μιασμός

μιασμός

the act of pollution, defilement

Definition

Μιασμός refers to the act of pollution or defilement, specifically a moral or spiritual contamination. It denotes a state of being stained or corrupted, often through involvement with sin or profane things. In its sole New Testament occurrence, 2 Peter 2:10, it describes the defilement that comes from indulging in corrupt, fleshly desires and despising authority. The word carries a strong sense of active, willful corruption rather than a passive state.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only once in the New Testament, in 2 Peter 2:10. It describes false teachers who follow the corrupt desire of the flesh and despise authority. The context is a polemic against immoral and arrogant individuals who bring spiritual pollution upon themselves and others through their licentious behavior.

Etymology

Derived from the verb μιαίνω (miainō, G3392), meaning 'to stain,' 'defile,' or 'pollute.' The noun μιασμός specifically denotes the act or result of that defiling action. It is related to terms in the μι- root group that often convey ideas of staining or moral corruption.

Semantic Range

Μιασμός is theologically significant as it highlights the active, willful nature of moral and spiritual corruption. It underscores that defilement is not merely an external condition but an internal pollution resulting from sinful choices, particularly those involving fleshly lusts and rebellion against God's order (2 Peter 2:10). Understanding this Greek term enriches the reading of 2 Peter by emphasizing the grave seriousness with which the apostolic witness viewed teachings and behaviors that lead believers into moral contamination. In the Greco-Roman world, concepts of pollution (miasma) were often tied to ritual purity and social order. While the New Testament usage is primarily moral and spiritual, it resonates with this cultural understanding of defilement as something that disrupts proper relationship with the divine and the community. The term would have been understood as describing a serious transgression against holiness. μιαίνω (miainō, G3392) — the verb meaning 'to defile' or 'stain.' μολυσμός (molysmos, G3436) — another term for defilement, used in 2 Corinthians 7:1. ῥυπαρία (rhyparia, G4507) — filthiness, often moral squalor (James 1:21).

Word Details