Fulton Church of Christ

Evil

Sixteen Greek words are translated “evil.” Nine are derivatives of kakos. Three are derivatives of blasphemia. The other four are individual: rhema, poneros, phaulos, and adikemia.
Poneros and kakos are the most common, so are listed below. The others have been omitted.
Because of the long lists of verses, observations will be made first which can be verified by looking at all the verses.
- Revelation 16:2 uses both adjectives to describe sores in a vision.
- In parables, the “evil servant” may be described with either word (Matthew 18:32 25:26, Luke 19:22 versus Matthew 24:48)
- Evil spirits are always poneros.
- “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign” is always poneros.
- The evil that proceeds from the heart may be either word (Matthew 15:19, Mark 7:21)
- The contrast between good and evil may be either word (e.g., Luke 16:25 and Romans 9:11 versus Matthew 5:45 and 7:17 – 18).
Good as a concept is more powerful than evil (1 John 5:18 – 19, 2 Thessalonians 3:2, Ephesians 6:16, 6:13, 5:16, Romans 12:21) despite the hopelessness expressed in Romans 7:19 – 21 and James 3:8. The Spirit enables people to defeat evil with good (Romans 8:13).
Evil may be overcome (1 John 2:13 – 14, Colossians 3:5)
We have been reconciled despite past evil (Colossians 1:21)
Our consciences have been sprinkled clean (Hebrews 10:22)
We are promised deliverance from evil (Galatians 1:4)
Hearts (Matthew 9:4, 12:34 – 35, 15:19, 24:48, Mark 7:21, Luke 6:45, Hebrews 3:12) may be characterized as evil.
Actions (John 3:19, 7:7, 2 John 11, 3 John 10, 2 Timothy 4:18, Romans 2:9, 3:8, 13:4) may be characterized as evil.
People may be characterized as evil (many)
Evil may be expressed as a concept (Matthew 5:37, Romans 12:9, 16:19, 1 Thessalonians 5:22, 1 Timothy 6:10, Hebrews 5:14).
Evil is not expressed as an absence of good, but a counterpoint, opposite but not equal.

Poneros is translated bad, evil, grievous, harm, lewd, malicious, and wicked. Originally, the word described those of low birth, the poor. Figuratively, it was used to mean laden with care, sorrowful, unhappy. In the Hellenistic period, the figure of speech broadened: full of trouble, unfortunate, useless, false, wrong, harmful, unfavorable, or offensive. Essentially, unpleasant events were characterized as originating from the lower classes. In the Septuagint, the word was used to describe that which was ill-natured, dangerous, harmful, or unfavorable. By the time of Jesus, the word described those who were politically reprehensible, those who knew nothing of virtue and sought only pleasure. In the New Testament, the word describes that which is bad or harmful. When used of people, it denotes obstinacy before God.

Matthew 5:37 Let your yes be yes and your no, no. For whatever is more than these is from evil.
Matthew 5:39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.
Matthew 5:45 …for He makes His sun to rise on the evil and the good…
Matthew 6:13 …but deliver us from evil…
Matthew 6:23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness…
Matthew 7:11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children…
Matthew 7:17 – 18 Even so, every good tree produces good fruit and a bad tree bears bad fruit.. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor a bad tree bear good fruit.
Matthew 9:4 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts?”
Matthew 12:34 – 35 …How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks… and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.
Matthew 12:39 …An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign…
Matthew 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries…
Matthew 20:15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?
Mark 7:22 – 23 …thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man.
Luke 6:22 Blessed are you when men hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and cast out your name as evil for the Son of Man’s sake.
Luke 6:35 …For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.
Luke 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good and an evil man out of the evil brings forth evil…
Luke 7:21 …He cured many of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits…
Luke 8:2 And certain women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities…
Luke 11:13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children…
Luke 11:29 …This is an evil and adulterous generation. It seeks a sign…
Luke 11:34 The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, if your eye is clear, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is evil, you body is full of darkness.
John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world and men loved the darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
John 7:7 The world cannot hate you but it hates me because I testify of it that its works are evil.
John 17:15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from evil.
Acts 19:12 – 16 …evil spirits…
Romans 12:9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.
Galatians 1:4 …that He might deliver us from this present evil age…
Ephesians 5:16 redeeming the time for the days are evil.
Ephesians 6:13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day..
1 Thessalonians 5:22 Abstain from every form of evil.
2 Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from evil
1 Timothy 6:4 …he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions…
2 Timothy 3:13 But evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse…
2 Timothy 4:18 The Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom.
Hebrews 3:12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief…
Hebrews 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
James 2:4 …have you not shown partiality among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
James 4:16 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
1 John 3:12 …Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.
2 John 11 …for he who greets him [who say Jesus did not come in the flesh] shares in his evil deeds.
Matthew 22:10 So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good…
Revelation 16:2 So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon men who had the mark of the beast…
Acts 28:21 …We neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brethren who came reported or spoken any evil of you.
Acts 17:5 But the Jews, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace and, gathering a mob…
3 John 10 Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words…
Matthew 12:45 Then he goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than himself…
Matthew 13:19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, then the wicked comes and snatches away what was sown…
Matthew 13:38 The field is the world, the good seeds are the sown of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked.
Matthew 13:49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just.
Matthew 16:4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign…
Matthew 18:32 …You wicked servant! I forgave you all the debt because you begged me.
Matthew 25:26, Luke 19:22 You wicked and lazy servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown…
Acts 18:14 Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or wicked crimes…”
1 Corinthians 5:13 …Put away from yourselves the evil person.
Ephesians 6:16 …taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Colossians 1:21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled.
2 Thessalonians 3:2 …that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men, for not all have faith.
1 John 2:13 – 14 …you have overcome the wicked (two places)
1 John 3:12 not as Cain, out of the wicked…
1 John 5:18 – 19 …the one who has been born of God keeps himself and the wicked does not touch him…the whole world lies under the wicked.

Kakos is translated bad, evil, harm, ill, noisome, and wicked. The fundamental meaning references a lack or incapacity. The origin of evil is the heart of man. No evil is in God. Good is stronger than evil.

Matthew 24:48 But if that evil servant says in his heart, “My master is delaying…”
Matthew 27:23, Mark 15:14, Luke 23:22 Then the governor said, “What evil has He done?”
Mark 7:21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders…
Luke 16:25 But Abraham said, “Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.”
John 18:23 Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why do you strike me?”
Acts 23:9 Then there arose a loud outcry. And the scribes of the Pharisee party arose and protested, saying, “We find no evil in this man…”
Romans 1:30 …backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil…
Romans 2:9 …tribulation and anguish on every soul of man who does evil…
Romans 3:8 And why not say, “Let us do evil that good may come”?
Romans 7:19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil is will not to do, that I practice.
Romans 7:21 I find then a law that evil is present in me, the one who wills to do good.
Romans 9:11 …for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil…
Romans 12:17 Repay no one evil for evil
Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 13:3 For rulers are not a terror to good works but to evil.
Romans 13:4 For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid…
Romans 14:16 Therefore, do not let your good be spoken of as evil.
Romans 14:20 Do not destroy the works of God for the sake of food. All things are indeed pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense.
Romans 16:19 …I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil.
1 Corinthians 10:6 Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.
1 Corinthians 13:5 [Love] does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil…
1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be deceived. Evil company corrupts good habits.
2 Corinthians 13:7 Now I pray to God that you do no evil…
Philippians 3:2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation!
Colossians 3:5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: formication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness…
1 Thessalonians 5:15 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for yourselves and for all.
1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil…
2 Timothy 4:14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm…
Titus 1:12 …Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.
Hebrews 5:14 But solid food belongs to those who are consistent, those who by reason of use have their senses trained to discern both good and evil.
James 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone.
James 3:8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
1 Peter 3:9 – 12 …not returning evil for evil…Let him refrain his tongue from evil…Let him turn away from evil and do good…The face of the Lord is against those who do evil.
3 John 11 Beloved, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. He who does good is of God; he who does evil has not seen God.
Revelation 2:2 I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil.
2 Corinthians 5:10 We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
Acts 16:28 But Paul called with a loud voice, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.”
Acts 28:5 But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm.
Romans 13:10 Love does no harm to a neighbor…
Revelation 16:2 So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon men who had the mark of the beast…
Matthew 21:41 They said to Him, “They will destroy those wicked men…”