μολύνω G3435
defile, stain, pollute, make ritually or morally unclean
To defile is to make unclean, either ritually or morally. Paul speaks of those whose weak conscience 'is defiled' by eating idol-food (1 Cor 8:7). Jesus commends the few in Sardis who 'have not defiled their garments' (Rev 3:4). The 144,000 are those 'who have not defiled themselves with women' (Rev 14:4). The term carries both ritual purity and moral integrity connotations. Spanish translations vary—'contaminada,' 'mancharon,' 'se contaminaron'—all conveying pollution or staining.
Senses
1. sense 1 — To defile, stain, or pollute, making ritually or morally unclean. In 1 Corinthians 8:7, it's the defiling of conscience through compromised eating. In Revelation 3:4 and 14:4, it's moral/sexual purity: not defiling garments or defiling oneself with immorality. The Greek μολύνω covers both ceremonial contamination and moral corruption. German 'beflecken' (to stain) and French 'souiller' (to soil) capture the image of pollution. 3×
AR["يَتَنَجَّسوا", "يَتَنَجَّسُ", "يُنَجِّسوا"]·ben["অপবিত্র-করেছে", "অশুচি-হয়েছিল", "কলুষিত-হয়।"]·DE["beflecken"]·EN["defiled", "is-defiled", "were-defiled"]·FR["beflecken", "souiller"]·heb["טִמְּאוּ", "מִטַּמֵּא", "נִטְמְאוּ"]·HI["अशुद्ध-किए", "अशुद्ध-हुए", "अशुद्ध-होता-है"]·ID["dinajiskan;", "mencemarkan", "ternoda."]·IT["emolunan", "emolunthēsan", "macchiare"]·jav["dipun-reredaken", "kanajisan.", "ngreged"]·KO["더럽혀진다", "더럽혔으니", "더럽히지-않았다"]·PT["mancharam", "se-contaminaram", "é-contaminada."]·RU["осквернили", "осквернились;", "оскверняется."]·ES["es-contaminada", "mancharon", "se-contaminaron"]·SW["hawakuchafua", "jitia-unajisi;", "zinachafuliwa."]·TR["kirlenmemişler", "kirlettiler"]·urd["آلودہ-کیا", "آلودہ-ہوئے", "آلودہ-ہوتی-ہے"]
Related Senses
H3548 1. priest, cultic officiant (750×)G5547 1. Christ, Messiah, Anointed One (540×)H5030 1. Prophet, divine spokesperson (317×)H5930a 1. burnt offering (sacrifice) (286×)H3881 1. Levites (priestly class) (283×)G4396 1. prophet, spokesperson of God (146×)H6944 1. sanctuary, holy place (129×)G0749 1. high priest, chief priest (123×)H6944 2. holiness, sacredness (abstract quality) (123×)G5330 1. Pharisee (99×)G4336 1. pray to God (86×)H6944 3. holy things, sacred offerings (plural) (86×)H3722a 1. make ritual atonement (Piel) (85×)H6912 1. bury (Qal active) (82×)H6419 1. pray (Hitpael) (80×)H6944 4. holiness (with possessive pronoun) (77×)H6942 1. sanctify, consecrate (Piel factitive) (76×)H2930a 1. Qal: be/become unclean (75×)H7819a 1. slaughter an animal (Qal active) (72×)H1486 1. lot (object cast for decisions) (71×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
μολύνω, future - ῠνῶ LXXaorist ἐμόλῡναLXX: perfect μεμόλυγκα Refs 4th c.AD+:—passive, future μολυνθήσομαι LXXaorist 1 ἐμολύνθηνLXXperfect μεμόλυσμαιLXX+1st c.AD+:—stain, sully, defile, τὴν ὑπήνην Refs 5th c.BC+; simply, sprinkle, ἀλεύρῳ Refs 3rd c.BC+; make a beast of, τινας (of Circe) Refs 5th c.BC+; defile, debauch, παῖδα Refs 3rd c.BC+:—passive, become vile, disgrace oneself, NT+5th c.BC+;…