μᾰταιο-λογία G3150
ματαιολογία — empty talk, vain discussion, meaningless babbling
This noun appears in 1 Timothy 1:6, describing what certain people have wandered into by departing from sincere faith, pure heart, and good conscience. The compound combines μάταιος (vain/empty) with λογία (talk/discussion), denoting speech that lacks substance or truth. Paul contrasts this with the goal of his instruction: love from a pure heart. The term suggests not just theological error but the futility of speculation detached from the gospel's ethical and spiritual core. Such talk produces controversies and arguments rather than God's work by faith.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The accusative singular functions as the object turned toward: 'turned aside to empty talk.' The cross-linguistic evidence (Spanish 'palabrería-vana,' German 'leeres-Geschwaetz') emphasizes the vacuous, unproductive nature of discussion divorced from love and truth, warning against intellectual exercises that generate more noise than light. 1×
AR["كَلامٍ-باطِلٍ"]·ben["বৃথা-বাক্যে,"]·DE["leeres-Geschwaetz"]·EN["empty-talk"]·FR["ματαιολογίαν"]·heb["דִּבְרֵי-הֶבֶל"]·HI["व्यरथ-बअत"]·ID["omong-kosong"]·IT["mataiologian"]·jav["omongan-kosong,"]·KO["헛된-말을,"]·PT["palavreado-vão"]·RU["пустословие"]·ES["palabrería-vana"]·SW["maneno-matupu"]·TR["boş-konuşmaya"]·urd["بیکار-باتیں۔"]
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)H7592 1. ask, inquire, question (96×)H3034 1. give thanks, praise (Hifil) (94×)G1321 1. teach, instruct actively (92×)H3789 2. Qal active: write, compose (89×)G1125 1. to write, compose (a letter or document) (84×)H5046 2. Hifil: to declare, proclaim (79×)H7892a 1. song, musical composition (78×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
μᾰταιο-λογία, ἡ, idle talk, NT+2nd c.BC+