Barren

from a root ster- meaning "hard, firm" (hence Eng., "sterile"), signifies "barren, not bearing children," and is used with the natural significance three times in the Gospel of Luke, Luk 1:7, Luk 1:36, Luk 23:29; and with a spiritual significance in Gal 4:27, in a quotation from Isa 54:1. The circumstances of Sarah and Hagar, which Isaiah no doubt had in mind, are applied by the Apostle to the contrast between the works of the Law and the promise by grace.

denoting "idle, barren, yielding no return, because of inactivity," is found in the best mss. in Jam 2:20 (RV, "barren"); it is rendered "barren" in 2Pe 1:8, AV, (RV, "idle"). In Mat 12:36, the "idle word" means the word that is thoughtless or profitless. See IDLE, SLOW; cp. katargeo, under ABOLISH.