Castaway

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

This word has disappeared from the Revised Version( 1 Corinthians 9:27), and its place has been taken by ‘rejected’ (ἀδόκιμος). The word is the negation of δόκιμος ‘acceptable,’ ‘accepted after trial,’ and means ‘unacceptable,’ ‘rejected after trial,’ as in the Septuagint Isaiah 1:22 there is found ‘your silver is rejected’ (τὸ ἀργύριον ὑμῶν ἀδόκιμον). St. Paul, however, somewhat extends the metaphor, for the context shows that the ancient games, or, as he is writing to Corinthians, the Isthmian games, are in his mind. He contemplates the possibility of rejection, after having been successful in the contest, for not having contended in accordance with the rules. It would he distressing in the extreme after all his exacting training and his arduous struggle to be found by the umpire disqualified for neglect of the conditions. To have preached to others, and vet, through lack of Christian watchfulness, to have allowed the flesh to re-assert the mastery and so to become a castaway, to be rejected in the final scrutiny, is a possibility which urges the Apostle himself to more arduous exertions and lends earnestness to his appeal to the Corinthians. For an apposite parallel see 2 Clement, vii. See also articleAssurance.

T. Nicol.

Holman Bible Dictionary

adokimos  1 Corinthians 9:27 dokimos adokimos  2 Corinthians 13:5-7 2 Corinthians 13:3

Paul warned Timothy of evil persons in evil times with people resisting the truth, having corrupt minds, and being unqualified in the faith ( 2 Timothy 3:8 ). Similarly, he wrote Titus of persons professing to know God but unqualified in good works ( Titus 1:16 ). With similar purpose, Hebrews compares people to ground which bears thorns and briers and is thus unqualified and fails to pass the test ( Hebrews 6:8 ).

Morrish Bible Dictionary

ἀδόκιμος. Paul kept his body under control, lest, though he had preached to others, he himself should be a castaway.   1 Corinthians 9:27 . The same word is translated 'reprobate' in  Romans 1:28;  2 Corinthians 13:5-7;  2 Timothy 3:8;  Titus 1:16; and 'rejected' in  Hebrews 6:8 . It is the negative form of 'approved,'  Romans 16:10; etc.

Webster's Dictionary

(1): (a.) Of no value; rejected; useless.

(2): (n.) One who, or that which, is cast away or shipwrecked.

(3): (n.) One who is ruined; one who has made moral shipwreck; a reprobate.

King James Dictionary

Castaway n. That which is thrown away. A person abandoned by God, as unworthy of his favor a reprobate.  1 Corinthians 9:27 .

CASTAWAY, a. Rejected useless of no value.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 1 Corinthians 9:27 2 Timothy 3:8 Hebrews 6:8

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

kast´a - wā ( ἀδόκιμος , adókimos , from dokimázō , "I test," "I approve after testing," hence, approved after being tested): This word is rendered "castaway" only in the King James Version: "I myself should be a castaway" ("rejected" the Revised Version (British and American), the American Standard Revised Version,  1 Corinthians 9:27 ). But the same word occurs a number of times usually translated "reprobate" ( Romans 1:28;  2 Corinthians 13:5-7;  2 Timothy 3:8;  Titus 1:16 ); "rejected" ( Hebrews 6:8 ).