ἀχρεῖος

ἀχρεῖος — achreîos

ἀχρεῖος, ἀχρεῖον (χρεῖος useful), useless, good for nothing: Mat 25:30 (δοῦλος, cf. Plato, Alc. 1:17, p. 122 b. τῶν οἰκετῶν τόν ἀχρειοτατον); by an hyperbole of pious modesty in Luk 17:10 'the servant' calls himself ἀχρεῖον, because, although he has done all, yet he has done nothing except what he ought to have done; accordingly he possesses no merit, and could only claim to be called 'profitable,' should he do more than what he is bound to do; cf. Bengel, at the passage. (Often in Greek writings from Homer down; Xenophon, mem. 1, 2, 54 ἀχρεῖον καί ἀνωφελές. The Sept. 2Sa 6:22 equivalent to שָׁפָל low, base.) (Synonyms: cf. Tittmann ii., p. 11f; Ellicott on Phm 1:11.)