Futile
μάταιοςStrong’s G3152mataios
Appears in 6 verses of the New Testament
In short
Mataios is the Greek word usually translated “futile”, “worthless” and “vanities”. It appears in 6 verses of the New Testament.
“But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.”
Meaning
Usually translated “futile”, “worthless” and “vanities”. Open the dictionary entry below for the full range of meaning, with the verses it cites.
How it's translated
- futile 3
- worthless 2
- vanities 1
Word-by-word English from the STEPBible tagged text.
Where it's used most
- 1 Corinthians 2
- Acts 1
- Titus 1
- James 1
- 1 Peter 1
5 books in all.
Related words
Explore in Scripture
- Acts 14:15And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:
- 1 Corinthians 3:20And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
- 1 Corinthians 15:17And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
- James 1:26If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.
- 1 Peter 1:18Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
Greek dictionary
μάταιος mataios · futile
μάταιος, -ον (as in Att.., but -αία, -αιον, 1Co.15:17, 1Pe.1:18; μάτην), [in LXX for שָׁוְא, הֶבֶל, כָּזָב, etc. ;] vain, useless: ἀνωφελὴς κ. μ., Tit.3:9; πίστις, 1Co.15:17; θρησκεία, Jas.1:26; διαλογισμοί, 1Co.3:20 (LXX); ἀναστροφή, 1Pe.1:18; of idols and heathen gods, τὰ μ. (Jer.2:5, 4Ki.17:15, al.): Act.14:15 SYN.: κενός, q.v (AS)
From STEPBible’s Greek lexicon (based on Abbott-Smith).
Webster's 1828 Dictionary
How the English word “futile” was understood when the King James Version was still the common Bible of English readers.
FU'TILE, adjective
[Latin futilis, from futio, to pour out; effutio, to prate or babble; Heb. to utter rashly or foolishly.]
- Talkative; loquacious; tattling.
- Trifling; of no weight or importance; answering no valuable purpose; worthless.
- Of no effect.
Noah Webster, An American Dictionary of the English Language (1828). Verse references are checked against the KJV. Read the full entry.
Verses are from the King James Version. Word meanings come from the original Greek, not from any one translation.