κᾰκοποι-ός G2555
evildoer, malefactor, criminal; one who does wrong or harm
This adjective used as a noun denotes an evildoer or wrongdoer, someone who does harm or evil. All three occurrences appear in 1 Peter's instruction about suffering. First Peter 2:12 urges good conduct among Gentiles so that when they slander believers 'as evildoers,' they'll be contradicted by observable good works. Second verse 14 describes government as punishing 'evildoers' and praising those who do good. Fourth chapter verse 15 warns believers not to suffer as murderers, thieves, or 'evildoers.' Classical usage includes mischievous people, poisoners, sorcerers, and maleficent things. Peter uses it both for false accusation against Christians and for actual wrongdoers who deserve punishment.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The sense identifies those who do evil or harm, with Peter navigating the tension between false accusation and real wrongdoing. In 2:12 Christians are slandered 'as evildoers' despite living righteously—the accusation is false but must be answered by exemplary conduct. In 2:14 the word describes genuine criminals whom government rightly punishes. In 4:15 Peter warns believers to ensure they never actually qualify as evildoers—suffering must come from righteousness, not wrongdoing. The Spanish 'malhechor' and German 'Übeltäter' both mean wrongdoer/evildoer. The word thus marks the category of those who do harm, whether applied accurately (to criminals) or falsely (to persecuted Christians), with Peter insisting believers must never deserve the label. 3×
AR["فاعِلي-الشَّرِّ", "فاعِلي-شَرٍّ", "فاعِلِ-شَرٍّ"]·ben["দুষ্কর্মকারী", "দুষ্কর্মকারীদের"]·DE["Uebeltaeter"]·EN["evildoer", "evildoers", "of-evildoers"]·FR["κακοποιὸς", "κακοποιῶν"]·heb["מֵרֵעִים", "עוֹשֵׂה-רָע"]·HI["कुकर्मियों", "कुकर्मियों-के", "कुकर्मी"]·ID["penjahat"]·IT["kakopoios", "kakopoiōn"]·jav["tiyang-awon,"]·KO["악행자", "악행자들의", "악행자들이라-하나"]·PT["de-malfeitores,", "dos-malfeitores,", "malfeitor,"]·RU["злодеев,", "злодей,"]·ES["de-malhechores", "malhechor"]·SW["mhalifu", "wahalifu"]·TR["kötü-yapan", "kötü-yapanlar", "kötü-yapanları"]·urd["بدکار،", "بدکاروں-کی،", "بدکاروں-کے،"]
Related Senses
H2896a 1. good (quality or moral) (305×)H7563 1. wicked person (259×)H7451c 1. moral evil or wickedness (234×)H5771 1. iniquity, sin, wrongdoing (222×)H6662 1. righteous person (substantive) (195×)G0266 1. sin, failure, transgression (173×)H2403b 1. sin, transgression (170×)H2617a 1. Covenant faithfulness, steadfast love (167×)H2398 1. Qal: to sin, commit sin (165×)H6666 1. righteousness, moral uprightness (145×)G5485 1. grace, divine favor (141×)H7451a 1. morally evil, wicked (129×)H2403b 2. sin-offering, sacrifice for sin (120×)G2570 1. good, right, excellent (98×)H6588 1. transgression, offense against God (88×)G0018 1. good (moral quality) (85×)H2896b 1. good, what is good (85×)H7451b 1. evil, wickedness (moral) (83×)H7451a 2. evil, harm, calamity (80×)G1342 1. righteous, upright (of persons) (70×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
κᾰκοποι-ός, όν, doing ill, mischievous, ὄνειδος Refs 5th c.BC+; σκεῦος, of a man, Refs 2nd c.BC+; κακοποιοί evil-doers, Refs 4th c.BC+; especially of poisoners and sorcerers, NT; of things, noxious, Χυλός Refs 4th c.BC+; τὸ κ. [τῆς ὕλης] Refs 4th c.BC+: Astrology texts, maleficent, Refs 2nd c.AD+