Vain (2756) (kenos) means literally to be without something material and thus means empty or without content. It was used with this literal meaning (as in Mk 12:3 "they took him and beat him and sent him away empty handed"). More often kenos is used figuratively referring to things that lack effectiveness and thus are futile, useless, of no purpose or without result. Kenos is used to refer to endeavors, labors, acts, which result in nothing and thus are vain, fruitless, without effect and will not succeed. Kenos can refer to being devoid of intellectual, moral, or spiritual value. Guzik comments that... In the parable of the soils (Matthew 13:1-23) Jesus described the seed that withered under the heat of trials. If the Thessalonians withered, Paul’s hard work as a farmer among them would have born no harvest. Paul did something to help prevent the Thessalonians from falling under their affliction. He sent Timothy to them, because those who are in affliction need the help of other godly people. TDNT says kenos... 1. Literally the meaning is “empty” usually things, but also persons. 2. Figuratively the reference is to vain or frivolous persons or futile things, e.g., opinions, boastings, speech, and cf. the expression eis kenon, “in vain.” (Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Eerdmans) Trench writes that when used of persons, kenos predicates not merely an absence and emptiness of good, but, since the moral nature of man endures no vacuum, the presence of evil. It is thus employed only once in the NT, namely at Ja 2:20 where the (anthropos kenos) is one in whom the higher wisdom has found no entrance, but who is puffed up with a vain conceit of his own spiritual insight, ‘aufgeblasen,’ as Luther has it. NIDNTT notes that in Classic Greek kenos is... found frequently from Homer onwards (and) means empty, as opposed to pleres (full). It is thus used mostly lit. of things (e.g. an empty jug, pit [cf. Ge 37:24], or house). But it is also occasionally used of persons (e.g. with empty hands [cf. Ge 31:42]). When used metaphorically in connection with things, kenos means either lacking content (e.g. kenoi logoi, empty words [cf. Plato, Lach., 196b]), or a missing effect (especially in the expression eis kenon, in vain [The Flinders Petrie Papyri, II, 37, 1b, 12; Josephus, Ant., 19, 96]). With people, kenos means hollow, shallow, lacking in judgment (tou nou kenos, empty in mind [Soph., OC, 931]), and also in the ethical sense of ineffectual, vain (Soph., Ant., 709). (In the LXX of the OT) kenos is used mostly in the lit. sense of empty (e.g. Jer. 14:3, vessels; Ex. 3:21 and Deut. 15:13, empty-handed). But it also has a distinctive metaphorical sense. Judges 9:4 and Judges 11:3 speak of andres kenoi, worthless men, who are not counted among the people of Yahweh and who are ready and willing to perform any kind of deed, even murder. The prophets spoke of turning away from Yahweh as giving oneself to vanity. The help that Israel sought from the Egyptians was worthless and empty (Isa. 30:7). Israel has forgotten Yahweh and offers sacrifice to vanity or nothing, i.e. the idols (Jer 18:15). The idea of emptiness was sharpened in the message of the prophets as a deceptive power upon which no reliance can be placed (Isa. 29:8). It is unmasked as senselessness. Only Yahweh can help. The Lord’s chosen ones shall not toil in vain (Isa. 65:23). The term is found most frequently in the cries of Job. He resents the vain words (Job 27:12) and the empty comfort (Job 21:34) of his friends. He sees not only the things around him but his own life sink into nothing. He laments the months of emptiness (7:3) and vain hope (7:6). He cries out: “Leave me alone! For my life is nothing” (7:16). He sees himself delivered to the curse of nothingness without reason. Unless Yahweh rescues him, he can only perish. (Brown, Colin, Editor. New International Dictionary of NT Theology. 1986. Zondervan) Kenos is used 60 times in the Septuagint (LXX) (Gen. 31:42; 37:24; Ex 3:21; 5:9; 23:15; 34:20; Lev. 26:16, 20; Deut. 15:13; 16:16; 32:47; Jdg. 7:16; 9:4; 11:3; Ruth 1:21; 3:17; 1 Sam. 6:3; 2 Sam. 1:22; 2 Ki. 4:3; Neh. 5:13; Job 2:3, 9; 6:5f; 7:3, 6, 16; 9:17; 15:31, 35; 20:18; 21:34; 22:6, 9; 27:12; 31:34; 33:21; 34:20; 39:16; Ps. 2:1; 7:4; 25:3; 31:6; 107:9; Prov. 23:29; Isa. 29:8; 30:7; 32:6; 45:18; 59:4; 65:23; Jer. 6:29; 14:3; 18:15; 27:9; 46:11; 51:58; Hos. 12:1; Mic. 1:14; Hab. 2:3). Here are a few representative uses of kenos in the LXX... Exodus 3:21 "And I will grant this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be that when you go, you will not go empty-handed (Lxx = kenos).'" Deuteronomy 32:47 "For it (Word of God) is not an idle (Lxx = vain) word for you; indeed it is your life. And by this word you shall prolong your days in the land, which you are about to cross the Jordan to possess." Judges 9:4 And they gave him seventy pieces of silver from the house of Baal-berith with which Abimelech hired worthless (Lxx = kenos) and reckless fellows, and they followed him. Ruth 1:21 "I went out full, but the LORD has brought me back empty (Lxx = kenos). Why do you call me Naomi, since the LORD has witnessed against me and the Almighty has afflicted me?" Ruth 3:17 And she said, "These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said, 'Do not go to your mother-in-law empty-handed (Lxx = kenos).'" Psalm 2:1 Why are the nations in an uproar, And the peoples devising a vain (Lxx = kenos) thing? Kenos is used 18 times in 16 verses in the NT... Mark 12:3 "And they took him, and beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. (The parable of the vineyard in which the tenants send back the master's servants empty-handed, cf Luke 20:10) Luke 1:53 "He has filled the hungry with good things; And sent away the rich empty-handed. Luke 20:10 "And at the harvest time he sent a slave to the vine-growers, in order that they might give him some of the produce of the vineyard; but the vine-growers beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11 "And he proceeded to send another slave; and they beat him also and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. Acts 4:25 who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Thy servant, didst say, 'Why did the Gentiles rage, And the peoples devise futile things (things that will not succeed)? 1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain (empty, lacking in anything which might or should be possessed); but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me...14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, (here kenos = devoid of any spiritual value) your faith also is vain...58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord (vain here = labor which yields no return). 2 Corinthians 6:1 And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain-- Galatians 2:2 And it was because of a revelation that I went up; and I submitted to them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but I did so in private to those who were of reputation, for fear that I might be running, or had run, in vain. Ephesians 5:6 (note) Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. (Comment: The words were empty, hollow, without the substance of truth or reality. They sounded plausible, but were devoid of truth. and "employed to palliate heathen vices” {Vincent}. Expositors Greek Testament notes that empty words is a general expression "applying to all who sought by their sophistries to palliate the vices in question or make them appear to be no vices”) Philippians 2:16 (note) holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may have cause to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain. Colossians 2:8 (note) See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception (Deceit is always an empty thing. Only what is true is solid), according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. 1Thessalonians 2:1 (note) For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain, 1Thessalonians 3:5 (note) For this reason, when I could endure it no longer, I also sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor should be in vain. (a "failure") James 2:20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish (kenos) fellow, that faith without works is useless (nekros = dead)? (Comment: Vine has this note - In James 2:20 the vain man {kenos} is one empty of divinely imparted wisdom; in James 2:26 the vain religion {mataios} is that which produces nothing profitable; kenos stresses lack of quality, mataios lack of effect). Find out (1097)(ginosko) has the basic meaning of taking in knowledge in regard to something or someone, knowledge that goes beyond the merely factual. By extension, the term frequently was used of a special relationship between the person who knows and the object of the knowledge. It was often used of the intimate relationship between husband and wife and between God and His people. What was Paul concerned about? Whether they were temporary or had firmly taken root. In His parable of the soils Jesus explains that... And in a similar way these are the ones on whom seed (the Word of Truth, the Gospel) was sown on the rocky places, who, when they hear the word (the Gospel), immediately receive it with joy; and they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away . 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