Quick Definition
σαπρός, ά, όν Adj rotten, useless, corrupt
Strong's Definition
from 4595; rotten, i.e. worthless (literally or morally)
KJV Usage: bad, corrupt. Compare 4190
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
adjc. | -ά, -όν | σήπω
65.28 · Value · Good, Bad
bad, diseased and possibly seedling pertaining to being of poor or bad quality and hence of little or no value (particularly in reference to plants, either in the sense of seriously diseased or of seedling stock, that is, not budded or grafted) Some scholars have suggested that σαπρός in MAT 7:18 really refers to a seedling, that is to say, a tree which has grown up completely from seed rather than being budded or grafted. Seedling trees often produce tasteless or even bitter fruit. By its very nature, such a tree cannot produce good fruit and is, therefore, considered to be of no value.
MAT 7:17 · MAT 7:18 · MAT 12:33 · MAT 12:33 · MAT 13:48 · LUK 6:43 · LUK 6:43
20.14 · Violence, Harm, Destroy, Kill · Harm, Wound
harmful, unwholesome pertaining to that which is harmful in view of its being unwholesome and corrupting In EPH 4:29 σαπρός is in contrast with that which is ἀγαθός ‘good’ for building up what is necessary. In such a context ἀγαθός may be interpreted as that which is helpful, and by contrast σαπρός may be understood to mean ‘harmful.’
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
σαπρός, -ὦ, τόν, (σήπω, 2 aor. pass. σαπῆναι) 5 1. rotten, putrid, (| Hipponax], Hipper., Arstph., al.). 2. corrupted by age and no longer fit for use, worn out, (Arstph., Dio Chr., al.);_ hence in general, of poor quality, bad, unfit for use, worthless, [A. V. corrupt], (πᾶν, ὃ (Fr. μὴ τὴν ἰδίαν χρείαν πληροῖ, σαπρὸν λέγομεν, Chrys. hom. 4 on 1 Ep. to Tim.) : δένδρον, καρπύς, opp. to καλός, Mt. vii. 17 sq.; xii. 33; Lk. vi. 43; fishes, Mt. xiii. 48 [here A.V. bad]; trop. λόγος, Eph. iv. 29 (cf. Harless ad loc.); δόγμα, Epict. 3, 22, 61. Cf. Lob. ad Phryn. p. 377 sq.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
σαπρός sapros 8x
pr. rotten, putrid; hence, bad, of a bad quality, Mt. 7:17, 18; 12:33; Lk. 6:43; refuse, Mt. 13:48; met. corrupt, depraved, vicious, foul, impure, Eph. 4:29*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
** σαπρός, -ά -όν
[in Sm.: Le 27:14, 33 * ;]
rotten, corrupt, bad, worthless: of trees and fruit (opp. to ἀγαθός, καλός), Mt 7:17, 18 12:33 Lk 6:43; of fish, Mt 13:48.
Metaph., in moral sense: λόγος σ., Eph 4:29. "In Hellenistic . . . it became a synonym for αἰσχρός or κακός," MM, xxii.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
σαπρός. For the classical meaning “" decayed,’’ cf. the Attic inscr. ΥΩ 587° (B.C. 328) μισθωτεῖ τοῦ διατειχίσματος ἀνελόντι τὰ σαπρά with reference to ‘“‘decayed” brickwork. In Hellenistic Greek the connexion with σήπω was lost, and it became “rotten,” ‘‘corrupt,’’ as in P Flor II. 176° (a.. 256) συκαρίων campay, ‘rotten figs” (cf. Mt 717). Similarly in P Lond 356! (i/a.p.) (ΞΞ 11. p. 252, Selections. Ὁ. 59) the adj. is applied to ‘‘stale’” drugs as contrasted with drugs of ‘‘ good” quality, τὸ καλόν. In P Fay 1194 (c. A.D. 100) χόρτου. . δύσμην σαπράν is ‘a stale bundle of hay,’’ and in P Giss 1. 21° (time of Trajan) ἐζήτησα τὸ λακώνιον Kal οὐχ εὗρον ἀλλὰ ἀτταλιανὸν σαπρόν, the reference is apparently to an article of clothing: cf. the adverb in BGU III. 8465 (ii/A.p.) (= Selections, p. 94) σαπρῶς παιριπατῶ. Later exx. are PSI VI. 71812 (a receipt—iv/v A.D.) σαπρὸν o[t]voy ποιῆσεί-- -σαι) καλόν, and P Oxy XVI. 1849? (vi/vii A.D.) τὸ λάχανον Oo8e (/. ὧδε) σαπρόν ἐστι. Add Teles p. 275 (of a house) σαπρὰ καὶ ῥέουσα καὶ καταπίπτουσα. For the metaph. usage, as in Eph 429, cf. P Leid Wiv- 38 (ii/iili A.D.) (=II. p. 131) ἀνάδυσόν pov τὴν σαπρὰν i(= εἡμαρμένην, “ withdraw from me the bitter fate,’ and Epict.iii. 16.7. In Preisigke 5761°° (A.D. gI-6) ἔστι σαπρὸν yaip] ὄνομα τῆς τοῦ μισθωΐτο]ῦ γυναικός, the word= “unpleasant,” and in the astrological Vett. Val. p. 3689 αἱ. the editor understands it as = ‘‘periculosus.” See further Rutherford WP p. 474.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
σαπρός (sapros) — rotten. σαπρός, ά, όν, (σήπω) rotten, putrid, [Refs 6th c.BC+]; of the lungs, diseased, [Refs]; of bone, carious, [Refs]; of wood, etc., rotten, ἱστίον [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πινακίσκος, φορμός, σχοινίον, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; τοῦ διατειχίσματος ἀνελόντι τὰ σ. [Refs]; of a house, σ. καὶ ῥέουσα καὶ καταπίπτουσα Telesp.27 H.; ἐλαῖαι [Refs 6th c.BC+]: especially, of fish that have been long in pickle, stale, rancid, τάριχος [Refs 5th c.BC+]; opposed to πρόσφατος, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; of withered flowers, [Refs 4th c.BC+] adverb, -ρῶς λούει τὰ βαλανεῖα so as to leave one filthy, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
II. generally, stale, worn out, ἀρχαῖον καὶ σαπρόν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of clothes, [Refs 2nd c.AD+] adverb, -ῶς (perhaps misspelt for -ός) περιπατῶ I am walking about in rags, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
II.2. of persons, γέρων ὢν καὶ σ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὦ σαπρά, to an old woman, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὐδέν ἐσμεν οἱ σ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.3. of wine, mellow (compare σαπρίας), [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of old wine, ὀδόντας οὐκ ἔχων, ἤδη σαπρὸς.., γέρων γε δαιμονίως [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
II.4. εἰρήνη σαπρά, a joke παρὰ προσδοκίαν, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.5. metaphorically, unsound, bad, λόγος [NT]; opposed to καλός, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; ἄρουραι [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; τὰ σ. ταῦτα [Refs 1st c.AD+]; τὴν σ. εἱμαρμένην the evil fate, [Refs]
III. of sound, αὐλεῖ γὰρ σαπρὰ.. κρουμάτια [Refs 5th c.BC+]