What does ἐλάχιστος (eláchistos) mean in the Bible?
ἐλάχιστος (eláchistos): Superlative intensity: smallest in rank or value, often emphasizing contempt or insignificance rather than literal size.
Greek · G1646
ἐλάχιστος
Used as equivalent to ; least (in size, amount, dignity, etc.)
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ἐλάχιστος G1646
Pronunciation eláchistos
What does ἐλάχιστος (eláchistos) mean in the Bible?
ἐλάχιστος (eláchistos): Superlative intensity: smallest in rank or value, often emphasizing contempt or insignificance rather than literal size.
Full entry for ἐλάχιστος (G1646) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G1646?
The BSB source-word alignment has 13 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include least (6), very little (2), . . . (1), [ to judge ] trivial (1), a very small (1).
Where does ἐλάχιστος (eláchistos) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 2:6. Its strongest book concentrations include Matthew (5), Luke (4), 1 Corinthians (3), James (1).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It least 6× Matthew 2:6, Matthew 5:19, Matthew 25:40, Matthew 25:45
very little 2× Luke 16:10
. . . 1× 1 Corinthians 4:3
[ to judge ] trivial 1× 1 Corinthians 6:2
a very small 1× James 3:4
a very small matter 1× Luke 19:17
such a small thing 1× Luke 12:26
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 2:6 ἐλαχίστη to least Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular - Superlative Matthew 5:19 ἐλαχίστων to least Adjective - Genitive Feminine Plural - Superlative Matthew 5:19 ἐλάχιστος to least Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular - Superlative Matthew 25:40 ἐλαχίστων to least Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural - Superlative Matthew 25:45 ἐλαχίστων to least Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural - Superlative Luke 12:26 ἐλάχιστον to such a small thing Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular - Superlative Luke 16:10 ἐλαχίστῳ to very little Adjective - Dative Neuter Singular - Superlative Luke 16:10 ἐλαχίστῳ to very little Adjective - Dative Neuter Singular - Superlative Luke 19:17 ἐλαχίστῳ to a very small matter Adjective - Dative Neuter Singular - Superlative 1 Corinthians 4:3 ἐλάχιστόν to . . . Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular - Superlative
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 2:6
Aligned rows 13
Books represented 4
Matthew 5 Luke 4 1 Corinthians 3 James 1
Source forms
ἐλαχίστων 4x elachistōn Matthew 5:19, Matthew 25:40, Matthew 25:45, 1 Corinthians 6:2
ἐλαχίστῳ 3x elachistō Luke 16:10, Luke 19:17
ἐλάχιστος 2x elachistos Matthew 5:19, 1 Corinthians 15:9
ἐλαχίστη 1x elachistē Matthew 2:6
ἐλάχιστον 1x elachiston Luke 12:26
ἐλάχιστόν 1x elachiston 1 Corinthians 4:3
ἐλαχίστου 1x elachistou James 3:4
Parsing patterns
Adjective - Dative Neuter Singular - Superlative 3x Luke 16:10, Luke 19:17
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular - Superlative 2x Luke 12:26, 1 Corinthians 4:3
Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural - Superlative 2x Matthew 25:40, Matthew 25:45
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular - Superlative 2x Matthew 5:19, 1 Corinthians 15:9
Adjective - Genitive Feminine Plural - Superlative 1x Matthew 5:19
Adjective - Genitive Neuter Plural - Superlative 1x 1 Corinthians 6:2
Adjective - Genitive Neuter Singular - Superlative 1x James 3:4
Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular - Superlative 1x Matthew 2:6
Evidence Summary
Greek word. Superlative intensity: smallest in rank or value, often emphasizing contempt or insignificance rather than literal size.
Strong's G1646
Lexical occurrences 14 verses Greek text appearances 13 times Word forms 9 forms 14 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Luke 12:26 Source Gloss
used as equivalent to ; least (in size, amount, dignity, etc.)
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
13 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 2:6 Adjective Nominative Singular Feminine
ἐλαχίστη elacisth
least, smallest, very little
Read verse Matthew 5:19 Adjective Genitive Plural Feminine
ἐλαχίστων, elacistwn
least, smallest, very little
Read verse Matthew 5:19 Adjective Nominative Singular Masculine
ἐλάχιστος elacistov
least, smallest, very little
Read verse Matthew 25:40 Adjective Genitive Plural Masculine
ἐλαχίστων, elacistwn
least, smallest, very little
Read verse Matthew 25:45 Adjective Genitive Plural Masculine
ἐλαχίστων, elacistwn
least, smallest, very little
Read verse Luke 12:26 Adjective Accusative Singular Neuter
ἐλάχιστον elaciston
least, smallest, very little
Read verse Luke 16:10 Adjective Dative Singular Neuter
ἐλαχίστῳ elacistw
least, smallest, very little
Read verse Luke 16:10 Adjective Dative Singular Neuter
ἐλαχίστῳ elacistw
least, smallest, very little
Read verse Luke 19:17 Adjective Dative Singular Neuter
ἐλαχίστῳ elacistw
least, smallest, very little
Read verse 1 Corinthians 4:3 Adjective Accusative Singular Neuter
ἐλάχιστόν elaciston
least, smallest, very little
Read verse 1 Corinthians 6:2 Adjective Genitive Plural Neuter
ἐλαχίστων; elacistwn
least, smallest, very little
Read verse 1 Corinthians 15:9 Adjective Nominative Singular Masculine
ἐλάχιστος elacistov
least, smallest, very little
Read verse James 3:4 Adjective Genitive Singular Neuter
ἐλαχίστου elacistou
least, smallest, very little
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
This word appears as a noun across 9 case and number patterns. The form changes show how the word functions in a sentence; they do not change the basic lexical meaning by themselves.
Form patterns 9 Aligned forms 14 Case pattern Genitive (5) Number pattern Singular (10)
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Nominative · Singular · Masculine Matt 5:19 · 1 Cor 15:9 2×
Nominative · Singular · Feminine Matt 2:6 1×
Genitive · Plural · Masculine Matt 25:40 · Matt 25:45 2×
Genitive · Plural · Feminine Matt 5:19 1×
Genitive · Plural · Neuter 1 Cor 6:2 1×
Genitive · Singular · Neuter Jas 3:4 1×
Dative · Singular · Neuter Luke 16:10 · Luke 19:17 3×
Dative · Singular · Masculine Eph 3:8 1×
Accusative · Singular · Neuter Luke 12:26 · 1 Cor 4:3 2×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Smallest or least significant thing, used in rhetorical argument about worry
Smallest amount or least important matters, contrasted with much in faithfulness
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 14 lexical occurrence verses.
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain