ἄναλος (analos)
analos
unsalty
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adjective analos describes something that is unsalted or insipid, lacking the essential quality that gives it flavor. Formed from a negative prefix and the word for salt, it literally means "without salt." In the New Testament, this rare word appears only once, in Mark 9:50, where Jesus uses it as a vivid metaphor for spiritual dullness.
Jesus warns his disciples that if salt loses its saltness (becomes analos), it is good for nothing but to be thrown out. The image relies on the ancient understanding of salt not just as a seasoning, but as a preservative and essential element. To be "saltless" was to be useless, stripped of its defining purpose. This stark warning underscores the expectation that followers should retain their distinctiveness and influence in the world.
Translators typically render this term as "lose its taste" or "become tasteless," capturing the idea of becoming bland and ineffective. The word’s rarity highlights the precision of Jesus’ language; he does not speak of salt being removed, but of it losing its inherent nature. This emphasizes that the failure lies in the substance itself becoming indistinguishable from what it was meant to enhance.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word analos describes something that is completely unsalted, losing the very quality that gives it value. In Mark 9:50, Jesus uses this stark image to warn against spiritual dullness. When salt loses its taste, it becomes useless for seasoning or preserving. This metaphor challenges us to consider whether our faith retains its distinctiveness and influence in a world that often feels bland.
Being 'saltless' means becoming indistinguishable from the culture around us, stripped of the purpose God intended. It is not about perfection, but about retaining the essential character of Christ within us. This rare word reminds us that our calling is to bring flavor and preservation to our relationships and communities. Let this truth encourage you to stay grounded in your faith, ensuring your life reflects the unique hope found in Jesus.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- unsalty1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἄναλον1×
Key Verses
-
Mark 9:50
Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, with what will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
This verse uses analos to warn that losing one's spiritual distinctiveness renders a person useless for God's purposes.