5337. phaulos

Lexicon

phaulos: Evil, worthless, bad, base

Original Word: φαῦλος
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: phaulos
Pronunciation: FOW-los
Phonetic Spelling: (fow'-los)
Definition: Evil, worthless, bad, base
Meaning: worthless, wicked, base.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

evil.

Apparently a primary word; "foul" or "flawy", i.e. (figuratively) wicked -- evil.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a prim. word
Definition
worthless, bad
NASB Translation
bad (3), evil (3).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 5337: φαῦλος

φαῦλος, φαύλῃ, φαῦλον (akin to German faul andflau), easy, slight, ordinary, mean, worthless, of no account; ethically, bad, wicked, base (Theognis, (?), Euripides, Xenophon, Plato, Plutarch): James 3:16; φαῦλον τί λέγειν περί τίνος, Titus 2:8; φαῦλα πράσσειν (R. V. to do ill), John 3:20; τά φαῦλα πράσσειν opposed to τά ἀγαθά ποιεῖν, John 5:29; φαῦλον (opposed to ἀγαθόν πράσσειν, Romans 9:11 L T Tr WH; 2 Corinthians 5:10 T Tr text WH. (See Trench, Synonyms, § lxxxiv.)

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from a primary word, possibly akin to the base of φαίνω (phaino), meaning "to shine" or "to appear."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Hebrew equivalent for "phaulos," similar concepts can be found in Hebrew words such as רַע (ra', Strong's 7451), which means "evil" or "wicked," and אָוֶן (aven, Strong's 205), meaning "trouble" or "wickedness." These terms convey the idea of moral corruption and worthlessness, akin to the Greek "phaulos."

Usage: In the New Testament, "phaulos" is used to describe actions, deeds, or individuals that are morally or ethically deficient. It often carries a negative connotation, suggesting something that is not only worthless but also potentially harmful or evil.

Context: The Greek word "φαῦλος" appears in the New Testament to characterize actions or behaviors that are morally reprehensible or lacking in value. It is used in contexts that highlight the contrast between good and evil, often emphasizing the moral degradation associated with certain deeds.

In John 3:20, the term is used to describe those who do evil: "Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come into the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed." Here, "phaulos" underscores the moral corruption of those who reject the truth and prefer darkness to light.

Similarly, in James 3:16, the word is associated with disorder and every vile practice: "For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice." The use of "phaulos" in this context highlights the destructive nature of such behaviors, which lead to chaos and moral decay.

The term also appears in Titus 2:8, where it is used to describe speech that cannot be condemned: "and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed, having nothing bad to say about us." Here, "phaulos" is used in a preventative sense, urging believers to maintain integrity in their words to avoid any association with evil.

Overall, "phaulos" serves as a warning against engaging in actions that are not only worthless but also detrimental to one's spiritual well-being. It calls believers to pursue righteousness and avoid the pitfalls of moral inferiority.

Forms and Transliterations

φαυλα φαύλα φαῦλα φαύλη φαύλοι φαυλον φαύλον φαῦλον φαύλος φαύλους φαυσιν φαύσιν phaula phaûla phaulon phaûlon

Englishman's Concordance

John 3:20 Adj-ANP
GRK: γὰρ ὁ φαῦλα πράσσων μισεῖ
NAS: who does evil hates
KJV: that doeth evil hateth
INT: indeed that evil does hates

John 5:29 Adj-ANP
GRK: δὲ τὰ φαῦλα πράξαντες εἰς
NAS: who committed the evil [deeds] to a resurrection
KJV: they that have done evil, unto
INT: moreover the [ones] evil having done to

Romans 9:11 Adj-ANS
GRK: ἀγαθὸν ἢ φαῦλον ἵνα ἡ
NAS: good or bad, so that God's
INT: good or evil that the

2 Corinthians 5:10 Adj-ANS
GRK: ἀγαθὸν εἴτε φαῦλον
NAS: good or bad.
INT: good or evil

Titus 2:8 Adj-ANS
GRK: περὶ ἡμῶν φαῦλον
NAS: having nothing bad to say about
KJV: having no evil thing to say
INT: concerning us evil

James 3:16 Adj-NNS
GRK: καὶ πᾶν φαῦλον πρᾶγμα
NAS: is disorder and every evil thing.
KJV: and every evil work.
INT: and every evil thing

Strong's Greek 5337
6 Occurrences

φαῦλα — 2 Occ.
φαῦλον — 4 Occ.