StrongerBible

hikanos

ἱκανός

GreekG2425enough, worthy, ...

Appears 41 times · tap a cell to see the verses

Mat 3:11Mat 8:8Mat 28:12Mrk 1:7Mrk 10:46Mrk 15:15Luk 3:16Luk 7:6Luk 7:11Luk 7:12Luk 8:27Luk 8:32Luk 20:9Luk 22:38Luk 23:8Luk 23:9Act 5:37Act 8:11Act 9:23Act 9:43Act 11:24Act 11:26Act 12:12Act 14:3Act 14:21Act 17:9Act 18:18Act 19:19Act 19:26Act 20:8Act 20:11Act 20:37Act 22:6Act 27:7Act 27:91Co 11:301Co 15:92Co 2:62Co 2:162Co 3:52Ti 2:2
Root family
Names & words formed with this
Word studyhik-an-OSSadjective

What hikanos means

reaching the needed measure: enough, in amount, for a need, or for a role

TranslatabilityPartialCertaintySettled

The single idea behind this word is enough, having reached the measure that a situation calls for. The New Testament turns that one idea in three directions, and the context tells you which.

Most often it points at sheer quantity, so the writer means a sizable amount: a large crowd, many days, a long time, a good many people. Here it works like the plain English words large or considerable. A second use narrows in on a specific need and says the amount on hand is enough to meet it, as when two swords are called enough or a punishment is judged enough. The third use moves from things to people and asks whether a person measures up to a task or an honor: is he worthy, is she qualified, is anyone equal to this? The Roman officer who says he is not worthy to have Jesus under his roof, and Paul asking who is equal to gospel ministry, are using the word this way.

All three are the same coin seen from different sides. Whether the measure is a number, a need, or a person's fitness, the word says the bar has been met (or, in a denial, has not).

Nuances

1alarge, considerable, many; of time, long
Mrk 10:46Luk 7:11Luk 7:12Luk 8:32Act 5:37Act 11:24Act 11:26Act 12:12Act 14:21Act 19:19Act 19:261Co 11:30
1benough to meet the need at hand; as a noun, the amount that satisfies, or money or security paid to settle a matter
Mat 28:12Mrk 15:15Luk 22:38Act 17:92Co 2:6
1cof a person, measuring up: worthy, fit, competent, equal to a task or honor
Mat 3:11Mat 8:8Mrk 1:7Luk 3:16Luk 7:61Co 15:92Co 2:162Co 3:52Ti 2:2

What scholars say about hikanos

Standard lexica treat ἱκανός as a single adjective from the verbal root meaning to reach or arrive, hence reaching a measure, with three contextual applications: of quantity (large, considerable, many; of time, long), of adequacy to a need (sufficient, enough, including the substantival τὸ ἱκανόν), and of personal fitness (worthy, competent, qualified). BDAG, LSJ, and Moulton-Milligan document the quantity sense as especially characteristic of Luke-Acts, and the legal-commercial uses of τὸ ἱκανόν (the satis idiom rendering Latin satisfacere in Mark 15:15, and ἱκανὸν λαμβάνειν as taking security in Acts 17:9) from the papyri. The personal-fitness use carries Paul's theological point in 2 Corinthians 2:16 and 3:5, where human ἱκανότης is denied and traced to God.

Sources

  • BDAG, s.v. ἱκανόςlexicon
  • LSJ, s.v. ἱκανόςlexicon
  • Moulton and Milligan, The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament, s.v. ἱκανόςlexicon
  • EDNT, vol. 2, s.v. ἱκανόςdictionary

All attested forms of ἱκανός

nominative m s

ἱκανὸς, ἱκανός

Mat 3:11, Mat 8:8, Mrk 1:7, Luk 3:16, Luk 7:12, Act 11:24, Act 20:37, 1Co 15:9

nominative m p

ἱκανοί, ἱκανοὶ

Luk 7:11, 1Co 11:30, 2Co 3:5, Act 12:12, Act 19:19, 2Ti 2:2

accusative m s

ἱκανόν, ἱκανὸν, Ἱκανὸν

Act 11:26, Act 20:11, Act 5:37, Act 19:26, Act 14:3

accusative n s

ἱκανὸν

Mrk 15:15, Act 17:9, Act 22:6

accusative f p

ἱκανάς, ἱκανὰς

Act 18:18, Act 9:43

accusative m p

ἱκανούς, ἱκανοὺς

Luk 20:9, Act 14:21

dative m s

ἱκανῷ

Luk 8:27, Act 8:11

genitive m p

ἱκανῶν

Luk 8:32, Luk 23:8

genitive m s

ἱκανοῦ

Mrk 10:46, Act 27:9

nominative f p

ἱκαναί, ἱκαναὶ

Act 9:23, Act 20:8

nominative n s

ἱκανόν, ἱκανὸν

Luk 22:38, 2Co 2:6

accusative n p

ἱκανὰ

Mat 28:12

dative f p

ἱκαναῖς

Act 27:7

dative m p

ἱκανοῖς

Luk 23:9