In biblical terms, the concept of "pervert" often refers to the act of turning away from what is considered right, true, or morally upright according to God's standards. The term is used to describe both actions and individuals who deviate from the path of righteousness as outlined in Scripture.

Old Testament Usage

The Hebrew word often translated as "pervert" is עָוַת (avath), which means to bend, twist, or distort. This concept is frequently associated with justice and truth. In Deuteronomy 16:19, the Israelites are commanded, "Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality or take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous." Here, perversion is linked to the corruption of justice, emphasizing the importance of fairness and integrity in legal matters.

In Proverbs, the theme of perversion is often tied to moral and ethical behavior. Proverbs 17:23 states, "A wicked man takes a covert bribe to subvert the course of justice." This highlights the destructive impact of perversion on societal order and the administration of justice.

New Testament Usage

In the New Testament, the Greek word διαστρέφω (diastrephō) is used, meaning to distort or turn aside. This term is often applied to false teachings and moral corruption. In Acts 13:10, Paul confronts Elymas the sorcerer, saying, "You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right. You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord?" This passage underscores the spiritual danger of perverting God's truth and leading others astray.

The Apostle Paul also warns against perversion in the context of the Gospel. In Galatians 1:7, he admonishes the church, "which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ." Here, perversion is seen as a serious threat to the purity of the Christian message, emphasizing the need for vigilance against false teachings.

Moral and Ethical Implications

Throughout Scripture, the concept of perversion is closely linked to moral and ethical conduct. It is often associated with actions that lead individuals away from God's commandments and principles. In Isaiah 5:20, the prophet warns, "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who turn darkness into light and light into darkness, who replace bitter with sweet and sweet with bitter." This passage illustrates the moral confusion and chaos that result from perverting God's standards.

The Bible consistently calls believers to uphold truth and righteousness, resisting the temptation to pervert justice, morality, or doctrine. In doing so, they reflect the character of God, who is just and true in all His ways.1. (v. t.) To turn away from what is right; to misuse; to divert.

2. (v. t.) To turn from truth, rectitude, or propriety; to divert from a right use, end, or way; to lead astray; to corrupt; also, to misapply; to misinterpret designedly; as, to pervert one's words.

3. (v. i.) To become perverted; to take the wrong course.

4. (n.) One who has been perverted; one who has turned to error, especially in religion; -- opposed to convert.

3344. metastrepho -- to turn (about), to pervert
... to turn (about), to pervert. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: metastrepho Phonetic
Spelling: (met-as-tref'-o) Short Definition: I turn, change, corrupt ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3344.htm - 6k

1612. ekstrepho -- to turn inside out, fig. to pervert
... to pervert. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: ekstrepho Phonetic Spelling:
(ek-stref'-o) Short Definition: I change for the worse, corrupt, pervert ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1612.htm - 7k

3179. methistemi -- to change, pervert
... to change, pervert. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: methistemi Phonetic Spelling:
(meth-is'-tay-mee) Short Definition: I move out of its place, transfer ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3179.htm - 6k

4761. strebloo -- to twist
... to twist. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: strebloo Phonetic Spelling:
(streb-lo'-o) Short Definition: I rack, pervert, twist Definition: I twist, torture ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4761.htm - 7k

1294. diastrepho -- to distort, fig. misinterpret, corrupt
... misinterpret, corrupt. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: diastrepho Phonetic
Spelling: (dee-as-tref'-o) Short Definition: I pervert, corrupt, oppose ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1294.htm - 7k

654. apostrepho -- to turn away, turn back
... Verb Transliteration: apostrepho Phonetic Spelling: (ap-os-tref'-o) Short Definition:
I turn away, restore, reject Definition: I turn away, pervert, remove; I ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/654.htm - 8k

384. anaskeuazo -- to pack up baggage, dismantle
... up baggage, dismantle. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: anaskeuazo Phonetic
Spelling: (an-ask-yoo-ad'-zo) Short Definition: I pervert, unsettle, destroy ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/384.htm - 7k

3346. metatithemi -- to transfer, change
... From meta and tithemi; to transfer, ie (literally) transport, (by implication) exchange,
(reflexively) change sides, or (figuratively) pervert -- carry over ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3346.htm - 6k

1311. diaphtheiro -- to destroy utterly, to spoil, corrupt
... From diaballo and phtheiro; to rot thoroughly, ie (by implication) to ruin (passively,
decay utterly, figuratively, pervert) -- corrupt, destroy, perish. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1311.htm - 8k

5557. salaph -- to twist, pervert, overturn
... 5556, 5557. salaph. 5558 . to twist, pervert, overturn. Transliteration: salaph
Phonetic Spelling: (saw-laf') Short Definition: overthrows. ... overthrow, pervert ...
/hebrew/5557.htm - 6k

5791. avath -- to be bent or crooked
... 5790, 5791. avath. 5792 . to be bent or crooked. Transliteration: avath Phonetic
Spelling: (aw-vath') Short Definition: pervert. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/5791.htm - 6k

8138. shanah -- to repeat, do again
... do speak, strike again, alter, double, be given to change, disguise, be
diverse, pervert,. A primitive root; to fold, ie Duplicate ...
/hebrew/8138.htm - 6k

5753. avah -- to bend, twist
... do amiss, bow down, make crooked, commit iniquity, pervert, do perversely,
trouble, turn, A primitive root; to crook, literally ...
/hebrew/5753.htm - 5k

5186. natah -- to stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend
... 27), inclined (7), intended (1), leaning (1), lengthen (1), lengthened (1), lengthens
(1), let down (1), offer (1), outstretched (17), pervert (4), perverted (1 ...
/hebrew/5186.htm - 7k

5686. abath -- to wind, weave
... 1). wrap up. A primitive root; to interlace, ie (figuratively) to pervert --
wrap up. 5685, 5686. abath. 5687 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/5686.htm - 5k

7725. shub -- to turn back, return
... again, X fro, get (oneself) (back) again, X give (again), go again (back, home),
(go) out, hinder, let, (see) more, X needs, be past, X pay, pervert, pull in ...
/hebrew/7725.htm - 9k

8132. shana -- to change
... Usage alter (1), beam (1), change (2), changed (4), changing (1), different (1),
disguise (1), disguised (1), given to change (1), pervert (1), transferred (1 ...
/hebrew/8132.htm - 6k

2342. chuwl -- to whirl, dance, writhe
... circular or spiral manner), ie (specifically) to dance, to writhe in pain (especially
of parturition) or fear; figuratively, to wait, to pervert -- bear, (make ...
/hebrew/2342.htm - 6k

6140. aqash -- to twist
... A primitive root; to knot or distort; figuratively, to pervert (act or declare perverse) --
make crooked, (prove, that is) perverse(-rt). 6139, 6140. ...
/hebrew/6140.htm - 6k

He Shows How Heretics Pervert Holy Scripture, by Replying to the ...
... He shows how heretics pervert holy Scripture, by replying to the argument drawn
from the Apostle's words, "Without father, without mother," etc.: Heb. vii. ...
/.../cassian/the seven books of john cassian /chapter xiv he shows how.htm

How the Valentinians Pervert the Scriptures to Support their Own ...
... Against Heresies: Book I Chapter VIII."How the Valentinians pervert the
Scriptures to support their own pious opinions. 1. Such ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter viii how the valentinians pervert.htm

He Shows that Like the Devil when Tempting Christ, the Heretics ...
... Book VII. Chapter XVI. He shows that like the devil when tempting Christ,
the heretics garble and pervert holy Scripture. Why then ...
/.../cassian/the seven books of john cassian /chapter xvi he shows that.htm

The Apocryphal and Spurious Scriptures of the Marcosians, with ...
... Against Heresies: Book I Chapter XX."The apocryphal and spurious Scriptures of
the Marcosians, with passages of the Gospels which they pervert. ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter xx the apocryphal and spurious.htm

Showing How that Passage of the Apostle which the Heretics Pervert ...
... Against Heresies: Book V Chapter IX."Showing how that passage of the apostle which
the heretics pervert, should be understood; viz., "Flesh and blood shall ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter ix showing how that passage.htm

Passages from Moses, which the Heretics Pervert to the Support of ...
... Against Heresies: Book I Chapter XVIII."Passages from Moses, which the heretics
pervert to the support of their hypothesis. 1. And ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter xviii passages from moses which.htm

After all this You Dare to Say in Your Apology, that You are not ...
... I cannot allow you to make my mistake a cloak for your fraud, when you first pretend
that the book is by Pamphilus and then pervert many of its passages so as ...
/.../23 after all this you.htm

Preface of Dr. Martin Luther.
... all are poisoned) who will not hear or notice what we write, but solely exercise
themselves with all diligence how they may most shamefully pervert and corrupt ...
/.../luther/the smalcald articles/preface of dr martin luther.htm

To the Regions Beyond
... And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou
enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/to the regions beyond.htm

That Prophecy, "Behold, a virgin," Etc. , Suits Christ Alone.
... But you in these matters venture to pervert the expositions which your elders that
were with Ptolemy king of Egypt gave forth, since you assert that the ...
/.../chapter lxxxiv that prophecy behold a.htm

Pervert (18 Occurrences)
... or propriety; to divert from a right use, end, or way; to lead astray; to corrupt;
also, to misapply; to misinterpret designedly; as, to pervert one's words. ...
/p/pervert.htm - 12k

Wrest (8 Occurrences)
... 2. (vt) To turn from truth; to twist from its natural or proper use or meaning by
violence; to pervert; to distort. 3. (vt) To tune with a wrest, or key. ...
/w/wrest.htm - 10k

Bribe (27 Occurrences)
... 8. (vi) To give a bribe to a person; to pervert the judgment or corrupt the action
of a person in a position of trust, by some gift or promise. ...
/b/bribe.htm - 15k

Iniquity (299 Occurrences)
... crookedness," "perverseness," ie evil regarded as that which is not straight or
upright, moral distortion (from `iwwah, "to bend," "make crooked," "pervert"). ...
/i/iniquity.htm - 43k

Distort (8 Occurrences)
... 3. (vt) To wrest from the true meaning; to pervert; as, to distort passages of
Scripture, or their meaning. Multi-Version Concordance Distort (8 Occurrences). ...
/d/distort.htm - 9k

Perverted (26 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Pervert. Multi-Version Concordance
Perverted (26 Occurrences). Matthew 17:17 And Jesus answering ...
/p/perverted.htm - 13k

Wickedly (34 Occurrences)
... (KJV WBS NIV). Job 34:12 Yes surely, God will not do wickedly, neither will the
Almighty pervert justice. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV). ...
/w/wickedly.htm - 17k

Justice (212 Occurrences)
... Exodus 23:2 "You shall not follow a crowd to do evil; neither shall you testify
in court to side with a multitude to pervert justice; (WEB JPS ASV NAS RSV NIV). ...
/j/justice.htm - 46k

Almighty (242 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV). Job 8:3 Does God pervert justice? Or does
the Almighty pervert righteousness? (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV). ...
/a/almighty.htm - 35k

Perversity (23 Occurrences)

/p/perversity.htm - 13k

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Pervert: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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