Word Study for G4203 (πορνεύω)

porneúō /porn-yoo'-o/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom πόρνη

Meaningto act the harlot, i.e. (literally) indulge unlawful lust (of either sex), or (figuratively) practise idolatry

KJV usagecommit (fornication).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of porneúō — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word porneúō, represented by G4203, is used to describe the act of harlotry or idolatry. It is defined as to commit (fornication). It appears 8 times across 7 unique verses. The definition encompasses both the literal act of indulging unlawful lust and the figurative practice of idolatry.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, G4203 carries a strong warning. Paul commands believers to "Flee fornication," uniquely identifying the one who does so as sinning against his own body 1 Corinthians 6:18. The term is also used as a historical warning, reminding believers not to commit fornication as some of the Israelites did, resulting in a great plague 1 Corinthians 10:8. In Revelation, the term is used figuratively to describe spiritual unfaithfulness, such as following the doctrine of Balaam Revelation 2:14 or being seduced by the false prophetess Jezebel Revelation 2:20. It also characterizes the corrupt relationship between the "kings of the earth" and the great harlot, Babylon Revelation 17:2.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the meaning and context of G4203:

G4202 porneía (fornication): This is the noun form, defined as "harlotry (including adultery and incest); figuratively, idolatry." It is the very thing believers are commanded to flee in 1 Corinthians 6:18.
G264 hamartánō (to sin): Defined as "to err, especially (morally) to sin," this general term for sinning is used in 1 Corinthians 6:18 to state that he who commits fornication G4203 "sinneth" G264 against his own body.
G1494 eidōlóthyton (things sacrificed unto idols): Meaning "an image-sacrifice," this term is repeatedly paired with committing fornication G4203 in Revelation, linking the physical act to the spiritual corruption of idolatry (Revelation 2:14, Revelation 2:20).

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G4203 is significant, highlighting themes of purity, faithfulness, and judgment.

A Unique Trespass: The act is set apart as a sin against one's own body, unlike other sins which are considered "without the body" 1 Corinthians 6:18.
Spiritual Unfaithfulness: To commit fornication serves as a potent metaphor for idolatry and accepting false teaching. This is seen in the condemnation of those who follow the doctrine of Balaam or are seduced by Jezebel (Revelation 2:14, Revelation 2:20).
Corrupt Worldly Alliance: The kings and merchants of the earth are judged for having committed fornication with Babylon, symbolizing their participation in a global system of idolatry, luxury, and rebellion that incurs God's wrath (Revelation 18:3, Revelation 18:9).

Summary

In summary, G4203 is a powerful term that addresses both literal and figurative unfaithfulness. It serves as a stern command for physical purity and a vivid metaphor for the sin of idolatry. From a personal sin against the body to a symbol of worldwide corruption, porneúō underscores the biblical demand for exclusive loyalty to God in both action and worship.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as a verb across 8 occurrences, inflected in 5 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Aorist Active Indicative 3rd Plural 3×
Aorist Active Infinitive 2×
Aorist Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine 1×
Present Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine 1×
Present Active Subjunctive 1st Plural 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
1st: First person — the speaker ("I"/"we").
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Present: Action in progress or repeated — happening now or continually.
Aorist: Action viewed as a single whole — usually a simple past event.
Active: The subject performs the action.
Indicative: A plain statement of fact.
Subjunctive: Possibility or purpose — "might", "should".
Infinitive: The verb as a noun — "to do".
Participle: A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 7 verses across 2 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Revelation (5 verses); never once in the other 25.

1 Corinthians

Revelation

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.