barren, idle, slow

Concise Bible Dictionary:

The words βραδύς, νωθρός, and ἀργός have similar meanings. βραδύς occurs but three times in the N. T.; it differs from the other words in that it is used in a good as well as a bad sense, having only reference to time: 'slow,' in the sense of tardy. The Lord said, "O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken," Luke 24:25²⁵Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: (Luke 24:25); but in Jas. 1:19¹⁹Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: (James 1:19) the exhortation is "be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath."

νωθρός seems to imply more habitual slothfulness. It occurs but twice in the N. T. The Hebrew saints were "dull of hearing" when they ought by diligence to have been teachers, Heb. 5:11¹¹Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. (Hebrews 5:11); and are exhorted not to be ‘slothful,' but followers of those that inherit the promises. Chap. 6:12. It occurs once in the LXX: it is not fit that one diligent in business should attend on slothful men, Pro22:29.

ἀργός (perhaps from ἀεργός, a neg., and ἔργον, work ') differs from the above in that it is applied to things as well as to persons, and involves blameworthiness. In Matt. 12:36³⁶But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. (Matthew 12:36), "every ‘idle' word that men shall speak" will have to be accounted for. It is translated ‘idle' in Matt. 20:3, 6, 6³And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, (Matthew 20:3)
⁶And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? (Matthew 20:6)
⁶And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? (Matthew 20:6); 1 Tim. 5:13, 13¹³And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. (1 Timothy 5:13)
¹³And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. (1 Timothy 5:13). In Titus 1:1¹Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; (Titus 1:1)2 The Cretans are said to be slow bellies,' or lazy gluttons.' In 2 Pet. 1:8⁸For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:8), in "using all diligence".... they would be "neither idle nor unfruitful."

In the LXX ἀργός occurs in 1 Kings 6:7⁷And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building. (1 Kings 6:7) (11), applied to the stones for the temple, but in what sense is not clear, unless it be that there was no

more work to be done upon them. Sir C. Brenton translates ‘rough hewn stones.'

Strong’s Dictionary of Greek Words:

Number:

692 (find all occurrences in KJV Bible)

Greek:

ἀργός

Transliteration:

argos

Phonic:

ar-gos’

Meaning:

from 1 (as a negative particle) and 2041; inactive, i.e. unemployed; (by implication) lazy, useless

KJV Usage:

barren, idle, slow