Greek word · G5337

φαῦλος

phaulos

evil

In ordinary Greek: cheap, common, trivial, of poor quality, careless. Applied to people and conduct it meant mean, base, worthless, morally bad. In classical ethics it was the standard opposite of spoudaios (the serious, worthy person) and was often paired against agathos (good).

Appears 6 times in 6 verses of the Greek New Testament. · Updated October 24, 2026

What it means

φαῦλος, -η, -ον

[in LXX: Proverbs 22:8 (עֶוֶל) Proverbs 29:9 (אֱוִיל), etc. ;]

slight, worthless, of no account, both of persons and things in various shades of meaning (see LS, see word), in NT, as frequently in cl., always with distinct moral reference (see Ellic., Past. Epp., 203; Hort, Ja., 85; Tr., Syn., LXXxiv), worthless, bad: John 3:20, Titus 2:8, James 3:16; opposite to ἀγαθός (which see), John 5:29, Romans 9:11, 2 Corinthians 5:10.†

SYN.: see: ἄθεσμος (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 John 3:20

Range of meaning: In ordinary Greek: cheap, common, trivial, of poor quality, careless. Applied to people and conduct it meant mean, base, worthless, morally bad. In classical ethics it was the standard opposite of spoudaios (the serious, worthy person) and was often paired against agathos (good).
Against the English: Most English versions have "does evil". KJV and WEB have "doeth/does evil", and YLT has "doing wicked things". All of these are fair. But the Greek word carries a sense of the worthless and shoddy that "evil" loses: things that cannot stand inspection.
How it drifted: Modern "evil" leans toward the monstrous: atrocity, demonic malice. That can make readers think the verse is about villains. Phaulos covers ordinary rottenness and cheapness too.
Used elsewhere in the period: John uses it again with the same pairing in 5:29: "those who did good (agatha poiēsantes)… those who practised worthless things (phaula praxantes)". Paul uses it in Romans 9:11 and 2 Corinthians 5:10, contrasted with "good". In James 3:16 it is "every vile practice". BDAG gives "base, worthless, bad".

From the study of 2 Corinthians 5:10

Range of meaning: Cheap, slight, of poor quality, ordinary, worthless. In ethical use: base, bad, morally inferior. In Greek philosophy it is the regular opposite of spoudaios, the serious or virtuous person. It pictures badness as worthlessness more than as a monstrous crime.
Against the English: BSB, KJV, WEB, NIV, ESV and NASB have "bad", which fits well. YLT and NLT have "evil", which to modern ears can suggest dramatic wickedness. The Greek is broader and more everyday: anything worthless, shoddy or base.
How it drifted: "Evil" in modern English has narrowed toward the monstrous or demonic, while phaulos covers ordinary worthless or base conduct.
Used elsewhere in the period: Other places pair it with "good" as a simple moral opposite: Rom 9:11 ("had done nothing good or phaulon"), John 5:29 ("those who did good to the resurrection of life, those who did phaula to the resurrection of judgment") and John 3:20 ("everyone who practices phaula hates the light"). See also Titus 2:8 and Jas 3:16 ("every phaulon practice"). LSJ records the classical range from "cheap, trivial" to "bad, base".

From the study of John 5:29

Range of meaning: Cheap, paltry, of little worth, common, mean; morally 'base, bad, worthless'. In classical Greek it can describe a poor-quality object, an ordinary person, or a bad character. BDAG: 'pertaining to being low-grade or morally substandard, base, bad, evil'.
Against the English: 'Evil' (BSB, KJV, ESV, WEB, NIV) is a fair moral gloss but heavier and more sinister in modern English than phaulos. YLT and NASB keep the plural 'the evil things / the evil deeds'. 'Worthless' or 'base' deeds would catch the flavour better.
How it drifted: Modern 'evil' tends to suggest extraordinary malice. Phaulos is a humbler word: deeds that are no good, shoddy, base. It is a different word from ponēros, John's usual word for active wickedness (3:19; 7:7; 17:15).
Used elsewhere in the period: John 3:20 ('everyone who practises base things hates the light'); Romans 9:11; 2 Corinthians 5:10 ('whether good or bad', agathon eite phaulon, an almost identical pairing at the judgment seat); Titus 2:8; James 3:16. Widely used in classical moral writers (e.g. Plato, Aristotle) for the morally inferior person.

Where it appears

John · 2

John 3:20 φαῦλα evil

Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come into the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.

Here: Neuter plural: "worthless things" or "shoddy deeds". The word means cheap, paltry, morally rotten. It is a different word from the "evil" (ponēra) of verse 19, though the meaning overlaps.
John 5:29 φαῦλα evil

and come out—those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

Here: Plural neuter: 'the bad, worthless things'. Not a word for monstrous wickedness but for what is cheap, shoddy, base; morally, deeds that are no good. The same word appears in John 3:20 of those who 'practise base things' and hate the light.

Romans · 1

Romans 9:11 φαῦλον, evil,

Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad, in order that God’s plan of election might stand,

Here: The opposite of 'good'. It means base or worthless conduct, not necessarily monstrous wickedness. Paul uses the same pairing in 2 Corinthians 5:10.

2 Corinthians · 1

2 Corinthians 5:10 φαῦλον.¶ evil.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad.

Here: Of poor quality, worthless, base, and so morally bad. It is the everyday opposite of "good". The word stresses worthlessness more than monstrous wickedness, but it is still moral.

Titus · 1

Titus 2:8 φαῦλον.¶ evil.

and wholesome speech that is above reproach, so that anyone who opposes us will be ashamed, having nothing bad to say about us.

Here: 'Anything bad': anything shabby, discreditable or base. It is the opposite of the 'good' (kalos) works in verse 7, and it is broader and plainer than the English word 'evil'.

James · 1

James 3:16 φαῦλον evil

For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice.

Here: Cheap, shoddy, low-grade, morally worthless. It stresses how petty and worthless the resulting conduct is rather than describing spectacular villainy.

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