κακοποιός
kakopoiós
G2555 substantive adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
One who does harm or commits wrongful acts; a person engaged in injurious, wicked, or criminal behavior. In various contexts, particularly legal or social, the term encompasses both general wrongdoing and criminality, denoting someone whose actions are against established norms or laws. It may refer to acts of moral, social, or legal transgression, and does not always specify the severity of the wrongdoing, but typically implies significant misconduct or malice.
Semantic Range
wrongdoer, one who acts wickedly, criminal, malefactor, person who causes harm, perpetrator of evil, offender (in a legal or moral sense)
Root / Etymology
From κακός (kakos, 'bad, evil, harmful') + ποιέω (poieō, 'to do, to make').
Historical & Contextual Notes
In Classical and Hellenistic Greek, κακοποιός generally denoted anyone who acted harmfully or wickedly, whether in a legal, moral, or social sense. The term appears in a range of sources, from philosophical writings (Plato, Aristotle) to legal documents, and was not limited to strictly criminal acts. In the Septuagint, it can translate Hebrew words denoting the 'evil' or 'wicked' person, sometimes in a legal context. In the New Testament (e.g., 1 Peter 2:12, 14; John 18:30), κακοποιός is used of those accused of criminal behavior or wrongdoing, and is especially contrasted with those doing good (ἀγαθοποιός). The term may be rendered as 'malefactor,' 'wrongdoer,' or 'criminal' in English translations, but these may carry more narrowly legal connotations than the Greek original, which could include both criminal and broadly harmful actions. Early Christian writers sometimes applied the term polemically to accused believers, reflecting the charge of being a 'criminal' or '坏人' made against early Christian communities. The English 'evildoer' or 'wrongdoer' is broad, while 'malefactor' or 'criminal' is more legally restricted; context determines the intended nuance in the Greek.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from κακός and ποιέω; a bad-doer; (specially), a criminal:--evil-doer, malefactor.
Root Family
κακοποιός (kakopoios) — to do harm, to act wickedly, to perpetrate wrongdoing
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2555-01 |
κακοποιῶν | kakopoion | ADJ.S GEN M PL |
evildoers | of harm-doers | evildoers | 2 |
G2555-02 |
κακοποιὸς | kakopoios | ADJ.S NOM M SG |
an evildoer | harm-doer | harm-doer | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2555-01 |
1 Peter 2:12 | κακοποιῶν | kakopoion | ADJ.S GEN M PL |
evildoers | of harm-doers | evildoers |
G2555-01 |
1 Peter 2:14 | κακοποιῶν | kakopoion | ADJ.S GEN M PL |
evildoers | of harm-doers | of harm-doers |
G2555-02 |
1 Peter 4:15 | κακοποιὸς | kakopoios | ADJ.S NOM M SG |
an evildoer | harm-doer | harm-doer |