Defilement Defile

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

A — 1: Κοινόω (Strong'S #2840 — Verb — koinoo — koy-no'-o )

denotes (a) "to make common;" hence, in a ceremonial sense, "to render unholy, unclean, to defile,"  Matthew 15:11,18,20;  Mark 7:15,18,20,23;  Acts 21:28 (RV, "defiled;" AV, "polluted");   Hebrews 9:13 (RV, "them that have been defiled," AV, "the unclean"); (b) "to count unclean,"   Acts 10:15;  11:9 . In  Revelation 21:27 , some mss. have this verb, "defileth;" the most authentic have the adjective, koinos, "unclean." See Call , Common.

A — 2: Μιαίνω (Strong'S #3392 — Verb — miano — me-ah'ee-no )

primarily, "to stain, to tinge or dye with another color," as in the staining of a glass, hence, "to pollute, contaminate, soil, defile," is used (a) of "ceremonial defilement,"  John 18:28; so in the Sept., in  Leviticus 22:5,8;  Numbers 19:13,20 etc.; (b) of "moral defilement,"   Titus 1:15 (twice);   Hebrews 12:15 , "of moral and physical defilement,"  Jude 1:8 . See B, Nos. 1 and 2.

A — 3: Μολύνω (Strong'S #3435 — Verb — moluno — mol-oo'-no )

properly denotes "to besmear," as with mud or filth, "to befoul." It is used in the figurative sense, of a conscience "defiled" by sin,  1—Corinthians 8:7; of believers who have kept themselves (their "garments") from "defilement,"  Revelation 3:4 , and those who have not "soiled" themselves by adultery or fornication,  Revelation 14:4 .

A — 4: Σπιλόω (Strong'S #4695 — Verb — spiloo — spee-lo'-o )

"to make a stain or spot," and so "to defile," is used in  James 3:6 of the "defiling" effects of an evil use of the tongue; in   Jude 1:23 , "spotted," with reference to moral "defilement." See Spot.

 Ephesians 5:27 2—Peter 2:13 1—Timothy 6:14 James 1:27 1—Peter 1:19 2—Peter 3:14 Jude 1:12

A — 5: Φθείρω (Strong'S #5351 — Verb — phtheiro — fthi'-ro )

see Corrupt , A, No. 2.

B — 1: Μίασμα (Strong'S #3393 — Noun Neuter — miasma — mee'-as-mah )

whence the Eng. word, denotes "defilement" (akin to A, No. 2), and is found in  2—Peter 2:20 , AV, "pollutions," RV, "defilements," the vices of the ungodly which contaminate a person in his intercourse with the world.

B — 2: Μιασμός (Strong'S #3394 — Noun Masculine — miasmos — mee-as-mos' )

also akin to A, No. 2, primarily denotes "the act of defiling," the process, in contrast to the "defiling" thing (No. 1). It is found in  2—Peter 2:10 (AV, "uncleanness," RV, "defilement.")

B — 3: Μολυσμός (Strong'S #3436 — Noun Masculine — molusmos — mol-oos-mos' )

akin to A, No. 3, denotes "defilement," in the sense of an action by which anything is "defiled,"  2—Corinthians 7:1 . Cp. the synonymous word spilos, A, No. 4, Note.

C — 1: Κοινός (Strong'S #2839 — Adjective — koinos — koy-nos' )

akin to A, No. 1, common, and, from the idea of coming into contact with everything, "defiled," is used in the ceremonial sense in  Mark 7:2; in ver. 5, RV, "defiled," for AV, "unwashen" (the verb is used in  Mark 7:15 ). See Common , Unclean.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Many were the blemishes of person and conduct that, under the Jewish ceremonial law, were esteemed defilements: some were voluntary; some were inevitable, being defects of nature, others the consequences of personal transgression. Under the gospel, defilements are those of the heart, of the mind, the temper, and the conduct. Moral defilements are as numerous, and as strongly prohibited under the gospel as ever, though ceremonial defilements have ceased,  Matthew 15:18   Romans 1:24 . See Clean