Lexical Summary rhuparos: Filthy, dirty, defiled Original Word: ῥυπαρός Strong's Exhaustive Concordance vile. From rhupos; dirty, i.e. (relatively) cheap or shabby; morally, wicked -- vile. see GREEK rhupos HELPS Word-studies Cognate: 4508 rhyparós (an adjective, derived from 4509 /rhýpos, "moral filth") – filthy, foul (used only in Js 2:2). See 4509 (rhypos). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom rhupos Definition filthy NASB Translation dirty (1), filthy (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4508: ῤυπαρόςῤυπαρός, ῤυπαρᾷ, ῥυπαρον (ῤύπος, which see), filthy, dirty: properly, of clothing (A. V. vile), James 2:2 (the Sept. Zechariah 3:3f; Josephus, Antiquities 7, 11, 3; Plutarch, Phocylides, 18; Dio Cassius, 65, 20; ῤυπαρᾷ καί ἀπλυτα, Artemidorus Daldianus, oneir. 2, 3 at the end; χλαμύς, Aelian v. h. 14, 10); metaphorically, defiled with iniquity, base (A. V. filthy): Revelation 22:11 G L T Tr WH. ((In the sense of sordid, mean, Dionysius Halicarnassus, others.)) Topical Lexicon Meaning and Conceptual Scope Strong’s Greek 4508 (ῥυπαρός) conveys the idea of something soiled, grimy, or foul, whether literally (dirt on garments) or figuratively (moral corruption). Scripture uses the adjective to expose both visible filth and the deeper uncleanness of the heart. Occurrences in the New Testament 1. James 2:2 – “Suppose a man comes into your assembly wearing gold rings and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy clothes also comes in.” Historical and Cultural Background In the Greco-Roman world clothing signaled status. Fine, dazzling garments identified wealth; stained, tattered garments revealed poverty or servitude. Within first-century synagogues and house churches, such outward distinctions could tempt believers to judge by appearance. John’s Apocalypse, written decades later, uses the same word to contrast those persisting in unrepentant sin with those robed in righteousness (Revelation 7:14; 19:8). Theological Significance 1. Outward vs. Inward Purity – James intentionally selects a term for dirtied clothing to mirror internal attitudes. Showing favoritism to the rich exposes spiritual grime, regardless of outward respectability (James 2:4-9). Practical Application for the Church • Impartial Fellowship – James 2 presses congregations to welcome the poor without prejudice. Discrimination is “filthy” behavior, however refined its appearance. Related Biblical Motifs • Filthy garments exchanged for festal robes (Zechariah 3:3-5). Summary Strong’s 4508 functions as a concise but weighty reminder that God sees through surface appearances to the true state of the soul. Whether confronting partiality in the assembly or forecasting the eternal destiny of the unrepentant, the term summons every reader to seek the cleansing found only in the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 7:14). Forms and Transliterations ρυπαρα ρυπαρά ῥυπαρᾷ ρυπαρος ῥυπαρὸς rhypara rhyparā̂i rhyparos rhyparòs rupara ruparosLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance James 2:2 Adj-DFSGRK: πτωχὸς ἐν ῥυπαρᾷ ἐσθῆτι NAS: comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, KJV: a poor man in vile raiment; INT: a poor [man] in shabby apparel Revelation 22:11 Adj-NMS Strong's Greek 4508 |