3392. miainó

Lexicon

miainó: To stain, defile, pollute

Original Word: μιαίνω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: miainó
Pronunciation: mee-ah'-ee-no
Phonetic Spelling: (me-ah'-ee-no)
Definition: To stain, defile, pollute
Meaning: I stain, pollute, defile, corrupt.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

defile.

Perhaps a primary verb; to sully or taint, i.e. Contaminate (ceremonially or morally) -- defile.

HELPS Word-studies

3392 miaínō – properly, to stain (with paint or dye); (figuratively) to stain (defile) the soul, i.e. like when sin taints by its polluting effects ("moral, spiritual stains").

The root mia- ("tainted at the source") shows everything passing through it also becomes stained ("reconstituted," polluted).

[3392 (miaínō) literally means "to dye, stain with color." Figuratively, it refers to rendering something morally (spiritually) defiled.]

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a prim. verb
Definition
to stain, defile
NASB Translation
defile (1), defiled (4).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 3392: μιαίνω

μιαίνω; passive, 1 aorist subjunctive 3 person plural μιανθῶσιν; perfect 3 person singular μεμίανται (unless it be better to take this form as a plural; cf. Krüger, § 33, 3 Anm. 9; Alexander Buttmann (1873) Gram. § 101 Anm. 7; Ausf. Spr. § 101 Anm. 13; Buttmann, 41 (36); (Winer's Grammar, § 58, 6 b. β.)), participle μεμιασμενος (Titus 1:15 R G) and μειαμμενος (ibid. L T Tr WH; also Wis. 7:25; Tobit 2:9; Josephus, b. j. 4, 5, 2 edition, Bekker; cf. Matthiae, i., p. 415; Krüger, § 40, under the word; Lob. ad Phryn., p. 35; Otto on Theophil. ad Autol. 1, 1, p. 2f; (Veitch, under the word)); from Homer down;

1. to dye with another color, to stain: ἐλέφαντα φοίνικι, Homer Iliad 4, 141.

2. to defile, pollute, sully, contaminate, soil (the Sept. often for טִמֵּא): in a physical and a moral sense, σάρκα (of licentiousness), Jude 1:8; in a moral sense, τόν συνείδησιν, τόν νοῦν, passive Titus 1:15; absolutely, to defile with sin, passive ibid. and in Hebrews 12:15; for הֶחֱטִיא, Deuteronomy 24:6(4); in a ritual sense, of men, passive John 18:28 (Leviticus 22:5, 8; Numbers 19:13, 20; Tobit 2:9). [SYNONYMS: μιαίνω, μολύνω: according to Trench (N. T. Synonyms, § xxxi.) μιαίνω to stain differs from μολύνω to smear not only in its primary and outward sense, but in the circumstance that (like English stain) it may be used in good part, while μολύνω admits of no worthy reference.]

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: A primary verb

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • H2930 (טָמֵא, tame): To be unclean, become impure
• H1351 (גָּאַל, ga'al): To defile, pollute, desecrate

These Hebrew terms similarly convey the idea of impurity and defilement, often in the context of ritual or moral uncleanness, paralleling the Greek concept expressed by μιαίνω.

Usage: The verb μιαίνω is used in the New Testament to describe the act of defiling or polluting, often in a moral or ceremonial sense. It conveys the idea of making something impure or unclean.

Context: The Greek verb μιαίνω appears in several New Testament passages, emphasizing the concept of defilement, both in a physical and spiritual sense. It is often used to describe the contamination of what is considered holy or pure, whether it be a person, object, or practice.

In the New Testament, μιαίνω is used in contexts that highlight the importance of maintaining purity and holiness. For example, in Titus 1:15, Paul writes, "To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; in fact, both their minds and consciences are defiled." Here, μιαίνω underscores the spiritual defilement that affects one's perception and conscience.

The term also appears in Hebrews 12:15, where believers are warned to "see to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up to cause trouble and defile many." This usage illustrates how moral and spiritual corruption can spread and impact the community of faith.

The concept of defilement in the biblical context often carries significant theological implications, as it relates to the holiness required by God and the separation from sin. The use of μιαίνω in the New Testament serves as a reminder of the call to live a life that is set apart and untainted by the corruption of the world.

Forms and Transliterations

εμίαινεν εμιαίνεσθε εμιαίνετο εμίαινον εμιαίνου εμίανα εμίαναν εμίανας εμιάνατε εμίανε εμίανεν εμιάνθη εμιάνθησαν μεμιαμμενοις μεμιαμμένοις μεμίανσαι μεμιανται μεμίανται μεμιασμένη μεμιασμένος μιαίνειν μιαίνεσθε μιαινομένη μιαίνουσι μιαινουσιν μιαίνουσιν μιαίνωνται μιάναι μιάνατε μιανεί μιανείτε μιανή μιάνη μιάνης μιανθή μιανθήναι μιανθήσεσθε μιανθήσεται μιανθήσονται μιανθώσι μιανθωσιν μιανθῶσιν μιανούσι μιάνσει μιανώ memiammenois memiamménois memiantai memíantai miainousin miaínousin mianthosin mianthôsin mianthōsin mianthō̂sin

Englishman's Concordance

John 18:28 V-ASP-3P
GRK: ἵνα μὴ μιανθῶσιν ἀλλὰ φάγωσιν
NAS: so that they would not be defiled, but might eat
KJV: lest they should be defiled; but
INT: that not they might be stained but they might eat

Titus 1:15 V-RPM/P-DMP
GRK: τοῖς δὲ μεμιαμμένοις καὶ ἀπίστοις
NAS: but to those who are defiled and unbelieving,
KJV: but unto them that are defiled and
INT: to those who however are defiled and unbelieving

Titus 1:15 V-RIM/P-3S
GRK: καθαρόν ἀλλὰ μεμίανται αὐτῶν καὶ
NAS: and their conscience are defiled.
KJV: and conscience is defiled.
INT: [is] pure but are defiled of them both

Hebrews 12:15 V-ASP-3P
GRK: δι' αὐτῆς μιανθῶσιν οἱ πολλοί
NAS: and by it many be defiled;
KJV: thereby many be defiled;
INT: by this be defiled the many

Jude 1:8 V-PIA-3P
GRK: σάρκα μὲν μιαίνουσιν κυριότητα δὲ
NAS: by dreaming, defile the flesh,
KJV: [filthy] dreamers defile the flesh,
INT: [the] flesh indeed defile authority moreover

Strong's Greek 3392
5 Occurrences

μεμιαμμένοις — 1 Occ.
μεμίανται — 1 Occ.
μιαίνουσιν — 1 Occ.
μιανθῶσιν — 2 Occ.