Weak, Weakened, Weaker, Weakness

lit., "strengthless" (see IMPOTENT), is translated "weak," (a) of physical "weakness," Mat 26:41, Mar 14:38, 1Co 1:27, 1Co 4:10, 1Co 11:30 (a judgment upon spiritual laxity in a church); 2Co 10:10, 1Pe 3:7 (comparative degree); (b) in the spiritual sense, said of the rudiments of Jewish religion, in their inability to justify anyone, Gal 4:9; of the Law, Heb 7:18; in Rom 5:6, RV, "weak" (AV, "without strength"), of the inability of man to accomplish his salvation; (c) morally or ethically, 1Co 8:7, 1Co 8:10, 1Co 9:22; (d) rhetorically, of God's actions according to the human estimate, 1Co 1:25, "weakness," lit., "the weak things of God." See FEEBLE, SICK.

lit., "not powerful," is translated "weak" in Rom 15:1, of the infirmities of those whose scruples arise through lack of faith (see Rom 1:14-23), in the same sense as No. 1 (c); the change in the adjective (cp. Rom 14:1) is due to the contrast with dunatoi, the "strong," who have not been specifically mentioned as such in ch. 14. See IMPOSSIBLE.

"to lack strength," is used in much the same way as A, No. 1, and translated "being ... weak" in Rom 4:19, AV (RV, "being weakened"); Rom 8:3, Rom 1:14-2 (in some texts, 1Co 8:9); 2Co 11:21, 2Co 11:29 (twice); 2Co 12:10, 2Co 1:13-4, 2Co 13:9. See DISEASED, IMPOTENT, SICK.

for which see INFIRMITY, is rendered "weakness," of the body, 1Co 2:3, 1Co 15:43, 2Co 11:30, RV; 2Co 12:5 (plural, RV), 2Co 1:12-10, RV; Heb 11:34; in 2Co 13:4, "He was crucified through weakness" is said in respect of the physical sufferings to which Christ voluntarily submitted in giving Himself up to the death of the Cross.