Bible Dictionaries
Defile, Defilement

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

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.

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.

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 .

Note: The difference between miaino and moluno is that the latter is not used in a ritual or ceremonial sense, as miaino is (Trench, Syn. xxxi).

"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.

Note: (1) Cp. spilos, "a spot, a moral blemish," Ephesians 5:27; 2 Peter 2:13; aspilos, "without spot, spotless," 1 Timothy 6:14; James 1:27; 1 Peter 1:19; 2 Peter 3:14; spilas, Jude 1:12 , "hidden rocks," RV (AV "spots," a late meaning, equivalent to spilos).

see CORRUPT , A, No. 2.

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.

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.")

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.

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.