adjective
ponēros
Strong’sG4190
evil, bad, wicked
stem ponēr-78 times in the New Testamentin 20 of 27 books19 of 26 forms occur
What it means
A plain-English reading of the word, with the lexicons it draws on — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, and Liddell-Scott-Jones — right below it, in full.
AI Summary
Wicked, evil, morally bad — describing persons, spirits, thoughts, deeds, or words that are morally corrupt or harmful 1234. This is the most common use in the New Testament: of wicked people, generations, evil spirits, evil hearts and evil deeds, and, as a substantive, of "the evil one," a title for Satan 13. Strong's notes that the word describes something evil in its effect or influence on others, rather than pointing to its inner essence 2.
The word also describes what is painful, hard, or troublesome — used of a time or season that is burdensome or grievous, such as difficult days 13. In a related non-moral sense it can describe something of poor physical quality, such as bad fruit 1, or, as Strong's adds, something diseased or unwell 2.
Sources: 1 Abbott-Smith 2 Strong's 3 LSJ 4 Dodson. Condensed by anthropic/claude-sonnet-5 on 2026-09-23 — it may still misstate what these say; check them yourself if it matters to you.
The lexicons it was drawn from, in full:
Abbott-Smith — the 1922 lexicon entry, in full
πονηρός, -ά, -όν
(< πονέω, to toil), [in LXX chiefly for רַע;]
SYN.: v.s. ἄθεσμος.
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G4190 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidpon-ay-ros'
hurtful, i.e. evil (properly, in effect or influence, and thus differing from G2556, which refers rather to essential character, as well as from G4550, which indicates degeneracy from original virtue); figuratively, calamitous; also (passively) ill, i.e. diseased; but especially (morally) culpable, i.e. derelict, vicious, facinorous; neuter (singular) mischief, malice, or (plural) guilt; masculine (singular) the devil, or (plural) sinners
Fromfrom a derivative of G4192;
King Jamesbad, evil, grievous, harm, lewd, malicious, wicked(-ness).
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
in physical sense, oppressed by toils, πονηρότατος καὶ ἄριστος, of Heracles, Refs 8th c.BC+
2 of things, toilsome, painful, grievous, ἔργα Refs 8th c.BC+
II in bad case, in sorry plight, useless, good-for-nothing, σύμμαχοιRefs 5th c.BC+; κύων, ἱππάριον, Refs 5th c.BC+; δίαιτα, τροφή, σιτία, injurious, Refs 5th c.BC+; π. σῶμα, opposed to χρηστόν, Refs; π. σκώμματα sorry jests, Refs 5th c.BC+; π. πράγματα a bad state of things, Refs 5th c.BC+; π. ἀρχὴ τῆς παιδείας a bad beginning, Refs 5th c.BC+ adverb, -ρῶς ἔχειν to be in bad case, Refs 5th c.BC+; π. διακεῖσθαι, διατεθῆναι, Refs 5th c.BC+
III in moral sense, worthless, knavish, φήμη, βίος, ζόη, Refs 5th c.BC+; πονηρὸς.. κἀκ πονηρῶν rogue and son of rogues, Refs 5th c.BC+; ὦ πόνῳ πονηρέ in a comic jingle, Refs; π. πόρρω τέχνης past master in knavery, Refs 5th c.BC+; π. [ῥῆμα] malicious, NTwickednesses, LXX+5th c.BC+; δόλῳ πονηρῷ, Latin dolo malo, Refs 2nd c.BC+; ὁ π. the evil one, NT+4th c.AD+
III.2 base, cowardly, Refs 5th c.BC+; π. χρώματα, i.e. the coward's hue, Refs 5th c.BC+
III.3 with a political connotation, of the baser sort, Refs 5th c.BC+; opposed to καλοὶ κἀγαθοί, Refs 5th c.BC+ —On the variation of accent, πονηρός and πόνηρος, see at {μοχθηρός} near the end
H. G. Liddell, R. Scott, H. S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon (9th ed., 1925–1940) — digitised by the Perseus Digital Library and corrected and expanded by Tyndale House, Cambridge, via STEPBible-Data's TFLSJ table, CC BY 4.0. Covers all of Greek literature, not just the Bible.
Translated as
Every occurrence, sorted by the English it was actually given — the evidence for what the word means, not a gloss of it.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain — berean.bible.
Biblang forms
Every form this word takes in Biblang, with the Greek it corresponds to and how often the New Testament uses it.
| Job in the sentence case | masculine singular | feminine singular | neuter singular | masculine plural | feminine plural | neuter plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| subject nominative | ponēros8×πονηρὸς | ponēras5×πονηρὰ | ponērem9×πονηρόν | ponērois5×πονηροὶ | ponērais2×πονηραί | ponēreim8×πονηρὰ |
| object accusative | ponēron3×πονηρόν | ponēran | ponēroin7×πονηροὺς | ponērain | ||
| direct address vocative | ponēror3×πονηρέ | ponērar | ponēroir | ponērair | ||
| of, belonging to genitive | ponērou9×πονηροῦ | ponērau1×πονηρᾶς | ponēreu3×πονηροῦ | ponēroiu2×πονηρῶν | ponēraiu | ponēreiu4×πονηρῶν |
| to, for dative | ponēro1×πονηρῷ | ponēra2×πονηρᾷ | ponēre1×πονηρῷ | ponēroi1×πονηροῖς | ponērai | ponērei2×πονηροῖς |
Tinted cells are forms the New Testament never uses, so there is no Greek to show against them — but they are still correct Biblang, built from the slots below like any other.
Why these forms, and no others — the slots that make them
ponēr is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.
same in every form varies — every value shown
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
78 occurrences, every one of them listed
ponēros“evil”subjectnominative singular8×
Matthew 6:23ean de tos ofthalmos su ponēros ateiō, holem tem sōmem su skoteinem …But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full …
Matthew 12:35… agathou thēsaurou ekbalatō agatheim, kai tos ponēros anthrōpos ek tou ponērou thēsaurou ekbalatō …… good store of treasure, and the evil man brings evil things out of …
Matthew 13:19… basileiau kai mē suniēkarōntou, erchotō tos ponēros kai harpazatō tem sperorēntem en ta …… but does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what …
Matthew 20:15“evil”… tei ēmei? ē tos ofthalmos su ponēros atō hoti mis agathos amō?… not have the right to do as I please with what is mine? Or are you envious because I am generous?’
Mark 7:22“evil”moicheiais, pleonexiais, ponēriais, dolos, aselgeias, ofthalmos ponēros, blasfēmias, huperēfanias, afrosunas;greed, wickedness, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, arrogance, and foolishness.
Luke 6:45… autou proferatō tem agathem, kai tos ponēros ek tou ponērou proferatō tem ponērem; …… treasure of his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of …
Luke 11:34… sōmem su fōteinem atō; epan de ponēros ateiō, kai tem sōmem su skoteinem.… of light. But when they are bad, your body is full of darkness.
1 John 5:18… tou theou tēratō auton, kai tos ponēros ouk haptotō autou.… of God protects him, and the evil one cannot touch him.
ponēron“evil”objectaccusative singular3×
1 Corinthians 5:13“evil”… exō tos theos krinatō? exaravar ton ponēron ek vu autoiu.God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.”
1 John 2:13… grafamō vi, neaniskoir, hoti nikavē ton ponēron.… men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you …
1 John 2:14… en vi menatō kai nikavē ton ponēron.… you, and you have overcome the evil one.
ponēror“wicked”direct addressvocative singular3×
Matthew 18:32… tos kurios autou legatō auto; Doulor ponēror, pantan tan ofeilan ekeinan afiēkama si, …… master summoned him and said, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave all your debt …
Matthew 25:26… de tos kurios autou legata auto; Ponēror doulor kai oknēror, oidaselē hoti therizamō …‘You wicked, lazy servant!’ replied his master. ‘You …
Luke 19:22… Ek teu stomeu su krinamō sin, ponēror doulor; oidaselē hoti mis anthrōpos austēros …His master replied, ‘You wicked servant, I will judge you by …
ponērou“evil”of, belonging togenitive singular9×
Matthew 5:37… tem de perissem houteiu ek tou ponērou atō.… No.’ Anything more comes from the evil one.
Matthew 12:35… kai tos ponēros anthrōpos ek tou ponērou thēsaurou ekbalatō ponēreim.… brings evil things out of his evil store of treasure.
Matthew 13:38… de zizanieim alō tois huiois tou ponērou,… weeds are the sons of the evil one,
Luke 6:45… agathem, kai tos ponēros ek tou ponērou proferatō tem ponērem; ek gar perisseumeu …… brings evil things out of the evil treasure of his heart. For out …
John 17:15… alla hina tēraseia autoin ek tou ponērou.… that You keep them from the evil one.
Galatians 1:4… nin ek tou aiōnou tou enstēarēntou ponērou kata tem thelēmem tou theou kai …… to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of …
Ephesians 6:16… ho dunevi panteim teim beleim tou ponērou purorēnteim sbennuara;… all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
2 Thessalonians 3:3… stērizati vin kai fulassati apo tou ponērou.… you and guard you from the evil one.
1 John 3:12ouk kathōs Kain ek tou ponērou ate kai sfazata ton adelfon autou; …… him? Because his own deeds were evil, while those of his brother were …
ponēro“evil”to, fordative singular1×
1 John 5:19… kai tos kosmos holos en to ponēro keiotō.… is under the power of the evil one.
ponēras“evil”subjectnominative singular5×
Matthew 12:39“evil”tos de apokrinirantos legata autoi; Geneas ponēras kai moichalidas sēmem epizētatō, kai sēmem …… A wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of the …
Matthew 16:4“evil”Geneas ponēras kai moichalidas sēmem epizētatō, kai sēmem …A wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah …
Luke 11:29“evil”… archeta legarō; Tas geneas houtas geneas ponēras atō; sēmem zētatō, kai sēmem ouk …… Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.
Hebrews 3:12“evil”… mēpote eti en tino vu kardias ponēras apistiau en te apostēara apo theou …… none of you has a wicked heart of unbelief that turns away from the living God.
James 4:16… tai alazoneiai vu; pantas kauchēsias toioutas ponēras atō.… proud intentions. All such boasting is evil.
ponērau“evil”of, belonging togenitive singular1×
Hebrews 10:22“evil”… pistiau, rantizorēntois tain kardiain apo suneidēsiau ponērau kai louorēntois tem sōmem hude kathare;… assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
ponēra“evil”to, fordative singular2×
Matthew 12:45“evil”… eti kai ta genea houta ta ponēra.… will it be with this wicked generation.”
Ephesians 6:13… duniveia antistēara en ta hēmera ta ponēra kai hapanteim katergazerantois stēara.… so that when the day of evil comes, you will be able to …
ponērem“evil”subject or objectdirect singular9×
Matthew 5:11… vin kai diōkaleia kai legaleia pantem ponērem kata vu pseudorōntois heneken mu.… and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.
Luke 6:22… kai ekbalaleia tem onomem vu hōs ponērem heneka tou huiou tou anthrōpou;… you and reject your name as evil because of the Son of Man.
Luke 6:45… ponēros ek tou ponērou proferatō tem ponērem; ek gar perisseumeu kardiau lalatō tem …… heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil treasure …
Acts 28:21“evil”… apangelata ē lalata tinem peri su ponērem.… from there reported or even mentioned anything bad about you.
Romans 12:9Tas agapas anupokritas. apostugarōntois tem ponērem, kollorōntois te agathe;… must be sincere. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good.
Acts 18:14“wicked”… men ate adikēmem tinem ē radiourgēmem ponērem, ō Ioudaioir, kata logon an anechema …… matter involved a wrongdoing or vicious crime, O Jews, it would be reasonable …
Acts 19:15apokrinirantem de tem pneumem tem ponērem legata autoi; Ton Iēsun gnōskamō kai …But one day the evil spirit responded, “Jesus I know, and …
Acts 19:16… en ho ate tem pneumem tem ponērem katakurieuarantos amfoteroiu ischuata kata autoiu, hōste …Then the man with the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered …
Revelation 16:2“painful”… gēan; kai geneta helkem kakosem kai ponērem epi toin anthrōpoin toin echarōntoin tem …… on the earth, and loathsome, malignant sores broke out on those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its …
ponēreu“evil”of, belonging togenitive singular3×
Matthew 6:13… peirasmon, alla ruesar nin apo teu ponēreu.… temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’
1 Thessalonians 5:22apo panteu eideu ponēreu apechovōr.Abstain from every form of evil.
2 Timothy 4:18… min tos kurios apo panteu ergeu ponēreu kai sōzati eis tan basileian autou …… Lord will rescue me from every evil action and bring me safely into …
ponēre“evil”to, fordative singular1×
Matthew 5:39… de legamō vi mē antistēara te ponēre; alla hotinos sin rapizatō eis tan …… tell you not to resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on …
ponērois“evil”subjectnominative plural5×
Matthew 7:11ei oun vis ponērois arōntois oidavē domeim agatheim dōarō tei …So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts …
Matthew 12:34gennēmeim echidnaiu, pōs dunovō agatheim lalarō ponērois arōntois? ek gar teu perisseumeu tau …… vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of …
Matthew 15:19ek gar tau kardiau exercholō dialogismois ponērois, fonois, moicheiais, porneiais, klopais, pseudomarturiais, blasfēmiais.For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft …
Luke 11:13ei oun vis ponērois huparcharōntois oidavē domeim agatheim dōarō tei …So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts …
2 Timothy 3:13ponērois de anthrōpois kai goētois prokoptali epi …while evil men and imposters go from bad …
ponēroin“bad”objectaccusative plural7×
Matthew 5:45… hoti ton hēlion autou anatellatō epi ponēroin kai agathoin kai brechatō epi dikaioin …… His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain …
Matthew 7:17… poiatō, tem de saprem dendrem karpoin ponēroin poiatō;… fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
Matthew 7:18ouk dunotō dendrem agathem karpoin ponēroin poiarō, oude dendrem saprem karpoin kaloin …A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot …
Matthew 13:49“evil”… exercheli tois angelois kai aforizali toin ponēroin ek meseu toiu dikaioiu… the age: The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous
Matthew 22:10“bad”… tain hodain sunagala pantoin hoin heuriskala, ponēroin tē kai agathoin; kai pimplēita tos …… out into the streets and gathered everyone they could find, both evil and good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.
Luke 6:35“evil”… chrēstos atō epi toin acharistoin kai ponēroin.… for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.
Acts 17:5“wicked”… kai proslaberantois toiu agoraioiu androin tinoin ponēroin kai ochlopoiarantois thorubale tan polan, kai …… brought in some troublemakers from the marketplace, formed a mob, and sent the city into an uproar. They raided Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas, hoping …
ponēroiu“evil”of, belonging togenitive plural2×
2 Thessalonians 3:2… hina ruineia apo toiu atopoiu kai ponēroiu anthrōpoiu, ouk gar pantoiu tas pistias.… may be delivered from wicked and evil men; for not everyone holds to …
James 2:4… en heautoi kai geneva kritois dialogismoiu ponēroiu?… among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
ponēroi“malicious”to, fordative plural1×
3 John 1:10… autou teim ergeim heim poiatō, logoi ponēroi fluararōntos nin, kai mē arkorōntos epi …… I will call attention to his malicious slander against us. And unsatisfied with …
ponērais“evil”subjectnominative plural2×
Ephesians 5:16exagorazorōntois ton kairon, hoti tais hēmerais ponērais alō.… the time, because the days are evil.
1 Timothy 6:4… haiu genotō fthonos, eridas, blasfēmiais, huponoiais ponērais,… which come envy, strife, abusive talk, evil suspicions,
ponēreim“evil”subject or objectdirect plural8×
Matthew 9:4… tain enthumēsiain autoiu legata; Hinati enthumovō ponēreim en tai kardiai vu?… and said, “Why do you harbor evil in your hearts?
Matthew 12:35… anthrōpos ek tou ponērou thēsaurou ekbalatō ponēreim.… treasure, and the evil man brings evil things out of his evil store …
Acts 19:12… tain nosain, teim tē pneumeim teim ponēreim ekporeuorō.… the sick, and the diseases and evil spirits left them.
Acts 19:13… epi toin echarōntoin teim pneumeim teim ponēreim tem onomem tou kuriou Iēsu legarōntois; …… the Lord Jesus over those with evil spirits. They would say, “I command …
Mark 7:23“evil”panteim houteim teim ponēreim esōthen ekporeuotō kai koinatō ton anthrōpon.All these evils come from within, and these are what defile a man.”
John 3:19… ē tem fōtem, ate gar autoiu ponēreim teim ergeim.… the Light because their deeds were evil.
John 7:7… peri autou hoti teim ergeim autou ponēreim atō.… I testify that its works are evil.
1 John 3:12… sfazata auton? hoti teim ergeim autou ponēreim ate, teim de tou adelfou autou …… like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And …
ponēreiu“evil”of, belonging togenitive plural4×
Luke 3:19“evil”… autou kai peri panteiu heiu poiata ponēreiu tos Hērōdos,… tetrarch regarding his brother’s wife Herodias and all the evils he had done,
Luke 7:21… apo nosaiu kai mastigaiu kai pneumeiu ponēreiu, kai tufloi polloi charizeta bleparō.… people of their diseases, afflictions, and evil spirits, and He gave sight to …
Luke 8:2… tinais hais ale therapeuorēntais apo pneumeiu ponēreiu kai astheniaiu, Marias tas kalorōntas Magdalēnas, …… women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary called Magdalene …
Acts 25:18… oudenan aitian ferale heiu mis huponoame ponēreiu,… charge him with any of the crimes I had expected.
ponērei“evil”to, fordative plural2×
Colossians 1:21… ta dianoia en tei ergei tei ponērei… hostile in your minds, engaging in evil deeds.
2 John 1:11… chairarō koinōnatō tei ergei autou tei ponērei.… such a person shares in his evil deeds.
ponērotereim2×
Matthew 12:45“evil”… paralabatō meta heauteu hepta hetereim pneumeim ponērotereim heauteu, kai eisercharanteim katoikatō ekei; kai …… and brings with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and dwell there. And the final …
Luke 11:26“evil”tote poreuotō kai paralabatō hetereim pneumeim ponērotereim heauteu hepta, kai eisercharanteim katoikatō ekei, …Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and dwell there. And the …