STRONGS G4202:
πορνεία,
πορνείας,
ἡ (
πορνεύω), the
Sept. for
תַּזְנוּת,
זְנוּת,
זְנוּנִים,
fornication (
Vulg. fornicatio (and (
Revelation 19:2)
prostitutio)); used
a. properly, of illicit sexual intercourse in general (
Demosthenes, 403, 27; 433, 25):
Acts 15:20,
29;
Acts 21:25 (that this meaning must be adopted in these passages will surprise no one who has learned from
1 Corinthians 6:12ff how leniently converts from among the heathen regarded this vice and how lightly they indulged in it; accordingly, all other interpretations of the term, such as of marriages within the prohibited degrees and the like, are to be rejected);
Romans 1:29 Rec.;
1 Corinthians 5:1;
1 Corinthians 6:13,
18;
1 Corinthians 7:2;
2 Corinthians 12:21;
Ephesians 5:3;
Colossians 3:5;
1 Thessalonians 4:3;
Revelation 9:21; it is distinguished from
μοιχεία in
Matthew 15:19;
Mark 7:21; and
Galatians 5:19 Rec.; used of adultery ((cf.
Hosea 2:2 (4), etc.)),
Matthew 5:32;
Matthew 19:9.
b. In accordance with a form of speech common in the O. T. and among the Jews which represents the close relationship existing between Jehovah and his people under the figure of a marriage (cf. Gesenius, Thesaurus, i., p. 422{a} following),
πορνεία is used metaphorically of the worship of idols:
Revelation 14:8;
Revelation 17:2,
4;
Revelation 18:3;
Revelation 19:2;
ἡμεῖς ἐκ πορνείας οὐ γεγεννήμεθα (we are not of a people given to idolatry),
ἕνα πατέρα ἔχομεν τόν Θεόν,
John 8:41 (
ἄθεος μέν ὁ ἄγονος,
πολύθεος δέ ὁ ἐκ πόρνης,
τυφλωττων περί τόν ἀληθῆ πατέρα καί διά τοῦτο πολλούς ἀνθ' ἑνός γονεῖς αἰνιττόμενος,
Philo de mig. Abr. § 12;
τέκνα πορνείας, of idolaters,
Hosea 1:2; (but in John, the passage cited others understand physical descent to be spoken of (cf. Meyer))); of the defilement of idolatry, as incurred by eating the sacrifices offered to idols,
Revelation 2:21.
THAYER’S GREEK LEXICON, Electronic Database.
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