Particular meanings of ἀπάτη and ἀπατάω in the Greek of the koiné and the interpretation of ἀπατῶν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ in James 1:26

Abstract

L.T. Johnson has interpreted ἀπατῶν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ in Jas 1:26 with “indulging his heart”. The proposal required a review of occurrences in which ἀπάτη and ἀπατάω have a different meaning from the original one of “deception” / “deceive” in various ancient sources. The research led to the identification of three meanings of the verb and the noun, all related to the semantics of pleasure and fun. In James 1:26 we can admit for ἀπατάω the meaning “to give pleasure”. Such an interpretation, however, is highly unlikely and it is better to give to ἀπατάω the sense of “deceiving”.