4112. plastos
Lexical Summary
plastos: fabricated, false

Original Word: πλαστός
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: plastos
Pronunciation: plas-tos'
Phonetic Spelling: (plas-tos')
KJV: feigned
NASB: false
Word Origin: [from G4111 (πλάσσω - created)]

1. moulded
2. (by implication) artificial
3. (figuratively) fictitious (false)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
feigned.

From plasso; moulded, i.e. (by implication) artificial or (figuratively) fictitious (false) -- feigned.

see GREEK plasso

HELPS Word-studies

4112 plastós – (from 4111 /plássō, "to mold by using clay, wax, etc.," which is the root of the English term, "plastic") – properly, shaped according to a mold (predesign); (figuratively) "made-up," fabricated, i.e. unrealistic ("forged" from something artificial); contrived.

4112 /plastós ("plastic, fabricated"), used only in 2 Pet 2:3, refers to "words molded at will to suit their vain imaginations" (M. Vincent). That is, "fabricated words from 4111 (plássō), 'to mould,' as in clay or wax. The idea is, therefore, of words moulded at will to suit their vain imaginations" (WS, 329). These are spun by a "pretender" (i.e. someone not authentic).

[In the papyri, plastos means, "forged " (P Oxy II. 237.viii.14, ad 186) – "not having immediately declared that the contract is forged " (MM, 515).]

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from plassó
Definition
formed, molded
NASB Translation
false (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 4112: πλαστός

πλαστός, πλαστη, πλαστον (πλάσσω);

1. properly, moulded, formed, as from clay, wax, stone (Hesiod, Plato, Aristotle, Plutarch, others).

2. tropically, feigned: 2 Peter 2:3 ((Herodotus 1, 68), Euripides, Xenophon, Lucian, others).

Topical Lexicon
Biblical Context

The adjective πλάστος appears only once in the New Testament—2 Peter 2:3—where the apostle warns that “in their greed, these false teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories; their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping” (Berean Standard Bible). The word describes narratives that are molded or engineered for the purpose of deception, contrasting sharply with the apostolic eyewitness testimony affirmed in 2 Peter 1:16.

Thematic Significance

1. Deception versus Revelation: πλάστος underscores the moral divide between truth revealed by God and inventions produced by human cunning. It is the antithesis of 2 Peter 1:21, where prophecy is said to come “not by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
2. Greed as Motivation: The presence of greed (πλεονεξία) in 2 Peter 2:3 links counterfeit teaching to covetous ambition. Throughout Scripture, avarice is a catalyst for falsehood (Micah 3:11; 1 Timothy 6:10).
3. Impending Judgment: The same verse assures believers that divine justice stands ready to vindicate the truth. Similar warnings appear in Deuteronomy 13:1-5 and Jeremiah 23:1-32.
4. Community Protection: The early church is repeatedly instructed to test every spirit (1 John 4:1) and to guard the deposit of faith (2 Timothy 1:14). πλάστος reminds congregations that vigilance against counterfeit doctrine is a perpetual necessity.

Historical Background

Peter’s epistle was likely composed near the end of his life, amid rising threats from itinerant teachers blending elements of Greek sophistry and early Gnostic speculation. Such figures promised spiritual liberty while denying future judgment (2 Peter 3:3-4). Their “fabricated stories” may have included myths that downplayed moral restraint or reinterpreted the parousia. Within a generation, similar heresies were confronted by Jude (Jude 4-13) and later by Irenaeus in Against Heresies.

Implications for Ministry

• Doctrinal Discernment: Church leaders must distinguish between apostolic doctrine and cleverly packaged alternatives. Training in Scripture and historical theology equips believers to recognize πλάστος narratives.
• Ethical Transparency: Because greed fuels fabrication, a transparent handling of finances and motives fortifies credibility (Acts 20:33-35).
• Apologetic Readiness: As in Peter’s day, fabricated accounts often mimic truth. A well-reasoned defense that rests on eyewitness testimony (Luke 1:2; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8) exposes counterfeit versions of the gospel.
• Pastoral Care: Victims of deceptive teaching require restoration through patient instruction (2 Timothy 2:24-26) and reaffirmation of the sufficiency of Scripture (Psalm 19:7-11).

Applicational Reflections

Believers today encounter modern equivalents of πλάστος tales—prosperity gospels, revisionist moralities, and speculative eschatologies. Peter’s lone but potent usage of the term summons the church to uphold the “faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3), trusting that the unadulterated word of God “abides forever” (1 Peter 1:25) while every forged alternative ultimately collapses under the weight of divine truth.

Forms and Transliterations
πλαστοις πλαστοίς πλαστοῖς πλατάνου plastois plastoîs
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Englishman's Concordance
2 Peter 2:3 Adj-DMP
GRK: ἐν πλεονεξίᾳ πλαστοῖς λόγοις ὑμᾶς
NAS: they will exploit you with false words;
KJV: covetousness shall they with feigned words
INT: through covetousness with well-turned words you

Strong's Greek 4112
1 Occurrence


πλαστοῖς — 1 Occ.

4111
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