Unprincipled (113) (athesmos from negative "a" = without + thesmos = law or custom although not referring to laws enacted by lawmakers but that which became prevalent by custom and was expected to be observed as if it were law) describes those who are rebellious and refuse to be subject to legal requirements. Unseemly. Disgraceful. Morally corrupt. Athesmos is the opposite of dikaios, righteous or just.
TDNT = "Originally “illegal” or “impious,” of acts, foods, persons."
Friberg = "of a person who breaks through the restraint of law to satisfy selfish desire"
Thayer = "of one who breaks through the restraints of law and gratifies his lusts"
Athesmos was used of one who defied the restraints of divinely sanctioned limits and gratifies his or her fleshly lusts. The word is stronger than anomos “lawless” (in verse 8 below), because it pictures open rebellion against that which had divine approval. The idea is to violate the "laws of nature" and conscience. They were audaciously wicked.
The only other NT use of athesmos is...
2Peter 3:17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness
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Greek Word Studies ( - )
Read freely Greek Word Studies from the Austin Precept text commentary of the Bible in text and pdf format. Precept Austin is an online free dynamic bible commentary similar to wikipedia with updated content and many links to excellent biblical resources around the world. You can browse the entire collection of Commentaries by Verse on the Precept Austin website.We have been "bought with a price" to be "ambassadors for Christ" and our "salvation is nearer to us than when we believed" so let us "cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" "so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming." (1Cor 6:20, 2Cor 5:20, Ro 13:11, 2Cor 7:1, 1Jn 2:28)