### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek verb ἐντρυφάω (entrypháō), Strong's number `{{G1792}}`, is a compound word formed from the preposition ἐν (en), meaning "in" or "within," which often serves as an intensifier, and the verb τρυφάω (tryphaō), meaning "to live luxuriously," "to revel," or "to live wantonly." The root noun τρυφή (tryphē) `{{G5172}}` denotes "delicacy," "luxury," or "wantonness."
Therefore, ἐντρυφάω signifies an intensified form of revelry or luxurious living. It conveys the sense of indulging oneself deeply and unreservedly in pleasure, often with a strong implication of excess, self-indulgence, or even moral wantonness. The KJV's translation "sporting selves" in its sole occurrence captures the idea of finding amusement or pleasure in one's own actions, particularly those that are morally questionable or deceptive. It suggests a self-satisfied immersion in one's chosen lifestyle of indulgence.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The word ἐντρυφάω appears only once in the New Testament, specifically in [[2 Peter 2:13]]. The context of this passage is a scathing denunciation of false teachers and their destructive ways.
[[2 Peter 2:13]] states: "and shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, **sporting themselves** with their own deceivings while they feast with you;" (KJV).
Other translations shed further light on the nuance:
* ESV: "reveling in their deceptions"
* NIV: "reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you"
* NASB: "reveling in their deceptions as they carouse with you"
In this verse, the false teachers are portrayed as utterly consumed by their sinful desires and deceptive practices. The phrase "sporting themselves with their own deceivings" (or "reveling in their deceptions") is particularly potent. It indicates that these individuals not only engage in deceit but also find profound enjoyment and satisfaction in their own falsehoods. Their revelry is not merely a byproduct of their lifestyle but is intrinsically linked to their very acts of deception. They are so immersed in their unrighteousness that they find pleasure in the very means by which they mislead others. The fact that they do this "while they feast with you" highlights their insidious nature, as they corrupt from within the believing community, openly displaying their moral depravity even in communal settings. This unashamed indulgence underscores their complete lack of repentance and their deep-seated commitment to their wicked ways.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several Greek words and concepts are closely related to ἐντρυφάω, illuminating its semantic field:
* **τρυφή (tryphē) `{{G5172}}`**: The root noun from which τρυφάω (and thus ἐντρυφάω) is derived. It means "delicacy," "luxurious living," or "wantonness." It appears in [[Luke 7:25]] to describe those who live in luxury in kings' courts, and in the first part of [[2 Peter 2:13]] (often translated as "riot" or "pleasure") to describe the pleasure false teachers take in their daytime revelry. The connection is direct and fundamental.
* **ἀσέλγεια (aselgeia) `{{G766}}`**: "Licentiousness," "sensuality," or "debauchery." This term often describes unrestrained indulgence and moral shamelessness, frequently appearing alongside terms for luxurious living and revelry (e.g., [[Romans 13:13]], [[2 Peter 2:2]], [[2 Peter 2:7]]).
* **κῶμος (kōmos) `{{G2970}}`**: "Revelry" or "carousing." This word denotes boisterous feasting and partying, often with an implication of drunkenness and lack of self-control. It is listed among the "works of the flesh" in [[Galatians 5:21]].
* **σπαταλάω (spatalaō) `{{G4684}}`**: "To live in luxury" or "to wanton." This verb describes excessive indulgence and living a life of pleasure. It is used in [[1 Timothy 5:6]] regarding a widow who "lives in pleasure" and in [[James 5:5]] to condemn those who "have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence."
* **ἀπάτη (apatē) `{{G539}}`**: "Deception" or "deceit." Crucially, in [[2 Peter 2:13]], the revelry of the false teachers is specifically "with their own deceivings." This highlights that their indulgence is not merely carnal but deeply intertwined with their propagation of falsehoods and their manipulative behavior.
### Theological Significance
The single occurrence of ἐντρυφάω in [[2 Peter 2:13]] carries profound theological weight. It serves as a stark descriptor of the moral and spiritual condition of false teachers.
1. **Moral Bankruptcy and Shamelessness**: The word portrays these individuals as utterly devoid of moral restraint, deeply immersed in self-gratification and pleasure. The intensification conveyed by ἐν suggests a complete surrender to their base desires, to the point of finding delight in their own unrighteousness. Their public "reveling in their deceptions" underscores their shamelessness and open defiance of God's standards.
2. **The Insidious Nature of False Teaching**: By "sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you," the false teachers are depicted as a corrupting influence within the very heart of the church. Their indulgence is not a private vice but a public display that contaminates the Christian witness and undermines the faith of others. This highlights the danger of those who blend into the community of faith while secretly pursuing their own carnal desires and spreading destructive heresies.
3. **Spiritual Blindness and Perversion**: The fact that they "revel in their deceptions" indicates a profound spiritual blindness. They find pleasure not in truth, righteousness, or God, but in the very falsehoods they propagate. This reveals a heart that has become utterly enslaved to sin and illusion, delighting in what is evil and destructive. It is a terrifying picture of a conscience seared and a soul given over to depravity.
4. **Divine Judgment**: The context of [[2 Peter 2:13]] is one of impending judgment. The "reward of unrighteousness" awaiting these individuals underscores God's righteous wrath against those who corrupt His truth and lead others astray through their self-serving revelry. ἐντρυφάω thus contributes to the overall warning against unchecked hedonism, intellectual dishonesty, and moral corruption within the church, emphasizing the certainty of divine retribution.
### Summary
The Greek verb ἐντρυφάω (entrypháō) `{{G1792}}`, found exclusively in [[2 Peter 2:13]], precisely captures the nature of unbridled self-indulgence and wanton revelry. Formed from ἐν (intensifying) and τρυφάω (to live luxuriously/revel), it denotes a deep, even shameless, immersion in pleasure and vice. In its sole biblical appearance, it vividly describes false teachers who "sport themselves with their own deceivings," meaning they find profound pleasure and satisfaction in their deceptive practices and unrighteous living. This word, closely related to τρυφή `{{G5172}}` (luxury, wantonness) and concepts like ἀσέλγεια `{{G766}}` (licentiousness) and κῶμος `{{G2970}}` (revelry), underscores the profound moral corruption and spiritual blindness of those who infiltrate the church. Theologically, ἐντρυφάω serves as a potent descriptor of the unrepentant hedonism and intellectual dishonesty of false teachers, emphasizing the severity of their sin and the certainty of divine judgment against those who revel in their own deceptions.
TRV