Brief Overview of δόλιος (G1386: dólios)

• δόλιος (dólios) [DO-lee-os]
• Etymology: Derived from the root word δόλος (dólos), which means “deceit” or “craftiness.” The root reflects a sense of cunning or trickery.
• Part of Speech: Adjective.
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Primary Meanings

• Deceitful: Describes someone who is characterized by deceit, fraud, or treachery. This word is often used to depict a person who is deliberately misleading or insincere.
• Crafty or Cunning: Refers to someone who uses cleverness or trickery to achieve their goals, often with a negative connotation.

Further Insights:

• Morphological Composition: The word dólios is an adjective derived from the noun dólos (δόλος), which means “deceit” or “trickery.” The suffix “-ιος” typically turns nouns into adjectives, indicating the nature or quality of the noun.
• Usage in Context: Dólios is used to describe the character or behavior of individuals who engage in deceitful practices. It highlights the inherent nature of deceit in a person or action.
• Negative Connotation: The word is inherently negative, used to describe someone with intentions that are morally questionable or harmful.

Lexicon Insights:

• BDAG: Describes dólios as “deceitful” or “treacherous,” emphasizing its use in moral and ethical discussions, particularly in relation to dishonest or misleading behavior.
• Thayer’s Lexicon: Defines dólios as “deceitful,” often used to describe people who are crafty or treacherous. The lexicon highlights its association with immorality and unethical behavior.
• Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance: Lists dólios as “deceitful,” with an emphasis on the negative moral quality of the word. It is connected to the noun dólos (deceit), further emphasizing the word’s meaning.
• Scripture References:
• Romans 1:29: “Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit (dólios), malignity; whisperers.”
• 1 Peter 2:1: “Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings (dólios).”
• John 1:47: “Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile (dólios)!”

Usage in Classical Greek Literature:

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• Homer, Iliad: The term dólios is used to describe characters in the epic who are cunning or deceitful, particularly in their strategies during warfare.
• Herodotus, Histories: Dólios is used to describe leaders or figures who use deceit as a means to achieve political or military ends, reflecting its negative connotation in the context of leadership and governance.
• Sophocles, Oedipus Rex: The word appears in the context of deceit and trickery within the play, particularly in relation to the prophecy and the hidden truths about Oedipus’ identity.

Summary of δόλιος (G1386: dólios)

The Greek adjective δόλιος (dólios), transliterated as dólios and pronounced [DO-lee-os], refers to someone who is deceitful, crafty, or treacherous. Derived from the root dólos (deceit), dólios emphasizes the nature of deceit or cunning in a person’s character or actions. This word is used in the New Testament to describe individuals or behaviors that are inherently dishonest or morally questionable. It appears in several key passages, including Romans 1:29 and 1 Peter 2:1, where it is associated with negative moral qualities. In classical Greek literature, dólios is used to describe characters who are cunning or deceitful, reflecting its consistent negative connotation throughout ancient Greek writings. The word underscores the concept of moral treachery, making it a powerful descriptor in both biblical and classical contexts.