ἀγαθός, -7, -όν, (akin to ἄγαμαι to wonder at, think highly of, ἀγαστός admirable, as explained by Plato, Crat. p. 412 ο. [al. al.; ef. Donaldson, New Crat. § 8287), in general denotes “ perfectus, . . . qui habet in se ac facit omnia quae habere et facere debet pro notione nominis, oflicio ac lege” (Irmisch ad Hdian. 1, 4, p. 134), excelling in any respect, distinguished, good. It can be predicated of persons, things, conditions, qualities and affections of the soul, deeds, times and seasons. To this general signif. can be traced back all those senses which the word gathers fr. the connection in which it stands; 1. of a good constitution or nature: γῆ, Lk. viii. 8; δένδρον, Mt. vii. 18, in sense equiv. to ‘fertile soil,’ ‘a fruitful tree,’ (Xen. oec. 16, 7 γῆ ἀγαθή, . . . γῆ κακή, an. 2, 4, 22 χώρας πολλῆς kK. ἀγαθῆς οὔσης). In Lk. viii. 15 ἀγαθὴ καρδία corresponds to the fig. expression “good ground”, and denotes a soul inclined to goodness, and accordingly eager to learn saving truth and ready to bear the fruits (καρποὺς ἀγαθούς, Jas. iii. 17) of a Christian life. 2. useful, salutary: δόσις ἀγαθή (joined to δώρημα τέλειον) a gift which is truly a gift, salutary, Jas. i. 17; δόματα ἀγαθά, Mt. vii. 115 ἐντολὴ ay. a commandment profitable to those who keep it, Ro. vii. 12, ace. to a Grk. scholium equiv. to εἰς τὸ συμφέρον εἰσηγουμένη, hence the question in vs. 13: τὸ οὖν ἀγαθὸν ἐμοὶ γέγονε θάνατος; ay. μερίς the ‘good part,’ which insures salvation to him who chooses it, Lk. x. 425 ἔργον ay. (differently in Ro. ii. 7, ete.) the saving work of God, i. e. substantially, the Christian life, due to divine efficiency, Phil. i. 6 [ef. the Comm. ad loc.]; εἰς ἀγαθόν for good, to advantage, Ro. viii. 28 (Sir. vii. 13; πάντα τοῖς εὐσεβέσι εἰς ἀγαθά, ... τοῖς duapτωλοῖς εἰς κακά, Sir. XXXix. 27; τὸ κακὸν . «. « γίγνεται εἰς ἀγαθόν, Theognis 162); good for, suited to something : πρὸς οἰκοδομήν, Eph. iv. 29 [ef. W. 363 (340)] (Xen. mem.4,6,10). 3. of the feeling awakened by what is good, pleasant, agreeable, joyful, happy: ἡμέραι ay. 1 Pet. iii. 10 (Ps. xxxiii. (xxxiv.) 13; Sir. xiv. 14; 1 Mace. x. 55); ἐλπίς, 2 Th. ii. 16 (μακαρία ἐλπίς, ΤΙΣ. ii. 13) ; συνείδησις, a peaceful conscience, i. q. consciousness of rectitude, Acts xxiii. 1; 1 Tim. i. 5,19; 1 Pet. iii. 15; reconciled to God, vs. 21. 4. excellent, distinguished : so τὶ ἀγαθόν, Jn. i. 46 (47). 5. upright, honorable : Mt. xii. 34; xix.16; Lk. vi. 45; Acts xi. 24; 1 Pet. iii. 11, etc.; πονηροὶ x. ἀγαθοί, Mt. ν. 45; xxii. 10; dyad. καὶ δίκαιος, Lk. xxiii. 50; καρδία ἀγαθὴ x. καλή, Lk. viii. 15 (see καλός, b.); fulfilling the duty or service demanded, δοῦλε ἀγαθὲ x. moré, Mt. xxv. 21, 23; upright, free from guile, particularly from a desire to corrupt the people, Jn. vii. 12; pre-eminently of God, as consummately and essentially good, Mt. xix. 17 (Mk. x. 18; Lk. xviii. 19) ; dy. θησαυρός in Mt. xii. 35; Lk. vi. 45 denotes the soul considered as the repository of pure thoughts which are brought forth in speech; πίστις dy. the fidelity due from a servant to his master, Tit. ii. 10 (WH mrg. om.]; on dyad. ἔργον, ay. ἔργα, see ἔργον. In a narrower sense, benevolent, kind, generous: Mt. xx. 15; 1 Pet. ii. 18; μνεία, 1 Th. iii. 6 (cf. 2 Mace. vii. 20) ; beneficent (Xen. Cyr. 3, 3, 4; 210, Jer. xxxiii. 11; Ps. xxxiv. 9; Cic. nat. deor. 2, 25, 64 “optimus i. e. beneficentissimus”), Ro. v. 7, where the meaning is, Hardly for an innocent man does one encounter death; for if he even dares hazard his life for another, he does so for a benefactor (one from whom he has received favors); cf. W. 117 (111); [Gifford in the Speaker’s Com. p. 123]. The neuter used substantively denotes 1. a good thing, convenience, advantage, and in partic. a. in the plur., external goods, riches: Lk. i. 53; xii. 18 sq. (Sir. xiv. 4; Sap. vii. 11); τὰ ἀγαθά σου comforts and delights which thy wealth procured for thee in abundance, Lk. xvi. 25 (opp. to κακά, as in Sir. xi. 14); outward and inward good things, Gal. vi. 6, cf. Wieseler ad loc. b. the benefits of the Messianic kingdom: Ro. x. 15; τὰ μέλλοντα dy. Heb. ix. 11; x. 1. 2. what is upright, honorable, and acceptable to God: Ro. xii. 25 ἐργάζεσθαι τὸ dy. Ro. ii. 10; Eph. iv. 28; πράσσειν, Ro. ix. 11; [2 Co. v.10]; διώκειν, 1 Th. v. 15; μιμεῖσθαι, 3 In. 11; κολλᾶσθαι τῷ ay. Ro. xii. 9; τί με ἐρωτᾷς περὶ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ, Mt. xix. 17 G L T Tr WH, where the word expresses the general idea of right. Spec., what is salutary, suited to the course of human affairs: in the phrase διάκονος εἰς τὸ dy. Ro. xiii, 4; of rendering service, Gal. vi. 10; Ro. xii. 21; τὸ dy. cov the favor thou conferrest, Philem. 14. [“ It is to be regarded as a peculiarity in the usage of the Sept. that 210 good is predominantly [1] rendered by καλός. ... The translator of Gen. uses ἀγαθός only in the neut., good, goods, and this has been to a degree the model for the other translators. ... In the Greek Ὁ. T., where οἱ δίκαιοι is the technical designation of the pious, of ἀγαθοί or 6 ἀγαθός does not occur in so general a sense. The ἀνὴρ ἀγαθός is peculiar only to the Prov. (xiii. 22, 24; xv. 3); cf. besides the solitary instance in 1 Kings ii.32. Thus even in the usage of the O. T. we are reminded of Christ’s words, Mk. x. 18, ovtels ἀγαθὺς εἰ μὴ εἷς ὁ θεός. In the O. T. the term ‘righteous’ makes reference rather to a covenant and to one’s relation to a positive standard ; ἀγαθός would express the absolute idea of moral goodness” (Zezschwitz, Profangraec. u. bibl. Sprachgeist, Leipz. 1859, p. 60). Cf. Tittm. p. 19. On the comparison of ἀγαθός see B. 27 (24).] :

ἀγαθός agathos 102x

good, profitable, generous, upright, virtuous

ἀγαθός, -ή, -όν,

[in LXX chiefly for טוֹב;]

in general, good, in physical and in moral sense, used of persons, things, acts, conditions, etc., applied to that which is regarded as "perfect in its kind, so as to produce pleasure and satisfaction, . . . that which, in itself good, is also at once for the good and the advantage of him who comes in contact with it" (Cremer, 3): γῆ, Lk 8:8; δένδρον, Mt 7:18; καρδία, Lk 8:15; δόσις, Ja 1:17; μέρις, Lk 10:42; ἔργον (freq. in Pl.), Phl 1:6; ἐλπίς, II Th 2:16; θησαυρός, Mt 12:35; μνεία, I Th 3:6 (cf. II Mac 7:20); as subst., τὸ ἀ., that which is morally good, beneficial, acceptable to God, Ro 12:2; ἐργάζεσθαι τὸ ἀ, Ro 2:10, Eph 4:28; πράσσειν, Ro 9:11, II Co 5:10; διώκειν, I Th 5:15; μιμεῖσθαι, III Jo 11; κολλᾶσθαι τῷ ἀ., Ro 12:9; ερωτᾶν περὶ τοῦ ἀ., Mt 19:17; διάκονος εἰς τὸ ἀ., Ro 13:4; τὸ ἀ. σου, thy favour, benefit, Phm 14; pl., τὰ ἀ., of goods, possessions, Lk 12:18; of spiritual benefits, Ro 10:15, He 9:11, 10:1. ἀ. is opp. to πονηρός, Mt 5:45, 20:5; κακός, Ro 7:19; φαῦλος, Ro 9:11, II Co 5:10 (cf. MM, VGT, s.v.).

SYN.: καλός, δίκαιος. κ. properly refers to goodliness as manifested in form: ἀ. to inner excellence (cf. the cl. καλὸς κἀγαθός and ἐν καρδίᾳ κ. καὶ ἀ., Lk 8:15). In Ro 5:7, where it is contrasted with δ., ἀ. implies a kindliness and attractiveness not necessarily possessed by the δίκαιος, who merely measures up to a high standard of rectitude (cf. ἀγαθωσύνη).

ἀγαθός. The comparative βελτίων (in the LXX about 20 times for the commoner κρείσσων) occurs in the fragmentary P Petr III. 42 H (8) 15 (middle of iii/B.c.) (= Witkowski Epp.*, p. 16). In a votive inscription discovered at Cos (Paton and Hicks, 92), Nero is described as ἀγαθὸς θεός (cf. Deissmann ZAZ, p. 349). For ἀγαθὸς δαίμων, see 57 in the same collection (=C/G 2510)—Tiyxq ᾿Αγαθᾷ καὶ ᾿Αγαθῷ Δαίμονι καὶ τῶ(ι) δάμω(ι), etc., etc. Une other phrase is worth quoting: P Oxy II. 29814 (i/A.p.) ἐὰν ἐπ᾽ ἀγαθῷ mapayévy, ‘if you arrive happily,” 7. III. 531° (ii/A.D.) ἕως ἐπ’ ἀγαθῷ πρὸς σὲ παραγένομαι, BGU III. 83519:: (beginning of 111Α.}.) εἰς τὴν ἐπ᾽ [ἀ]γαθοῖς γεναμένης κατασποράν, P Flor I. 2110 (a.p. 239) α΄. The neuter pl., as in Lk 1219, may be illustrated by P Ryl I. 2818? (iv/a.p.) ποὺς δεξιὸς ἐὰν ἅλληται, δεσπότης ἔσται πολλῶν ἀγαθῶν καὶ κτημάτων, ‘if the right foot quiver, the man will be master of many blessings and possessions” (Ed.). Part I.

ἀγαθός (agathos) — good. ἀγᾰθός [ᾰγ], ή, όν, Laconian dialect ἀγασός [Refs 5th c.BC+]:— good:

I. of persons,

I.1. well-born, gentle, opposed to κακός, δειλός, οἷά τε τοῖς ἀγαθοῖσι παραδρώωσι χέρηες[Refs 8th c.BC+]; τοὺς εὐγενεῖς γὰρ κἀγαθοὺς.. φιλεῖ Ἄρης ἐναίρειν[Refs 5th c.BC+]:—in political sense, aristocrats, especially in the phrase καλοὶ κἀγαθοί (see. entry καλοκἀγαθός).

I.2. brave, valiant, since courage was attributed to Chiefs and Nobles, [Refs 8th c.BC+]

I.3. good, capable, in reference to ability, ἀ. βασιλεύς[Refs 8th c.BC+]: frequently with qualifying words, ἀ. ἐν ὑσμίνῃ[Refs 8th c.BC+]; τὰ πολέμια, τὰ πολιτικά, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: more rarely with dative, ἀ. πολέμῳ[Refs 5th c.BC+]: with infinitive, ἀ. μάχεσθαι[Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀ. ἱστάναι good at weighing, [Refs 5th c.BC+]

I.4. good, in moral sense, first in [Refs 6th c.BC+]: frequently with other adjectives, ὁ πιστὸς κἀ.[Refs 5th c.BC+]:—ironical, τὸν ἀ. Κρέοντα[Refs]

I.5. ὦ ἀγαθέ, my good friend, as a term of gentle remonstrance, [Refs 5th c.BC+]

I.6. ἀ. δαίμων, see entry δαίμω; ἀ. τύχη, see entry τύχ; ἀ. θεός = Latin bona dea, [Refs 1st c.AD+]

II. of things,

II.1. good, serviceable, Ἰθάκη.. ἀ. κουροτρόφος[Refs 8th c.BC+] good for it, [Refs 4th c.BC+]

II.2. of outward circumstances, αἰδὼς οὐκ ἀ. κεχρημένῳ ἀνδρὶ παρεῖναι[Refs 8th c.BC+]; εἰπεῖν εἰς ἀγαθόν to good purpose, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ὁ δὲ πείσεται εἰς ἀ. περ for his own good end, [Refs] —ἀγαθόν [ἐστι], with infinitive, it is good to do so and so, [Refs 8th c.BC+]

II.3. morally good, πρῆξις[NT+5th c.BC+]

II.4. ἀγαθόν, τό, good, blessing, benefit, of persons or things, ὦ μέγα ἀ. σὺ τοῖς φίλοις[Refs 5th c.BC+] as term of endearment for a baby, blessing!, treasure!, [Refs 4th c.BC+] — ἀγαθόν τινα δεδρακέναι, πεποιηκέναι confer a benefit on.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐπ᾽ ἀγαθῷ τινος for one's good, [Refs 5th c.BC+]for no good end, [Refs 5th c.BC+] —τὸ ἀ. or τἀ., the good, [Refs 5th c.BC+] —in _plural_, ἀγαθά, τά, goods of fortune, treasures, wealth, [Refs 5th c.BC+]fare well, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; also, good things, dainties, [Refs 6th c.BC+]: good qualities, τοῖς ἀ., οἷς ἔχομεν ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ[Refs 5th c.BC+]; good points, of a horse, εἰ τἄλλα πάντα ἀ. ἔχοι, κακόπους δ᾽ εἴη[Refs 5th c.BC+]

III. comparative and superlative are usually supplied from other stems, i.e. comparative ἀμείνων, ἀρείων, βελτίων, κρείσσων (κάρρων), λωΐων (λὥων), Epic dialect βέλτερος, λωΐτερος, φέρτερος:—superlative ἄριστος, βέλτιστος, κράτιστος, λώϊστος (λῷστος), Epic dialect βέλτατος, κάρτιστος, φέρτατος, φέριστος:— later, regular comparative ἀγαθώτερος[LXX+1st c.BC+]: superlative ἀγαθώτατος[Refs 1st c.BC+] etc. (-ότατος [Refs 2nd c.AD+]

IV. adverb usually εὖ, which see: ἀγαθῶς[LXX+5th c.BC+]; perhaps cognate with ἄγαμαι, hence admirable.)