Word Study · Strong's G2556 · Greek
κακός
kakos
kak-os'
Strong's 1890 spelling: kakós
“worthless (intrinsically, such”
Strong's Dictionary · 1890 · public domain
worthless (intrinsically, such; whereas properly refers to effects), i.e. (subjectively) depraved, or (objectively) injurious
Rendered in the KJV as
bad, evil, harm, ill, noisome, wicked.
- 50occurrencesin the New Testament
- 19 of 27New Testament bookswhere the word stands
- 20inflected formsdistinct spellings
Across 50 occurrences
The word itself
Inflected forms · 20
- κακὸν16
- κακοῦ6
- κακὰ4
- κακόν,3
- κακοὺς3
- κακόν.2
- κακῶν2
- κακῶν,2
- κακά.1
- κακά.¶1
- κακαί.1
- κακὴν1
and 8 more spellings in the ledger below.
How it is rendered · 19
- evil26
- evil.5
- evil,2
- harm2
- [it is] evil1
- [The] wretches1
- bad.1
- by evils,1
- evil [ones]1
- evil;1
- evils1
- harm;1
The sense the word carries at each spot — how the translators read it there, not a fixed translation.
How it parses · 12
- adjective · accusative (object) · neuter singular21
- adjective · genitive (“of”) · neuter singular8
- adjective · accusative (object) · neuter plural5
- adjective · genitive (“of”) · neuter plural4
- adjective · accusative (object) · masculine plural3
- adjective · nominative (subject) · neuter singular3
- adjective · accusative (object) · feminine singular1
- adjective · dative (“to / for”) · neuter singular1
- adjective · nominative (subject) · feminine plural1
- adjective · nominative (subject) · masculine plural1
- adjective · nominative (subject) · neuter plural1
- adjective · nominative (subject) · masculine singular1
Show the grammar codes as tagged
- A-ASN · 21
- A-GSN · 8
- A-APN · 5
- A-GPN · 4
- A-APM · 3
- A-NSN · 3
- A-ASF · 1
- A-DSN · 1
- A-NPF · 1
- A-NPM · 1
- A-NPN · 1
- A-NSM · 1
All 50, in canonical order
The ledger of occurrences
Where this word lives
- Romans15 of 50 · 30%
- 1 Peter5 of 50 · 10%
- Acts4 of 50 · 8%
- Matthew3 of 50 · 6%
- 1 Corinthians3 of 50 · 6%
Romans carries the most and opens below; every other book is one click.
Matthew3 occurrences
- Matthew 21:41κακοὺςkakousadjective · accusative (object) · masculine plural“He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and will rent out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him his share of the fruit at harvest time.”here: [The] wretches
- Matthew 24:48κακὸςkakosadjective · nominative (subject) · masculine singularBut suppose that servant is wicked and says in his heart, ‘My master will be away a long time.’here: evil
- Matthew 27:23κακὸνkakonadjective · accusative (object) · neuter singular“Why?” asked Pilate. “What evil has He done?” But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!”here: evil
Mark2 occurrences
- Mark 7:21κακοὶkakoiadjective · nominative (subject) · masculine pluralFor from within the hearts of men come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,here: evil
- Mark 15:14κακόν;kakonadjective · accusative (object) · neuter singular“Why?” asked Pilate. “What evil has He done?” But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!”here: evil
Luke2 occurrences
- Luke 16:25κακά.kakaadjective · accusative (object) · neuter pluralBut Abraham answered, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things. But now he is comforted here, while you are in agony.here: harmful.
- Luke 23:22κακὸνkakonadjective · accusative (object) · neuter singularA third time he said to them, “What evil has this man done? I have found in Him no offense worthy of death. So after I punish Him, I will release Him.”here: evil
John2 occurrences
- John 18:23κακοῦ·kakouadjective · genitive (“of”) · neuter singularJesus replied, “If I said something wrong, testify as to what was wrong. But if I spoke correctly, why did you strike Me?”here: evil;
- John 18:30κακὸνkakonadjective · accusative (object) · neuter singular“If He were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed Him over to you.”here: evil
Acts4 occurrences
- Acts 9:13κακὰkakaadjective · accusative (object) · neuter pluralBut Ananias answered, “Lord, many people have told me about this man and all the harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.here: evils
- Acts 16:28κακόν·kakonadjective · accusative (object) · neuter singularBut Paul called out in a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself! We are all here!”here: harm;
- Acts 23:9κακὸνkakonadjective · accusative (object) · neuter singularA great clamor arose, and some scribes from the party of the Pharisees got up and contended sharply, “We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”here: evil
- Acts 28:5κακόν.kakonadjective · accusative (object) · neuter singularBut Paul shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no ill effects.here: injurious.
Romans15 occurrences
- Romans 1:30κακῶν,kakōnadjective · genitive (“of”) · neuter pluralslanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, and boastful. They invent new forms of evil; they disobey their parents.here: of evil things,
- Romans 2:9κακόν,kakonadjective · accusative (object) · neuter singularThere will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil, first for the Jew, then for the Greek;here: evil,
- Romans 3:8κακὰkakaadjective · accusative (object) · neuter pluralWhy not say, as some slanderously claim that we say, “Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is deserved!here: evil
- Romans 7:19κακὸνkakonadjective · accusative (object) · neuter singularFor I do not do the good I want to do. Instead, I keep on doing the evil I do not want to do.here: evil
- Romans 7:21κακὸνkakonadjective · nominative (subject) · neuter singularSo this is the principle I have discovered: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.here: evil
- Romans 12:17κακὸνkakonadjective · accusative (object) · neuter singularDo not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody.here: evil
- Romans 12:17κακοῦkakouadjective · genitive (“of”) · neuter singularDo not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody.here: evil
- Romans 12:21κακοῦkakouadjective · genitive (“of”) · neuter singularDo not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.here: evil
- Romans 12:21κακόν.¶kakonadjective · accusative (object) · neuter singularDo not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.here: evil.
- Romans 13:3κακῷ.kakōadjective · dative (“to / for”) · neuter singularFor rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Then do what is right, and you will have his approval.here: evil.
- Romans 13:4κακὸνkakonadjective · accusative (object) · neuter singularFor he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not carry the sword in vain. He is God’s servant, an agent of retribution to the wrongdoer.here: evil
- Romans 13:4κακὸνkakonadjective · accusative (object) · neuter singularFor he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not carry the sword in vain. He is God’s servant, an agent of retribution to the wrongdoer.here: evil
- Romans 13:10κακὸνkakonadjective · accusative (object) · neuter singularLove does no wrong to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.here: evil
- Romans 14:20κακὸνkakonadjective · accusative (object) · neuter singularDo not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to let his eating be a stumbling block.here: [it is] evil
- Romans 16:19κακόν.kakonadjective · accusative (object) · neuter singularEveryone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice over you. But I want you to be wise about what is good and innocent about what is evil.here: evil.
1 Corinthians3 occurrences
- 1 Corinthians 10:6κακῶνkakōnadjective · genitive (“of”) · neuter pluralThese things took place as examples to keep us from craving evil things as they did.here: of evil things
- 1 Corinthians 13:5κακόν,kakonadjective · accusative (object) · neuter singularIt is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs.here: of wrongs,
- 1 Corinthians 15:33κακαί.kakaiadjective · nominative (subject) · feminine pluralDo not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”here: bad.
Philippians1 occurrence
1 Thessalonians2 occurrences
- 1 Thessalonians 5:15κακὸνkakonadjective · accusative (object) · neuter singularMake sure that no one repays evil for evil. Always pursue what is good for one another and for all people.here: evil
- 1 Thessalonians 5:15κακοῦkakouadjective · genitive (“of”) · neuter singularMake sure that no one repays evil for evil. Always pursue what is good for one another and for all people.here: evil
2 Timothy1 occurrence
James2 occurrences
- James 1:13κακῶν,kakōnadjective · genitive (“of”) · neuter pluralWhen tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone.here: by evils,
- James 3:8κακόν,kakonadjective · nominative (subject) · neuter singularbut no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.here: evil,
1 Peter5 occurrences
- 1 Peter 3:9κακὸνkakonadjective · accusative (object) · neuter singularDo not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.here: evil
- 1 Peter 3:9κακοῦkakouadjective · genitive (“of”) · neuter singularDo not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.here: evil
- 1 Peter 3:10κακοῦkakouadjective · genitive (“of”) · neuter singularFor, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.here: evil
- 1 Peter 3:11κακοῦkakouadjective · genitive (“of”) · neuter singularHe must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.here: evil
- 1 Peter 3:12κακά.¶kakaadjective · accusative (object) · neuter pluralFor the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”here: evil.
Revelation2 occurrences
- Revelation 2:2κακοὺςkakousadjective · accusative (object) · masculine pluralI know your deeds, your labor, and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate those who are evil, and you have tested and exposed as liars those who falsely claim to be apostles.here: evil [ones]
- Revelation 16:2κακὸνkakonadjective · nominative (subject) · neuter singularSo the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and loathsome, malignant sores broke out on those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.here: harm