Lexical Summary spilos: Spot, Blemish Original Word: σπῖλος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance spot. Of uncertain derivation; a stain or blemish, i.e. (figuratively) defect, disgrace -- spot. HELPS Word-studies 4696 spílos – properly, a stain (spot); (figuratively) a moral (spiritual) fault or blemish. Moral and spiritual stains (spots) come from living outside God's preferred-will (desire, 2307 /thélēma, compare Eph 5:15-17,27) and are removed with heartfelt confession (1 Jn 1:9). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. word Definition a spot, stain NASB Translation spot (1), stains (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4696: σπίλοςσπίλος (WH σπίλος (so Rutherford, New Phryn., p. 87; Liddell and Scott, under the word); but see Tdf. Proleg., p. 102; Lipsius, Gram. Untersuch., p. 42), σπιλου, ὁ (Phryn. rejects this word in favor of the Attic κηλίς; but σπίλος is used by Joseph, Dionysius Halicarnassus, Plutarch, Lucian, Liban, Artemidor.; see Lob. ad Phryn., p. 28 (cf. Winers Grammar, 25)), a spot: tropically, a fault, moral blemish, Ephesians 5:27; plural of base and gluttonous men, 2 Peter 2:13. Topical Lexicon Overview The term translated “spot, stain, blemish” appears only twice in the Greek New Testament, yet it gathers up a rich biblical theme: the contrast between defiling corruption and God-wrought purity. Whether describing false teachers who pollute fellowship or the radiant Bride cleansed by Christ, the word underscores the divine intention that nothing mar the holiness of His people. Key References • 2 Peter 2:13 – “They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions as they feast with you.” Old Testament Backdrop Sacrificial worship required offerings “without blemish” (Leviticus 1:3; Numbers 19:2). Imperfection disqualified an animal, prefiguring the necessity of moral perfection before a holy God. Prophets later applied the imagery to people: idolatry made Judah “a stain before Me” (paraphrasing Jeremiah 2:22). By the first century, “spotless” had become shorthand for covenant fidelity. False Teachers as Moral Stains (2 Peter 2:13) Peter depicts apostate leaders infiltrating communal meals (“love feasts,” Jude 12). Their shameful behavior is not merely personal; it contaminates shared worship. The term brands them as visible marks of corruption—spiritual graffiti marring the body of Christ. Their presence warns congregations to exercise discerning discipline, preserving doctrinal and ethical integrity (2 Peter 2:1; Titus 3:10–11). The Church Without Blemish (Ephesians 5:27) Paul presents the antithesis: through the sacrificial love of the Bridegroom, the church will stand “without stain.” Here the vocabulary borrows from bridal preparation imagery and Passover language alike. Christ’s cleansing “by the washing with water through the word” (Ephesians 5:26) secures both justification and ongoing sanctification, promising a final presentation in perfect purity (Revelation 19:7–8). Christological Fulfillment Jesus Himself fulfills the spotless ideal: “a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:19). By union with the flawless Son, believers receive His holiness and are progressively conformed to it (Hebrews 10:10,14). Thus the word bridges soteriology and ecclesiology—what Christ is, He imparts to His people. Ecclesial and Pastoral Implications 1. Guard the Table: Leaders must shield corporate worship from those whose lifestyles scandalize the gospel (1 Corinthians 5:6–8). Eschatological Vision The consummation of redemption is a spotless new creation in which “nothing impure will ever enter” (Revelation 21:27). The two New Testament uses of the word anticipate that day: the church already cleansed, yet still vigilant against defilement until the marriage supper of the Lamb replaces every corrupted feast. Summary Strong’s Greek 4696 captures a literary and theological tension: blemishes exposed versus blemishes removed. It calls believers to reject the pollution of falsehood while embracing the cleansing power of Christ, confident that He will finish what His grace began—presenting a people utterly without spot before the Father’s throne. Forms and Transliterations εσπιλωμένον σπιλοι σπίλοι σπιλον σπίλον σπιλούσα σπινθήρες spiloi spíloi spilon spílonLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ephesians 5:27 N-AMSGRK: μὴ ἔχουσαν σπίλον ἢ ῥυτίδα NAS: having no spot or wrinkle KJV: not having spot, or wrinkle, INT: not having spot or wrinkle 2 Peter 2:13 N-NMP Strong's Greek 4696 |
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