Greek word · G433

ἀνήκω

anēkō

be fitting

To reach up to, belong to, and so to be fitting, proper or due. Like 'it was fitting' in English, the past tense is used of what properly ought to be.

Appears 3 times in 3 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ἀν-ήκω

(ἀνά, ἥκω), [in LXX: Joshua 23:14 (בּוֹא), 1 Samuel 27:8, Sir. prol.10, 1, 2 Mac6* ;]

prop., to have come up to; in later writers, impers. it is due, it is befitting: in ethical sense (MM, VGT, see word), Ephesians 5:4, Colossians 3:18; τὸ ἀνῆκον, Phm 8.†

(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 Ephesians 5:4

Range of meaning

To reach up to, belong to, and so to be fitting, proper or due. Like 'it was fitting' in English, the past tense is used of what properly ought to be.

Against the English

KJV's 'not convenient' now misleads. In 1611 'convenient' (Latin conveniens) meant 'fitting, suitable', not 'handy'. BSB's 'out of character' captures the identity point well. 'Not fitting', 'out of place' and 'not appropriate' are all accurate.

How it drifted

English 'convenient' narrowed after the 17th century to 'easy, handy, suiting one's plans'.

Used elsewhere in the period

Colossians 3:18 ('as is fitting in the Lord') and Philemon 8 ('what is fitting') use the same word. It was common in papyri for what belongs to someone or is their due.

From the study of Colossians 3:18

Range of meaning

The basic sense is 'to reach up to, to belong to'. From that it came to mean 'to be fitting, proper, what is due' (BDAG). In the NT: Eph 5:4 (crude talk 'which is not fitting'), Philem 8 (to anēkon, 'what is your duty').

Against the English

'Fitting' (BSB, ESV, WEB, NASB) and 'fit' (KJV, YLT) are accurate. NLT's 'fitting for those who belong to the Lord' turns the phrase into a statement about who the readers are. That is defensible but loses the bare phrase 'in the Lord'.

Used elsewhere in the period

The idea of 'what befits' someone (to prepon, to kathēkon) was standard in Stoic and popular Greek ethics, which discussed duties according to one's station. Wife, husband, child and slave each had what was 'fitting'. Paul is using language his hearers knew from the moral teaching all around them.

Where it appears

Ephesians · 1

  1. Ephesians 5:4 ἀνῆκεν were fit

    Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk, or crude joking, which are out of character, but rather thanksgiving.

    Here: 'Were fitting'. Greek used the past tense idiomatically for what is or was proper, as in Colossians 3:18. It echoes 'as is fitting for saints' in verse 3. These ways of talking do not belong to people set apart for God.

Colossians · 1

  1. Colossians 3:18 ἀνῆκεν was fitting

    Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

    Here: Greek moral writing used this word for 'what is proper, what befits'. The form is past tense, but Greek often used the past tense for what is fitting now. In English it reads as 'is fitting'.

Philemon · 1

  1. Philemon 1:8 ἀνῆκον befitting

    So although in Christ I am bold enough to order you to do what is proper,

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