φιλία (philia)
philia
friendship
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun philia denotes friendship or mutual affection between people. In the New Testament, it appears only once, in James 4:4, where it is used to describe the bond that characterizes a close relationship. The context contrasts this friendly intimacy with being an enemy of God, highlighting how deep personal loyalty can become incompatible with divine allegiance.
Etymologically, the word derives from the verb phileō, meaning to love or show affection. While often translated simply as "friendship," it carries a sense of warm, personal fondness rather than abstract goodwill. In this single occurrence, James uses it to illustrate the danger of aligning one’s deepest loyalties with the world, showing that such intimate bonds can distract from wholehearted devotion to God.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Greek word philia describes a warm, personal bond between people. In James 4:4, it appears just once in the New Testament to describe friendship with the world. This usage highlights how deep personal loyalty can sometimes conflict with our devotion to God.
Understanding this term helps us see that not all relationships are neutral. When we prioritize worldly acceptance over divine allegiance, our closest bonds may become obstacles to faith. James warns that such intimacy creates hostility toward God, urging believers to examine where their deepest loyalties lie.
This passage invites reflection rather than condemnation. It challenges us to consider whether our friendships draw us closer to or further from Christ. By recognizing the power of human connection, we can seek relationships that honor God and strengthen our spiritual walk without compromising our faith.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- friendship1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- φιλία1×
Key Verses
-
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.
This is the only New Testament occurrence of philia, where James uses it to contrast worldly friendship with divine allegiance.