adjective

mataios

Greekμάταιος (mataios)

Strong’sG3152

vain, unproductive, godless

stem matai-6 times in the New Testamentin 5 of 27 books5 of 26 forms occur

Translated as

futile3×worthless3×

What it means

μάταιος, -ον

(as in Att., but -αία, -αιον, I Co 15:17, I Pe 1:18; < μάτην), [in LXX for שָׁוְא, הֶבֶל, כָּזָב, etc.;]

vain, useless: ἀνωφελὴς κ. μ., Tit 3:9; πίστις, I Co 15:17; θρησκεία, Ja 1:26; διαλογισμοί, I Co 3:20(LXX); ἀναστροφή, I Pe 1:18; of idols and heathen gods, τὰ μ. (Je 2:5, IV Ki 17:15, al.): Ac 14:15.

SYN.: κενός, q.v.

G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.

Strong’s G3152 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from

Saidmat'-ah-yos

empty, i.e. (literally) profitless, or (specially), an idol

Fromfrom the base of G3155;

King Jamesvain, vanity.

James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.

Every form

Job in the sentence case	masculine singular	feminine singular	neuter singular	masculine plural	feminine plural	neuter plural
subject nominative	mataios	mataias2×μάταιος	mataiem	mataiois1×μάταιοι	mataiais1×μάταιοι	mataieim
object accusative	mataion	mataian		mataioin	mataiain
direct address vocative	mataior	mataiar		mataioir	mataiair
of, belonging to genitive	mataiou	mataiau1×ματαίας	mataieu	mataioiu	mataiaiu	mataieiu1×ματαίων
to, for dative	mataio	mataia	mataie	mataioi	mataiai	mataiei

Tinted cells are forms the New Testament never uses, so there is no Greek to show against them — but they are still correct Biblang, built from the slots below like any other.

Why these forms, and no others — the slots that make them

mataistem+oaegender+smnru—its job in the sentence case+—ione · more than one number

matai is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.

same in every form varies — every value shown

Words built on the same stem

mataiimō — ματαιόομαι, I become vain

Where it appears

6 occurrences, every one of them listed

mataias“futile”subjectnominative singular2×

1 Corinthians 15:17“futile”ei de Christos ouk egeiritē, mataias tas pistias vu, ēti avō en tai hamartai vu.And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.

James 1:26“worthless”Ei tinos dokatō thrēskos arō mē chalinagōgarōtos glōssan autou alla apatarōtos kardian autou, houtou mataias tas thrēskeias.If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless.

mataiau“futile”of, belonging togenitive singular1×

1 Peter 1:18“futile”oidarētois hoti ouk fthartei, argurie ē chrusie, lutriva ek tau mataiau vu anastrofau patroparadotau,For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life you inherited from your forefathers,

mataiois“futile”subjectnominative plural1×

1 Corinthians 3:20“futile”kai palin; Kurios gnōskatō toin dialogismoin toiu sofoiu hoti alō mataiois.And again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”

mataiais“worthless”subjectnominative plural1×

Titus 3:9“worthless”mōrain de zētēsiain kai genealogiain kai erain kai machain nomikain periistanesōr, alō gar anōfelais kai mataiais.But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, arguments, and quarrels about the law, because these things are pointless and worthless.

mataieiu“worthless”of, belonging togenitive plural1×

Acts 14:15“worthless”kai legarōtois; Anēroir, tinem houteim poiavō? kai nis homoiopathois anō vi anthrōpois, euangelizerōtois vin apo houteiu teiu mataieiu epistrefara epi theon zōarōton hos poiata ton ouranon kai tan gēan kai tan thalassan kai panteim teim en autei;“Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them.