μοιχαλίς (moichalis)
moichalis
adulterous
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 6 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun moichalis refers specifically to an adulteress, or more broadly, to someone who is adulterous. While it can describe a woman guilty of sexual infidelity in a literal sense, the New Testament frequently uses it as a substantive adjective to characterize a state of unfaithfulness. This usage appears in passages like Mark 7:21 and Romans 1:24, where it describes moral corruption that extends beyond physical acts.
Its theological weight comes from its metaphorical application. In the Old Testament tradition, which the New Testament authors inherited, Israel’s idolatry was often described as spiritual adultery because the covenant between God and His people was likened to a marriage. Consequently, moichalis can describe anyone who breaks this sacred bond by turning away from God toward false gods or impurity. It signifies a betrayal of intimate alliance rather than just a legal violation.
The word is distinct from its masculine counterpart, moichos, which refers to an adulterer. While both terms share the same root idea of breaking marital vows, moichalis specifically highlights the feminine role in this imagery, often emphasizing the relational aspect of the betrayal. Translators usually render it as "adulteress" or "adulterous," depending on whether it functions as a noun or an adjective in the sentence.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word moichalis carries a heavy weight, describing not just a legal breach of marriage vows but a deep betrayal of trust. In the New Testament, it often points to a generation or heart that has turned away from its covenant with God. This imagery reminds us that faithfulness is about more than outward behavior; it concerns the direction of our deepest loyalties.
When Jesus calls his listeners an adulterous generation, he highlights their demand for signs while ignoring the truth standing before them. This challenges us to examine where our hearts truly rest. Are we seeking validation from the world, or are we remaining steadfast in our relationship with God?
Understanding this term helps us see the seriousness of spiritual unfaithfulness. It invites us to repentance and a renewed commitment to God. By turning away from worldly alliances, we can experience the peace that comes from being fully devoted to Him.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 6 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- adulterous3×
- an adulteress2×
- of adultery1×
- Adulteresses!1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- μοιχαλὶς3×
- μοιχαλίδος1×
- μοιχαλίδι1×
- μοιχαλίδες,1×
- μοιχαλίδα1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 12:39
But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, but no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet.
Jesus uses this term to describe a generation that demands miraculous proof while refusing to recognize God's work already present among them.
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James 4:4
You adulterers and adulteresses, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
The author directly links this label to friendship with the world, showing that spiritual adultery is fundamentally about divided loyalty.
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Romans 7:3
So then if, while the husband lives, she is joined to another man, she would be called an adulteress. But if the husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is no adulteress, though she is joined to another man.
This verse illustrates the legal and relational consequences of breaking a covenant, using marriage as a clear analogy for fidelity.