εἰδωλολάτρης (eidōlolatrēs)
eidōlolatrēs
idolater
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 7 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun eidōlolatrēs identifies a person who worships idols, specifically one engaged in the ritualistic practices of false gods. Its etymology combines the word for "image" with a term related to hired service, suggesting a devotee who serves an idol as a laborer serves a master. In the New Testament, this label is applied with serious weight to Christians who participate in pagan religious activities, particularly those involving sacrificial meals.
This distinction is crucial because the word targets active participation rather than mere association. For instance, Paul warns believers not to be mixed up with such people (1 Corinthians 5:10) and explicitly lists idolaters among those who will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9). The imagery extends to the final judgment in Revelation, where idolaters are excluded from the holy city (Revelation 21:8; 22:15), highlighting the complete incompatibility of idol worship with Christian life.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word for idolater describes someone who serves a created thing as if it were God. In the New Testament, this is not just about bowing to statues. It includes letting anything take the place of first love for Christ. Paul warns that greed itself is a form of idolatry because it demands what belongs only to God.
For your faith life, this means checking where your heart truly rests. When you find yourself anxious or angry over money, status, or comfort, ask if those things have become masters. The call is not to perfection but to honesty before God. He invites you to lay down these heavy burdens and trust in His sufficient grace.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 7 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- idolaters3×
- with idolaters —1×
- to idolaters1×
- an idolater,1×
- an idolater1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- εἰδωλολάτραι3×
- εἰδωλολάτρης,1×
- εἰδωλολάτρης1×
- εἰδωλολάτραις,1×
- εἰδωλολάτραις1×
Key Verses
-
I Corinthians 5:11
But as it is, I wrote to you not to associate with anyone who is called a brother who is a sexual sinner, or covetous, or an idolater, or a slanderer, or a drunkard, or an extortionist. Don’t even eat with such a person.
Paul lists idolaters alongside the sexually immoral to show that unrepentant sin breaks fellowship with the believing community.
-
Ephesians 5:5
Know this for sure, that no sexually immoral person, nor unclean person, nor covetous man (who is an idolater), has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God.
This verse uniquely equates covetousness with idolatry, revealing that greed is a heart posture of serving wealth instead of God.
-
Revelation of John 21:8
But for the cowardly, unbelieving, sinners, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
The final exclusion of idolaters from the new Jerusalem underscores the absolute incompatibility of false worship with eternal life.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Greek word eidōlolatrēs mean?
Is greed considered idolatry in the Bible?
How does this word differ from general sin?
Every Occurrence (7 verses across 3 books)
I Corinthians 4 verses
yet not at all meaning with the sexual sinners of this world, or with the covetous and extortionists, or with…
I Corinthians 5:11But as it is, I wrote to you not to associate with anyone who is called a brother who is a sexual sinner, or covetous,…
I Corinthians 6:9Or don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s Kingdom? Don’t be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral,…
I Corinthians 10:7Don’t be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.”