2761. kenós
Lexicon
kenós: Empty, vain, devoid of truth

Original Word: κενός
Part of Speech: Adverb
Transliteration: kenós
Pronunciation: keh-NOS
Phonetic Spelling: (ken-oce')
Definition: Empty, vain, devoid of truth
Meaning: falsely, in vain, to no purpose.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
in vain.

Adverb from kenos; vainly, i.e. To no purpose -- in vain.

see GREEK kenos

HELPS Word-studies

Cognate: 2761 kenṓs – properly, for nothing; hence, empty (without content); lacking (deficient); (figuratively) without sense; foolish because vain (ineffective), i.e. to no purpose because hollow (worthless). 2761 (kenṓs) is used only in Js 4:5. See 2756 (kenos).

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
adverb from kenos
Definition
in vain
NASB Translation
no purpose (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 2761: κενῶς

κενῶς, adverb, vainly, in vain (Winers Grammar, 463 (431); Aristotle onward): James 4:5.

Topical Lexicon
Word Origin: Derived from the Greek root word κενόω (kenoō), meaning "to empty" or "to make void."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Hebrew equivalent for κενός, similar concepts can be found in Hebrew words such as:

- רֵיק (req) • Strong's Hebrew 7386, meaning "empty" or "vain."
- תֹּהוּ (tohu) • Strong's Hebrew 8414, meaning "formless" or "void," often used to describe emptiness or chaos.

These Hebrew terms convey similar ideas of emptiness or lack of substance, paralleling the Greek concept of κενός in the context of futility or worthlessness.

Usage: The word κενός is used in the New Testament to describe something that is empty or lacking in content, purpose, or truth. It often conveys the idea of futility or worthlessness.

Context: The Greek word κενός appears in several New Testament passages, often highlighting the futility or emptiness of certain actions, beliefs, or conditions. In a biblical context, κενός is used to emphasize the lack of substance or value in human efforts or wisdom apart from God.

For example, in 1 Corinthians 15:14, Paul uses κενός to describe the futility of preaching and faith if Christ has not been raised: "And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is worthless, and so is your faith." Here, κενός underscores the essential nature of the resurrection to the Christian faith, implying that without it, the core of Christian teaching and belief would be empty and ineffective.

In Philippians 2:16, Paul encourages believers to hold firmly to the word of life so that he may boast on the day of Christ that he did not run or labor in vain (κενός). This usage highlights the importance of perseverance in faith and the potential emptiness of efforts if not grounded in Christ.

The term also appears in James 2:20, where it is used to describe faith without works as "useless" or "dead": "O foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is worthless?" This passage emphasizes the necessity of active faith, suggesting that mere belief without corresponding action is empty.

Overall, κενός serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of substance and truth in the Christian life, warning against the dangers of superficiality and the pursuit of things that ultimately lack eternal value.

Forms and Transliterations
κενως κενώς κενῶς κεπφωθείς kenos kenôs kenōs kenō̂s
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
James 4:5 Adv
GRK: δοκεῖτε ὅτι κενῶς ἡ γραφὴ
NAS: speaks to no purpose: He jealously
KJV: saith in vain, The spirit
INT: think you that in vain the Scripture

Strong's Greek 2761
1 Occurrence


κενῶς — 1 Occ.















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