G139: αἵρεσις (haíresis)

G139 αἵρεσις (haíresis)

Greek 📖 Word Study

Quick Definition

αἵρεσις, εως, ἡ n.f. a self-chosen opinion, a sect

Strong's Definition

from 138; properly, a choice, i.e. (specially) a party or (abstractly) disunion

KJV Usage: heresy (which is the Greek word itself), sect

UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament

αἵρεσις (G0139)

noun, f. | -εως | αἱρέομαι

11.50 · Groups and Classes of Persons and Members of Such Groups and Classes · Socio-Religious

religious party, sect a division or group based upon different doctrinal opinions and/or loyalties and hence by implication in certain contexts an unjustified party or group (applicable in the NT to religious parties) Compare αἵρεσις[b] in 33.241 where it means the content of false doctrines or teaching.
It is often difficult to find a term in a receptor language which designates primarily a religious party. Normally one must employ some type of phrase in which the various components of αἵρεσις[a] are somewhat redistributed. For example, in ACT 26:5 the strictest party of our religion may be rendered as ‘those who have the strictest rules about the way they should worship God.’ Similarly, the wrong kind of religious party in ACT 24:14 may be rendered as ‘the group of those who worship God in the wrong way.’

ACT 5:17 · ACT 15:5 · ACT 24:5 · ACT 24:14 · ACT 26:5 · ACT 28:22

33.241 · Communication · Teach

false teaching, untrue doctrine, heresy the content of teaching which is not true

2PE 2:1

63.27 · Whole, Unite, Part, Divide · Divide

division, separate group a division of people into different and opposing sets

1CO 11:19 · GAL 5:20

UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

αἵρεσις, -ews, 7); 1. (fr. aipéw), act of taking, capture: τῆς πόλεως, the storming of a city; in prof. auth. 2. (fr. aipéopar), choosing, choice, very often in prof. writ.: Sept. Lev. xxii. 18; 1 Mace. viii. 30. 3. that which is chosen, a chosen course of thought and action; hence one’s chosen opinion, tenet; acc. to the context, an opinion varying from the true exposition of the Christian faith (heresy): 2 Pet. ii. 1 (cf. De Wette ad loc.), and in eccl. writ. [ef. Soph. Lex. 8. v.]. 4. ἃ body of men separating themselves from others and following their own tenets [a sect or party]: as the Sadducees, Acts v. 17; the Pharisees, Acts xv. 5; xxvi. 5; the Christians, Acts xxiv. 5, 14 (in both instances with a suggestion of reproach) ; xxviii. 22, (in Diog. Laért. 1 (13,) 18 sq., al., used of the schools of philosophy). 5. dissensions arising from diversity of opinions and aims: Gal. v. 20; 1 Co. xi.19. [Cf. Mey. Il. ος.; B.D. ἽΞ α Μι. JSrom the ground, take up: Campbell, Diss. on the Gospels, diss. ix. pt. iv.]

Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary

αἵρεσις hairesis 9x

strictly, a choice or option; hence, a religious sect, faction; by implication, discord, contention

Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon

αἵρεσις, -εως, ἡ

(< αἱρέω, -ομαι), [in LXX for נְדָבָה,]

capture.

choosing, choice (v. MM, VGT, s.v.).

that which is chosen, hence, opinion; esp. a peculiar opinion, heresy: I Co 11:19, Ga 5:20, II Pe 2:1, R, txt.

In late writers (MM, VGT), of a set of persons professing particular principles or opinions, a school, sect, party, faction: Ac 5:17 15:5 24:5, 14 26:5 28:22, I Co 11:19, Ga 5:20, II Pe 2:1, R, mg. (Cremer, 614).†

Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT

αἵρεσις. In Michel 1001-8 (Thera, c. B.C. 200) αἱρείσϑω τὸ κοινὸν. . . ἄνδρας κτλ" kal ἐγγραφέτω kal τὰν τούτων αἵρεσιν ὁ ἐπίσσοφος, the noun is the omen actionzs of αἱρεῖσθαι, “choose.” The two meanings (1) anmzmus, sententia, and (2) secta, factzo, are both illustrated by Dittenberger in OG/S: for (1) he gives fourteen examples from i/B.c. or earlier, for (2) only three of equal antiquity, viz. 176 τῆς ᾿Αμμωνίου αἱρέσεως, 178 similar (both from reign of Ptolemy ΧΙ, ii/i B.c), and 442 (a senatus consultum of 1/B.C. apparently) Σύλλ]ας αὐτοκράτωρ συνεχώρησεν [πΊ]όλ[εις ὅπως ἰδί]οις τοῖς νόμοις αἱρέσεσίν τε ὦσιν. (Note the effect of slavish translation from Latin ablative.) 2 Pet 21 is the only NT passage assigned by Grimm to the first head, and there the RV has a margin assigning it to (2). Herwerden cites an inscription from Delphi of iii/B.c. (ΘΟ xx. p. 478) where the word equals εὔνοια : ἐνεφάνισε τὰν αἵρεσιν, ἂν ἔχει ποτί τε τὸ ἱερὸν καὶ τὰν πόλιν Cf. Nolerts-Gardner 55 (a decree of the Senate and people) καὶ αὐτὸς δὲ Φαῖδρος τὴν αὐτὴν αἵρεσιν ἔχων τοῖς προγογόνοις (/. προγόνοις) διατετέλεκεν ἑαυτὸν ἄξιον παρασκευάζων τῆς πρὸ: τὸν δῆμον εὐνοίας. The editors note that this sense οἱ αἵρεσις “* propensus animus,” ‘kindly feeling towards a person,” is very common in later inscriptions. In the papyri the meaning seems generally ‘‘choice” : in wills it is used = “" voluntas,” or ‘ disposition,” e.g. P Oxy VI. 907! (A.D. 276) αἱρέσει τῇ ὑποτεταγμένῃ, ““ according to the disposition below written.” Ρ Tebt I. 27° (B.c. 113) ἐπὶ τὴν αἵρεσιν τῶν émvyevy[pjatwy shows the pure verbal noun ‘‘ receiving,” and in P Oxy IV. 716” (A.D. 186) τὴν ἀμείνονα αἵρεσιν διδόντι it isa ‘‘ bid” (at an auction) ; so also BGU II. 6565 (ii/A.b.) προσερχέστωσαν (2.2. -θωσαν) τοῖς πρὸς τούτοις ἕρεσειν (/.c. αἵρεσιν) διδόντες. Other examples of the word are P Petr II. 1° τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων αἵρεσιν, P Par 63-8 (c, B.C, 164) προαιρούμενος ἵνα μετακληθῇς ἔτι πρὸς τὴν ἐμὴν αἵρεσιν, and BGU IV. 10708 (A.D. 218) εὐδοκοῦντα τῇ αἱρέσει τῆς ἐπιτροπῆς. P Tebt I. 289f- (B.c.114) comes nearest to the meaning (1)---καὶ κατὰ τὸ παρὸν δ[ι]ὰ τῶν avad[opav] τῆι αὐτῆι αἱρέσει κεχρημένων, which the editors render ‘‘ since they show the same behaviour in their reports.” This use gives us a foretaste of the development zz malem dtartem, producing “* factiousness” and

Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon

αἵρεσις (ahiresis) — sect. αἵρεσις, εως, ἡ, taking, especially of a town, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἡ βασιλέος αἵ. the taking by the king, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; αἵ. δυνάμεως acquisition of power, [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—generally, taking, receiving, ἐπιγενημάτων[Refs 2nd c.BC+] __B (αἱρέομαι) choice, αἵρεσίν τ᾽ ἐμοὶ δίδου[Refs 5th c.BC+]; followed by relative, αἵ. διδόναι ὁκοτέρην.., εἰ.., etc., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; αἵ. προτιθέναι, προβάλλειν, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὐκ ἔχει αἵρεσιν it admits no choice, [Refs 1st c.AD+] __B.2 choice, election of magistrates, [Refs 5th c.BC+] __B.3 inclination, choice, πρός τινα Philipp. cited in [Refs 4th c.BC+]; opposed to φυγή, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; περὶ αἱρέσεων καὶ φυγῶν, title of treatise by Epicurus. __B.II purpose, course of action or thought, like{προαίρεσις}, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; αἵ. Ἐλληνική the study of Greek literature, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]:—conduct, [Refs 2nd c.BC+] __B.II.2 system of philosophic principles, or those who profess such principles, sect, school, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; κατὰ τῶν αἱ., title of treatise by Antipater of Tarsus; περὶ αἱρέσεων, title of Menippean satire by Varro,[Refs]; αἵρεσις πρὸς Γοργιππίδην, title of work by Chrysippus, [Refs 3rd c.AD+]; especially religious party or sect, of the Essenes, [NT+1st c.AD+], generally, faction, party, [Refs 2nd c.AD+] __B.II.3 corps of epheboi, [Refs] __B.II.4 Astrology texts, 'condition', [Refs 2nd c.AD+] __B.III proposed condition, proposal, [Refs 1st c.BC+] __B.III.2 commission, ἡ ἐπὶ τοὺς νέους αἵ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; embassy, mission, [Refs] __B.III.3 freewill offering, opposed to vow, [LXX] __B.III.4 bid at auction, τὴν ἀμείνονα αἵ. διδόντι παραδοθῆναι[Refs 2nd c.AD+]