πᾰνουργ-ία G3834
Craftiness, cunning; shrewd cleverness employed for deceptive or manipulative purposes.
A noun meaning craftiness or cunning — the ability to do anything (πᾶν + ἔργον, 'every work'), turned toward deceitful ends. It describes a shrewd, unprincipled cleverness. Jesus perceives the πανουργία of his questioners when they try to trap him about paying taxes to Caesar (Luke 20:23). Paul quotes Job 5:13: God 'catches the wise in their own craftiness' (1 Cor 3:19). In 2 Cor 4:2, Paul renounces 'the hidden things of shame' and πανουργία, and in 2 Cor 11:3 he fears the serpent's cunning that deceived Eve. Ephesians 4:14 warns against those who use craftiness to scheme and mislead. The Spanish 'astucia' and French 'ruse' both carry the negative valence of clever deception.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Craftiness or cunning — shrewd, unscrupulous cleverness used to deceive or manipulate. Etymologically from πανοῦργος ('ready to do anything'), the word implies moral flexibility in service of self-interest. Luke 20:23 shows Jesus detecting the πανουργία behind the tribute-money trap. Paul in 1 Cor 3:19 turns the tables by quoting Job 5:13: God ensnares the worldly-wise in their own craftiness. In 2 Cor 4:2, Paul distances his ministry from any taint of cunning, and in 2 Cor 11:3 he invokes the serpent's primordial craftiness toward Eve as a warning against theological seduction. Eph 4:14 links πανουργία to 'scheming deceit' (μεθοδεία τῆς πλάνης), placing it firmly in the vocabulary of spiritual manipulation. The Spanish 'artimaña/astucia' and French 'ruse' converge on clever trickery. 5×
AR["مَكرٍ", "مَكرَ", "مَكْرِ", "مَكْرِها"]·ben["চাতুরীতে", "চাতুরীতে,", "ধূর্ততায়", "বললেন"]·DE["List", "πανουργίαν"]·EN["craftiness"]·FR["ruse"]·heb["הַ-עָרְמָה", "עַרְמָה", "עָרְמָה"]·HI["चतुराई-से", "चलकि", "चालाकी", "छल"]·ID["kelicikan", "tipu-muslihat"]·IT["astuzia", "panourgia", "panourgian"]·jav["julig", "juligipun", "kaculikan,", "licik", "paekanipun,"]·KO["간계에", "간교", "간교함에", "간교함을"]·PT["artifício", "astúcia"]·RU["коварстве", "лукавстве", "хитрости", "хитрость"]·ES["artimaña", "astucia"]·SW["hila", "hila,", "ujanja"]·TR["kurmazlığıyla", "kurnazlikta", "kurnazlık", "onların"]·urd["چالاکی", "چالبازی"]
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
πᾰνουργ-ία, ἡ, knavery, Refs 5th c.BC+: in plural, villainies, Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 of animals, Refs 4th c.BC+ __3 adulteration of drugs or honey, Refs 2nd c.AD+