ἀφιλάγαθος
aphilágathos
G865 substantive adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Lacking love for what is good; not inclined toward virtue. The term principally describes a person who is uncaring, indifferent, or even hostile to what is morally or socially recognized as good or beneficial, particularly in terms of virtue. It conveys absence of regard for goodness, or a disposition to oppose or resist good actions or persons identified as good.
Semantic Range
lacking love for what is good, indifferent to virtue, hostile to virtue, opposed to the good, morally callous, despiser of the good
Root / Etymology
From the privative prefix ἀ- (a-, 'not') attached to φιλάγαθος (philàgathos, 'loving what is good'); thus, 'not loving what is good' or 'hostile to good.' The formation is regular in Greek by negating a compound adjective.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term ἀφιλάγαθος is rare and is attested only in later Koine Greek, specifically in contexts emphasizing moral decline or the absence of civic or personal virtue. It is used as a vice in lists describing negative characteristics (notably in 2 Timothy 3:3), contrasting with the positive concept of ἀγάπη τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ ('love of the good'). The English translation 'despiser of those that are good' narrows the sense, as the Greek emphasizes the lack of affection for the good itself, not necessarily hostility toward people. In later Christian moral vocabulary, ἀφιλάγαθος can carry strong ethical and societal connotations, marking not only disinterest but sometimes open opposition to values considered virtuous. The term is a linguistic counterpart to positive terms like φιλάγαθος ('loving what is good') and φιλοκαλία ('love of beauty or virtue').
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from Α (as a negative particle) and φιλάγαθος; hostile to virtue:--despiser of those that are good.
Root Family
ἀφιλάγαθος (aphilagathos) — not loving good, indifferent to virtue, hostile to virtue
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G865-01 |
ἀφιλάγαθοι | aphilagathoi | ADJ.S NOM M PL |
haters of good | not-loving-good ones | not-loving-good ones | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G865-01 |
2 Timothy 3:3 | ἀφιλάγαθοι | aphilagathoi | ADJ.S NOM M PL |
haters of good | not-loving-good ones | not-loving-good ones |