◄ 36. agenés ►
Strong's Lexicon agenés: Lowly, insignificant, of no noble birth Original Word: ἀγενής Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: agenés Pronunciation: ag-en-ACE Phonetic Spelling: (ag-en-ace') Definition: lit: without family, hence: ignoble, base. Meaning: The term ἀγενής means "of no family," "ignoble," "base," or "of low birth." Word Origin: Derived from the Greek prefix ἀ- (a-, "not") and γένος (genos, "kind" or "family"). Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Hebrew equivalent for ἀγενής, the concept can be related to terms that describe lowliness or humility, such as עָנִי (ani, Strong's Hebrew 6041), meaning "poor" or "afflicted," and שָׁפָל (shaphal, Strong's Hebrew 8217), meaning "low" or "humble." These terms similarly convey the idea of low status or lack of social standing, which God often uses to demonstrate His power and grace. Usage: The word ἀγενής is used in the New Testament to describe those who are considered of low status or without noble lineage. It is used to emphasize the contrast between worldly status and spiritual significance. Context: The Greek term ἀγενής appears in the New Testament in contexts that highlight the reversal of worldly values in the Kingdom of God. In 1 Corinthians 1:28, the Apostle Paul uses ἀγενής to describe those whom God has chosen to shame the wise and the strong of the world. The passage reads: "He chose the lowly and despised things of the world, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are" (BSB). This usage underscores a key theme in Pauline theology: God's preference for using the humble and lowly to accomplish His purposes, thereby demonstrating that human wisdom and status are insignificant in comparison to divine wisdom and power. The concept of ἀγενής challenges the cultural norms of the Greco-Roman world, where social status and noble birth were highly valued. By choosing the ἀγενής, God subverts these societal expectations, illustrating that His kingdom operates on principles that differ radically from those of human society. This theme is consistent with the broader biblical narrative, which often highlights God's concern for the marginalized and His ability to elevate the humble. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin from alpha (as a neg. prefix) and genos Definition unborn, of no family, ignoble NASB Translation base things (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 36: ἀγενής ἀγενής, (εος ((οῦς), ὁ, ἡ (γένος), opposed to εὐγενής, of no family, a man of base birth, a man of no name or reputation; often used by secular writers, also in the secondary sense ignoble, cowardly, mean, base. In the N. T. only in 1 Corinthians 1:28, τά ἀγενῆ τοῦ κόσμου i. e. those who among men are held of no account; on the use of a neuter adjective in reference to persons, see Winers Grammar, 178 (167); (Buttmann, 122 (107)). Strong's Exhaustive Concordance base things. From a (as negative particle) and genos; properly, without kin, i.e. (of unknown descent, and by implication) ignoble -- base things. see GREEK a see GREEK genos Forms and Transliterations αγενη αγενή ἀγενῆ agene agenê agenē agenē̂ Links Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts Englishman's Concordance 1 Corinthians 1:28 Adj-ANP GRK: καὶ τὰ ἀγενῆ τοῦ κόσμου NAS: and the base things of the world KJV: And base things of the world, and INT: and the low-born of the world Strong's Greek 36 1 Occurrence ἀγενῆ — 1 Occ.