Your explanation of the Greek word\u00a0pharmakeia<\/em>\u00a0shows poor scholarship.<\/p>\n I first heard of the “pharmakeia=drug use= sorcery” argument back in the early 1980s when I was involved with a Christian group. It never seemed right. The following is part of a word study I’ve done.<\/p>\n According to “Divry’s English-Greek and Greek-English Dictionary” there are at least 19 different words having the root “pharma”. Examples:<\/p>\npharmakeia<\/em>= poisoning; sorcery Apparently, the meaning would depend on which inflection of pharma<\/em>\u00a0is used as well as context.\u00a0Pharmakeia<\/em>\u00a0means poison and must not be confused with\u00a0pharmakon<\/em>\u00a0which means medicine.<\/p>\n\t The above letter goes on at length in an attempt to prove that opium is a proper medicine and that Christians shouldn’t fight a war against drugs.<\/p>\n Here is a classic example of someone arguing from the Greek without understanding the Greek language. Rather than argue, allow me to cite a reference work:\u00a0The Complete Biblical Library: Greek – English Lexicon<\/em>. The entries are based on the following resources: Strongs, Bauer, Moulton-Milligan, Liddell-Scott, and Colin Brown.<\/p>\n pharmakeia<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0(noun): Sorcery, witchcraft, magic<\/p>\nForms: The family of words from which we get our English word\u00a0pharmacy<\/em>\u00a0is derived from the Greek word\u00a0pharmakeuo<\/em>\u00a0which means “to mix potions or poison.” The term also refers to the practice of magic. Thus\u00a0pharmakeia<\/em>\u00a0(also spelled\u00a0pharmakia<\/em>) refers to the practice of the arts associated with magic, which in the New Testament involved the use of potions or drugs. …<\/p>\n pharmakeus<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0(noun): Sorcerer, magician, poison mixer<\/p>\nForms: This term, related to\u00a0pharmakeuo<\/em>, identifies those who practiced mixing potions, poisons, or drugs, i.e., magicians or sorcerers. …<\/p>\n pharmakon<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0(noun): Witchcraft, sorcery, magic potion, drug<\/p>\nForms: Classical Greek:\u00a0Pharmakon<\/em> is a noun which occurs in Greek literature from the time of Homer (Eighth Century B.C.). In classical Greek, it is used of a healing remedy or medicine, of a toxic drug or poison, and of a sedative or stimulative drug. Used figuratively it refers to an enchanted potion or to any means of attaining something. This latter meaning denotes a concoction made of various drugs and exotic ingredients that were used in the magical arts. In Herodotus 3.85 Oebares said to Darius, “No other man will be king but you; trust (my) pharmaka<\/em>\u00a0for that.” This refers to magical formulas or charms such as used in witchcraft.<\/p>\n Pharmakon<\/em>\u00a0is often used for drugs, medicine, and poison in the papyri and in the writings of Josephus. Philo used it in the general sense of a remedy: “God holds out … the most all-healing\u00a0remedy<\/em>” (On the Migration of Abraham<\/em>\u00a0124). It takes occult connotations in\u00a0The Shepherd of Hermas<\/em>: “Be not like the sorcerers, for sorcerers carry their charms (pharmaka<\/em>) in boxes, but you carry your\u00a0charms<\/em>\u00a0and poison in your hearts” (Vision\u00a0<\/em>3.9.7).<\/p>\n Septuagint Usage: In the Septuagint, pharmakon<\/em>\u00a0means witchcraft, magical charms, poison, or medicine. …<\/p>\n New Testament Usage: In the New Testament, pharmakon<\/em>\u00a0occurs only in Revelation 9:21 in some manuscripts … The reference is clearly to that which is an offense against God, i.e., the practice of magic or witchcraft. It most likely involved the use of drugs (magic potions) and the casting of spells. …<\/p>\n pharmakos<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0(noun): Sorcerer, magician, poisoner<\/p>\nForms: The word only occurs once in the New Testament (Revelation 22:15). It refers to one who practices magical arts, such as mixing potions from herbs and exotic ingredients and muttering magical formulas or charms. The potions and enchantments did not have magical powers in themselves but were used to evoke the services of evil spirits. However, some potions were mixed as a poison. There is no essential difference between sorcery and witchcraft.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Question: Your explanation of the Greek word\u00a0pharmakeia\u00a0shows poor scholarship. I first heard of the “pharmakeia=drug use= sorcery” argument back in the early 1980s when I was involved with a Christian group. It never seemed right. The following is part of a word study I’ve done. According to “Divry’s English-Greek and Greek-English Dictionary” there are at…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[372,604],"class_list":["post-7628","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-drugs","tag-witchcraft"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3327,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/should-a-christian-use-medicinal-drugs-that-may-affect-the-mind\/","url_meta":{"origin":7628,"position":0},"title":"Should a Christian use medicinal drugs that may affect the mind?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 21, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Should a Christian use medicinal drugs that may affect the mind? Answer: The Bible teaches Christians to be sound of mind. \"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour\" (I Peter 5:8). The Greek word translated as\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":15118,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/sorcery\/","url_meta":{"origin":7628,"position":1},"title":"Sorcery","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 12, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"by Ethan R. Longhenry Introduction Sorcery! When the word is spoken, images of witches and wizards come to mind Harry Potter and his adventures have put sorcery back in the news today Nevertheless, sorcery reckoned as sin in the Bible Galatians 5:19-20 Revelation 9:21, 18:23 So what is sorcery? Why\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sermon"","block_context":{"text":"Sermon","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/sermon\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":27195,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/would-the-use-of-anesthesia-be-wrong\/","url_meta":{"origin":7628,"position":2},"title":"Would the use of anesthesia be wrong?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 11, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I'm a Christian in Australia and currently work as a doctor training to learn anesthesia. Traditionally I've thought medicine was a great career choice to help people, including anesthesia\/surgery when indicated. Though recently have become a bit undecided based on it being little spoken about it in the bible,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":25968,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/recreational-drug-use-is-sinful\/","url_meta":{"origin":7628,"position":3},"title":"Recreational Drug Use Is Sinful","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 12, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"by Bryan Matthew Dockens Recreational drug use is sinful because it violates the law. Under the current legal code in the United States, the recreational use of narcotics is strictly forbidden. The word of God requires obedience to the law: \"Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/drugs-300x200.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":13010,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/legalizing-drugs\/","url_meta":{"origin":7628,"position":4},"title":"Legalizing Drugs","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 13, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W, Hamilton Text: James 5:13-18 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0I heard yet another radio program where the host was arguing for the legalization of drugs. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0His main argument was one of many that I have heard: \u201cWe losing the war on drugs\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The idea is that we can\u2019t win, so let\u2019s\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":17014,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/because-of-drugs-im-hearing-voices-in-my-head-do-you-know-of-any-herbs-which-might-help\/","url_meta":{"origin":7628,"position":5},"title":"Because of drugs, I’m hearing voices in my head. 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\npharmakeion<\/em>= drugstore, pharmacy
\npharmaki<\/em>= poison, venom
\npharmakon<\/em>= medicine; drug; remedy\nAnswer:<\/h2>\n
\npharmakeia<\/em>: nominative singular feminine
\npharmakeia<\/em>: dative singular feminine
\npharmakeion<\/em>: genitive plural feminine\n
\npharmakeusin<\/em>: dative plural masculine\n
\npharmakon<\/em>: genitive plural neuter\n
\npharmakoi<\/em>: nominative plural masculine
\npharmakois<\/em>: dative plural masculine\n