Greek word · G2276

ἥττον, ἥσσων

hētton, ēssōn

less/worse

Lesser, weaker, inferior; in comparison, the one that comes off worse. Related words mean to be defeated or treated as inferior.

Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ἥσσων (Rec. ἥττ-, the Attic literary form), ἧσσων,

inferior, less; neut., τὸ ἧ., adverbially, less: 2 Corinthians 12:15; εἰς τὸ ἧ., for the worse (opposite to κρεῖττον): 1 Corinthians 11:17.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of 1 Corinthians 11:17

Range of meaning

Lesser, weaker, inferior; in comparison, the one that comes off worse. Related words mean to be defeated or treated as inferior.

Against the English

"Worse" (KJV, WEB, YLT, ESV, NASB) is a fair rendering. "Harm" (BSB, NIV, NLT) names the result but moves away from the wording, which is about ending up lesser or lower.

Used elsewhere in the period

Elsewhere in the New Testament only at 2 Corinthians 12:15 ("the less I am loved"). Paul uses the related verb in 2 Corinthians 12:13 ("treated as inferior") and the related noun in 1 Corinthians 6:7, where the Corinthians' lawsuits are already a "defeat" for them.

Where it appears

1 Corinthians · 1

  1. 1 Corinthians 11:17 ἧσσον worse

    In the following instructions I have no praise to offer, because your gatherings do more harm than good.

    Here: The inferior outcome. The word is related to Greek terms for being beaten or coming off worse, so the gathering leaves them diminished, not merely unimproved.

2 Corinthians · 1

  1. 2 Corinthians 12:15 ἧσσον less

    And for the sake of your souls, I will most gladly spend my money and myself. If I love you more, will you love me less?

    Here: 'Less'. It mirrors 'more abundantly' to give a painful reversal: more love from Paul seems to win less love back.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.