εἰδωλολατρεία (eidōlolatreia)
eidōlolatreia
idolatry
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun eidōlolatreia refers to the worship of false gods or idols, derived from words meaning "image" and "service." In the New Testament, it appears only four times, primarily in Paul’s letters and 1 Peter. The term denotes not just the act of bowing before a statue, but the entire system of religious service directed toward created things rather than the Creator.
Paul uses this word to list idolatry among serious sins that exclude people from God’s kingdom (Galatians 5:20). He also warns believers in Corinth to flee from it, connecting it with participation in pagan feasts (1 Corinthians 10:14). In Colossians, he equates greed with idolatry, showing how the heart’s allegiance can be misplaced even without physical statues (Colossians 3:5).
1 Peter uses the plural form to describe the past lives of believers, contrasting their former idolatrous practices with their new life in Christ (1 Peter 4:3). The word carries strong theological weight, marking a fundamental shift in loyalty. Translators consistently render it as "idolatry," preserving its clear condemnation of any devotion that rivals God.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word for idolatry here goes far beyond statues in a temple. It describes any loyalty that competes with God for the first place in your heart. Paul reminds us that this is not just an ancient pagan practice but a present danger, urging believers to actively turn away from anything that distracts from their devotion to the Creator.
Even without physical images, we can fall into this trap when greed or selfish ambition takes root. The call to faithfulness means examining where our true treasures lie and ensuring nothing replaces God as the source of our security and joy. This shift in allegiance brings freedom, allowing us to live with clear hearts and undivided attention toward Him.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- idolatry,2×
- idolatry.1×
- idolatries;1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- εἰδωλολατρία,2×
- εἰδωλολατρίας.1×
- εἰδωλολατρίαις·1×
Key Verses
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I Corinthians 10:14
Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
Paul uses the imperative 'flee' to show that idolatry requires immediate and decisive action rather than cautious negotiation.
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Colossians 3:5
Put to death therefore your members which are on the earth: sexual immorality, uncleanness, depraved passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
This verse redefines idolatry as covetousness, revealing how misplaced desires function spiritually as worship of created things.
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I Peter 4:3
For we have spent enough of our past time doing the desire of the Gentiles, and having walked in lewdness, lusts, drunken binges, orgies, carousings, and abominable idolatries.
Peter contrasts the believer's former life of abominable idolatries with their new identity in Christ to highlight the depth of transformation.