Greek · G4202 · unreviewed

πορνεία

Harlotry (including adultery and incest); figuratively, idolatry

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πορνεία G4202

Pronunciation porneía

What does πορνεία (porneía) mean in the Bible?

πορνεία (porneía) is a Greek word meaning "harlotry (including adultery and incest); figuratively, idolatry". πορνεία, -ας, ἡ (πορνεύω), [in LXX for תַּזְנוּת and cogn. Defines the specific covenant breach addressed by Jesus. This term runs through the canonical themes of Covenant.

Full entry for πορνεία (G4202) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

harlotry (including adultery and incest); figuratively, idolatry

Extended definition

Sexual immorality of any kind; distinct from μοιχεία (adultery) by broader scope including premarital relations.

(πορνεύω), [in LXX for תַּזְנוּת and cogn. forms ;] fornication: Act.15:20, 29 21:25, 1Co.5:1 6:13 6:18, 2Co.12:21, Gal.5:19, Eph.5:3, Col.3:5, 1Th.4:3 (Lft., Notes, 53), Rev.9:21; pl. (see WM, 220; Bl., § 32, 6), 1Co.7:2; disting. from μοιχεία, Mat.15:19, Mrk.7:21; = μοιχεία (Amos 8:17 Sir.23:23, al.), Mat.5:32 19:9. Metaphorical (of idolatry: Deu.23:2, Hos.1:2): Jhn.8:41 (Westc., in l), and so perh. (Thayer-Grimm, see word; but see Swete, in 11.), Rev.2:21 14:18 17:2, 4 18:3 19:2.

Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith

Why This Word Matters

Defines the specific covenant breach addressed by Jesus. Matthew 5:31–32

Grammatical Forms

How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.

Nominative · Singular · Feminine 1 Cor 5:1 · Gal 5:19 · Eph 5:3 4×

Nominative · Plural · Feminine Matt 15:19 · Mark 7:21 2×

Genitive · Singular · Feminine Matt 5:32 · John 8:41 · Acts 15:20 · Acts 15:29 · 1 Thess 4:3 · Rev 2:21 · Rev 9:21 · Rev 14:8 · Rev 17:2 · Rev 17:4 · Rev 18:3 11×

Dative · Singular · Feminine Matt 19:9 · 1 Cor 6:13 · 2 Cor 12:21 · Rev 19:2 4×

Accusative · Singular · Feminine Acts 21:25 · 1 Cor 6:18 · Col 3:5 3×

Accusative · Plural · Feminine 1 Cor 7:2 1×

Canonical Themes

Covenant

Biblical Occurrences

Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.

New Testament Witnesses

Matthew 5:31–32 πορνεία porneía Genitive · Singular · Feminine

sexual immorality

Word Pictures (Robertson)

A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.

1 Corinthians 5 — Purge the Evil, Keep the Feast, and Guard the Holiness of the Church 1 Corinthians 6 — Judge Righteously, Flee Sexual Immorality, and Glorify God in Your Body 1 Corinthians 7 — Marriage, Singleness, Calling, and Undistracted Devotion to the Lord Acts 15 — The Gospel of Grace Clarified and the Gentiles Received Colossians 3 — Raised with Christ: Putting Off the Old Life and Putting On the New Ephesians 5 — Walking in Love, Light, Wisdom, and Spirit-Filled Order Mark 7 — True Defilement and Boundary-Crossing Mercy Matthew 15 — Tradition, the Heart, Gentile Faith, and the Compassionate Bread of the Messiah Matthew 19 — Marriage from Creation, Children Received, Riches Renounced, and the Reward of Following Christ

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

Sources

MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain

Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0

Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

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