ἐκστρέφω

I change for the worse, corrupt, pervert

Definition

The verb ἐκστρέφω means to turn something out of its proper state or condition, specifically for the worse. It carries the sense of corrupting, perverting, or subverting something from its intended purpose or original goodness. In its sole New Testament occurrence in Titus 3:11, it describes a person who is 'warped' or morally twisted, having turned away from sound teaching. The imagery is of a fundamental internal change that results in a corrupted, unprofitable character.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only once in the New Testament, in Titus 3:11. Here, the Apostle Paul instructs Titus to avoid a divisive person after two warnings, stating that such a one is 'warped' (ἐκστρέφω) and sinful, being self-condemned. The usage is in a pastoral context concerning church discipline, describing someone who has deliberately turned away from truth and is now in a state of moral corruption.

Etymology

Derived from the preposition ἐκ (ek), meaning 'out of,' and the common verb στρέφω (strephō), meaning 'to turn.' Thus, ἐκστρέφω literally means 'to turn out of' or 'to turn inside out.' The compound emphasizes a turning away from a proper or natural state into a corrupted or perverted one. It is related to other 'turning' words like ἀποστρέφω (apostrephō, G654) 'to turn away from' and διαστρέφω (diastrephō, G1294) 'to distort.'

Semantic Range

This word highlights the biblical concept of sin as a active corruption or perversion of God's good order. It underscores that rejecting sound doctrine (Titus 1:9, 2:1) is not a neutral act but an active twisting of the soul that leads to spiritual ruin. Understanding this Greek term enriches the reading of Titus 3:11 by conveying the serious, internal deformity of one who persists in division, moving beyond mere disagreement to a state of being fundamentally misaligned with truth.

In the Greco-Roman world, philosophical and moral discourse often used metaphors of straightness and crookedness to describe truth and error. A 'warped' or 'turned-out' person would be understood as deviating from the proper path of virtue and reason. This cultural context aligns with the biblical emphasis on walking in the 'straight' paths of righteousness (Proverbs 4:11) versus the crooked ways of the wicked.

διαστρέφω (diastrephō, G1294) — emphasizes twisting or distorting something, often used for perverting right paths or truths. ἀποστρέφω (apostrephō, G654) — emphasizes turning away from or rejecting someone or something.

Word Details

Scripture References