περίψ-ημα G4067
offscouring, refuse; the scum of society
A noun meaning offscouring, refuse, or scum—what is worthless and wiped away. Paul uses it in 1 Corinthians 4:13 alongside 'scum' (perikatharma) to describe how the world views apostles: as 'the refuse of all things.' The term denotes the lowest, most despised status. Paul embraces this degradation to show the radical contrast between worldly values and kingdom realities, where weakness and humility are honored.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Refuse or offscouring, the scum wiped off and discarded as worthless. Paul's stark self-description reveals how the world views apostolic ministry—as the lowest, most contemptible thing. The multilingual glosses ('refuse,' 'desperdicio,' 'déchet,' 'Abschaum') uniformly emphasize worthlessness and rejection, highlighting the upside-down nature of God's kingdom where the despised become honored. 1×
AR["كُناسَةً"]·ben["নিকৃষ্ট"]·DE["Abschaum"]·EN["refuse"]·FR["déchet"]·heb["שְׁחִי"]·HI["मैल"]·ID["kotoran"]·IT["spazzatura"]·jav["larahan"]·KO["오물"]·PT["escória"]·RU["отбросы"]·ES["desperdicio"]·SW["wa-vyote"]·TR["atığı"]·urd["میل"]
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
περίψ-ημα, ατος, τό, anything wiped off, offscouring, of a vile person (or scapegoat), NT+9th c.AD+; π. σου your humble servant, Refs; peripsuma su (sic), Dessau Refs