2756. kenos

Lexicon

kenos: Empty, vain, devoid of truth or effect

Original Word: κενός
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: kenos
Pronunciation: keh-NOS
Phonetic Spelling: (ken-os')
Definition: Empty, vain, devoid of truth or effect
Meaning: (a) empty, (b) met: empty (in moral content), vain, ineffective, foolish, worthless, (c) false, unreal, pretentious, hollow.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

empty, in vain.

Apparently a primary word; empty (literally or figuratively) -- empty, (in) vain.

HELPS Word-studies

2756 kenós – properly, empty, void; hence, worthless ("null"), amounting to zero (of no value, profit).

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a prim. word
Definition
empty
NASB Translation
empty (2), empty-handed (4), foolish (1), futile things (1), vain (10).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 2756: κενός

κενός, κενή, κενόν (from Homer on down), the Sept. for רֵיקָם, רֵק, רִיק, etc., empty;

1. properly, of places, vessels, etc.,which contain nothing (Judges 7:16; Genesis 37:24); metaphorically, empty, vain; devoid of truth: λόγοι, Ephesians 5:6 (Exodus 5:9); ἀπάτη, Colossians 2:8; κήρυγμα, πίστις, 1 Corinthians 15:14.

2. of men, empty-handed; without a gift: ἀποστέλλειν and ἐξαποστέλλειν τινα κενόν (Genesis 31:42; Deuteronomy 15:13; Deuteronomy 16:16), Mark 12:3; Luke 1:53; Luke 20:10f; metaphorically, destitute of spiritual wealth, of one who boasts of his faith as a transcendent possession, yet is without the fruits of faith, James 2:20.

3. metaphorically, of endeavors, labors, acts, which result in nothing, vain, fruitless, without effect: ἡ χάρις, 1 Corinthians 15:10; κόπος; 1 Corinthians 15:58; ἡ εἴσοδος, 1 Thessalonians 2:1; neuter plural κενά, things that will not succeed, Acts 4:25 (from Psalm 2:1); εἰς κενόν, in vain, to no purpose (cf. Winer's Grammar, 592 (551)): 2 Corinthians 6:1; Galatians 2:2; Philippians 2:16; 1 Thessalonians 3:5 (Isaiah 65:23; Jeremiah 6:29, etc.; Diodorus 19, 9; Heliodorus 10, 30). (Cf. Trench, Synonyms, § xlix.)

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the primary root κεν- (ken-), meaning "empty."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The concept of "emptiness" or "vanity" in the Hebrew Bible is often expressed with words like הֶבֶל (hebel, Strong's Hebrew 1892), which conveys a similar sense of futility or transience, particularly in the book of Ecclesiastes. Another related term is רִיק (riq, Strong's Hebrew 7385), meaning "empty" or "vain." These Hebrew terms parallel the Greek "kenos" in their depiction of actions or beliefs that lack true substance or enduring value.

Usage: The word "kenos" is used in the New Testament to describe something that is empty or without substance, often in a metaphorical sense. It can refer to actions, beliefs, or words that are futile or lacking in purpose.

Context: The Greek word "kenos" appears in various contexts throughout the New Testament, often highlighting the futility or lack of substance in human endeavors or beliefs when they are not aligned with divine truth. It is used to emphasize the emptiness of certain actions or the vanity of human wisdom apart from God.

In 1 Corinthians 15:14, Paul uses "kenos" to describe the futility of preaching and faith if Christ has not been raised: "And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is worthless, and so is your faith." Here, "kenos" underscores the essential nature of the resurrection to the Christian faith, implying that without it, the core message of Christianity would be devoid of meaning.

Similarly, in James 2:20, the term is used to describe faith without works: "O foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is worthless?" This usage highlights the idea that faith, when not accompanied by action, is empty and ineffective.

The word also appears in Philippians 2:16, where Paul encourages believers to hold fast to the word of life, so that he may boast on the day of Christ that he did not run or labor in vain. This reflects the desire for one's efforts to be meaningful and fruitful in the sight of God.

"Kenos" serves as a reminder of the importance of aligning one's life and actions with God's purposes, ensuring that they are filled with substance and eternal significance rather than being empty or vain.

Forms and Transliterations

κενα κενά κενάς κενε κενέ κενη κενή κενὴ κενήν κενης κενής κενῆς κενοί κενοις κενοίς κενοῖς κενον κενόν κενὸν κενος κενός κενὸς κενοτάφια κενους κενούς κενώ μη kena kená kene kené kenē kenḕ kenes kenês kenēs kenē̂s kenois kenoîs kenon kenón kenòn kenos kenòs kenous kenoús

Englishman's Concordance

Mark 12:3 Adj-AMS
GRK: καὶ ἀπέστειλαν κενόν
NAS: him and sent him away empty-handed.
KJV: and sent [him] away empty.
INT: and sent [him] away empty-handed

Luke 1:53 Adj-AMP
GRK: πλουτοῦντας ἐξαπέστειλεν κενούς
NAS: And sent away the rich empty-handed.
KJV: the rich he hath sent empty away.
INT: [the] rich he sent away empty

Luke 20:10 Adj-AMS
GRK: αὐτὸν δείραντες κενόν
NAS: him and sent him away empty-handed.
KJV: him, and sent [him] away empty.
INT: him having beaten empty-handed

Luke 20:11 Adj-AMS
GRK: ἀτιμάσαντες ἐξαπέστειλαν κενόν
NAS: and sent him away empty-handed.
KJV: and sent [him] away empty.
INT: having dishonored [him] sent [him] away empty

Acts 4:25 Adj-ANP
GRK: λαοὶ ἐμελέτησαν κενά
NAS: AND THE PEOPLES DEVISE FUTILE THINGS?
KJV: the people imagine vain things?
INT: peoples did devise vain things

1 Corinthians 15:10 Adj-NFS
GRK: ἐμὲ οὐ κενὴ ἐγενήθη ἀλλὰ
NAS: me did not prove vain; but I labored
KJV: was not in vain; but I laboured
INT: me not void has been but

1 Corinthians 15:14 Adj-NNS
GRK: οὐκ ἐγήγερται κενὸν ἄρα καὶ
NAS: our preaching is vain, your faith
KJV: [is] our preaching vain, and your
INT: not has been raised vain then also

1 Corinthians 15:14 Adj-NFS
GRK: κήρυγμα ἡμῶν κενὴ καὶ ἡ
NAS: your faith also is vain.
KJV: [is] also vain.
INT: preaching of us void also the

1 Corinthians 15:58 Adj-NMS
GRK: οὐκ ἔστιν κενὸς ἐν κυρίῳ
NAS: that your toil is not [in] vain in the Lord.
KJV: is not in vain in the Lord.
INT: not is void in [the] Lord

2 Corinthians 6:1 Adj-ANS
GRK: μὴ εἰς κενὸν τὴν χάριν
NAS: the grace of God in vain--
KJV: of God in vain.
INT: not in vain the grace

Galatians 2:2 Adj-AMS
GRK: πως εἰς κενὸν τρέχω ἢ
NAS: or had run, in vain.
KJV: had run, in vain.
INT: hardly in vain I should be running or

Ephesians 5:6 Adj-DMP
GRK: ὑμᾶς ἀπατάτω κενοῖς λόγοις διὰ
NAS: deceive you with empty words,
KJV: deceive you with vain words: for
INT: you let deceive with empty words on account of

Philippians 2:16 Adj-ANS
GRK: οὐκ εἰς κενὸν ἔδραμον οὐδὲ
NAS: because I did not run in vain nor toil
KJV: run in vain, neither laboured
INT: not in vain I ran nor

Philippians 2:16 Adj-ANS
GRK: οὐδὲ εἰς κενὸν ἐκοπίασα
NAS: nor toil in vain.
KJV: laboured in vain.
INT: nor in vain toiled

Colossians 2:8 Adj-GFS
GRK: φιλοσοφίας καὶ κενῆς ἀπάτης κατὰ
NAS: philosophy and empty deception,
KJV: philosophy and vain deceit, after
INT: philosophy and empty deceit according to

1 Thessalonians 2:1 Adj-NFS
GRK: ὅτι οὐ κενὴ γέγονεν
NAS: that our coming to you was not in vain,
KJV: it was not in vain:
INT: that not in vain it has been

1 Thessalonians 3:5 Adj-ANS
GRK: καὶ εἰς κενὸν γένηται ὁ
NAS: you, and our labor would be in vain.
KJV: be in vain.
INT: and to void should become the

James 2:20 Adj-VMS
GRK: ὦ ἄνθρωπε κενέ ὅτι ἡ
NAS: to recognize, you foolish fellow,
KJV: thou know, O vain man, that
INT: O fellow empty that

Strong's Greek 2756
18 Occurrences

κενά — 1 Occ.
κενέ — 1 Occ.
κενὴ — 3 Occ.
κενῆς — 1 Occ.
κενοῖς — 1 Occ.
κενόν — 9 Occ.
κενὸς — 1 Occ.
κενούς — 1 Occ.