weak
asthenes describes bodily illness, limited strength, or a condition regarded as less able, effective, or resilient.
The term most often marks a lack of strength or effectiveness, whether of things set against stronger ones, the flesh in temptation, or a commandment described as ineffective. It also describes bodily sickness and people whose conscience or situation calls for care.
Senses in use
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Lacking strength or effectiveness · dominant
Neuter forms describe things contrasted with what is stronger or wiser: in 1 Corinthians 1:25 the APB renders a “weak thing of God” as stronger than human beings, and in 1 Corinthians 1:27 it renders “weak things of the world” chosen against the strong. In Galatians 4:9 the term qualifies elemental principles, while Hebrews 7:18 places it in the stated reason for setting aside a preceding commandment; 1 Corinthians 12:22 uses the comparative for body members that seem less strong yet are necessary.
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Bodily illness or physical weakness · common
In healing contexts, the plural masculine form identifies people to be healed or brought for healing: the APB renders this as “the weak” in Luke 9:2 and “the sick” in Luke 10:9 and Acts 5:15. Acts 4:9 concerns a good deed done to a weak man, and 1 Corinthians 11:30 places the plural alongside illness; 2 Corinthians 10:10 applies the feminine singular to bodily presence.
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Persons needing support or liable to harm · common
In 1 Corinthians 8:7, the feminine singular describes a conscience that is defiled in connection with idol-offered food, and 1 Corinthians 8:9 warns that another person may be made to stumble. In 1 Corinthians 9:22, becoming weak to the weak is linked with seeking to gain them; 1 Thessalonians 5:14 directs hearers to hold fast to such people.
In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB variously presents the term with “weak,” “weaker,” and “sick,” according to the verse’s setting. Because it is a whole-verse translation, these renderings indicate the clauses’ overall presentation rather than fixed English equivalents.