Word Study for G772 (ἀσθενής)

asthenḗs /as-then-ace'/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom Α (as a negative particle) and the base of σθενόω

Meaningstrengthless (in various applications, literal, figurative and moral)

KJV usagemore feeble, impotent, sick, without strength, weak(-er, -ness, thing).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of asthenḗs — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word asthenḗs, represented by G772, fundamentally means strengthless. Derived from Α (as a negative particle) and a word for strength, it literally signifies being "without strength." It appears 25 times across 23 unique verses in the Bible. Its definition encompasses various applications, whether literal, figurative, or moral, to describe that which is feeble, impotent, sick, or weak.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In Scripture, G772 is used in several key contexts. It denotes physical illness or infirmity, as when Jesus instructs his followers to heal the sick Luke 10:9 or when people are judged for not ministering to the sick Matthew 25:44. The term also describes a state of moral or spiritual frailty, most notably in the declaration that "the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" Matthew 26:41. It can refer to a conscience that is not fully mature in knowledge, which is described as weak and therefore easily defiled 1 Corinthians 8:7. Figuratively, it describes what lacks worldly power, as God chooses the weak things of the world to confound the mighty 1 Corinthians 1:27.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the meaning of G772:

G2478 ischyrós (forcible): This word for strong or mighty is used as a direct opposite to G772. God chooses the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty 1 Corinthians 1:27.
G4561 sárx (flesh): This term for the body or human nature is often the subject of weakness. It is explicitly paired with G772 to describe the human condition, where the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak Mark 14:38.
G4893 syneídēsis (conscience): This word for moral consciousness is directly qualified by G772 in discussions of faith and conduct. A believer with a weak conscience can be defiled by eating food offered to idols 1 Corinthians 8:7.
G732 árrhōstos (infirm): A close synonym for physical sickness, this word appears alongside G772 to describe the poor spiritual state of the Corinthian church, where many are weak and sickly 1 Corinthians 11:30.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G772 is significant, highlighting core truths about God and humanity.

The Human Condition: The term underscores humanity's inherent frailty. Christ died for the ungodly while they were still "without strength" Romans 5:6, establishing a baseline of helplessness that requires divine intervention. The flesh is described as weak, prone to fail even when the spirit is willing Matthew 26:41.
God's Counterintuitive Power: God's methods are shown to be contrary to human standards of power. He chooses the weak and foolish things of the world to shame the strong and wise 1 Corinthians 1:27. In a profound paradox, the "weakness of God" is described as being stronger than men 1 Corinthians 1:25.
Christian Responsibility: Scripture commands believers to care for those who are weak. This includes exhortations to support the weak 1 Thessalonians 5:14 and provide for the physically sick Matthew 25:43. Paul provides a model of ministry by becoming weak himself in order to win the weak for Christ 1 Corinthians 9:22.

Summary

In summary, G772 is a multifaceted term that moves beyond a simple definition of physical weakness. It describes the state of being strengthless in body, in moral fortitude, and in worldly standing. Theologically, it is crucial for understanding the human need for salvation, the surprising nature of God's power which is perfected in weakness, and the call for believers to minister to the vulnerable and feeble among them.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as an adjective and a verb across 27 occurrences, inflected in 14 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Accusative Plural Masculine 5×
Nominative Singular Feminine 4×
Accusative Plural Neuter 2×
Accusative Singular Masculine 2×
Dative Plural Masculine 2×
Genitive Plural Masculine 2×
Genitive Singular Masculine 2×
Nominative Plural Masculine 2×
Accusative Singular Neuter 1×
Dative Singular Neuter Comparative 1×
Nominative Plural Neuter Comparative 1×
Nominative Singular Masculine 1×

+ 2 rarer forms

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Genitive: Possession or source — often "of".
Dative: The indirect object — often "to" or "for".
Accusative: The direct object of the verb.
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
Feminine: Feminine grammatical gender.
Neuter: Neuter grammatical gender.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 23 verses across 11 of the 27 books. Most frequent in 1 Corinthians (8 verses); never once in the other 16.

Matthew

Mark

Luke

Acts

Romans

1 Corinthians

2 Corinthians

Galatians

1 Thessalonians

Hebrews

1 Peter

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.