Defile, Defilement

denotes (a) "to make common;" hence, in a ceremonial sense, "to render unholy, unclean, to defile," Mat 15:11, Mat 15:18, Mat 15:20, Mar 7:15, Mar 7:18, Mar 7:20, Mar 7:23, Act 21:28 (RV, "defiled;" AV, "polluted"); Heb 9:13 (RV, "them that have been defiled," AV, "the unclean"); (b) "to count unclean," Act 10:15, Act 11:9. In Rev 21:27, some mss. have this verb, "defileth;" the most authentic have the adjective, koinos, "unclean." See CALL, COMMON.

primarily, "to stain, to tinge or dye with another color," as in the staining of a glass, hence, "to pollute, contaminate, soil, defile," is used (a) of "ceremonial defilement," Joh 18:28; so in the Sept., in Lev 22:5, Lev 22:8, Num 19:13, Num 19:20 etc.; (b) of "moral defilement," Tit 1:15 (twice); Heb 12:15, "of moral and physical defilement," Jud 1:8. See B, Nos. 1 and 2.

properly denotes "to besmear," as with mud or filth, "to befoul." It is used in the figurative sense, of a conscience "defiled" by sin, 1Co 8:7; of believers who have kept themselves (their "garments") from "defilement," Rev 3:4, and those who have not "soiled" themselves by adultery or fornication, Rev 14:4.

Note: The difference between miaino and moluno is that the latter is not used in a ritual or ceremonial sense, as miaino is (Trench, Syn. xxxi).

"to make a stain or spot," and so "to defile," is used in Jam 3:6 of the "defiling" effects of an evil use of the tongue; in Jud 1:23, "spotted," with reference to moral "defilement." See SPOT.

Note: (1) Cp. spilos, "a spot, a moral blemish," Eph 5:27, 2Pe 2:13; aspilos, "without spot, spotless," 1Ti 6:14, Jam 1:27, 1Pe 1:19, 2Pe 3:14; spilas, Jud 1:12, "hidden rocks," RV (AV "spots," a late meaning, equivalent to spilos).

see CORRUPT, A, No. 2.

whence the Eng. word, denotes "defilement" (akin to A, No. 2), and is found in 2Pe 2:20, AV, "pollutions," RV, "defilements," the vices of the ungodly which contaminate a person in his intercourse with the world.

also akin to A, No. 2, primarily denotes "the act of defiling," the process, in contrast to the "defiling" thing (No. 1). It is found in 2Pe 2:10 (AV, "uncleanness," RV, "defilement.")

akin to A, No. 3, denotes "defilement," in the sense of an action by which anything is "defiled," 2Co 7:1. Cp. the synonymous word spilos, A, No. 4, Note.

akin to A, No. 1, common, and, from the idea of coming into contact with everything, "defiled," is used in the ceremonial sense in Mar 7:2; in Mar 7:5, RV, "defiled," for AV, "unwashen" (the verb is used in Mar 7:15). See COMMON, UNCLEAN.