adverb
matēn
Greekμάτην (matēn)
Strong’sG3155
in vain
stem matēn-2 times in the New Testamentin 2 of 27 books
Translated as
What it means
μάτην
(prop. acc. of μάτη, a fault, folly),
adv.,[in LXX for הֶבֶל, שָׁוְא, etc.;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G3155 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidmat'-ane
folly, i.e. (adverbially) to no purpose
Fromaccusative case of a derivative of the base of G3145 (through the idea of tentative manipulation, i.e. unsuccessful search, or else of punishment);
King Jamesin vain.
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Every form
This word never changes. It is spelled the same wherever it appears, so there is nothing to learn beyond the word itself.
Where it appears
2 occurrences, every one of them listed
matēn2×
Matthew 15:9“in vain”matēn de sebelō min, didaskarōtois didaskaliain entalmeim anthrōpoiu.They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’”
Mark 7:7“in vain”matēn de sebelō min, didaskarōtois didaskaliain entalmeim anthrōpoiu;They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’