ἄξιος

Matthew 3:8 ἄξιον worthy

Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance.

Here: Originally 'weighing as much as', so 'matching' or 'in proportion to'. The fruit has to match the repentance it claims to come from. It does not mean that the fruit earns anything.

Matthew 10:10 ἄξιος worthy [is]

Take no bag for the road, or second tunic, or sandals, or staff; for the worker is worthy of his provisions.

Here: With the genitive it means "having a rightful claim to" or "worth" something, like a fair price on a scale. It does not mean morally good enough. The word comes back in vv. 11 and 13: the worker is worthy of food, and the household must prove worthy of the worker.

Matthew 10:11 ἄξιός worthy

Whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy there and stay at his house until you move on.

Here: Literally 'of matching weight': someone fit to receive the messengers. The word repeats v. 10 ('the worker is worthy of his food') and is picked up in v. 13 ('if the house is worthy'). The worthy host is the one whose welcome matches the message and the messengers.

Matthew 10:13 ἀξία, ἀξία, worthy,

If the home is worthy, let your peace rest on it, but if it is not, let your peace return to you.

Here: 'Fit for it', 'matching it'. Matthew's context (vv.11, 14) shows what this means: a household that welcomes the messengers and listens to their message, not one that has earned a blessing by being good.

Matthew 10:37 ἄξιος, ἄξιος· worthy,, worthy;

Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me;

Here: Being a fitting match for something, suited to it. Here it means fit to be his disciple. It is the key word of the whole mission speech in Matthew 10 (verses 10, 11, 13, 37, 38).

Matthew 10:38 ἄξιος. worthy.

and anyone who does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me.

Here: Fitting, matching, of equal weight. Someone who will not take the cross does not match Jesus and is not a fitting disciple of his. It is a verdict about belonging, not a score of moral merit.

Matthew 22:8 ἄξιοι. worthy.

Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited were not worthy.

Luke 3:8 ἀξίους worthy

Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.

Here: 'Of matching weight', fruit that fits and answers to the repentance claimed. The point is that it matches the repentance, not that it earns anything.

Luke 7:4 ἄξιός Worthy

They came to Jesus and pleaded with Him earnestly, “This man is worthy to have You grant this,

Luke 10:7 ἄξιος worthy [is]

Stay at the same house, eating and drinking whatever you are offered. For the worker is worthy of his wages. Do not move around from house to house.

Here: Placed first for emphasis: "deserving" is the worker. This is about having earned something and having a right to it, not about moral or spiritual merit.

Luke 12:48 ἄξια [things] worthy

But the one who unknowingly does things worthy of punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from him who has been entrusted with much, even more will be demanded.

Here: 'Things deserving' blows. It is a verdict word: what he did actually merits punishment. The phrase echoes the Greek of Deuteronomy 25:2, 'if the guilty one deserves blows'.

Luke 15:19 ἄξιος worthy

I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’

Luke 15:21 ἄξιος worthy

The son declared, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

Here: 'Deserving, entitled, matching in value.' He is saying he has no rightful claim to the title 'son'. It is a statement about what he has earned, not about his value as a person.

Luke 23:15 ἄξιον worthy

Neither has Herod, for he sent Him back to us. As you can see, He has done nothing deserving of death.

Luke 23:41 ἄξια Worthy

We are punished justly, for we are receiving what our actions deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

Here: "Things worth, things matching." Placed first in its clause for emphasis, it says what they are receiving corresponds in value to what they did. The penalty fits.

John 1:27 ἄξιος worthy

He is the One who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”

Here: "Of matching weight or rank, fit for." John says he does not measure up even to the place of the lowest servant before this person. The point is rank and fitness, not that he feels morally unclean.

Acts 13:25 ἄξιος worthy

As John was completing his course, he said, ‘Who do you suppose I am? I am not that One. But there is One coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’

Here: 'Of enough standing or weight', fit for something. John says he does not rank high enough even for a slave's job in this person's household.

Acts 13:46 ἀξίους worthy

Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “It was necessary to speak the word of God to you first. But since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.

Here: "Fit for" or "matched to" something. The idea is that what you do measures up to what you receive. It is not about self-esteem.

Acts 23:29 ἄξιον [of anything] worthy

I found that the accusation involved questions about their own law, but there was no charge worthy of death or imprisonment.

Here: 'Deserving of' a penalty. This is the language of sentencing, used throughout Luke-Acts for innocence verdicts.

Acts 25:11 ἄξιον worthy

If, however, I am guilty of anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if there is no truth to their accusations against me, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”

Here: "Deserving of," in the sense of weighing as much as. With "of death" it is a fixed legal phrase for a capital offense.

Acts 25:25 ἄξιον worthy

But I found he had done nothing worthy of death, and since he has now appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him.

Acts 26:20 ἄξια worthy

First to those in Damascus and Jerusalem, then to everyone in the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I declared that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds worthy of their repentance.

Here: "Matching" or "in keeping with". The image comes from a balance scale: works that weigh the same as the repentance they claim, so that life and profession correspond. It does not mean works that earn something.

Acts 26:31 ἄξιόν worthy

On their way out, they said to one another, “This man has done nothing worthy of death or imprisonment.”

Romans 1:32 ἄξιοι worthy

Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things are worthy of death, they not only continue to do these things, but also approve of those who practice them.

Here: The word's root idea is something that 'weighs as much as' something else. With 'of death' it is a courtroom formula: 'deserving death', 'liable to death'.

Romans 8:18 ἄξια comparable

I consider that our present sufferings are not comparable to the glory that will be revealed in us.

Here: Its root picture is weight on a balance: something that is axios matches what sits on the other pan. The sufferings do not balance the glory. The verb "are" is left out, as Greek often does.

1 Corinthians 16:4 ἄξιον suitable

And if it is advisable for me to go also, they can travel with me.

Here: Worthwhile, of enough weight to justify something. It is used impersonally ('if it is worth it') and says nothing about anyone's moral merit.

2 Thessalonians 1:3 ἄξιόν fitting

We are obligated to thank God for you all the time, brothers, as is fitting, because your faith is growing more and more, and your love for one another is increasing.

Here: 'Fitting, deserved'. The word pictures weighing things on a scale: the Thessalonians' growth really does warrant this thanks. It is not flattery.

1 Timothy 1:15 ἄξιος worthy

This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst.

Here: The saying 'deserves' or 'merits' full welcome. The word has the sense of weight on a scale: the statement has the value to justify it.

1 Timothy 4:9 ἄξιος. worthy.

This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance.

1 Timothy 5:18 ἄξιος Worthy [is]

For the Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and, “The worker is worthy of his wages.”

Here: "Deserving of, entitled to." The word pictures a balance: the work weighs as much as the wage, so the wage is owed and is not a favour.

1 Timothy 6:1 ἀξίους worthy

All who are under the yoke of slavery should regard their masters as fully worthy of honor, so that God’s name and our teaching will not be discredited.

Here: "Worthy" or "deserving": the masters are to be counted as people who have honor coming to them.

Hebrews 11:38 ἄξιος worthy

The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and hid in caves and holes in the ground.

Here: The root picture is weighing: something that balances the scale against something else. Put on the scale against these destitute people, the world comes up light.

Revelation 3:4 ἄξιοί worthy

But you do have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments, and because they are worthy, they will walk with Me in white.

Here: Literally 'of matching weight'. Their lives match the reward. Masculine plural, because people are meant.

Revelation 4:11 ἄξιος Worthy

“Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things; by Your will they exist and were created.”

Here: Placed first for emphasis. It is the opening word of a public acclamation: 'Worthy!' It says the honors that follow match who God is. They are his rightful due, not a reward he has earned.

Revelation 5:2 ἄξιος worthy

And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?”

Here: Having the standing, rank and qualification that match the task, someone who "weighs enough" for it. This is the key word of chapter 5. The answer comes in 5:9: "Worthy are you… because you were slain."

Revelation 5:4 ἄξιος worthy

And I began to weep bitterly, because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or look inside it.

Here: Having the standing, rank and fitness to do this act. It answers the angel's question 'Who is worthy?' (v. 2) and points ahead to the hymn 'Worthy are you… because you were slain' (v. 9).

Revelation 5:9 ἄξιος Worthy

And they sang a new song: “Worthy are You to take the scroll and open its seals, because You were slain, and by Your blood You purchased for God those from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.

Here: The first word of the song, a public acclamation: 'Worthy!' The Lamb is declared to have the standing to take the scroll. The same cry went up to God in 4:11, and here it goes to the Lamb.

Revelation 5:12 ἄξιόν Worthy

In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”

Here: Opens the acclamation with the key verdict. It is neuter to agree with the neuter noun 'Lamb'. It repeats the 'Worthy are you' said to God in 4:11 and to the Lamb in 5:9.

Revelation 16:6 ἄξιοί worthy

For they have spilled the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink, as they deserve.”

Here: 'Deserving.' The word means something weighs as much as what it is set against. Here the punishment matches the deed. Everywhere else in Revelation the word is praise ('worthy are you', 4:11; 5:9). Only here is it turned against people.