### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek word **trypháō**, represented by `{{G5171}}`, is defined as to **indulge in luxury** or **live in pleasure**. It is a highly specific term that appears only **1 time** in **1 unique verse** in the Bible. Its rarity makes its single use particularly potent, describing a life given over to opulent self-indulgence.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The sole biblical context for `{{G5171}}` is found in a stark warning in [[James 5:5]]: "Ye have **lived in pleasure** on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter." Here, the word is used to condemn a lifestyle of earthly excess. It is directly linked to being "wanton" and to the act of "nourishing" one's heart, portraying a deliberate fattening of the self in preparation for a day of judgment, which is metaphorically called a "day of slaughter."
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words in its only context illuminate the meaning of `{{G5171}}`:
* `{{G4684}}` **spataláō** (to be voluptuous): This word is used in parallel with `trypháō` in [[James 5:5]] ("been wanton"). It amplifies the idea of unrestrained and decadent living, a theme also seen where one who "liveth in pleasure" is considered dead even while she lives [[1 Timothy 5:6]].
* `{{G5142}}` **tréphō** (to cherish, pamper, rear): In [[James 5:5]], those who live in pleasure have "nourished" their hearts. This word suggests a deliberate pampering or fattening, indicating that the luxury is not accidental but a cultivated state of the inner self.
* `{{G2588}}` **kardía** (the heart, thoughts or feelings): The target of the self-indulgence in [[James 5:5]] is the **heart**. This shows that the luxury described by `trypháō` is not merely external but corrupts the very center of a person's being, their thoughts, and feelings.
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{G5171}}` is concentrated in its function as a solemn warning against materialism and spiritual complacency.
* **Judgment on Worldliness:** The use of `trypháō` in [[James 5:5]] serves as a direct condemnation of a life focused on earthly luxury, framing it as a behavior that culminates in a "day of slaughter."
* **Internal versus External State:** The passage connects the external act of living in pleasure with the internal act of nourishing the **heart** `{{G2588}}`. This highlights the theological concept that indulgent behavior directly leads to a corrupt inner state, a heart that is fattened and unprepared for judgment.
* **Self-Indulgence vs. Divine Provision:** The related word **tréphō** `{{G5142}}` is used to describe how God "feedeth" the birds of the air [[Matthew 6:26]]. This creates a sharp theological contrast between the self-centered luxury of `trypháō` and a life of humble dependence on God's provision.
### Summary
In summary, `{{G5171}}` **trypháō** is more than a simple descriptor of wealth. Though used only once, its context in [[James 5:5]] makes it a powerful term for a spiritually perilous state of self-indulgence. It is a key component of a warning against a life of wanton luxury that corrupts the heart and ignores the coming day of judgment, illustrating how a focus on earthly pleasure is presented as a grave spiritual condition.
TRV