Greek word · G3512

νεωτερικός

neōterikos

youthful

'Belonging to or typical of the young' (BDAG). It comes from neōteros, 'younger'. In Greek writing of this period the word often suggests the faults typical of young men: rashness, love of a fight, eagerness for novelty, wanting to be noticed, and also bodily appetite.

Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

νεωτερικός, -ή, -όν

(νεώτερος), [in LXX: 3Ma.4:8 * ;]

= νεανικός,

youthful, esp. of qualities: ἐπιθυμίαι, 2 Timothy 2:22 (Polyb.).†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of 2 Timothy 2:22

Range of meaning

'Belonging to or typical of the young' (BDAG). It comes from neōteros, 'younger'. In Greek writing of this period the word often suggests the faults typical of young men: rashness, love of a fight, eagerness for novelty, wanting to be noticed, and also bodily appetite. Related words (neōterizō, neōterismos) mean 'to make innovations' or 'to stir up revolt', so the word family carries a sense of restless change.

Against the English

KJV/NASB/WEB 'youthful lusts', BSB/ESV 'youthful passions', NIV 'evil desires of youth'. All of these are accurate about youth. 'Lusts' quietly narrows the phrase to sex.

How it drifted

The adjective itself has not drifted. The problem is the noun next to it (see epithymia). 'Youthful' combined with 'lusts' has come to suggest adolescent sexuality in particular.

Used elsewhere in the period

This is the only use in the New Testament. In the Greek Old Testament it appears at 3 Maccabees 4:8. It also appears in Hellenistic historians such as Polybius and in Josephus, for behavior typical of youth, often with a sense of impulsiveness. The exact passages vary, so treat this as the general pattern of use.

Where it appears

2 Timothy · 1

  1. 2 Timothy 2:22 νεωτερικὰς youthful

    Flee from youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, together with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

    Here: Desires that belong to youth: impulsiveness, the urge to win and to prove yourself, fondness for what is new, and sensual appetite too. It describes a kind of desire. It is not a narrow word for sexual sin.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.