Evil/bad
πονηρόςStrong’s G4190ponēros
Appears in 72 verses of the New Testament
In short
Ponēros is the Greek word usually translated “evil”, “wicked” and “bad”. It appears in 72 verses of the New Testament.
“And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.”
Meaning
Usually translated “evil”, “wicked” and “bad”. Open the dictionary entry below for the full range of meaning, with the verses it cites.
How it's translated
- evil 62
- wicked 3
- bad 2
- more evil 2
- evil one 2
- evils 2
- evil things 1
- envious 1
Word-by-word English from the STEPBible tagged text.
Where it's used most
- Matthew 23
- Luke 12
- Acts 7
- 1 John 5
- John 3
- Ephesians 3
20 books in all.
Explore in Scripture
- 2 Thessalonians 3:3In contextBut the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.
- 1 Timothy 6:4In contextHe is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
- 2 John 1:11In contextFor he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
- 3 John 1:10In contextWherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.
- Matthew 5:11Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
- Matthew 5:37But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.
All 72 verses, by book
Greek dictionary
πονηρός ponēros · evil/bad
πονηρός, -ά, -όν (πονέω, to toil), [in LXX chiefly for רַע ;] 1. (a) of persons, oppressed by toils (Hes.); (b) of things, toilsome, painful (καιρός, Sir.51:12): Eph.5:16 6:13 Rev.16:2. 2. bad, worthless; (a) in physical sense: καρπός, Mat.7:17-18; (b) in ethical sense, bad, evil, wicked; …
From STEPBible’s Greek lexicon (based on Abbott-Smith).
Webster's 1828 Dictionary
How the English word “evil” was understood when the King James Version was still the common Bible of English readers.
E'VIL, adjective
e'vl. [Heb. to be unjust or injurious, to defraud.]
- Having bad qualities of a natural kind; mischievous; having qualities which tend to injury, or to produce mischief.“Some evil beast hath devoured him” Genesis 37:20
- Having bad qualities of a moral kind; wicked; corrupt; perverse; wrong; as evil thoughts; evil deeds; evil speaking; an evil generation.
- Unfortunate; unhappy; producing sorrow, distress, injury or calamity; as evil tidings; evil arrows; evil days.
All definitions and other forms of “evil”
E'VIL, noun
evil is natural or moral. Natural evil is any thing which produces pain, distress, loss or calamity, or which in any way disturbs the peace, impairs the happiness, or destroys the perfection of natural beings.
- Misfortune; mischief; injury.“There shall no evil befall thee” Psalms 91:10“A prudent man foreseeth the evil and hideth himself” Proverbs 22:3
- Depravity; corruption of heart, or disposition to commit wickedness; malignity.“The heart of the sons of men is full of evil” Ecclesiastes 9:3
- Malady; as the king's evil or scrophula.
E'VIL, adverb
[generally contracted to ill.]
- Not well; not with justice or propriety; unsuitable.
- Not virtuously; not innocently.
- Not happily; unfortunately.
- Injuriously; not kindly.
Noah Webster, An American Dictionary of the English Language (1828). Verse references are checked against the KJV. Read the full entry.
Verses are from the King James Version. Word meanings come from the original Greek, not from any one translation.