Lexical Summary
hagnos: Pure, chaste, holy
Original Word:ἁγνός
Part of Speech:Adjective
Transliteration:hagnos
Pronunciation:hag-nos'
Phonetic Spelling:(hag-nos')
KJV: chaste, clean, pure
NASB:pure, chaste, free from sin, innocent
Word Origin:[from hagos "an awful thing"]
1. (properly) clean
2. (figuratively) innocent, modest, perfect
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
chaste, clean, pure.
From the same ashagios; properly, clean, i.e. (figuratively) innocent, modest, perfect -- chaste, clean, pure.
see GREEKhagios
HELPS Word-studies
53hagnós (an adjective, which may be cognate with40/hágios, "holy," soTDNT, 1, 122) – properly,pure (to the core);virginal (chaste, unadultered); pureinside and out;holy becauseuncontaminated (undefiled from sin), i.e. without spoilation even within (even down to the center of one's being); notmixed with guilt or anything condemnable.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom the same as
hagiosDefinitionfree from ceremonial defilement, holy, sacred
NASB Translationchaste (1), free from sin (1), innocent (1), pure (5).
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 53: ἁγνόςἁγνός,
(ή, (
ἅζομαι, see
ἅγιος);
1.exciting reverence, venerable, sacred:πῦρκαίἡσποδός, 2 Macc. 13:8;Euripides, El. 812.
2.pure (Euripides, Or. 1604ἁγνόςγάρεἰμίχεῖρας,ἀλλ'οὐτάςφρένας, Hipp. 316f,ἁγνάς ...μίασμα);
a.pure from carnality, chaste, modest:Titus 2:5;παρθένος an unsullied virgin,2 Corinthians 11:2 (4 Macc. 18:7).
b.pure from every fault, immaculate:2 Corinthians 7:11;Philippians 4:8;1 Timothy 5:22;1 Peter 3:2;1 John 3:3 (of God (yet cf.ἐκεῖνος 1 b.));James 3:17. (FromHomer down.) (Cf. references under the wordἅγιος, at the end; Westc. on1 John 3:3.)
Topical Lexicon
Purity in the Moral Vision of ScriptureAt the heart of the New Testament, ἁγνός portrays freedom from moral stain and the undivided devotion that flows from such freedom. The term embraces both inner motive and outward conduct, refusing to separate thought from action. It stands alongside holiness (ἅγιος) yet focuses particularly on the unsullied character that fits a believer for unhindered fellowship with God and neighbor.
Occurrences and Immediate Contexts
•Philippians 4:8 sets purity in the believer’s mental discipline: “whatever is pure… think on these things.” Constant meditation upon the pure shapes affections and, in turn, behavior.
•Titus 2:5 urges young women to be “pure” so that “the word of God will not be discredited,” highlighting the gospel-witness dimension of personal integrity.
•James 3:17 crowns heavenly wisdom as “first of all pure,” declaring purity the fountainhead from which all other virtues flow.
•2 Corinthians 11:2 pictures the Corinthian church as “a pure virgin to Christ,” drawing bridal imagery from Old Testament betrothal customs to emphasize exclusive covenant loyalty.
•1 Peter 3:2 commends the “pure… demeanor” of believing wives, showing that purity carries persuasive power even toward an unbelieving spouse.
•1 Timothy 5:22 exhorts Timothy, “Keep yourself pure,” underscoring ministerial credibility.
•1 John 3:3 links purity to eschatological hope: “everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”
•2 Corinthians 7:11 records the Corinthian church proving itself “blameless” (lit. pure) after repentance, demonstrating that purity may be recovered through godly sorrow.
Old Testament and Septuagint Background
In the Septuagint ἁγνός often renders Hebrew words for ceremonial cleanness or moral innocence (for example,Psalm 12:6;Proverbs 15:26). The move from ritual to ethical emphasis prepares the way for the New Testament’s concentration on purity of heart and life.
Christological Fulfillment
Jesus Christ embodies absolute purity (“He committed no sin,”1 Peter 2:22). His sinless life establishes the standard, His cross secures cleansing, and His indwelling Spirit enables conformity. Believers purify themselves because Christ is already pure (1 John 3:3); sanctification is therefore imitation rooted in union.
Purity in Ecclesial Life and Ministry
Paul’s appeal to present the church as a pure virgin (2 Corinthians 11:2) frames corporate purity as marital fidelity. Leaders must guard doctrine and practice lest spiritual adultery occur. Personal purity (1 Timothy 5:22) protects leaders from scandal, while congregational purity defends the gospel’s reputation before a watching world (Titus 2:5).
Practical Dimensions
1. Thought-life: Deliberate meditation on pure realities (Philippians 4:8) is the Spirit’s method for renewing the mind.
2. Relationships: Purity guards marital fidelity, tempers speech, and cultivates trust in Christian community.
3. Ministry Credibility: A pure life validates preaching, counseling, and leadership.
4. Repentance and Restoration:2 Corinthians 7:11 proves that where impurity has occurred, godly sorrow can lead back to practical purity and restored testimony.
Eschatological Hope
Purity is energized by hope in Christ’s return. The anticipation of seeing Him “as He is” (1 John 3:2) motivates present purification (1 John 3:3). Future vision shapes present virtue.
Historical Reception
Early church writings (e.g., Didache 3.3) echo New Testament calls for purity, viewing it as nonnegotiable for baptismal candidates. Reformers likewise tied purity to sola fide, insisting that justifying faith must issue in a holy life. Contemporary evangelical ethics continue this trajectory, treating personal purity as both evidence of salvation and necessity for effective witness.
Key Passages for Further Study
Philippians 4:8;Titus 2:5;James 3:17;2 Corinthians 11:2;1 Peter 3:2;1 Timothy 5:22;1 John 3:3;2 Corinthians 7:11
Forms and Transliterations
αγνα αγνά ἁγνά αγναί αγνας αγνάς ἁγνάς αγνη αγνή ἁγνή αγνην αγνήν ἁγνὴν αγνον αγνόν ἁγνὸν αγνος αγνός ἁγνός αγνού άγνου αγνους αγνούς ἁγνοὺς αγνών agna agnas agne agnē agnen agnēn agnon agnos agnous hagna hagná hagnas hagnás hagne hagnē hagnḗ hagnen hagnēn hagnḕn hagnon hagnòn hagnos hagnós hagnous hagnoùsLinks
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