Greek word · G2559

κακόω

kakoō

to harm

To do harm to, mistreat, or oppress. It can also mean to make someone hostile or embittered (Acts 14:2, 'poisoned their minds'). The basic idea is causing evil or damage (kakos) to someone.

Appears 6 times in 6 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

κακόω, -ῶ

(κακός), [in LXX chiefly for רָעַע hi., עָנָה pi. ;]

1. to ill-treat, afflict, distress: with accusative of person(s), Acts 7:6, 19 12:1 18:10, 1 Peter 3:13.

2. (not in cl.), to embitter (Psalms 106:32): Acts 14:2,†

(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 Acts 12:1

Range of meaning

To do harm to, mistreat, or oppress. It can also mean to make someone hostile or embittered (Acts 14:2, 'poisoned their minds'). The basic idea is causing evil or damage (kakos) to someone.

Against the English

BSB 'harm', NASB 'mistreat' and WEB 'oppress' are accurate. YLT 'to do evil to' is very literal. KJV 'vex' was strong in 1611, meaning to afflict or harass, but today it sounds like mere annoyance.

How it drifted

In early modern English 'vex' meant to trouble severely, harass or afflict (as in 'vexed with devils'). Over the centuries it weakened to 'irritate, annoy', which leaves the KJV wording far too mild.

Used elsewhere in the period

The Septuagint uses it for Egypt's oppression of Israel: Genesis 15:13 and Exodus 1:11 ('to afflict them with their burdens'). Stephen repeats this wording in Acts 7:6 and 7:19. In Acts 18:10 the Lord promises Paul that 'no one will attack you to harm (kakōsai) you'. See also 1 Peter 3:13.

From the study of Acts 14:2

Range of meaning

'To make bad': (1) harm, mistreat, oppress; (2) of the inner self, make someone ill-disposed, embitter, set against someone.

Against the English

BSB/NIV/ESV 'poisoned their minds'; KJV 'made their minds evil affected'; WEB 'embittered'; YLT 'made evil'. 'Poisoned' is a good modern equivalent for sense 2. YLT's 'made evil' sounds moral, as if the Gentiles were made wicked, when the point is hostility toward the believers.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the LXX it often means 'afflict, oppress' (Exod 1:11; 5:22, Egypt's treatment of Israel). Elsewhere in Acts it means 'mistreat' (7:6, 19; 12:1; 18:10), and in 1 Pet 3:13 'harm'. BDAG places Acts 14:2 under the sense 'make angry, embitter', with parallels in Josephus.

From the study of Acts 18:10

Range of meaning

To do evil to, harm, mistreat, oppress. Also to embitter or poison someone's mind (Acts 14:2).

Against the English

"Harm" (BSB in effect, WEB, NASB), "hurt" (KJV), "do thee evil" (YLT). All acceptable. YLT keeps the link to "evil" (κακός) that is built into the Greek word.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the Greek Old Testament it is the key verb for Egypt's oppression of Israel (Exod 1:11; 5:22–23; Deut 26:6). Stephen picks this up in Acts 7:6, 19. Herod's persecution in Acts 12:1 uses it too. So in Luke's vocabulary it is the word for how hostile powers treat God's people.

Where it appears

Acts · 5

  1. Acts 7:6 κακώσουσιν they will mistreat [it]

    God told him that his descendants would be foreigners in a strange land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.

  2. Acts 7:19 ἐκάκωσεν he mistreated

    He exploited our people and oppressed our fathers, forcing them to abandon their infants so they would die.

    Here: 'He treated badly, afflicted.' It echoes Exodus 1:11 (taskmasters set over them 'to afflict them') and Genesis 15:13, which Stephen already quoted in Acts 7:6. The prophecy given to Abraham is now coming true.

  3. Acts 12:1 κακῶσαί to mistreat

    About that time, King Herod reached out to harm some who belonged to the church.

    Here: An infinitive that gives the purpose of the arrest: 'in order to harm'. It means real physical harm. The next verse shows how far it went, to an execution.

  4. Acts 14:2 ἐκάκωσαν they poisoned

    But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.

    Here: Literally 'made bad' or 'did harm to'. With 'souls' as its object it means they made the townspeople badly disposed: they turned them hostile and soured their attitude toward the believers.

  5. Acts 18:10 κακῶσαί to harm

    For I am with you and no one will lay a hand on you, because I have many people in this city.”

    Here: To do someone real injury or ill-treatment. With "so as to", it defines the promise: not that nobody will oppose Paul, but that no attack will reach its goal of hurting him.

1 Peter · 1

  1. 1 Peter 3:13 κακώσων will harm

    Who can harm you if you are zealous for what is good?

    Here: A future participle: 'the one who will do you harm'. It comes from the same root as kaka ('evil things') in verse 12, so it plays on the psalm: the Lord's face is against those who do kaka, so who will do kaka to you? It also echoes the Greek of Isaiah 50:9, 'The Lord helps me; who will harm me?'

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