Heresy - Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words

Heresy

[ 1,,G139, hairesis ]
denotes
(a) a choosing, choice" (from haireomai, "to choose"); then, "that which is chosen," and hence, "an opinion," especially a self-willed opinion, which is substituted for submission to the power of truth, and leads to division and the formation of sects, Galatians 5:20 (marg., "parties"); such erroneous opinions are frequently the outcome of personal preference or the prospect of advantage; See 2 Peter 2:1, where "destructive" (RV) signifies leading to ruin; some assign even this to
(b); in the papyri the prevalent meaning is "choice" (Moulton and Milligan, Vocab.);
(b) "a sect;" this secondary meaning, resulting from
(a), is the dominating significance in the NT, Acts 5:17; Acts 15:5; Acts 24:5, Acts 24:14; Acts 26:5; Acts 28:22; "heresies" in 1 Corinthians 11:19 (See marg.). See SECT.

Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words