κύλισμα (kulisma)
kulisma
wallowing
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun kulisma refers to a place where something rolls or wallows, specifically describing mud or mire. Derived from the verb for rolling, it paints a vivid picture of an animal sinking into thick, clinging earth. The word appears only once in the New Testament, in 2 Peter 2:22, where it describes the state of those who return to their former sinful life.
Its imagery is concrete and unglamorous. Rather than a simple slip, it suggests being stuck and unable to escape the filth one has chosen. This matches the context of Peter’s warning about false teachers who know the way of righteousness but abandon it. The word underscores the gravity of turning back to sin after knowing the truth.
Translators often render this as "mire" or "wallowing place," capturing the sense of being trapped in one’s own choices. The term serves as a stark metaphor for spiritual regression, emphasizing that returning to sin is not a neutral act but a return to a state of defilement and helplessness.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word kulisma paints a stark picture of being stuck in thick, clinging mud. It describes a place where an animal rolls and wallows, unable to free itself from the filth it has chosen. In 2 Peter 2:22, this image warns against returning to sin after knowing the truth. It is not a simple slip but a deep entanglement that leaves one helpless.
This reality reminds us of the seriousness of our spiritual direction. Turning away from righteousness leads to a state of defilement and struggle. Yet, understanding this danger helps us appreciate the freedom found in staying close to God. His grace lifts us out of the mire, offering a path of clarity and peace rather than confusion.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- rolling place1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- κυλισμὸν1×
Key Verses
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II Peter 2:22
But it has happened to them according to the true proverb, “The dog turns to his own vomit again,” and “the sow that has washed to wallowing in the mire.”
This verse uses kulisma to illustrate the tragic helplessness of those who abandon righteousness and return to their former sinful state.