5369. philédonos

Lexical Summary

philédonos: Lover of pleasure, pleasure-seeking

Original Word: φιλήδονος
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: philédonos
Pronunciation: fee-LAY-don-os
Phonetic Spelling: (fil-ay'-don-os)
KJV: lover of pleasure
NASB: lovers of pleasure
Word Origin: [from G5384 (φίλος - friends) and G2237 (ἡδονή - pleasures)]

1. fond of pleasure, i.e. voluptuous

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

loving pleasure

From philos and hedone; fond of pleasure, i.e. Voluptuous -- lover of pleasure.

see GREEK philos

see GREEK hedone

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from philos and hédoné
Definition
loving pleasure
NASB Translation
lovers of pleasure (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 5369: φιλήδονος

φιλήδονος, φιληδον (φίλος and ἡδονή), loving pleasure: 2 Timothy 3:4. (Polybius 40, 6, 10; Plutarch, Lucian, others.)

Topical Lexicon

Meaning and Concept

Strong’s Greek 5369 describes a person characterized by a settled affection for sensual or worldly enjoyment. Rather than the occasional delight that accompanies legitimate gifts of God, this term points to a dominant orientation in which pleasure becomes the governing love, displacing devotion to God.

Biblical Occurrence

The word appears once, in Paul’s final letter:
• 2 Timothy 3:4 – In the list of end-times vices, people will be “treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God”.

Its singular occurrence magnifies its force. Paul is not merely cataloging random sins; he is depicting a wholesale inversion of ordered loves, a society where personal gratification outranks covenant fidelity.

Historical and Cultural Background

In Greco-Roman society, the pursuit of pleasure was institutionalized through theater, gladiatorial games, banquets, and cultic rites. Epicurean philosophy encouraged moderate enjoyment; popular religion promoted bacchanalian excess. Against this backdrop, the early churches gathered for worship marked by prayer, Scripture reading, fellowship, and self-control. Paul’s warning to Timothy sounds especially urgent in a city like Ephesus, saturated with entertainment and temple prostitution.

Theological Significance

1. Disordered Love: Scripture teaches that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord with all the heart (Matthew 22:37). To be φιλήδονος is to elevate a secondary good—or, often, a perversion of a good—to first place, violating the created order.
2. Idolatry of the Self: Pleasure here is not merely bodily; it is self-exaltation. The list that surrounds the term (2 Timothy 3:2-5) describes narcissism, materialism, and rebellion, climaxing in religious hypocrisy—“having a form of godliness but denying its power.”
3. Eschatological Indicator: Paul frames these vices as markers of “the last days” (2 Timothy 3:1). The prevalence of pleasure-love signals both human depravity and the nearness of divine judgment.

Relation to Other Biblical Themes

• Contrast with Philotheos (“lover of God”) within the same verse. The heart cannot serve two masters (Matthew 6:24).
• Echoes the Parable of the Soils, in which “the pleasures of life” choke the word (Luke 8:14).
• Aligns with warnings against “the cravings of sinful man, the lust of the eyes” (1 John 2:16).
• Balances Scriptures that affirm lawful enjoyment (1 Timothy 6:17) by insisting that delight must be subordinate to worship.

Warnings and Exhortations

The passage moves from description to imperative: “Have nothing to do with such people” (2 Timothy 3:5). Separation here entails refusing imitation, partnership, or endorsement of pleasure-driven lifestyles that undermine holiness.

Patristic and Historical Witness

• Chrysostom linked φιλήδονοι to gluttony and lust that “stifle the soul.”
• Augustine’s Confessions testify that liberation came only when “the pleasures that led me were put to flight by the sweetness of Your love.”
• Puritans such as Richard Baxter emphasized the “greater pleasures” of communion with God, contrasting them with fleeting carnal joys.

Practical and Pastoral Application

1. Discernment: Entertainment choices, digital media, and consumption habits must be weighed by whether they stir affection for Christ or dull it.
2. Self-Denial: Spiritual disciplines—fasting, generosity, service—retrain desires, teaching believers to relish God above sensations.
3. Gospel Witness: A community that enjoys creation gratefully yet resists its enthronement shines as a counter-culture, provoking questions about its ultimate treasure.

Homiletic and Discipleship Insights

• Sermons can juxtapose 2 Timothy 3:4 with Psalm 16:11—“In Your presence is fullness of joy”—to show that Scripture answers the human hunger for pleasure with a superior, lasting satisfaction.
• Small-group studies may trace how the drift toward pleasure idolatry erodes marriages, vocations, and mission, then chart a path back through repentance and renewal.

Related Passages for Study

Proverbs 21:17; Isaiah 47:8-9; Luke 12:19-21; Romans 1:24-25; Galatians 5:19-24; James 4:3; Revelation 18:7.

Forms and Transliterations

φιληδονοι φιλήδονοι philedonoi philēdonoi philḗdonoi

Englishman's Concordance

2 Timothy 3:4 Adj-NMP
GRK: προπετεῖς τετυφωμένοι φιλήδονοι μᾶλλον ἢ
NAS: conceited, lovers of pleasure rather
KJV: highminded, lovers of pleasures more
INT: reckless puffed up lovers of pleasure rather than

Strong's Greek 5369
1 Occurrence

φιλήδονοι — 1 Occ.