Definition and Usage in Scripture:

Filthiness, in a biblical context, refers to moral impurity, corruption, and defilement. It is often associated with sin and behaviors that are contrary to the holiness and righteousness of God. The term is used to describe both physical and spiritual uncleanness, emphasizing the need for purity in the life of a believer.

Old Testament References:

In the Old Testament, filthiness is frequently linked to idolatry and the practices of pagan nations. The prophets often used the term to describe the spiritual adultery of Israel when they turned away from God to worship idols. For example, in Ezekiel 24:13 , God speaks of Jerusalem's impurity: "Because of the indecency of your uncleanness, since I tried to cleanse you but you would not be cleansed from your filthiness, you will not be clean again until My wrath against you has subsided."

The concept of filthiness is also tied to ceremonial laws, where physical cleanliness was a symbol of spiritual purity. Leviticus outlines various laws regarding cleanliness, emphasizing the importance of being clean before God.

New Testament References:

In the New Testament, filthiness is addressed in the context of moral and spiritual conduct. The Apostle Paul, in his letters, warns believers against engaging in behaviors that are considered filthy or impure. In Ephesians 5:3-4 , Paul writes, "But among you, as is proper among the saints, there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk, or crude joking, which are out of character, but rather thanksgiving."

James 1:21 also exhorts believers to rid themselves of all filthiness: "Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and every expression of evil, and humbly receive the word planted in you, which can save your souls."

Theological Implications:

Filthiness, as a concept, underscores the biblical call to holiness and the transformative power of the Gospel. Believers are called to live lives that reflect the purity and righteousness of Christ. The presence of filthiness in one's life is seen as incompatible with the new identity in Christ, who cleanses and sanctifies His people.

The call to avoid filthiness is not merely about external behavior but involves a heart transformation. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit empowers believers to overcome sinful tendencies and live in a manner that honors God.

Practical Application:

Christians are encouraged to examine their lives for any form of filthiness, whether in thought, word, or deed. This involves a continual process of repentance and seeking God's grace to live a life that is pleasing to Him. Engaging in regular prayer, studying Scripture, and participating in the life of the church are vital practices that help believers maintain purity and resist the temptations of the world.

In summary, filthiness in the Bible is a serious matter that calls for vigilance and commitment to holiness. It is a reminder of the ongoing battle against sin and the need for God's grace to live a life that reflects His glory.1. (n.) The state of being filthy.

2. (n.) That which is filthy, or makes filthy; foulness; nastiness; corruption; pollution; impurity.

FILTH; FILTHINESS; FILTHY

filth, fil'-thi-nes, fil'-thi (tso'ah, Tum'ah; rhupoo):

The word once translated "filth" in the Old Testament is tso'ah, "excrement" or "dung," elsewhere translated "dung" (Isaiah 4:4, used figuratively of evil doings, sin, "the filth of the daughters of Zion"; compare Proverbs 30:12); in the New Testament we have perikatharma "cleansings" "sweepings," offscourings (1 Corinthians 4:13, "We are made as the filth of the world," the Revised Version, margin "or refuse"); rhupos, "filth," "dirt," Septuagint for tso'ah in Isaiah 4:4 (1 Peter 3:21, "the filth of the flesh").

"Filthiness" is the translation of tum'ah, "uncleanness" (ritual, Leviticus 5:3; Leviticus 7:20, etc.), used figuratively of moral impurity, translated "filthiness" (Ezra 6:21 Lamentations 1:9 Ezekiel 22:15; Ezekiel 24:11, 13; 36:25); niddah, "impurity" (2 Chronicles 29:5); figuratively (Ezra 9:11); the Revised Version (British and American) has "uncleanness," but "filthiness" for uncleanness at close of verse (niddah); nechosheth, "brass," figuratively (for "impurity" or "impudence") (Ezekiel 16:36); aischrotes, primarily "ugliness," tropical for unbecomingness, indecency (only Ephesians 5:4, "nor filthiness, nor foolish talking"; Alford has "obscenity," Weymouth, "shameful"); akathartes, "uncleanness" (Revelation 17:4 the King James Version), corrected text, ta akatharta, "the unclean things," so the Revised Version (British and American).

"Filthy" is the translation of 'alach, "to be turbid," to become foul or corrupt in a moral sense (Job 15:16 the King James Version; Psalm 14:3; Psalm 53:3); `iddim, plural of `iddah, from `adhadh, "to number or compute (monthly courses)"; Isaiah 64:6, "All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags," the Revised Version (British and American) "as a polluted garment"; compare Ezekiel 36:17; aischros, "ugly," tropical for unbecoming, shameful (Titus 1:11, "for filthy lucre's sake"; compare Titus 1:7); shameful discourse aischrologia (Colossians 3:8 the King James Version); rhupoo, "filthy," in a moral sense polluted (Revelation 22:11, "He that is filthy, let him be filthy still," the Revised Version (British and American) "let him be made filthy still" (corrected text), margin "yet more"; Alford, "Let the filthy (morally polluted) pollute himself still" (in the constant middle sense of passive verbs when the act depends on the man's self)).

In Apocrypha we have (Ecclesiasticus 22:1): "A slothful man is compared to a filthy (ardaloo) stone," the Revised Version (British and American) "a stone that is defiled," 22:2 "A slothful man is compared to the filth (bolbiton) of a dunghill"; 27:4 "So the filth (skubalon) of a man in his talk (the Revised Version (British and American) "of man in his reasoning") remaineth."

See UNCLEANNESS.

W. L. Walker

4507b. rhuparia -- fig. filthiness
... fig. filthiness. Transliteration: rhuparia Short Definition: filthiness. Word Origin
from rhuparos Definition fig. filthiness NASB Word Usage filthiness (1). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4507b.htm - 5k

168. akathartes -- filthiness.
... 167, 168. akathartes. 169 . filthiness. Transliteration: akathartes Phonetic
Spelling: (ak-ath-ar'-tace) Short Definition: filthiness. ... filthiness. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/168.htm - 6k

151. aischrotes -- baseness
... Word Origin from aischros Definition baseness NASB Word Usage filthiness (1).
filthiness. From aischros; shamefulness, ie Obscenity -- filthiness. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/151.htm - 6k

3436. molusmos -- defilement
... filthiness, immorality. From moluno; a stain; ie (figuratively) immorality --
filthiness. see GREEK moluno. (molusmou) -- 1 Occurrence. 3435, 3436. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3436.htm - 6k

4509. rhupos -- filth
... of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: rhupos Phonetic Spelling: (hroo'-pos)
Short Definition: filth, dirt Definition: filth, filthiness, dirt, squalor. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4509.htm - 6k

5079. niddah -- impurity
... uncleanness (2). far, filthiness, flowers, menstruous woman, put apart, removed
woman. From nadad; properly, rejection; by implication ...
/hebrew/5079.htm - 6k

2932. tum'ah -- uncleanness
tum'ah. 2931, 2932. tum'ah. 2932a . uncleanness. Transliteration: tum'ah Phonetic
Spelling: (toom-aw') Short Definition: filthiness. filthiness, uncleanness ...
/hebrew/2932.htm - 5k

5178. nechosheth -- copper, bronze
... bronze (1). brasen, brass, chain, copper, fetter of brass, filthiness, steel.
For nchuwshah; copper, hence, something made of that ...
/hebrew/5178.htm - 6k

6675. tsoah -- filth
... filth. Word Origin from the same as tseah Definition filth NASB Word Usage
filth (1), filthiness (1), filthy (1). dung, filthiness. Or ...
/hebrew/6675.htm - 6k

2932a. tumah -- uncleanness
... Word Origin from tame Definition uncleanness NASB Word Usage filthiness (4), impure
(2), impurities (3), impurity (3), unclean (1), unclean thing (3 ...
/hebrew/2932a.htm - 5k

"Now the End of the Commandment," &C.
... All the corners of the heart are full of filthiness and idols, and though the house
be now sweeped and garnished, and all things look better in it, yet there ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xiii now the end.htm

But when Proper Words Make Scripture Ambiguous, we must See in the ...
... Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all
filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. ...
/.../augustine/on christian doctrine in four books/chapter 2 but when proper.htm

Rule for Removing Ambiguity by Attending to Punctuation.
... As is the case in that passage to the Corinthians: "Having therefore these promises,
dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh ...
/.../on christian doctrine in four books /chapter 2 rule for removing ambiguity.htm

How to Make Use of Christ for Cleansing of us from Our Daily Spots ...
... for every sin defileth the man," Matthew 15:20; and the best are said to have their
spots, and to need washing, which presupposeth filthiness and defilement ...
/.../brown/christ the way the truth and the life/chapter ix how to make.htm

"My Little Children, These Things Write I unto You, that Ye Sin ...
... and "glorify God in your bodies and spirits," which are his, (Romans 12:1, 2, 1
Corinthians 6:20,)"and, cleanse yourselves "from all filthiness of the flesh ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xxi my little children.htm

"Wash You, Make You Clean, Put Away the Evil of Your Doings from ...
... Now, when the most part of men get any sight of this, presently they fall a
washing and cleansing themselves, or hiding their filthiness. ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon x wash you make.htm

Third Sunday in Lent
... of a sweet smell.3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it
not even be named among you, as becometh saints; 4 nor filthiness, nor foolish ...
//christianbookshelf.org/luther/epistle sermons vol ii/third sunday in lent.htm

Evil Habits and Injurious Indulgences.
... Paul says, "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves
from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/orr/the gospel day /chapter xiv evil habits and.htm

Preparation for Worship
... All that we touch is vile; The things we sought for, and have gained,. With filthiness
defile. ... Where purity abides. But Thou wilt cleanse our filthiness,. ...
/.../brownlie/hymns of the early church/preparation for worship.htm

Of Malachi's Prophecy, in which He Speaks of the Last Judgment ...
... and silver: and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and pour them out like gold and
silver?" Similarly Isaiah says, "The Lord shall wash the filthiness of the ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 25 of malachis prophecy in.htm

Filthiness (16 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) That which is filthy, or makes filthy; foulness; nastiness; corruption;
pollution; impurity. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. FILTH; FILTHINESS; FILTHY ...
/f/filthiness.htm - 16k

Filth (21 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) Anything that sullies or defiles the moral character; corruption; pollution.
Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. FILTH; FILTHINESS; FILTHY. ...
/f/filth.htm - 17k

Filthy (22 Occurrences)
... dirty; polluted; foul; impure; obscene. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
FILTH; FILTHINESS; FILTHY. filth, fil'-thi-nes, fil'-thi ...
/f/filthy.htm - 16k

Rust (7 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 24:11 Then set it empty on its coals, that it may be hot, and its brass
may burn, and that its filthiness may be molten in it, that its rust may be ...
/r/rust.htm - 11k

Impurity (42 Occurrences)
... Ezra 6:21 The children of Israel who had come again out of the captivity, and all
such as had separated themselves to them from the filthiness of the nations ...
/i/impurity.htm - 21k

Lewdness (68 Occurrences)
... in purple and scarlet-color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls,
having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her ...
/l/lewdness.htm - 29k

Purged (19 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 24:13 In thy filthiness is lewdness: because I have purged thee, and thou
wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more, till ...
/p/purged.htm - 12k

Pollutions (4 Occurrences)
... Ezra 6:21 The children of Israel who had come again out of the captivity, and all
such as had separated themselves to them from the filthiness of the nations ...
/p/pollutions.htm - 7k

Subsided (9 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 24:13 In your filthiness is lewdness: because I have cleansed you and you
weren't cleansed, you shall not be cleansed from your filthiness any more ...
/s/subsided.htm - 8k

Weren't (25 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 24:13 In your filthiness is lewdness: because I have cleansed you and you
weren't cleansed, you shall not be cleansed from your filthiness any more ...
/w/weren't.htm - 13k

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