καλός

καλός — kalós

καλός, καλή, καλόν (probably primarily 'sound,' 'hale,' 'whole;' cf. Vanicek, p. 140f; Curtius, § 31), the Sept. for יָפֶה beautiful, but much more often for טוב good; beautiful, applied by the Greeks to everything so distinguished in form, excellence, goodness, usefulness, as to be pleasing; hence (according to the context) equivalent to "beautiful, handsome, excellent, eminent, choice, surpassing, precious, useful, suitable, commendable, admirable";

a. beautiful to look at, shapely, magnificent: λίθοις καλοῖς κεκόσμηται (A. V. goodly), Luk 21:5.

b. good, excellent in its nature and characteristics, and therefore well adapted to its ends: joined to the names of material objects, universally, 1Ti 4:4 (equivalent to pure); especially of things so constituted as to answer the purpose for which that class of things was created; good of its kind: τά καλά, of fish, opposed to such as are thrown away (τά σαπρά), Mat 13:48; σπέρμα, Mat 13:24; Mat 13:21; Mat 13:37 f; καρπός, Mat 3:10; Mat 7:17-19; Mat 12:33; Luk 3:9 (L WH brackets καλόν);; δένδρον, opposed to σαπρόν, Mat 12:33; Luk 6:43; γῆ, Mat 13:8; Mat 13:23; Mar 4:8; Mar 4:20; Luk 8:15; καλόν τό ἅλας (is an excellent thing), Mar 9:50; Luk 14:34; so too ὁ νόμος, good in its substance and nature, and fitted to beget good, Rom 7:16; 1Ti 1:8; διδασκαλία, true and approved teaching, 1Ti 4:6; καρδία καλή καί ἀγαθή, Luk 8:15; παραθήκη (which see) (containing (rather, consisting of) καλά), 2Ti 1:14; μέτρον, ample measure (rabbinical, טובה מדה; English good measure), Luk 6:38; βαθμός (firm (but see βαθμός)), 1Ti 3:13; also θεμέλιος, 1Ti 6:19; equivalent to genuine, approved, πάντα δοκιμάζετε, τό καλόν κατέχετε, 1Th 5:21; equivalent to precious (A. V. goodly), μαργαρῖται, Mat 13:45; equivalent to superior to other kinds, οἶνος, Joh 2:10; joined to names of men designated by their office, competent, able, such as one ought to be: ποιμήν, Joh 10:11; Joh 10:14; διάκονος, 1Ti 4:6; οἰκονόμος, 1Pe 4:10; στρατιώτης, 2Ti 2:3; joined to nouns denoting an effect estimated by the power it involves, or by its constancy, or by the end aimed at by its author, equivalent to praiseworthy, noble: στρατεία, 1Ti 1:18; ἀγών, 1Ti 6:12; 2Ti 4:7; ὁμολογία, 1Ti 6:12 f; ἔργον, Mat 26:10; Mar 14:6; Joh 10:33; 1Ti 3:1; plural Joh 10:32. καλόν ἐστιν, it is expedient, profitable, wholesome: followed by an infinitive as subject, 1Co 7:1; with τίνι added (so in 1 Corinthians, the passage cited also), Mat 18:8 f (cf. Winers Grammar, 241 (226); Buttmann, § 149, 7); Mar 9:43; Mar 9:45; Mar 9:47, R G (also L Tr marginal reading in 47); 1Co 7:26; 1Co 9:15; καλόν ἐστιν followed by the accusative and infinitive, Mar 9:43; Mar 9:45; Mar 9:47, L (but see above) T Tr (but not marginal reading, see above) WH; Heb 13:9; followed by εἰ (cf. Buttmann, 217 (187f); Winer's Grammar, 282 (265)), Mat 26:24; Mar 9:42; Mar 14:21; followed by ἐάν (Buttmann and Winer's Grammar, as above), 1Co 7:8; it is pleasant, delightful, followed by an accusative with an infinitive: Mat 17:4; Mar 9:5; Luk 9:33.

c. beautiful by reason of purity of heart and life, and hence praiseworthy; morally good, noble, (Latinhonestus; (cf. Aristotle, τό καθ' αὐτό καλόν)): διάκρισις καλοῦ τέ καί κακοῦ, Heb 5:14; ἔργα, Mat 5:16; 1Ti 5:10; 1Ti 5:25; 1Ti 6:18; Tit 2:7; Tit 2:14; Tit 3:8; Tit 3:14; Heb 10:24; 1Pe 2:12, and Lachmann in 2Pe 1:10; ἀναστροφή, Jas 3:13; 1Pe 2:12; καλή συνείδησις, consciousness of good deeds (A. V. a good conscience), Heb 13:18; καλά, καλόν ἐνώπιον τίνος, in one's judgment, Rom 12:17; 2Co 8:21; 1Ti 2:3 and Rec. in 1Ti 5:4; ζηλοῦσθαι ἐν καλῷ, Gal 4:18; τό καλόν κατεργάζεσθαι, Rom 7:18; ποιεῖν, Rom 7:21; 2Co 13:7; Gal 6:9; Jas 4:17; καλόν ἐστιν, it is right, proper, becoming, followed by an infinitive: Mat 15:26 (L T ἔξεστιν); (Mar 7:27); Gal 4:18 (here Tr marginal reading imperative); Rom 14:21.

d. honorable, conferring honor: μαρτυρία, 1Ti 3:7; ὄνομα, Jas 2:7; οὐ καλόν τό καύχημα ὑμῶν, 1Co 5:6.

e. affecting the mind agreeably, comforting and confirming: Θεοῦ ῤῆμα (the Sept. for טוב דָּבָר, which is spoken of the divine promises, Jos 21:45; Zec 1:13), the gospel and its promises full of consolation, Heb 6:5. Compar. καλλίων, κάλλιον, better: neut, adverbially, σύ κάλλιον ἐπιγινώσκεις, i. e. better than by thy question thou seemest to know, Act 25:10 (Winers Grammar, 242 (227)). The word is not found in the Apocalypse. (Cf. Trench, § cvi. at the end; Zezschwitz, Profangräcität as above with, p. 60f (cf. ἀγαθός, at the end); Westcott on Joh 10:11.)