μίασμα (miasma)
miasma
defilement
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun miasma refers to a stain or defilement that contaminates. In classical Greek it often described ritual impurity, but in the New Testament it carries a moral weight. It is not merely dirt; it is a corruption that spreads through contact.
This word appears only once in the New Testament, in 2 Peter 2:20. The context describes those who escape worldly corruption only to become entangled in it again. Their final state is worse than before because they have returned to what defiles them. The term highlights how sin clings and spreads.
Its root verb means to make dirty or pollute. The sources note its use in the Septuagint for things that are detestable or ritually unclean. Here, Peter uses it to warn against returning to a life of moral filth after knowing Christ. The image is one of something soiled that cannot be easily washed away.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word miasma describes a stain that clings and spreads, suggesting that sin is not just a single mistake but a contaminating force. When we encounter this term in Scripture, it reminds us that moral corruption has weight and texture. It sticks to the soul, altering who we are and how we relate to God. This imagery helps us understand why repentance is so vital; we cannot simply ignore the dirt because it changes our nature.
For your faith life, this word offers a sobering but hopeful perspective on grace. It shows that escaping sin requires more than willpower; it demands the knowledge of Jesus Christ. The danger lies in returning to old patterns after knowing truth, which makes the stain deeper. Yet, the very fact that Peter warns us means He cares about our purity. We are invited to hold fast to what cleanses us, trusting that His grace is sufficient to keep us from being overwhelmed by defilement.
May you find peace in knowing that Christ alone can wash away these stains. Let this truth encourage you to stay close to Him, relying on His strength rather than your own ability to remain clean. Your security rests in His finished work, not in your perfect performance.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- pollutions1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- μιάσματα1×
Key Verses
-
II Peter 2:20
For if, after they have escaped the defilement of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in it and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.
This verse uses miasma to describe the worldly corruption that believers escape through Christ, warning that returning to it leaves them in a worse spiritual state than before.