Quick Definition
μεθοδεία, ας, ἡ n.f. scheming, craftiness
Strong's Definition
from a compound of 3326 and 3593 (compare "method"); travelling over, i.e. travesty (trickery)
KJV Usage: wile, lie in wait
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
μεθ-οδεία (T WH μεθοδία, see 1, t,), -as, ἡ, (fr. μεθοδεύω, i.e. 1. to follow up or investigate by method and settled plan; 2. to follow craftily, frame devices, deceive : Diod. 7,16; 2S. xix. 27; [Ex. xxi. 13 Aq.; (mid.) Charit. 7, 6 p. 166, 21 ed. Reiske (1783) ; Polyb. 38, 4, 107), a noun occurring neither in the O. T. nor in prof. auth. cunning arts, deceit, craft, trickery: ἡ pe9. τῆς πλάνης, which ἡ πλάνη uses, Eph. iv. 14; rod διαβόλου, plur. ib. vi. 11[A.). wiles. Cf. Bp. Lght/t. Polye. ad Phil. 7 p. 918.]
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
μεθοδεία methodeia 2x
wile, scheme, scheming, craftiness, Eph. 4:14; 6:11*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
*† μεθ-οδία (Rec. -εία; cf. Bl., § 3, 5), -ας, ἡ
(< † μεθοδεύω, 1. to treat by rule. 2. to employ craft: IV Ki 19:27*)
craft, deceit: Eph 4:14 6:11 (not found elsewhere; v. AR, in l.).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
μεθοδία. This noun, which in the NT occurs only in Eph 4", 6", in the sense of ‘‘ scheming,” ‘‘craftiness,” is said by GrimmThayer to occur ‘‘neither in the O.T. nor in prof. auth.” It is found, however, in late papyri in the more primary sense of ‘‘method,”’ e.g. P Oxy VIII. 1134° (A.D. 421) where certain rents are said to have been collected πρὸς τὴν μεθοδίαν ἀκολούθως TH δοθέντι ὑπὸ σοῦ λόγῳ τοῦ τε λήμματος καὶ τοῦ ἐξωδιασμοῦ, ““ ἴῃ method corresponding to the account given by you of receipt and expenditure” (Ed.), 23. I. 13618 (A.D. 583) τὴν μεθοδίαν τρέψαι, “to conduct my dealings,” 24.°4 ἣν ἐϊν]δείκνυμι μεθοδίαν περὶ τὴν εἴσπραξιν, ‘the method of collection adopted by me” (Edd.), and P Amh II. 149% (vi/a.D.) τῷ κυρίως ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς τὴν μεθοδίαν κατ᾽ ἐμοῦ ποιουμένῳ, with reference to a loan to be repaid to the person lawfully demanding it. For the verb see P Leid W*17 (ii/iii A.p.) (= II. p. ἐρώτα, ἵνα αὐτὸς ἀπολίί(-- εὔψῃ ἢ μεθοδεύσῃ (altera ratione iterum tractet): ϑύναται γὰρ πάντα ὁ θεὸς οὗτος. Cf. MGr ἡ μέθοδο, “method.” According to Thumb (Handbook, p. 58) ‘‘ the pl. is rarely used, yet a pl. οἱ μέθοδες may be formed for the word ἡ μέθοδο taken from the literary language.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
μεθοδεία (methodeia) — scheme. μεθοδ-εία or μεθοδ-ία, ἡ, craft, wiliness, [NT]
II. method of collecting taxes or debts (in form μεθοδία), [Refs 5th c.AD+]