Lexical Definition

‎φαῦλος‎ phaûlos (fow'-los) evil ^G:A
apparently a primary word

evil.

• "foul" or "flawy", i.e. (figuratively) wicked

Abbott-Smith

φαῦλος, -η, -ον [in LXX: Pr 22:8 (עַוְלָה) 29:9 (אֳבִיל), etc. ;]
slight, worthless, of no account, both of persons and things in various shades of meaning (v. LS, s.v.), in NT, as freq. in cl., always with distinct moral reference (v. Ellic., Past. Epp., 203; Hort, Ja., 85; Tr., Syn., lxxxiv), worthless, bad: Jo 3:20, Tit 2:8, Ja 3:16; opp. to ἀγαθός (q.v.), Jo 5:29, Ro 9:11, II Co 5:10.†
SYN.: v.s. ἄθεσμος

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

φαῦλος, η, ον,

also ος, ον [Refs 5th c.BC+]:— cheap, easy, slight, paltry, first found commonly in [Refs 5th c.BC+] adverb φαύλως[Refs 4th c.BC+]

__I of things, easy, slight, φ. ἀθλήσας πόνον [Refs 5th c.BC+]; φαυλότατον ἔργον ''tis as easy as lying', [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὔτοι βασιλέα φαῦλόν [ἐστι] κτανεῖν 'tis no slight matter to kill a king, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; νυκτὸς γὰρ οὔτι φ. ἐμβαλεῖν στρατόν no easy matter, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; φαῦλα ἐπιφέρειν bring paltry charges, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὰ φ. νικήσας ἔχω have gained petty victories, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; σύμμαχον Τροίᾳ μολόντα Ῥῆσον οὐ φαύλῳ τρόπῳ, i. e. with no trivial force, [Refs 5th c.BC+] adverb -λως εὑρεῖν, τυχεῖν,[Refs 5th c.BC+]; φ. ἐκφυγεῖν to get off easily, [Refs]; οὔτι φαύλως ἦλθε with no trivial force, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὰς ἐλπίδας φ. ἔχειν to be slight, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__I.2 simple, ordinary, δίαιτα [Refs 5th c.BC+]; but frequently with sense poor, indifferent, στρατιά [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀσπίδες, τείχισμα, παρασκευή, [Refs 5th c.BC+] adverb -λως, διατρίβειν ἐν φιλοσοφίᾳ [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__I.3 mean, bad, πρῆξις [NT+5th c.BC+]evil, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὰ φ., opposed to τὰ ἀγαθά, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τύχη φ., opposed to ἀγαθή, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; κομίσασθαι.. εἴτε ἀγαθὸν εἴτε φ., of rewards and punishments, [NT+2nd c.AD+]
__II of persons, low in rank, mean, common, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οἱ φαυλότατοι the commonest sort (of soldiers), [Refs 5th c.BC+]; [γάμος] ὁ ἐκ τῶν φαυλοτέρων, opposed to ἐκ μειζόνων, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of outward looks, αἱ φαυλότεραι the plainer ones, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.2 inefficient, bad, διδάσκαλος [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὸ φ. καὶ τὸ μέσον καὶ τὸ πάνυ ἀκριβές the inefficient, the middling, and the perfect, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; φ. αὐλητής, opposed to ἀγαθός, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; opposed to σπουδαῖος, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; especially in point of education and accomplishments, opposed to σοφός, οἱ γὰρ ἐν σοφοῖς φαῦλοι παρ᾽ ὄχλῳ μουσικώτεροι λέγειν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οἱ -ότεροι, opposed to to οἱ ξυνετώτεροι, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οἱ φαυλότεροι γνώμην[Refs 5th c.BC+] (so in adverb, φαυλοτέρως πεπαιδευμένοι [Refs]; generally, inferior, [Refs]: with infinitive, φαῦλοι μάχεσθαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; φ. λέγειν, φ. διαλεχθῆναι, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.3 careless, thoughtless, indifferent, [Refs 5th c.BC+] —especially in adverb, φαύλως ἐκρίνατε judged lightly, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; φ. παραινεῖν off-hand, [Refs]; λόγισαι φαύλως μὴ ψήφοις ἀλλ᾽ ἀπὸ χειρός off-hand, roughly, [Refs 5th c.BC+] (anapaest meter); φ. εἰπεῖν casually, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; φ. φέρειν to bear lightly, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.4 in good sense, simple, unaffected, φαῦλον, ἄκομψον, τὰ μέγιστ᾽ ἀγαθόν [Refs 5th c.BC+]. adverb -λως, παιδεύειν τινά by a very simple method, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.5 of health, etc., φαύλως ἔχειν to be ill, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; φ. πράττειν to be in sorry plight, [Refs 4th c.BC+]

_{LSJ Scripture Refs: John.3.20 ☩ Rom.9.11 ☩ 2Cor.5.10}