μάταιος
Futile
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What does μάταιος (mátaios) mean in the Bible?
μάταιος (mátaios) is a Greek word meaning "futile". μάταιος, -ον (as in Att. Describes idols as empty and incapable of saving.
Full entry for μάταιος (G3152) · Browse the biblical lexicon
Meaning
Empty of real effect or substance; futile efforts that produce nothing of lasting value.
(as in Att.., but -αία, -αιον, 1Co.15:17, 1Pe.1:18; μάτην), [in LXX for שָׁוְא, הֶבֶל, כָּזָב, etc. ;] vain, useless: ἀνωφελὴς κ. μ., Tit.3:9; πίστις, 1Co.15:17; θρησκεία, Jas.1:26; διαλογισμοί, 1Co.3:20 (LXX); ἀναστροφή, 1Pe.1:18; of idols and heathen gods, τὰ μ. (Jer.2:5, 4Ki.17:15, al.): Act.14:15
Why This Word Matters
Describes idols as empty and incapable of saving. Acts 14:8-20
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Biblical Occurrences
Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.
New Testament Witnesses
Additional Occurrences
Word Pictures (Robertson)
A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.
A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain