Lexical Summary emplekó: To entangle, to involve Original Word: ἐμπλέκω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance entangle. From en and pleko; to entwine, i.e. (figuratively) involve with -- entangle (in, self with). see GREEK en see GREEK pleko NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom en and plekó Definition to weave in, to entwine, i.e. to involve with NASB Translation entangled (1), entangles (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1707: ἐμπλέκωἐμπλέκω (see ἐν, III. 3): passive (present ἐμπλέκομαι); 2 aorist participle ἐμπλακεις; to inweave; tropically, in passive, with the dative of thing, to entangle, involve in: 2 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 2:20. (From Aeschylus down.) Topical Lexicon Overview Strong’s Greek 1707 conveys the idea of becoming entwined or involved so thoroughly that freedom of movement or single-minded purpose is hindered. The term appears only twice in the Greek New Testament, yet those two contexts—military devotion (2 Timothy 2:4) and moral relapse (2 Peter 2:20)—set the boundaries for a rich biblical theme: the peril of worldly entanglement and the call to unhampered devotion to Christ. Background and Imagery The Greek term evokes the picture of something woven together or ensnared, whether threads in a fabric, branches in a thicket, or a fish caught in a net. Classical writers used the word for soldiers tangled in undergrowth and litigants implicated in lawsuits. Within Scripture this imagery gathers Israel’s experience of nets and snares (Psalm 25:15; Proverbs 29:6) and the prophetic warning against alliances that “entangle” God’s people (Isaiah 8:15). Usage in the New Testament • 2 Timothy 2:4: “No soldier in active service entangles himself in civilian affairs, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.” Paul employs military language to urge Timothy toward the single focus required of Christ’s servant. Anything that diverts energy from the Commander’s orders—however innocent in itself—becomes an impediment. • 2 Peter 2:20: “If indeed they have escaped the corruption of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, yet are again entangled in it and overcome, their final state is worse than the first.” Peter exposes false teachers who once appeared liberated but have re-entered the web of corruption. Here entanglement is moral and spiritual; the consequence is bondage that exceeds their former condition. Theological Significance 1. Freedom in Christ versus Bondage to the World Both passages presuppose the believer’s liberation through the gospel (John 8:36; Galatians 5:1). Entanglement threatens that freedom, whether by sin’s defilement or by distractions that blunt obedience. 2. Perseverance and Apostasy Peter’s warning underscores the seriousness of relapse. To become “again entangled” after tasting redemption reveals a heart never fully surrendered, fulfilling the proverb of the dog returning to its vomit (2 Peter 2:22). The text stands as a sober call to perseverance. 3. Single-minded Service Paul’s soldier metaphor frames Christian life as warfare requiring undivided allegiance (Ephesians 6:10–17). Civilian pursuits are not inherently sinful, yet when they preoccupy the heart they compete with Christ’s lordship. Pastoral and Practical Applications • Discernment: Believers must evaluate activities—occupational, recreational, relational—asking whether they facilitate or impede obedience. Historical Interpretation Early fathers such as Chrysostom cited 2 Timothy 2:4 to exhort clergy to simplicity and detachment from secular honors. Reformers applied the verse to critique ecclesiastical entanglement with state power. In devotional literature, 2 Peter 2:20 served as a caution against post-conversion complacency, urging vigilance lest initial zeal degenerate into greater captivity. Related Biblical Motifs Net and snare imagery: Psalm 124:7; Ecclesiastes 9:12 Worldliness: James 4:4; 1 John 2:15–17 Single hearted devotion: Matthew 6:24; Philippians 3:13–14 Spiritual warfare: 1 Timothy 1:18; 2 Corinthians 10:3–5 Summary Strong’s Greek 1707, though rare, crystallizes a central biblical warning: anything that re-weaves the believer into the world’s corrupt fabric or diverts the soldier of Christ from his commanding Officer threatens spiritual vitality and ultimate destiny. Scripture calls the redeemed to remain unentangled, pursuing the freedom and focus that glorify the One who enlisted and saved them. Forms and Transliterations εμπλακεντες εμπλακέντες ἐμπλακέντες εμπλακήσεται εμπλεκεται εμπλέκεται ἐμπλέκεται emplakentes emplakéntes empleketai empléketaiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 2 Timothy 2:4 V-PIM/P-3SGRK: οὐδεὶς στρατευόμενος ἐμπλέκεται ταῖς τοῦ NAS: soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs KJV: that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs INT: No one serving as a soldier entangles himself with the of this 2 Peter 2:20 V-APP-NMP Strong's Greek 1707 |
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