Strong's Greek: 3301 -- (Not Used)zzz

Lexical Summary

(Not Used): (Not Used)

(Not Used)
Part of Speech:
Transliteration: (Not Used)
(Not Used)

Topical Lexicon

Overview of the Strong’s Numbering Gap

Strong’s number 3301 is intentionally vacant. James Strong left several “open slots” during the compilation of his Exhaustive Concordance (first published in 1890) in order to preserve the sequential integrity of his lexical index when earlier editorial decisions were revised or when duplications were discovered. Number 3301 marks one of these gaps. Though no extant Koine Greek word is attached to it, the placeholder performs an important service: it protects the stability of every subsequent reference number so that dictionaries, commentaries, and digital tools remain synchronized.

Importance for Textual Studies

Because Strong’s numbers have become a standard shorthand for original-language study, the unused entries provide a silent but crucial witness to the history of Greek lexicography. Scholars can confidently cite 3306 for μένω (menō, “abide”) or 3307 for μερίζω (merizō, “divide”) knowing that 3301’s omission safeguards the numerical consistency of that entire lexical neighborhood. The stability of the system reinforces careful, reproducible study—a hallmark of sound exegesis.

Relation to Neighboring Lexemes (Strong’s 3300–3307)

• 3300 μένειν (menōn) – “remaining”
• 3302 μέντοι (mentoi) – “nevertheless”
• 3303 μέν (men) – “indeed”
• 3304 μέντοιγε (mentoige) – “however truly”
• 3305 μένουν (menoun) – “indeed then”
• 3306 μένω (menō) – “abide, remain”
• 3307 μερίζω (merizō) – “divide, distribute”

Placed amid several particles that nuance logical contrast and a key verb that speaks of abiding, the blank entry between 3300 and 3302 reminds the student that lexical study involves more than counting occurrences; it presses us toward context. For example, “Abide in Me, and I will abide in you” (John 15:4) gains additional texture when viewed alongside the logical connectors surrounding it in Greek syntax.

Implications for Bible Translation and Study

Translation committees occasionally revisit earlier decisions. The existence of unused numbers such as 3301 allows any future insertion of a newly discovered manuscript form without disrupting the extensive network of cross-references that depend on Strong’s system. For pastors and teachers, this means resources printed decades apart still “speak the same language” numerically, facilitating intergenerational study and collaboration.

Ministerial Applications

1. Integrity in Handling Scripture

The blank entry teaches restraint. Where Scripture is silent, responsible teachers remain silent rather than inventing meaning. This models the principle of “not going beyond what is written” (1 Corinthians 4:6).
2. Illustrating Dependence on the Whole Counsel of God

When preaching on themes of abiding (John 15) or unity versus division (1 Corinthians 1:10), the gap at 3301 can serve as an illustration: just as a missing number holds the system together, seemingly small or obscure passages hold the theological fabric of the Bible together.
3. Encouraging Diligence in Study

A vacant Strong’s number can spark curiosity, prompting deeper investigation into how lexicons are built, how manuscripts are compared, and how translation decisions are made. Such diligence equips believers to fulfill the charge to “correctly handle the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

Historical Development of Strong’s Concordance

During the nineteenth century, printing technology and growing lay interest in biblical languages prompted Strong and his team to devise a single numbering sequence for every Hebrew and Greek root found in the King James Version. Editorial revisions inevitably led to removed duplicates and re-classified forms. Rather than renumber thousands of subsequent entries, Strong preserved continuity by leaving non-functional placeholders—3301 among them. The long-term wisdom of this decision is evident today in the seamless compatibility of print and digital concordances, interlinears, and software platforms.

Practical Use in Teaching and Preaching

• Cite the unused entry as a real-world example of reverent scholarship: accuracy takes precedence over completeness when the data are uncertain.
• Highlight the surrounding words (3302–3307) to show how Greek particles and verbs interact to convey emphasis, contrast, and duration, enriching exposition of passages like Philippians 1:18 (“what then? Nevertheless, Christ is proclaimed”).
• Use the stability afforded by Strong’s numbering to train congregations in basic word study methods, demonstrating how to confirm definitions, locate all occurrences, and avoid reading unwarranted concepts into the text.

Encouragement for the Student of Scripture

A silent number in a concordance affirms that not every question must be answered to trust the sufficiency and coherence of God’s Word. Just as the unwritten spaces between letters shape a sentence, the unused numbers guard the architecture of a tool that helps countless believers engage the original languages. In that sense, Strong’s 3301—though wordless—continues to serve the Church by pointing beyond itself to the living and enduring Word of God.

Links

Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts