σπίλος (spilos)
spilos
stain
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun spilos refers to a physical spot or stain, but in Scripture it carries a heavy moral weight. It describes a blemish that mars perfection, much like a flaw on a gemstone or a mark on clean fabric. The word appears only twice in the New Testament, yet its impact is significant in both instances.
In Ephesians 5:27, Paul uses it to describe the church’s ideal state: without spot or wrinkle. Here, spilos represents any moral defect that would disfigure Christ’s bride, emphasizing purity and holiness as essential qualities of the community. In 2 Peter 2:13, the term takes a darker turn, labeling false teachers as "spots and blemishes." Peter associates them with gluttony and reckless behavior, suggesting their presence corrupts the fellowship like a stain spreads on cloth.
The word’s force lies in its visual nature. It is not merely an abstract sin but something visible that damages reputation and integrity. Translators often render it as "stain" or "blemish," capturing the idea of something that ruins what was once whole. This concrete imagery reminds readers that moral failure leaves a mark, affecting both the individual and the community.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word spilos describes a visible mark that mars perfection, like a stain on fine fabric or a flaw in a gemstone. In Ephesians 5:27, Paul uses this image to describe the church as Christ’s bride, pure and without spot. This reminds us that our shared life together is meant to reflect holiness, free from the moral defects that damage our witness.
Conversely, 2 Peter 2:13 warns that false teachers are like spots who revel in deceit while feasting with believers. Their behavior leaves a visible mark of corruption, showing how sin affects not just the individual but the whole community. This concrete imagery helps us see that moral failure is not abstract; it leaves a trace that impacts our integrity and reputation.
Understanding this word invites us to value purity in our hearts and actions. It encourages a life where we seek to remove what mars our character, trusting in Christ’s work to present us holy before God.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- spot1×
- blots1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- σπίλον1×
- σπίλοι1×
Key Verses
-
Ephesians 5:27
that he might present the assembly to himself gloriously, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without defect.
Paul uses spilos here to define the church's ideal state as being free from any moral defect that would disfigure Christ's bride.
-
II Peter 2:13
receiving the wages of unrighteousness; people who count it pleasure to revel in the daytime, spots and defects, reveling in their deceit while they feast with you;
Peter labels false teachers as spots, linking their visible deceit and revelry to a corruption that spoils the fellowship.