Words the Bible translates as worthless
English uses one word here. The Bible uses 13 words, and they do not mean the same thing. Each is listed with what it actually means, most frequent first.
- kenosκενόςempty: containing nothing, whether a hand with nothing in it, words with no truth in them, or effort that comes to nothing
- mataiosμάταιοςfutile: empty of any real result, so it cannot deliver what it seems to promise
- shavשָׁוְאthat which has no substance and so cannot be trusted: emptiness that shows up as futile effort, as lying speech, and as worthless idols
- beliyya'alבְּלִיַּעַלruinous worthlessness: the good-for-nothing quality that makes a person or a plan both useless and destructive
+1 more meaning
- destruction: deadly ruin, pictured in poetry as a flood that engulfs a person and drags them toward death
- elilאֱלִילa contemptuous word for a false god or idol: a so-called god branded as a powerless nothing
- reqרֵיקempty: holding nothing, and so, of people or words, without worth or substance
- riqרִיקemptiness that yields nothing: a container with nothing in it, and so work, strength, or scheming that comes back with no result
- adokimosἀδόκιμοςfailing the test and so rejected: unfit, worthless, or disqualified after being weighed and found wanting
- zalalזָלַלto treat what is precious as cheap: to squander it, or to be counted worthless
+1 more meaning
- to quake or tremble, said of mountains shaking at God's coming
- taphelתָּפֵלtasteless: flat and flavorless food that salt has to rescue, and so anything with nothing in it
+1 more meaning
- whitewash: the thin coat smeared over a wall to make it look finished and sound
- achreiosἀχρεῖοςworthlessnot studied yet
- epahאֶפַעworthlessnot studied yet
- qeloqelקְלֹקֵלworthlessnot studied yet
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Every English meaning beginning with W is on its letter page, and the whole index starts at Browse.