ἱκᾰν-ός G2425
Sufficient, considerable, competent, or numerous; an adjective spanning adequacy of persons, greatness of degree, large quantity, and (substantivized) a legal security bond.
The adjective hikanos derives from hikneomai ('to reach, arrive at') and carries the root idea of 'reaching the mark' — being enough, adequate, or up to the task. In the Gospels it frequently describes considerable extent: a 'considerable' crowd (Mark 10:46), a 'long' time (Luke 8:27), 'many' days (Acts 9:23). Yet some of its most memorable appearances convey personal unworthiness — John the Baptist declares himself 'not worthy' to untie Jesus' sandals (Matt 3:11; Mark 1:7; Luke 3:16), and the centurion protests he is 'not fit' for Jesus to enter his house (Matt 8:8; Luke 7:6). The Spanish bastante/suficiente/digno and German genug trace the same range from quantity through quality to moral standing. In one remarkable legal usage (Acts 17:9), the neuter substantive to hikanon becomes a technical term for bail or bond money — sufficiency crystallized into a financial guarantee.
Senses
1. considerable, great in degree — Indicating considerable degree, extent, or duration — great in size, intensity, or length of time. In Matthew 28:12 the chief priests give the soldiers 'a considerable sum of money,' and in Luke 8:27 a man had been demon-possessed 'for a considerable time.' Mark 10:46 describes 'a considerable crowd' leaving Jericho with Jesus. The Spanish bastante/grande and French suffisant render the quantitative amplification. This sense extends hikanos beyond mere adequacy into the territory of impressively large scope. 15×
AR["طَويلٍ","عَظِيمٌ","كافِيًا","كَبيرٌ","كَثيرَةً","كَثيرَةٍ","كَثِيرًا","كَثِيرٌ","كَثِيرٍ","وَكَثِيرٌ"]·ben["অনেক","অনেকক্ষণ","দীর্ঘ","বড়","বহু","যথেষ্ট"]·DE["genug"]·EN["Considerable","considerable","for-a-long","great","long","sufficient"]·FR["capable","suffisant"]·heb["גָּדוֹל","דַּי","הָמוֹן","רַב","רַבִּים"]·HI["बड़ा","बड़ी","बहुत","बहुत-से","बहुती","लंबे"]·ID["Banyak","banyak","besar","cukup","cukup-banyak","cukup-besar","cukup-lama","lama","yang-cukup-besar","yang-lama"]·IT["sufficiente"]·jav["Kathah","akèh-sanget","cekap","dangu","dangunipun","gedhé","ingkang-dangu.","kathah","kathah."]·KO["긴","많은","오래","오랜","큰"]·PT["Considerável","Muito","considerável","grande","muito","muitos"]·RU["Довольно","Достаточного","большая","великая","великий","великую","давних","долгие","долгим","долгое","достаточно","значительной","значительную","много"]·ES["Bastante","Grande","a-mucha","considerable","grande","mucho","suficientes"]·SW["Nyingi","kikubwa","kubwa","mkubwa","mkubwa.","mrefu","muda","muda-mrefu","nyingi","siku","wengi"]·TR["büyük","büyük,","uzun","çok"]·urd["بڑی","بڑے","بہت","بہت-سی","تھی","لمبے","کافی"]
Matt 28:12, Mark 10:46, Luke 7:12, Luke 8:27, Luke 20:9, Luke 23:8, Acts 8:11, Acts 11:24, Acts 11:26, Acts 14:3, Acts 19:26, Acts 20:11 (+3 more)
2. many, numerous — Quantitative sense indicating a large number of persons or things: many, numerous. In Acts 9:23 'many days had passed,' in Acts 12:12 'many' had gathered to pray, and in Luke 23:9 Herod questioned Jesus 'at considerable length' (literally 'with many words'). The Spanish muchos/bastantes confirms the purely numerical reading. While sense 1 emphasizes degree or magnitude, this sense foregrounds countable plurality — many people, many days, many words. 12×
AR["كَافِيَةِ","كَثيرونَ","كَثيرينَ","كَثيرَةٍ","كَثِيرَةً","كَثِيرَةٌ","كَثِيرَةٍ","كَثِيرُونَ","وَكَثِيرُونَ"]·ben["অনেক","অনেককে","অনেকে","অনেকে।","বহু","যথেষ্ট"]·DE["genug"]·EN["many"]·FR["capable","suffisant"]·heb["דַּיֵּהֶם","מַסְפִּיקוֹת","רַבִּים","רַבּוֹת"]·HI["काफ़ी","बहुत","बहुत-से","बहुते","बहुतों-को"]·ID["banyak","besar","cukup-banyak"]·IT["sufficiente"]·jav["kathah","kathah,","kathah-tiyang","kathah-tiyang,","kathah.","sawetawis"]·KO["많은","많은-이들이","많은-자들을","많은-자들이","적지-않은-이들이","충분한"]·PT["muitas","muitos","muitos,","muitos."]·RU["больших","достаточно","достаточные.","многие","многих"]·ES["Muchos","a-muchos","bastantes","muchas","muchos"]·SW["mengi","miaka","nyingi","wengi","wengi."]·TR["birkaç","birçok","birçoğu","birçoğunu","yeterli","çok","çokları"]·urd["بہت","بہت-سی","بہت-سے","کئی","کافی"]
3. worthy, fit, competent — Of persons: worthy, fit, competent, or qualified for a role or task. John the Baptist's confession 'I am not worthy to carry his sandals' (Matt 3:11) and the centurion's 'I am not fit for you to come under my roof' (Matt 8:8; Luke 7:6) are among the New Testament's most poignant expressions of humility. The Spanish digno/capaz and the Pauline use in 2 Corinthians 2:16 ('who is sufficient for these things?') and 2 Corinthians 3:5 ('not that we are sufficient of ourselves') elevate this sense into the theological register of human inadequacy before divine calling. The word tests whether a person 'reaches' the standard required. 9×
AR["أَكْفاءَ","أَهلٌ","أَهْلًا","أَهْلًا-أَنْ","كافينَ","كافٍ","مُستَحِقًّا"]·ben["যোগ্য","যোগ্য,","যোগ্য?"]·DE["genug"]·EN["competent","fit","sufficient","worthy"]·FR["capable","suffisant"]·heb["מֻכְשָׁרִים","רְאוּיִים","רָאוּי"]·HI["योग्य"]·ID["cakap","layak","layak,","mampu"]·IT["ikanoi","sufficiente"]·jav["cekap","cekap?","pantes","pantes,"]·KO["유능한-자들이리라","자격-있는","합당하다","합당한","합당한-자들","합당한가"]·PT["capaz","capazes","digno","digno,"]·RU["достоин","способен","способны","способными","я"]·ES["capaces","digno","suficiente","suficientes"]·SW["anayefaa?","kwamba","mwenye-kustahili,","nastahili","sistahili","stahili","tunaweza","wenye-uwezo"]·TR["bunlar","değil","dır-","layık","layık,","layığım","yeterli"]·urd["آئے","قابل","لائق"]
4. sufficient, enough — Sufficient or enough in quantity or degree to meet a particular need. In Luke 22:38 the disciples say 'here are two swords' and Jesus replies 'it is enough.' Mark 15:15 uses it when Pilate, 'wishing to satisfy the crowd,' releases Barabbas. In 2 Corinthians 2:6 the punishment inflicted by the majority is 'sufficient.' The Spanish suficiente and German genug map directly onto this sense of adequacy — neither excess nor deficit, but precisely enough to meet the demand at hand. 3×
AR["كافٍ","كَافِيَ"]·ben["যথেষ্ট"]·DE["genug"]·EN["Enough","satisfaction","sufficient"]·FR["capable","suffisant"]·heb["דַּי","מַסְפִּיק","רָצוֹן"]·HI["पर्याप्त","बहुत-है"]·ID["Cukup","cukup"]·IT["sufficiente"]·jav["Cekap","cekap"]·KO["만족할-것을","충분하다"]·PT["suficiente"]·RU["Довольно","достаточно","достаточное"]·ES["Suficiente","suficiente"]·SW["Inatosha","inatosha","kuridhisha"]·TR["Yeterli","yeterince","yeterli"]·urd["مناسب","کافی"]
5. bond, security deposit — A substantivized legal-commercial term (to hikanon) meaning a bond, security deposit, or bail. In Acts 17:9 the Thessalonian authorities release Jason and the others only after 'taking security' (labontes to hikanon) from them. The Spanish fianza ('bail/surety') precisely captures the legal technicality. This is a specialized outgrowth of the core meaning: what is 'sufficient' to guarantee an obligation becomes, in legal parlance, the guarantee itself. Latin translations used satis dare ('to give surety'), confirming the juridical register. 1×
AR["كفالَةَ"]·ben["জামিন"]·DE["genug"]·EN["bond"]·FR["capable"]·heb["הָעֵרָבוֹן"]·HI["ज़मानत"]·ID["jaminan"]·IT["sufficiente"]·jav["jaminan"]·KO["보증금을"]·RU["залог"]·ES["fianza"]·SW["dhamana"]·TR["kefili"]·urd["کافی"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἱκᾰν-ός [ῐ], ή, όν, (ἱκνέομαι) sufficing, becoming, befitting; prose adjective, used two or three times by Trag. (see. below): __I of persons, sufficient, competent to do a thing, with infinitive, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἱ. τεκμηριῶσαι sufficient to prove a point, Refs 5th c.BC+; τίς σοῦ -ώτερος πεῖσα; Refs 5th c.BC+; ἱ. ζημιοῦν with sufficient power to punish, Refs 5th c.BC+ with accusative _of things_,…