ἀσθενής
asthenḗs · G772 · Greek · 26 occurrences
Meanings
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weak, unable
(Derivative of ἀσθένεια ‘weakness,’) Pertaining to a state of limited capacity to do or be something
ExamplesMatthew 26:41 “Keep watching and praying, so that you do not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Mark 14:38 “Keep watching and praying, so that you will not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
1 Corinthians 4:10 We are fools on account of Christ, but you are prudent in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are without honor!
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morally weak, without moral strength
Pertaining to being morally weak and hence incapable of doing good
ExamplesRomans 5:6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
1 Corinthians 8:7 However, not all people have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.
1 Corinthians 8:9 But take care that this freedom of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.
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sick, ill, weak, disabled
Pertaining to being ill and, as a result, weak and incapacitated
ExamplesMatthew 25:43 I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’
Matthew 25:44 “Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or as a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’
Luke 10:9 and heal those in it who are sick, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’
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helpless, helpless condition
Pertaining to a state of helplessness in view of circumstances
ExamplesRomans 5:6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
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weak
Pertaining to being physically weak
Examples1 Corinthians 1:25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than mankind, and the weakness of God is stronger than mankind.
1 Corinthians 1:27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong,
1 Corinthians 11:30 For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number are asleep.
How it’s used In 6 roles
Every occurrence, grouped by the words it is grammatically related to.
the word studied the word it goes with
Whose, or of whatGenitive or possessive
3 occurrences in 3 groups
- θεόςGod 1
- κόσμοςworld 1
- αὐτόςhe, she, it, same 1
Named alongside itApposition
1 occurrences in 1 groups
- θεραπεύωto heal 1
What is done to itIt is the object
7 occurrences in 7 groups
- ἐκλέγομαιto choose 1
- ἐκφέρωto carry out 1
- θεραπεύωto heal 1
- ἰάομαιto heal 1
- κερδαίνωto gain, to win 1
- ἀντέχομαιto adhere to 1
What it is said to bePredicate
1 occurrences in 1 groups
- ἰσχυρόςstrong, mighty 1
What is said to be itIt is the predicate
6 occurrences in 4 groups
- ἐγώI, we 2
- σάρξflesh, body, physical body 2
- παρουσίαcoming, presence 1
- πολύςmany 1
After prepositionsPrepositional phrases
1 occurrences in 1 groups
- διάthrough 2
When two words share a role, as in “Paul and Barnabas said”, the verse appears under each, so a section’s counts can add up to more than the number of occurrences.
MACULA Greek Linguistic Datasets, available at https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-greek/, licensed CC BY 4.0; MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets © 2022-2024 by Biblica, Inc., CC BY 4.0. Westminster Leningrad Codex (tanach.us). OpenScriptures Hebrew Bible morphology (hb.openscriptures.org), CC BY 4.0.
In the other Testament 2 words
- רָפֶה râpheh · H7504 · weak, discouraged
- Greek ἀσθενής denotes weakness across physical, moral, and figurative domains; Hebrew רָפֶה specifically denotes physical weakness or feebleness, often with connotations of discouragement or lack of strength in hands/body.
- דַּל dal · H1800 · door, poor, weak
- דַּל (dal, H1800) דַּל typically denotes economic or social weakness (poverty, neediness), whereas ἀσθενής (asthenḗs, G772) ἀσθενής has broader application including physical weakness, illness, and moral/spiritual feebleness; the semantic overlap centers on the shared concept of diminished strength or capacity, with דַּל (dal, H1800) more narrowly focused on material deficiency and ἀσθενής (asthenḗs, G772) extending across literal-to-figurative registers.
Semantic domains 5 entries
- Helpless, helpless condition22.3
- Used of a condition of vulnerability, as of the disciples' weak spirit contrasted with a willing spirit in Matthew 26:41.
- Sick, ill, weak, disabled23.145
- Used of physical sickness, as of those Jesus describes as sick and not visited in Matthew 25:43-44.
- Weak, unable74.25
- Used of a general lack of strength or capacity to act.
- Weak79.69
- Used of a lack of physical strength or vigor as a bodily attribute.
- Morally weak, without moral strength88.117
- Used of a lack of moral resolve or strength of character, distinct from bodily or spiritual weakness though sharing the same term.
Word family 5 words
Words formed from the same root. They share a form, not always a meaning.
Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon ἀσθενές (τό σθένος strength), weak, infirm, feeble; (from Pindar down); a. universally:…
a. universally: Mt 26:41; Mk 14:38; 1 Pet 3:7; τό ἀσθενές τοῦ Θεοῦ, the act of God in which weakness seems to appear, viz. that the suffering of the cross should be borne by the Messiah, 1 Cor 1:25.
b. specifically: contextually, unable to achieve anything great, 1 Cor 4:10; destitute of power among men, 1 Cor 1:27 (Lachmann brackets); weaker and inferior, μέλος, 1 Cor 12:22; sluggish in doing right, Rom 5:6; lacking in manliness and dignity, 2 Cor 10:10; used of the religious systems anterior to Christ, as having no power to promote piety and salvation, Gal 4:9; Heb 7:18; lacking in decision about things lawful and unlawful (see ἀσθενέω), 1 Cor 8:7, 1 Cor 8:9 L T Tr WH, ; ; 1 Thess 5:14.
c. of the body, feeble, sick: Mt 25:39 R G L marginal reading, 43f; Lk 9:2 L Tr brackets; ; Acts 4:9; Acts 5:15; 1 Cor 11:30.
Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (1889), public domain
Topical studies with this word 5 entries
Meanings adapted from the UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament, © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0 and the UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew (from the Semantic Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew), © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0; MACULA Greek Linguistic Datasets, available at https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-greek/, licensed CC BY 4.0; MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets © 2022-2024 by Biblica, Inc., CC BY 4.0. Westminster Leningrad Codex (tanach.us). OpenScriptures Hebrew Bible morphology (hb.openscriptures.org), CC BY 4.0.
Sources
eRhema lexical overview, based on the UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew and the UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament (© United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Macula Hebrew and Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0); released under CC BY-SA 4.0
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