Definition and Context:
Straying, in a biblical context, refers to the act of deviating from the path of righteousness and truth as outlined in the Scriptures. It is often associated with wandering away from God's commandments, teachings, and the faith community. The concept of straying is frequently depicted in the Bible as a spiritual and moral failure, akin to sheep wandering away from their shepherd.

Biblical References:

1. Old Testament:
The imagery of straying is vividly portrayed in the Old Testament, particularly in the prophetic literature. Isaiah 53:6 states, "We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all." This verse highlights the universal tendency of humans to stray from God's ways and the redemptive plan of God to bring them back.

In the book of Jeremiah, the prophet laments the straying of Israel, saying, "My people have been lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray, causing them to roam the mountains. They have gone from mountain to hill; they have forgotten their resting place" (Jeremiah 50:6). Here, straying is linked to poor leadership and a loss of spiritual direction.

2. New Testament:
The New Testament continues the theme of straying, emphasizing the need for repentance and return to God. In the parable of the lost sheep, Jesus illustrates God's concern for those who have strayed. Matthew 18:12-13 recounts, "What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go to look for the one that is lost? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices more over that one sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray."

The apostle Peter also addresses the issue of straying in his epistles. In 1 Peter 2:25 , he writes, "For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls." This passage underscores the transformation that occurs when individuals return to Christ, the true Shepherd.

Theological Implications:
Straying is often seen as a result of sin, temptation, and the influence of false teachings. It reflects a departure from the truth and a failure to adhere to the covenant relationship with God. The Bible consistently calls believers to vigilance, urging them to remain steadfast in their faith and to guard against the dangers of straying.

The concept of straying also highlights God's grace and mercy. Despite human tendencies to wander, God actively seeks out the lost and provides a way for their return through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. This divine initiative is a central theme in the narrative of redemption, illustrating God's unwavering love and commitment to His people.

Practical Application:
Believers are encouraged to remain rooted in Scripture, engage in regular fellowship with other Christians, and seek guidance through prayer to prevent straying. The church community plays a vital role in supporting individuals who may be struggling, offering accountability, encouragement, and restoration.

In summary, straying is a significant biblical theme that underscores the human propensity to deviate from God's path and the divine effort to restore those who are lost. Through the teachings of the Bible, believers are called to remain faithful and to help guide others back to the fold.(p. pr. & vb. n.) of Stray.635. apoplanao -- to cause to go astray
... 635 () to the cause, ie the of the straying (wandering) and then connects
the needless pains arising it (note the prefix, ). Word ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/635.htm - 7k

4106. plane -- a wandering
... Feminine of planos (as abstractly); objectively, fraudulence; subjectively, a straying
from orthodoxy or piety -- deceit, to deceive, delusion, error. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4106.htm - 7k

4105. planao -- to cause to wander, to wander
... go astray (1), gone astray (3), leads...astray (2), led astray (1), misguided (1),
mislead (4), misleads (2), misled (1), mistaken (3), straying (2), strays (1 ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4105.htm - 9k

795. astocheo -- to miss the mark
... Word Origin from alpha (as a neg. prefix) and stochos (a mark) Definition to miss
the mark NASB Word Usage gone astray (2), straying (1). err, swerve. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/795.htm - 7k

4788. marud -- restlessness, straying
... 4787b, 4788. marud. 4789 . restlessness, straying. Transliteration: marud
Phonetic Spelling: (maw-rood') Short Definition: homeless. ...
/hebrew/4788.htm - 6k

5080. nadach -- to impel, thrust, banish
... driven away (5), hunted (1), led...astray (1), outcast (2), outcasts (6), scatter
(1), scattered (4), seduce (2), seduced (1), seduces (1), straying away (1 ...
/hebrew/5080.htm - 6k

Whether Excess and Deficiency Diversify the Species of Sins?
... Objection 2: Further, just as sin, in matters of action, is due to straying from
the rectitude of reason, so falsehood, in speculative matters, is due to ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether excess and deficiency diversify.htm

The Lost Sheep and the Seeking Shepherd
... for His. Erring, straying, lost, they still belong to the Shepherd. Notice
next, the picture of the sheep as wandering. The word ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture b/the lost sheep and the.htm

Receiving and Rejecting.
... He is a shepherd now, bringing back the straying sheep, and replacing them in the
fold, but one day He will do just the contrary, He will go to His fold, and ...
/.../the village pulpit volume ii trinity to advent/xl receiving and rejecting.htm

And There came unto Him Publicans and Sinners to Hear his Word. .. ...
... 1810] What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if one of them were lost, would
not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go and seek the straying one [5 ...
/.../hogg/the diatessaron of tatian/section xxvi and there came.htm

Whether all Sins are Connected with one Another?
... that, The intention of the man who acts according to virtue in pursuance of his
reason, is different from the intention of the sinner in straying from the path ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether all sins are connected.htm

Whether Incontinence is a Sin?
... vii, 4) that "incontinence is censurable not only because it is wrong""-that is,
by straying from reason"-"but also because it is wicked""-that is, by ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether incontinence is a sin.htm

Of the Parables of the Lost Ewe and the Lost Drachma.
... [787] Finally, it is one "straying" which is ascribed to the ewe and the drachma:
(and this is an evidence in my favour); for if the parables had been composed ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/tertullian/on modesty/chapter vii of the parables of.htm

The Lost Sheep.
... The shepherd knows the nature of the country in which the sheep is straying;
and also the nature of the sheep that is straying there. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/arnot/the parables of our lord/xxii the lost sheep.htm

The Three Parables of the Gospel: of the Recovery of the Lost - of ...
... And, to take these Pharisees on their own ground, [4485] should not the Christ have
done likewise to the straying and almost lost sheep of His own flock? ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xvii the three parables.htm

Book ii Then for a While She Held Her Peace. ...
... But when her silence, so discreet, made my thoughts to cease from straying, she
thus began to speak: If I have thoroughly learned the causes and the manner of ...
/.../boethius/the consolation of philosophy/book ii then for a.htm

Straying (5 Occurrences)
...Straying (5 Occurrences). ... (YLT). 1 Peter 2:25 For you were straying like lost sheep,
but now you have come back to the Shepherd and Protector of your souls. ...
/s/straying.htm - 7k

Yourselves (530 Occurrences)
... Suppose a man gets a hundred sheep and one of them strays away, will he not leave
the ninety-nine on the hills and go and look for the one that is straying? ...
/y/yourselves.htm - 36k

Gets (122 Occurrences)
... Suppose a man gets a hundred sheep and one of them strays away, will he not leave
the ninety-nine on the hills and go and look for the one that is straying? ...
/g/gets.htm - 33k

Fence (12 Occurrences)
... or about any object; especially, an inclosing structure of wood, iron, or other
material, intended to prevent intrusion from without or straying from within. ...
/f/fence.htm - 15k

Erroneous (1 Occurrence)
... 2. (a.) Wandering; straying; deviating from the right course; -- hence, irregular;
unnatural. 3. (a.) Misleading; misled; mistaking. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/e/erroneous.htm - 7k

Protector (2 Occurrences)
... Protector (2 Occurrences). 1 Peter 2:25 For you were straying like lost sheep, but
now you have come back to the Shepherd and Protector of your souls. (WEY). ...
/p/protector.htm - 7k

Astray (116 Occurrences)
... No word more vividly portrays sin as a straying, a separation from God. To be morally
"astray" is to be "lost." Dwight M. Pratt. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/a/astray.htm - 36k

Strayings (1 Occurrence)

/s/strayings.htm - 6k

Suppose (47 Occurrences)
... Suppose a man gets a hundred sheep and one of them strays away, will he not leave
the ninety-nine on the hills and go and look for the one that is straying? ...
/s/suppose.htm - 20k

Strays (6 Occurrences)
... Suppose a man gets a hundred sheep and one of them strays away, will he not leave
the ninety-nine on the hills and go and look for the one that is straying? ...
/s/strays.htm - 8k

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