Greek word · G5423

φρεναπάτης

phrenapatēs

deceiver

Compound of phrēn ('mind, thinking, understanding') + apataō ('deceive, mislead'). 'One who deceives minds', a seducer of people's thinking.

Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

φρεναπάτης, -ου, ὁ

(φρήν, ἀπάτη),

a deceiver (B1., deceiver of his own mind, § 28, 5.2, where see ref. to π.): Titus 1:10 (eccl.).†

(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 Titus 1:10

Range of meaning

Compound of phrēn ('mind, thinking, understanding') + apataō ('deceive, mislead'). 'One who deceives minds', a seducer of people's thinking.

Against the English

Most English versions say 'deceivers' or 'deception', which is right but drops the 'mind' element that YLT keeps ('mind-deceivers'). BSB/NIV turn the noun into a quality ('full of … deception'). That describes their character, but it loses the sense that this is what they are and do to others.

Used elsewhere in the period

Found only here in the NT and very rare before it; this is one of its earliest literary occurrences (BDAG also notes a papyrus occurrence). The related verb phrenapataō appears in Gal 6:3 ('he deceives himself'). Later Christian writers picked up the noun, probably from this verse.

Similar words

Where it appears

Titus · 1

  1. Titus 1:10 φρεναπάται deceivers

    For many are rebellious and full of empty talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision,

    Here: Literally 'mind-deceivers': people who lead others' thinking astray. The empty talk is not harmless; it misleads.

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