ἀνεύθετος (aneuthetos)
aneuthetos
unsuitable
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adjective aneuthetos describes something that is ill-suited or inconvenient for a specific purpose. Its meaning comes from combining a negative prefix with a root related to placing or fitting, literally suggesting that things are not well-positioned together. This creates a sense of practical incompatibility rather than moral failure.
It appears only once in the New Testament, in Acts 27:12. The harbor at Phoenix is described as aneuthetos for wintering, meaning it was not safe or suitable for ships to stay there during the harsh season. This usage highlights a physical and logistical reality where conditions do not align with human needs.
Translators typically render this word as "unsuitable" or "insecure," focusing on the lack of fitness for the intended goal. The term serves as a precise descriptor of environmental mismatch, reminding readers that some places simply cannot support the activities required of them at certain times.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word aneuthetos describes something that is ill-suited or inconvenient for a specific purpose. It comes from combining a negative prefix with a root related to placing or fitting, literally suggesting that things are not well-positioned together. This creates a sense of practical incompatibility rather than moral failure.
In Acts 27:12, the harbor at Phoenix is described as aneuthetos for wintering. The majority advised going to sea because the conditions did not align with human needs for safety during the harsh season. This usage highlights a physical and logistical reality where some places simply cannot support the activities required of them at certain times.
When we face seasons that feel ill-fitting or unsafe, this word reminds us that practical wisdom matters. Sometimes stepping back or changing course is not a failure but a recognition of reality. Trusting God's guidance includes listening to the circumstances around us as well as His voice within.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Unsuitable1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- Ἀνευθέτου1×
Key Verses
-
Acts 27:12
Because the haven was not suitable to winter in, the majority advised going to sea from there, if by any means they could reach Phoenix and winter there, which is a port of Crete, looking southwest and northwest.
The term aneuthetos describes the harbor at Phoenix as physically unsafe for wintering, showing that practical conditions can override human plans.