βλαβερός (blaberos)
blaberos
harmful
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adjective blaberos describes something that is harmful or injurious to another person. Derived from a root meaning to watch or observe closely, it carries the sense of causing damage through one’s actions or presence. In the New Testament, this word appears only once, in First Timothy 6:9, where Paul warns about the dangers of loving money.
Paul uses blaberos to characterize the desires that lead people into ruin and destruction. The term emphasizes the active nature of the harm; it is not merely a passive state but something that inflicts injury. By choosing this specific word, the text highlights how greed does not just fail to bring happiness but actively damages the soul and life of the one who pursues it.
Translators typically render blaberos as "harmful" or "destructive," capturing its straightforward warning tone. The single occurrence in Scripture gives the word a focused weight, serving as a sharp caution against the specific kind of spiritual injury that comes from misplaced ambition and materialism.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word blaberos describes something that actively causes harm or injury. It is not just a neutral bad outcome but an active force that inflicts damage. In First Timothy 6:9, Paul uses this strong term to describe the desires that come from a love of money. These desires do not simply fail to bring joy; they actively pull people into ruin and destruction.
This warning is deeply relevant for anyone who has ever felt the pull of material security or status. It reminds us that chasing wealth can be spiritually dangerous, acting like a weight that drags us down rather than lifts us up. Recognizing this active harm helps us see why letting go of these desires is so important for our peace.
By understanding the true cost of these misplaced ambitions, we can better guard our hearts. It invites us to find our satisfaction in God alone, where there is no hidden danger or active harm waiting to destroy us. This clarity brings freedom and a stable foundation for faith.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- harmful,1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- βλαβεράς,1×
Key Verses
-
I Timothy 6:9
But those who are determined to be rich fall into a temptation, a snare, and many foolish and harmful lusts, such as drown men in ruin and destruction.
This verse uses blaberos to show that greedy desires actively inflict spiritual injury, leading directly to ruin rather than just failing to provide happiness.