4490. rhétós
Lexical Summary
rhétós: Stated, specified, explicit

Original Word: ῥητός
Part of Speech: Adverb
Transliteration: rhétós
Pronunciation: hray-TOS
Phonetic Spelling: (hray-toce')
KJV: expressly
NASB: explicitly
Word Origin: [adverb from a derivative of G4483 (ῥέω - To flow)]

1. out-spokenly, i.e. distinctly

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
expressly.

Adverb from a derivative of rheo; out-spokenly, i.e. Distinctly -- expressly.

see GREEK rheo

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
adverb from rhétos (stated)
Definition
in stated terms
NASB Translation
explicitly (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 4490: ῤητῶς

ῤητῶς (ῤητός), adverb, expressly, in express words: ῤητῶς λέγει, 1 Timothy 4:1. (Polybius 3, 23, 5; Strabo 9, p. 426; Plutarch, Brut. 29; (de Stoic. repugn. 15, 10); (Diogenes Laërtius 8, 71; (others; cf. Wetstein on 1 Timothy, the passage cited; Winer's Grammar, 463 (431)).)

Topical Lexicon
Essence and Nuance

Strong’s Greek 4490 highlights a manner of speaking that is unambiguous, unmistakable, and authoritative. It points to wording that leaves no room for conjecture or personal spin. When this adverb appears, the writer is signaling that what follows bears the full weight of divine certainty.

Biblical Usage

The single New Testament occurrence—1 Timothy 4:1—provides the context in which the Holy Spirit unveils the future: “Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the doctrines of demons” (Berean Standard Bible). The word draws attention to the directness of the Spirit’s revelation, affirming that the coming apostasy is not a vague possibility but a foreknown reality.

The Testimony of the Spirit

Paul’s wording underlines the Spirit’s role as a precise communicator. This is consistent with other statements about the Spirit’s prophetic clarity:

1 Peter 1:11 – The Spirit “predicted” (proēmartureō) Christ’s sufferings and glories.
Acts 20:23 – “The Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me.”

Although these verses do not use ῥητῶς, they share the idea that the Spirit provides clear, unmistakable guidance. Strong’s 4490 crystalizes that idea into a single adverb.

Implications for Apostolic Teaching

Paul intends Timothy to relay this explicit warning to the Ephesian congregation. The precision of the Spirit’s statement undercuts any attempt to downplay or spiritualize the prophecy. Apostolic authority, grounded in the Spirit’s specific wording, obligates believers to take the warning seriously. Thus, false teaching is not merely a peripheral issue; it stands in direct opposition to the Spirit’s openly declared revelation.

Historical Understanding in the Early Church

Early Christian writers treated 1 Timothy 4:1 as a direct prophecy of doctrinal corruption in their own era. Irenaeus pointed to Gnostic teachers as fulfillment, emphasizing the Spirit’s “express” forewarning. Later, Chrysostom cited the verse to show that heresies were not unforeseen glitches but realities God had spelled out in advance. Such patristic usage reinforces the pastoral function of the word: it fosters vigilance and doctrinal fidelity.

Practical Application for Ministry Today

1. Discernment: Church leaders are reminded that spiritual error often masquerades as truth. Because the Spirit has spoken “expressly,” discernment is an ongoing, non-negotiable responsibility.
2. Confidence in Revelation: Believers can stand firm when Scripture confronts cultural or philosophical trends, assured that the Spirit has already addressed deceptive movements.
3. Preaching and Teaching: The clarity implied by ῥητῶς models how God’s Word should be taught—plainly, without hedging or dilution.

Related Concepts in Scripture

• “Thus says the LORD” (for example, Jeremiah 6:16) likewise introduces unqualified divine statements.
• “For I delivered to you as of first importance” (1 Corinthians 15:3) shows Paul’s own commitment to transmitting truth exactly as received.
• The Mosaic phrase “these are the ordinances” (Exodus 21:1) parallels the idea of explicit instruction recorded for covenant people.

Summary

Strong’s Greek 4490, though appearing only once, spotlights the Spirit’s commitment to clarity. It assures the church that divine revelation is not cloaked in riddles; the Spirit speaks in definite terms. In an age of shifting opinions and nuanced half-truths, ῥητῶς reminds believers that God’s warnings and promises stand with irrefutable precision, calling the church to unflinching faithfulness.

Forms and Transliterations
ρητως ρητώς ῥητῶς ρίγει retos rētōs rhetos rhetôs rhētōs rhētō̂s
Links
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Englishman's Concordance
1 Timothy 4:1 Adv
GRK: δὲ πνεῦμα ῥητῶς λέγει ὅτι
NAS: But the Spirit explicitly says
KJV: the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in
INT: but [the] Spirit expressly speaks that

Strong's Greek 4490
1 Occurrence


ῥητῶς — 1 Occ.

4489
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