ἰός (ios)
ios
poison/rust
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun iōs refers to a corrosive or toxic substance, most commonly translated as "poison" or "rust." In the New Testament, it appears in only three verses, yet its imagery is strikingly vivid. James uses it to describe how wealth can decay, likening gold and silver to rust that consumes the flesh of its owner (James 5:3). This usage highlights a destructive force that works silently from within.
Paul and James also employ the word metaphorically for spiritual toxicity. In Romans 3:13 and James 3:8, iōs describes the venom of serpents found in human speech. Here, the term captures the harmful power of slander and deceit, suggesting that malicious words act like a biological toxin within the community. The sources note that while the word can mean "arrow" in the Septuagint, the New Testament context emphasizes this corrosive, poisonous quality rather than projectile force.
The etymology is uncertain, possibly linked to verbs meaning "to go" or "to send," which might hint at something sent out to cause harm. Translators consistently choose words that convey decay or venom, preserving the original sense of something that actively destroys from the inside. This dual imagery of physical corrosion and verbal venom underscores the serious danger both forms of corruption pose.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word ios describes something that eats away at what it touches, whether it is rust consuming metal or venom poisoning a body. In our daily lives, we often encounter forces that seem harmless on the surface but cause deep damage over time. This term reminds us to pay attention to the subtle corruptions in our hearts and relationships before they become destructive.
When James speaks of gold and silver turning to rust, he warns that hoarding wealth without generosity leads to spiritual decay. The corrosion does not just ruin the metal; it testifies against the owner. Similarly, when Paul and James describe the tongue as having poison, they highlight how slander and deceit can infect a community from within. These images urge us to guard our speech and our motives with care.
Understanding this word helps us see the seriousness of hidden sin. It is not merely about external actions but about internal health. By recognizing these corrosive elements, we can choose paths that preserve rather than destroy, seeking integrity in both our possessions and our words.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- rust1×
- of poison1×
- [the] venom1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἰὸς2×
- ἰοῦ1×
Key Verses
-
James 5:3
Your gold and your silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be for a testimony against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up your treasure in the last days.
This verse uses the physical decay of rust as a metaphor for how hoarded wealth becomes evidence against the owner, showing that material greed consumes the soul.
-
Romans 3:13
“Their throat is an open tomb. With their tongues they have used deceit.” “The poison of vipers is under their lips.”
Paul quotes Psalm 140 here to describe unrepentant speech as viper venom, illustrating how deceitful words carry a toxic power that harms others.
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James 3:8
but nobody can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
James identifies the tongue as uniquely difficult to control because it holds a restless, deadly poison that can spread chaos far beyond its source.