith and steadfastness, Ephesians 5:16; Ephesians 6:13 (so in the plural ἡμέραι πονηραί the Epistle of Barnabas 2, 1 [ET]); causing pain and trouble (A. V. grievous), ἕλκος, Revelation 16:2. 2. bad, of a bad nature or condition; a. in a physical sense: ὀφθαλμός, diseased or blind, Matthew 6:23; Luke 11:34 (πονηρία ὀφθαλμῶν, Plato, Hipp., min., p. 374 d.; the Greeks use πονηρῶς ἔχειν or διακεῖσθαι of the sick; ἐκ γενετῆς πονηρούς ὑγιεῖς πεποιηκέναι, Justin Martyr, Apology 1, 22 ((cf. Otto's note); others take πονηρός in Matthew and Luke as above ethically; cf. b. and Meyer on Matt.)); καρπός, Matthew 7:17f. b. in an ethical sense, evil, wicked, bad, etc. ("this use of the word is due to its association with the working (largely the servile) class; not that contempt for labor is thereby expressed, for such words as ἐργάτης, δραστηρ, and the like, do not take on this evil sense, which connected itself only with a word expressive of unintermitted toil and carrying no suggestion of results" (cf. Schmidt, chapter 85, § 1); see κακία, at the end); of persons: Matthew 7:11; Matthew 12:34; Matthew 18:32; Matthew 25:26; Luke 6:45; Luke 11:13; Luke 19:22; Acts 17:5; 2 Thessalonians 3:2; 2 Timothy 3:13; γενεά πονηρά, Matthew 12:39, 45; Matthew 16:4; Luke 11:29; πνεῦμα πονηρόν, an evil spirit (see πνεῦμα, 3 c.), Matthew 12:45; Luke 7:21; Luke 8:2; Luke 11:26; Acts 19:12f, 15f; substantively οἱ πονηροί, the wicked, bad men, opposed to οἱ δίκαιοι, Matthew 13:49; πονηροί καί ἀγαθοί, Matthew 5:45; Matthew 22:10; ἀχάριστοι καί πονηροί, Luke 6:35; τόν πονηρόν, the wicked man, i. e. the evil-doer spoken of, 1 Corinthians 5:13; τῷ πονηρῷ, the evil man, who injures you, Matthew 5:39. ὁ πονηρός is used pre-eminently of the devil, the evil one: Matthew 5:37; Matthew 6:13; Matthew 13:19, 38; Luke 11:4 R L; John 17:15; 1 John 2:13; 1 John 3:12; 1 John 5:18f (on which see κεῖμαι, 2{c}); Ephesians 6:16. of things: αἰών, Galatians 1:4; ὄνομα (which see 1, p. 447a bottom), Luke 6:22; ῤᾳδιούργημα, Acts 18:14; the heart as a storehouse out of which a man brings forth πονηρά words is called θησαυρός πονηρός, Matthew 12:35; Luke 6:45; συνείδησις πονηρά, a soul conscious of wickedness (conscious wickedness; see συνείδησις, b. sub at the end), Hebrews 10:22; καρδία πονηρά ἀπιστίας, an evil heart such as is revealed in distrusting (cf. Buttmann, § 132, 24; Winer's Grammar, § 30, 4), Hebrews 3:12; ὀφθαλμός (which see), Matthew 20:15; Mark 7:22; διαλογισμοί, Matthew 15:19; James 2:4; ὑπόνοιαι, 1 Timothy 6:4; καύχησις; James 4:16; ῤῆμα, a reproach, Matthew 5:11 (R G; others omit ῤῆμα); λόγοι, 3 John 1:10; ἔργα, John 3:19; John 7:7; 1 John 3:12; 2 John 1:11; Colossians 1:21; ἔργον (according to the context) wrong committed against me, 2 Timothy 4:18; αἰτία, charge of crime, Acts 25:18 L T Tr marginal reading WH marginal reading The neuter πονηρόν, and τό πονηρόν, substantively, evil, that which is wicked: εἶδος πονηροῦ (see εἶδος, 2; (others take πονηροῦ here as an adjective, and bring the example under εἶδος, 1 (R. V. marginal reading appearance of evil))), 1 Thessalonians 5:22; 2 Thessalonians 3:3 (where τοῦ πονηροῦ is held by many to be the genitive of the masculine ὁ πονηρός, but cf. Lünemann ad loc.); (τί πονηρόν, Acts 28:21); opposed to τό ἀγαθόν, Luke 6:45; Romans 12:9; plural (Winer's Grammar, § 34, 2), Matthew 9:4; Luke 3:19; wicked deeds, Acts 25:18 Tr text WH text; ταῦτα τά πονηρά, these evil things i. e. the vices just enumerated, Mark 7:23. From a derivative of ponos; hurtful, i.e. Evil (properly, in effect or influence, and thus differing from kakos, which refers rather to essential character, as well as from sapros, which indicates degeneracy from original virtue); figuratively, calamitous; also (passively) ill, i.e. Diseased; but especially (morally) culpable, i.e. Derelict, vicious, facinorous; neuter (singular) mischief, malice, or (plural) guilt; masculine (singular) the devil, or (plural) sinners -- bad, evil, grievous, harm, lewd, malicious, wicked(-ness). See also poneroteros. see GREEK ponos see GREEK kakos see GREEK sapros see GREEK poneroteros Englishman's Concordance Matthew 5:11 Adj-ANSGRK: εἴπωσιν πᾶν πονηρὸν καθ' ὑμῶν NAS: all kinds of evil against KJV: all manner of evil against INT: shall say all kinds of evil against you Matthew 5:37 Adj-GMS Matthew 5:39 Adj-DMS Matthew 5:45 Adj-AMP Matthew 6:13 Adj-GM/NS Matthew 6:23 Adj-NMS Matthew 7:11 Adj-NMP Matthew 7:17 Adj-AMP Matthew 7:18 Adj-AMP Matthew 9:4 Adj-ANP Matthew 12:34 Adj-NMP Matthew 12:35 Adj-NMS Matthew 12:35 Adj-GMS Matthew 12:35 Adj-ANP Matthew 12:39 Adj-NFS Matthew 12:45 Adj-ANP-C Matthew 12:45 Adj-DFS Matthew 13:19 Adj-NMS Matthew 13:38 Adj-GMS Matthew 13:49 Adj-AMP Matthew 15:19 Adj-NMP Matthew 16:4 Adj-NFS Matthew 18:32 Adj-VMS Matthew 20:15 Adj-NMS Matthew 22:10 Adj-AMP Strong's Greek 4190 |