Original Word: ἱκανός
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: hikanos
Pronunciation: hee-kah-nos'
Phonetic Spelling: (hik-an-os')
KJV: able, + content, enough, good, great, large, long (while), many, meet, much, security, sore, sufficient, worthy
NASB: many, long, considerable, fit, adequate, worthy, able
Word Origin: [from hiko "to arrive" (hikano or hikneomai, akin to G2240 (ἥκω - come))]
1. competent (as if coming in season), i.e. ample (in amount) or fit (in character)
From hiko (hikano or hikneomai, akin to heko) (to arrive); competent (as if coming in season), i.e. Ample (in amount) or fit (in character) -- able, + content, enough, good, great, large, long (while), many, meet, much, security, sore, sufficient, worthy.
see GREEK heko
2425 hikanós (an adjective, derived from the root, hikō, "arrive, come to") – "properly, reach to (attain); hence, adequate, sufficient" (J. Thayer).
[フレーム]a. of number and quantity; with nouns, many enough, or enough with a genitive: ὄχλος ἱκανός, a great multitude (A. V. often much people), Mark 10:46; Luke 7:12; Acts 11:24, 26; Acts 19:26; λαός, Acts 5:37 R G; κλαυθμός, Acts 20:37; ἀργύρια ἱκανά (A. V. large money, cf. the colloquial, 'money enough'), Matthew 28:12; λαμπάδες, Acts 20:8; λόγοι, Luke 23:9; φῶς ἱκανόν, a considerable light (A. V. a great light), Acts 22:6. of time: ἱκανῷ χρόνῳ (cf. Winers Grammar, § 31, 9; Buttmann, § 133, 26) for a long time (Luke 8:27 T Tr text WH); Acts 8:11; also ἱκανόν χρόνον, Acts 14:3; and plural Luke 20:9; ἐξ ἱκανοῦ, of a long time, now for a long time, Luke 23:8 R G; also ἐκ χρόνων, ἱκανῶν, Luke 8:27 R G L Tr marginal reading; Luke 23:8 L T Tr WH; (ἀπό ἱκανῶν ἐτῶν, these many years, Romans 15:23 WH Tr text); ἱκανοῦ ... χρόνου διαγενομένου, much time having elapsed, Acts 27:9; ἐφ' ἱκανόν for a long while, Acts 20:11 (2 Macc. 8:25; Diodorus 13, 100; Palaeph. 28); ἡμέραι (cf. Lightfoot on Galatians, p. 89 n.), Acts 9:23, 43; Acts 18:18; Acts 27:7. absolutely, ἱκανοί, many, a considerable number: Luke 7:11 (R G L brackets T Tr marginal reading brackets); Acts 12:12; Acts 14:21; Acts 19:19; 1 Corinthians 11:30 (1 Macc. 13:49, etc.). ἱκανόν ἐστιν, it is enough, equivalent to enough has been said on this subject, Luke 22:38 (for Jesus, saddened at the paltry ideas of the disciples, breaks off in this way the conversation; the Jews, when a companion uttered anything absurd, were accustomed to use the phrase לָכֶם רַב (A. V. let it suffice thee, etc.), as in Deuteronomy 3:26, where the Sept. ἱκανούσθω) ἱκανόν τῷ τοιούτῳ ἡ ἐπιτιμία αὕτη, SC. ἐστι, sufficient ... is this punishment, 2 Corinthians 2:6; after the Latin idiom satisfacere alicui, τό ἱκανόν ποιεῖν τίνι, to take away from one every ground of complaint (A. V. to content), Mark 15:15 (Polybius 32, 7, 13; Appendix, Puff., p. 68, Toll. edition (sec. 74, i., p. 402 edition Schweig.); (Diogenes Laërtius 4, 50); τό ἱκανο λαμβάνω (Latinsatisaccipio), to take security (either by accepting sponsors, or by a deposit of money until the case had been decided), Acts 17:9.
b. sufficient in ability, i. e. meet, fit (German tüchtig (A. V. worthy, able, etc.)): πρός τί, for something, 2 Corinthians 2:16; followed by an infinitive (Buttmann, 260 (223f)), Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:7; Luke 3:16; 1 Corinthians 15:9; 2 Corinthians 3:5; 2 Timothy 2:2; followed by ἵνα with subjunctive (Buttmann, 240 (207); cf. Winer's Grammar, 335 (314)): Matthew 8:8; Luke 7:6. Ἱκανός moves along two chief axes in Scripture: qualitative adequacy ("sufficient, competent, worthy") and quantitative abundance ("many, considerable, long"). The contexts decide which nuance dominates, but both ideas often interlace, revealing how Scripture views sufficiency—whether of character, time, or number—as ultimately defined by God. Human Unworthiness before the Messiah John the Baptist and the Roman centurion use ἱκανός negatively to magnify Christ’s supremacy. Their confession of inadequacy prepares the reader for the revelation of Jesus’ divine authority. Paul echoes the theme: "I am the least of the apostles and am unworthy to be called an apostle" (1 Corinthians 15:9). Divine Sufficiency for Ministry While people are insufficient in themselves, God supplies the needed competence. In Acts 14:3 and Acts 20:11 the word marks an "ample" period in which Paul speaks or remains, showing that effective ministry is tied to God-allotted opportunity. Quantitative Force: Many, Great, Considerable Ἱκανός frequently describes crowds, quantities, or length: The word underscores the momentum of the gospel—large gatherings, extended preaching tours, far-reaching impact. Judicial and Diplomatic Adequacy In legal or political scenes ἱκανός signals grounds deemed "sufficient." Luke 23:8–9 portrays Herod’s hope for "some sign" and his later barrage of questions "in many words," yet no evidence proves adequate to condemn Jesus apart from the crowd’s pressure. Chronological and Spatial Adequacy Time and distance measured by ἱκανός show God’s providential pacing. Such notices reassure readers that mission advances within divinely permitted spans, even amid delay or danger. Pastoral and Ecclesiological Implications 1. Humility: Servants confess with John the Baptist, "I am not worthy," guarding against self-promotion. Christological and Soteriological Insights The gospels juxtapose human insufficiency with Christ’s all-sufficiency. The Baptist’s unworthiness illumines the Lamb’s worthiness; the centurion’s confession precedes a healing accomplished by a mere word; Pilate’s and Herod’s misjudgments contrast with the Father’s declaration of the Son’s perfection. Thus ἱκανός, whether meaning "not worthy" or "many," repeatedly drives readers to rely on the adequacy found in Jesus’ person and work. Summary Ἱκανός threads through the New Testament as a reminder that true sufficiency—of character, capacity, or quantity—originates with God. Believers acknowledge their own inadequacy, receive divine competence for service, and witness the gospel’s expansive reach, all under the gracious verdict that what God provides is always "sufficient."
[フレーム]
• Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:7; Luke 3:16 – "whose sandals I am not worthy to carry/untie."
• Luke 7:6 – "Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy to have You come under my roof."
• 2 Corinthians 3:5 – "Not that we are competent in ourselves... but our competence comes from God."
• 2 Corinthians 2:16 – "Who is qualified for such a task?" followed by 3:5’s answer.
• 2 Timothy 2:2 – leaders must entrust truth "to reliable men who will be qualified to teach others."
• Luke 8:32 – "a large herd of pigs."
• Acts 11:24 – "and a great number of people were brought to the Lord."
• Acts 19:19 – "a number of those who had practiced sorcery..."
• Acts 20:37 – "They all wept openly" (literally, "wept much").
• Acts 27:7, 9 – "many days... considerable time had passed."
• Mark 15:15 – Pilate, "wishing to satisfy the crowd," finds the uproar sufficient cause to hand Jesus over.
• Acts 22:6 – Paul receives "a bright light" strong enough to halt him.
• Acts 12:12; 17:9 – security or bail "sufficient" for authorities.
• Acts 9:43; 18:18 – Paul stays "many days."
• Acts 27:7 – slow sailing "for many days" before reaching safety.
2. Dependence: Competence for covenant ministry arises only "from God" (2 Corinthians 3:5).
3. Discipleship: Leaders pass sound doctrine to those "qualified to teach others" (2 Timothy 2:2), multiplying effective workers.
4. Encouragement: Apparent shortages (ability, numbers, time) can be overcome when the Lord designates them "sufficient."
Matthew 8:8 Adj-NMS
GRK: οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς ἵνα μου
NAS: I am not worthy for You to come
KJV: not worthy that
INT: not I am worthy that of me
Matthew 28:12 Adj-ANP
GRK: λαβόντες ἀργύρια ἱκανὰ ἔδωκαν τοῖς
NAS: they gave a large sum of money
KJV: they gave large money
INT: having taken silver pieces much they gave to the
Mark 1:7 Adj-NMS
GRK: οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς κύψας λῦσαι
NAS: than I, and I am not fit to stoop down
KJV: not worthy to stoop down
INT: not I am fit having stooped down to untie
Mark 10:46 Adj-GMS
GRK: καὶ ὄχλου ἱκανοῦ ὁ υἱὸς
NAS: with His disciples and a large crowd,
KJV: and a great number of people,
INT: and a crowd large a son
Mark 15:15 Adj-ANS
GRK: ὄχλῳ τὸ ἱκανὸν ποιῆσαι ἀπέλυσεν
KJV: willing to content the people,
INT: crowd that which [was] satisfactory to do released
Luke 3:16 Adj-NMS
GRK: οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς λῦσαι τὸν
NAS: than I, and I am not fit to untie
KJV: I am not worthy to unloose: he
INT: not I am fit to untie the
Luke 7:6 Adj-NMS
GRK: οὐ γὰρ ἱκανός εἰμι ἵνα
NAS: Yourself further, for I am not worthy for You to come
KJV: not worthy that
INT: not for worthy I am that
Luke 7:12 Adj-NMS
GRK: τῆς πόλεως ἱκανὸς ἦν σὺν
NAS: and she was a widow; and a sizeable crowd
KJV: a widow: and much people of the city
INT: of the town considerable was [was] with
Luke 8:27 Adj-DMS
GRK: καὶ χρόνῳ ἱκανῷ οὐκ ἐνεδύσατο
NAS: on any clothing for a long time,
INT: and time a long not was wearing
Luke 8:32 Adj-GMP
GRK: ἀγέλη χοίρων ἱκανῶν βοσκομένη ἐν
NAS: there was a herd of many swine
KJV: there an herd of many swine feeding
INT: a herd of pigs many feeding in
Luke 20:9 Adj-AMP
GRK: ἀπεδήμησεν χρόνους ἱκανούς
NAS: and went on a journey for a long time.
KJV: went into a far country for a long time.
INT: left the region a time long
Luke 22:38 Adj-NNS
GRK: εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Ἱκανόν ἐστιν
NAS: And He said to them, It is enough.
KJV: unto them, It is enough.
INT: he said to them Enough it is
Luke 23:8 Adj-GMP
GRK: γὰρ ἐξ ἱκανῶν χρόνων θέλων
NAS: to see Him for a long time,
KJV: of a long [season], because
INT: indeed of a long time wishing
Luke 23:9 Adj-DMP
GRK: ἐν λόγοις ἱκανοῖς αὐτὸς δὲ
NAS: And he questioned Him at some length;
KJV: with him in many words; but
INT: in words many he however
Acts 8:11 Adj-DMS
GRK: διὰ τὸ ἱκανῷ χρόνῳ ταῖς
NAS: because he had for a long time
KJV: because that of long time
INT: because the long time with the
Acts 9:23 Adj-NFP
GRK: ἐπληροῦντο ἡμέραι ἱκαναί συνεβουλεύσαντο οἱ
NAS: When many days had elapsed,
KJV: after that many days
INT: were passed days many consulted together the
Acts 9:43 Adj-AFP
GRK: δὲ ἡμέρας ἱκανὰς μεῖναι ἐν
NAS: And Peter stayed many days in Joppa
KJV: that he tarried many days in
INT: moreover days many he abode in
Acts 11:24 Adj-NMS
GRK: προσετέθη ὄχλος ἱκανὸς τῷ κυρίῳ
NAS: and of faith. And considerable numbers
KJV: of faith: and much people was added
INT: was added a crowd large to the Lord
Acts 11:26 Adj-AMS
GRK: διδάξαι ὄχλον ἱκανόν χρηματίσαι τε
NAS: and taught considerable numbers;
KJV: and taught much people. And
INT: taught a crowd large were called moreover
Acts 12:12 Adj-NMP
GRK: οὗ ἦσαν ἱκανοὶ συνηθροισμένοι καὶ
NAS: where many were gathered together
KJV: where many were
INT: where were many gathered together and
Acts 14:3 Adj-AMS
GRK: ἱκανὸν μὲν οὖν
NAS: they spent a long time
KJV: Long time therefore
INT: A long indeed Therefore
Acts 14:21 Adj-AMP
GRK: καὶ μαθητεύσαντες ἱκανοὺς ὑπέστρεψαν εἰς
NAS: and had made many disciples,
KJV: had taught many, they returned again
INT: and having discipled many they returned to
Acts 17:9 Adj-ANS
GRK: λαβόντες τὸ ἱκανὸν παρὰ τοῦ
NAS: And when they had received a pledge from Jason
KJV: when they had taken security of
INT: having taken security [money] from
Acts 18:18 Adj-AFP
GRK: προσμείνας ἡμέρας ἱκανὰς τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς
NAS: having remained many days
KJV: [there] yet a good while,
INT: having remained days many the brothers
Strong's Greek 2425
39 Occurrences
ἱκανὰ — 1 Occ.
ἱκαναί — 2 Occ.
ἱκαναῖς — 1 Occ.
ἱκανὰς — 2 Occ.
ἱκανῷ — 2 Occ.
ἱκανῶν — 2 Occ.
ἱκανοὶ — 5 Occ.
ἱκανοῖς — 1 Occ.
ἱκανὸν — 9 Occ.
ἱκανὸς — 10 Occ.
ἱκανοῦ — 2 Occ.
ἱκανούς — 2 Occ.