ψεῦσ-μα G5582
lie, falsehood, deliberate untruth
A deliberate falsehood or untruth, distinct from mere error. In Romans 3:7, Paul poses a rhetorical question about whether God's truthfulness is enhanced by human lies—if divine truth becomes more evident through contrast with our falsehood. The translations (Spanish 'mentira', French 'mensonge', English 'lie', German 'Luege') consistently point to intentional deception, not accidental mistake, underscoring the moral dimension of speaking what contradicts reality.
Senses
1. sense 1 — An intentional falsehood or deceitful statement. Used in Romans 3:7 within Paul's diatribe addressing objections to his gospel: 'But if through my lie the truth of God abounded to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner?' The term emphasizes human mendacity as a foil to divine truthfulness. 1×
AR["كَذِبي"]·ben["মিথ্যায়,"]·DE["Luege"]·EN["lie"]·FR["mensonge"]·heb["שֶׁקֶר"]·HI["झूठ"]·ID["dusta,"]·IT["menzogna"]·jav["goroh,"]·KO["거짓"]·PT["mentira"]·RU["лжи"]·ES["mentira"]·SW["uongo"]·TR["yalanla"]·urd["جھوٹ-سے"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ψεῦσ-μα, ατος, τό, lie, untruth, fraud, εὐτυχέστατον ψεῦσμα ἐψευσμένος Refs 5th c.BC+ __II τοὺς ἐπὶ τῆς ῥινὸς φυομένους ἰόνθους Σικελιῶται ψεύσματα ἔλεγον Refs 3rd c.BC+