ἀνάξιος (anaxios)
anaxios
unworthy
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adjective anaxios means simply "unworthy" or "not having equal value." It is formed by adding a negative prefix to axios, which refers to weight or worth. In the New Testament, this word appears only once, in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians.
Paul uses it in 1 Corinthians 6:2 to challenge believers who take disputes before secular courts. He asks how those who will judge the world can be unworthy to judge even trivial matters within the church. The term highlights a gap between their spiritual status and their current behavior, suggesting they are unfit for the task at hand.
Because it occurs so rarely, the word carries the full weight of its literal meaning without additional nuance. It serves as a sharp rebuke in a specific context, reminding readers that their calling requires them to act with the dignity their position demands.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word anaxios describes a state of being unworthy or lacking equal value. It appears only once in the New Testament, in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. Paul uses it to challenge believers who were taking their disputes before secular courts instead of resolving them within the church community.
This term highlights a gap between spiritual status and current behavior. It reminds us that our calling requires dignity and wisdom. When we act in ways that contradict our faith, we show ourselves unworthy of the trust placed in us. This word invites reflection on how we handle conflict and treat others.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- unworthy1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἀνάξιοί1×
Key Verses
-
I Corinthians 6:2
Don’t you know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
Paul uses this word to highlight the contradiction between believers' future role in judging the world and their current failure to handle minor disputes among themselves.