Bible Lexicons

ἀσθεν-ής, ές, without strength, weak,

1 in body, feeble, sickly, τοὺς ἀσθενέας τῆς στρατιῆς Hdt. 4.135, cf. Hp. VM 12; ἀσθενεῖ χρωτὶ βαίνων Pi. P. 1.55, etc.; ὁ παντάπασιν ἀ. τῷ σώματι D. 21.165; ἀ. περὶ τὸν ὀφθαλμόν Luc. Nigr. 4; τοὺς ἀσθενεστάτους ἐς τὰς ταλαιπωρίας least able to bear hardship, Hdt. 4.134; ἀσθενέστερος πόνον ἐνεγκεῖν too weak to.., D. 23.54. Adv. ἀσθενῶς, ἴσχειν Pl. Lg. 659e, cf. OGI 751.8 (Amblada, ii B.C.).

2. in mind, and the like, τὸ ἀ. τῆς γνώμης the weakness, Th. 2.61.

3. in power, weak, feeble, ἀ. δύναμις Hdt. 7.9. ά, cf. 1.58; τέχνη δ' ἀνάγκης-εστέρα μακρῷ A. Pr. 514; πόλιν ἑνὸς-εστέραν S. OC 1033; εἰς ὠφέλειαν ἀ. D. Ephesians 2:15.

4. in property, weak, poor, οἱ χρήμασιν ἀσθενέστεροι Hdt. 2.88: abs., ὅ τ' ἀ. ὁ πλούσιός τε E. Supp. 433; οἱ ἀσθενέστεροι the weaker sort, i.e. the poor, X. Cyr. 8.1.30, cf. Lys. 1.2.

5. insignificant, οὐκ ἀσθενέστατος σοφιστὴς Ἑλλήνων Hdt. 4.95; paltry, ἀ. σόφισμα A. Pr. 1011; of streams, petty, small, Hdt. 2.25; of fluids, of small specific gravity, Id. 3.23; ἐς ἀσθενὲς ἔρχεται comes to nothing, Id. 1.120. Adv. -νῶς feebly, without energy, Pl. R. 528b; on slight evidence, ἀπαγγέλλεσθαι Onos. Praef.: Comp. ἀσθενεστέρως, ἐπιθυμεῖν Pl. Phdr. 255e; -έστερον Id. Chrm. 172b; -έστερα Th. 1.141.

ἀσθενής, ἀσθενές (τό σθένος strength), weak, infirm, feeble; (from Pindar down);

a. universally: Matthew 26:41; Mark 14:38; 1 Peter 3:7; τό ἀσθενές τοῦ Θεοῦ, the act of God in which weakness seems to appear, viz. that the suffering of the cross should be borne by the Messiah, 1 Corinthians 1:25.

b. specifically: contextually, unable to achieve anything great, 1 Corinthians 4:10; destitute of power among men, 1 Corinthians 1:27 (Lachmann brackets); weaker and inferior, μέλος, 1 Corinthians 12:22; sluggish in doing right, Romans 5:6; lacking in manliness and dignity, 2 Corinthians 10:10; used of the religious systems anterior to Christ, as having no power to promote piety and salvation, Galatians 4:9; Hebrews 7:18; lacking in decision about things lawful and unlawful (see ἀσθενέω), 1 Corinthians 8:7, 9 L T Tr WH, ; ; 1 Thessalonians 5:14.

c. of the body, feeble, sick: Matthew 25:39 R G L marginal reading, 43f; Luke 9:2 L Tr brackets; ; Acts 4:9; Acts 5:15; 1 Corinthians 11:30.

* ἀσθενής -ές

(< ἀ - neg., σθένος , strength),

[in LXX for H6041, etc.;]

without strength, weak, feeble: 1 Corinthians 1:27; 1 Corinthians 4:10; 1 Corinthians 12:22, 2 Corinthians 10:10, Galatians 4:9, 1 Thessalonians 5:14, Hebrews 7:18, 1 Peter 3:7. Rhetorically, τό ἀ . τ . θεοῦ , God's action of apparent weakness: 1 Corinthians 1:25; of bodily debility, sick, sickly: Matthew 25:39 (Rec.) Matthew 25:43-44, Luke 9:2 (Rec.) Luke 10:9, Acts 4:9; Acts 5:15-16 In moral and spiritual sense (MM, s.v.; Cremer, 526), Matthew 26:41, Mark 14:38, Romans 5:6, 1 Corinthians 8:7; 1 Corinthians 8:9-10; 1 Corinthians 9:22; 1 Corinthians 11:30.†