Original Word: κακός
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: kakos
Pronunciation: kä-kos'
Phonetic Spelling: (kak-os')
KJV: bad, evil, harm, ill, noisome, wicked
NASB: evil, wrong, harm, bad, bad things, evil men, evil things
Word Origin: [apparently a primary word]

1. worthless
2. (subjectively) depraved
3. (objectively) injurious
{intrinsically, such; whereas G4190 properly refers to effects}

bad, evil, harm, ill

Apparently a primary word; worthless (intrinsically, such; whereas poneros properly refers to effects), i.e. (subjectively) depraved, or (objectively) injurious -- bad, evil, harm, ill, noisome, wicked.

see GREEK poneros

2556 kakós (an adjective, and the root of 2549 /kakía, "inner malice") – properly, inwardly foul, rotten (poisoned); (figuratively) inner malice flowing out of a morally-rotten character (= the "rot is already in the wood").

[2556 /kakós is often a pronominal adjective (i.e. used as a substantive) meaning, "wickedness, inner evil."]

Word Origin
a prim. word
Definition
bad, evil
NASB Translation
bad (1), bad things (1), evil (32), evil men (1), evil things (1), evildoer (1), harm (4), loathsome (1), wretches (1), wrong (5).

STRONGS NT 2556: κακός

κακός, κακῇ, κακόν, the Sept. for רָע (from Homer down), bad (A. V. (almost uniformly) evil);

1. universally, of a bad nature; not such as it ought to be.

2. (morally, i. e.) of a mode of thinking, feeling, acting; base, wrong, wicked: of persons, Matthew 21:41 (cf. Winers Grammar, 637 (592); also Buttmann, 143 (126)); ; Philippians 3:2; Revelation 2:2. διαλογισμοί;, Mark 7:21; ὁμιλίαι, 1 Corinthians 15:33; ἐπιθυμία, Colossians 3:5 (Proverbs 12:12); ἔργα (better ἔργον), Romans 13:3. neuter κακόν, τό κακόν, evil i. e. what is contrary to law, either divine or human, wrong, crime: (John 18:23); Acts 23:9; Romans 7:21; Romans 14:20; Romans 16:19; 1 Corinthians 13:5; Hebrews 5:14; 1 Peter 3:10; 3 John 1:11; plural (evil things): Romans 1:30; 1 Corinthians 10:6; 1 Timothy 6:10 (πάντα τά κακά all kinds of evil); James 1:13 (Winers Grammar, § 30, 4; Buttmann, § 132, 24); κακόν ποιεῖν, to do, commit evil: Matthew 27:23; Mark 15:14; Luke 23:22; 2 Corinthians 13:7; 1 Peter 3:12; τό κακόν, Romans 13:4; τά κακά, ; κακόν, τό κακόν πράσσειν, Romans 7:19; Romans 9:11. (Rec.); ; (2 Corinthians 5:10 R G L Tr marginal reading); τό κακόν κατεργάζεσθαι, Romans 2:9. specifically of wrongs inflicted: Romans 12:21; κακόν ἐργάζομαι τίνι (to work ill to one), Romans 13:10; ἐνδείκνυμι, 2 Timothy 4:14; ποιῶ, Acts 9:13; ἀποδίδωμι κακόν ἀντί κακοῦ, Romans 12:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:15; 1 Peter 3:9.

3. troublesome, injurious, pernicious, destructive, baneful: neuter κακόν, an evil, that which injures, James 3:8 (Winers Grammar, § 59, 8 b.; Buttmann, 79 (69)); with the suggestion of wildness and ferocity, θηρία, Titus 1:12; substantially equivalent to bad, i. e. distressing, whether to mind or to body: ἕλκος κακόν καί πονηρόν (A. V. a noisome and grievous sore), Revelation 16:2; κακόν πράσσω ἐμαυτῷ, Latinvim mihi infero, to do harm to oneself, Acts 16:28; κακόν τί πάσχω, to suffer some harm, Acts 28:5; τά κακά, evil things, the discomforts which plague one, Luke 16:25 (opposed to τά ἀγαθά, the good things, from which pleasure is derived). (Synonym: cf. κακία.)

Overview

The word translated “evil,” “bad,” or “harm” (Strong’s Greek 2556) appears fifty times in the Greek New Testament. It functions as a broad moral term encompassing wicked character, destructive actions, corrupt motives, and harmful consequences. Because Scripture everywhere treats evil as a personal affront to a holy God, every occurrence of the term serves either to expose it, to warn against it, or to proclaim its ultimate defeat in Christ.

Old Testament Background

The Septuagint regularly uses this term to translate Hebrew raaʿ, the comprehensive word for moral and physical evil. This bridge between Testaments reinforces the unchanging biblical view that sin is not merely error but a deep-rooted opposition to God’s righteousness. Isaiah prophesies of a Servant who will be “pierced for our transgressions” (Isaiah 53:5), preparing readers to see how the New Testament confronts evil through the cross.

Kakos in the Gospels

The word first surfaces in Matthew 21:41 where wicked tenants (κακοὺς) meet judgment, illustrating the certainty of divine retribution. In Matthew 27:23, the crowd clamors for Jesus’ crucifixion despite Pilate’s protest, “Why? What evil has He done?” highlighting the blindness of human justice. Mark 7:21 lists “evil thoughts” (κακοὶ) among the heart’s defilements, showing that the root of sin lies within. Luke 16:25 sets “good things” and “evil things” in eternal contrast between Lazarus and the rich man, revealing that unrepentant evil brings irreversible consequences.

John’s Gospel twice pairs the term with Christ’s innocence: “If I spoke wrongly, testify to the wrong” (John 18:23), and the false accusation, “If He were not an evildoer, we would not have handed Him over to you” (John 18:30). The juxtaposition magnifies Jesus as the sinless One condemned in place of the guilty.

Kakos in Acts

Early believers, like Ananias in Acts 9:13, feared Saul because of the “harm” he had done to the saints. Yet the same book records providential deliverance: “Paul cried out with a loud voice, ‘Do not harm yourself’” (Acts 16:28), a vivid snapshot of gospel compassion toward the Philippian jailer. When a viper latched onto Paul’s hand, bystanders expected “harm” (Acts 28:5), but God’s protection displayed the impotence of evil before His mission.

Pauline Epistles: Theological Development

Romans mines the depths of the term. Humanity “has practiced all kinds of evil” (Romans 1:30), yet the Law exposes this evil without empowering righteousness (Romans 7:19–21). Government is ordained “as God’s servant, an avenger who carries out wrath on the evildoer” (Romans 13:4). Believers, therefore, must “repay no one evil for evil” (Romans 12:17) and “overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).

1 Corinthians 15:33 warns, “Bad company corrupts good character,” underscoring evil’s contagious nature. Colossians 3:5 demands the mortification of “evil desire,” indicating that regeneration introduces a lifelong campaign against inner corruption. Timothy learns that “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10), and Titus hears of Cretans who are “evil beasts” (Titus 1:12), evidence that cultural norms never excuse sin.

Pastoral and Catholic Epistles

Peter cites Psalm 34: “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous… but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil” (1 Peter 3:12). He exhorts, “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult” (1 Peter 3:9). James traces temptation to the human heart: “God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone” (James 1:13). The uncontrolled tongue is “a restless evil” (James 3:8).

John writes, “Do not imitate what is evil, but what is good” (3 John 11), reaffirming the apostolic call to moral discernment.

Eschatological Evil in Revelation

Revelation 16:2 describes a “harmful and painful sore” upon those bearing the beast’s mark, portraying evil’s self-destructive end. The Ephesian church tested pretenders and “found them to be false” (Revelation 2:2), proving that spiritual vigilance remains essential until evil is finally eradicated.

Moral Imperatives: Resisting Kakos

1 Thessalonians 5:15 condenses the Christian ethic: “Always pursue what is good for one another and for all people.” Hebrews 5:14 explains that mature believers have “their senses trained by practice to distinguish between good and evil.” The consistent biblical strategy is not mere avoidance but active opposition—overcoming evil through righteous deeds empowered by the Spirit.

Divine Sovereignty over Kakos

Scripture never attributes the origin of evil to God, yet it depicts Him as sovereign over it. Joseph’s testimony, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good,” finds its ultimate fulfillment at Golgotha, where humanity’s greatest evil becomes the instrument of redemption. Thus, the repeated New Testament use of 2556 serves as an ever-brooding backdrop against which the light of the gospel shines.

Ministerial Applications

• Preaching: Expose both the penalty and the power of evil while magnifying the sufficiency of Christ’s atonement.
• Counseling: Help believers identify heart-level desires that give birth to “evil thoughts.”
• Discipleship: Train consciences through Scripture and practice to “hate what is evil; cling to what is good” (Romans 12:9).
• Social Ethics: Affirm civil authority’s God-given role to restrain public evil without compromising gospel priorities.

Historical Church Reflection

Early apologists like Justin Martyr argued that persecution proved the world’s hostility to righteousness; yet the martyrs’ endurance illustrated Romans 12:21 in action. Augustine’s privatio boni concept defined evil as a lack of good, echoing biblical realism while guarding against dualism. The Reformers, rooting total depravity in Romans 3, insisted that only sovereign grace can liberate from kakos. Throughout history, revival movements have flourished when preaching squarely confronted sin rather than redefining it.

Practical Implications for Today

Modern culture often rebrands vice as preference, but the biblical term remains unsparing. Christians must name evil honestly, confront it courageously, and combat it graciously through the gospel and good works. Such living testimony authenticates the message that Christ “gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age” (Galatians 1:4).

Summary

Strong’s 2556 sketches a panorama of fallenness: evil conceived in the heart, manifested in deeds, judged by God, and conquered in Christ. The Church is called to discern it, resist it, and herald its ultimate defeat when “nothing unclean” enters the New Jerusalem. Until that day, every instance of kakos in Scripture stands as both a warning and an invitation: flee the evil one, trust the Righteous One, and pursue the good that only He can produce.

κακα κακά κακὰ κακαι κακαί κακάς κακή κακην κακήν κακής κακοι κακοί κακοὶ κακοίς κακον κακόν κακὸν κακος κακός κακὸς κακου κακού κακοῦ κακουργίας κακους κακούς Κακοὺς κακω κακώ κακῷ κακων κακών κακῶν kaka kaká kakà kakai kakaí kaken kakēn kakḗn kako kakō kakoi kakoì kakôi kakō̂i kakon kakón kakòn kakôn kakōn kakō̂n kakos kakòs kakou kakoû kakous kakoús KakoùsInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts