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δολιόω

dolióō

G1387 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To act with craftiness or deceit, to employ cunning or deceptive methods. In Koine usage, δολιόω primarily indicates the act of deceiving or misleading, especially through subtle or underhanded means, and can refer to both general dishonesty and specific acts of guile.

Semantic Range

to deceive by craftiness, to act with guile or cunning, to use underhanded methods, to entrap with deceit, to behave dishonestly

Root / Etymology

Derived from the adjective δόλιος ('crafty,' 'deceitful'), which itself comes from the noun δόλος ('bait,' 'trap,' 'deceit'). The verb takes on the meaning 'to act with deceit,' directly reflecting the qualities of its adjective.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical and Hellenistic Greek, δολιόω is relatively rare and almost always conveys a negative moral connotation, associated with deliberate deception or trickery. In the Septuagint and New Testament, δολιόω continues this emphasis, often describing behaviors or speeches marked by cunning or guile. The term is typically used in moral or ethical discourse, contrasting honest, straightforward behavior with deceptive practice. English translations often render it 'deceive' or 'use deceit,' but these may not fully convey the sense of calculated craftiness present in Greek uses. Compared with related verbs such as ἀπατάω (to lead astray, to deceive), δολιόω emphasizes the sly or crafty means used to achieve deception, tying back to its root idea of making use of bait or snare. The noun δόλος is frequent in both classical and biblical Greek, often depicted as the antithesis of sincerity or truthfulness.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from δόλιος; to be guileful:--use deceit.

Root Family

δολι- (dolióō) — to be crafty, to act deceitfully, to use guile

Root δολι- to be crafty, to act deceitfully, to use guile

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G1387-01 ἐδολιοῦσαν edoliousan V IMPF ACT IND 3P PL they keep deceiving they were acting deceitfully they were acting deceitfully 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G1387-01 Romans 3:13 ἐδολιοῦσαν edoliousan V IMPF ACT IND 3P PL they keep deceiving they were acting deceitfully they were acting deceitfully
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