Of uncertain affinity; properly, beautiful, but chiefly (figuratively) good (literally or morally), i.e. Valuable or virtuous (for appearance or use, and thus distinguished from agathos, which is properly intrinsic) -- X better, fair, good(-ly), honest, meet, well, worthy.

see GREEK agathos

a. beautiful to look at, shapely, magnificent: λίθοις καλοῖς κεκόσμηται (A. V. goodly), Luke 21:5.

b. good, excellent in its nature and characteristics, and therefore well adapted to its ends: joined to the names of material objects, universally, 1 Timothy 4:4 (equivalent to pure); especially of things so constituted as to answer the purpose for which that class of things was created; good of its kind: τά καλά, of fish, opposed to such as are thrown away (τά σαπρά), Matthew 13:48; σπέρμα, Matthew 13:24, 21, 37f; καρπός, Matthew 3:10; Matthew 7:17-19; Matthew 12:33; Luke 3:9 (L WH brackets καλόν); ; δένδρον, opposed to σαπρόν, Matthew 12:33; Luke 6:43; γῆ, Matthew 13:8, 23; Mark 4:8, 20; Luke 8:15; καλόν τό ἅλας (is an excellent thing), Mark 9:50; Luke 14:34; so too ὁ νόμος, good in its substance and nature, and fitted to beget good, Romans 7:16; 1 Timothy 1:8; διδασκαλία, true and approved teaching, 1 Timothy 4:6; καρδία καλή καί ἀγαθή, Luke 8:15; παραθήκη (which see) (containing (rather, consisting of) καλά), 2 Timothy 1:14; μέτρον, ample measure (rabbinical, טובה מדה; English good measure), Luke 6:38; βαθμός (firm (but see βαθμός)), 1 Timothy 3:13; also θεμέλιος, 1 Timothy 6:19; equivalent to genuine, approved, πάντα δοκιμάζετε, τό καλόν κατέχετε, 1 Thessalonians 5:21; equivalent to precious (A. V. goodly), μαργαρῖται, Matthew 13:45; equivalent to superior to other kinds, οἶνος, John 2:10; joined to names of men designated by their office, competent, able, such as one ought to be: ποιμήν, John 10:11, 14; διάκονος, 1 Timothy 4:6; οἰκονόμος, 1 Peter 4:10; στρατιώτης, 2 Timothy 2:3; joined to nouns denoting an effect estimated by the power it involves, or by its constancy, or by the end aimed at by its author, equivalent to praiseworthy, noble: στρατεία, 1 Timothy 1:18; ἀγών, 1 Timothy 6:12; 2 Timothy 4:7; ὁμολογία, 1 Timothy 6:12f; ἔργον, Matthew 26:10; Mark 14:6; John 10:33; 1 Timothy 3:1; plural John 10:32. καλόν ἐστιν, it is expedient, profitable, wholesome: followed by an infinitive as subject, 1 Corinthians 7:1; with τίνι added (so in 1 Corinthians, the passage cited also), Matthew 18:8f (cf. Winers Grammar, 241 (226); Buttmann, § 149, 7); Mark 9:43, 45, 47, R G (also L Tr marginal reading in 47); 1 Corinthians 7:26; 1 Corinthians 9:15; καλόν ἐστιν followed by the accusative and infinitive, Mark 9:43, 45, 47, L (but see above) T Tr (but not marginal reading, see above) WH; Hebrews 13:9; followed by εἰ (cf. Buttmann, 217 (187f); Winer's Grammar, 282 (265)), Matthew 26:24; Mark 9:42; Mark 14:21; followed by ἐάν (Buttmann and Winer's Grammar, as above), 1 Corinthians 7:8; it is pleasant, delightful, followed by an accusative with an infinitive: Matthew 17:4; Mark 9:5; Luke 9:33.

c. beautiful by reason of purity of heart and life, and hence praiseworthy; morally good, noble, (Latinhonestus; (cf. Aristotle, τό καθ' αὐτό καλόν)): διάκρισις καλοῦ τέ καί κακοῦ, Hebrews 5:14; ἔργα, Matthew 5:16; 1 Timothy 5:10, 25; 1 Timothy 6:18; Titus 2:7, 14; Titus 3:8, 14; Hebrews 10:24; 1 Peter 2:12, and Lachmann in 2 Peter 1:10; ἀναστροφή, James 3:13; 1 Peter 2:12; καλή συνείδησις, consciousness of good deeds (A. V. a good conscience), Hebrews 13:18; καλά, καλόν ἐνώπιον τίνος, in one's judgment, Romans 12:17; 2 Corinthians 8:21; 1 Timothy 2:3 and Rec. in 1 Timothy 5:4; ζηλοῦσθαι ἐν καλῷ, Galatians 4:18; τό καλόν κατεργάζεσθαι, Romans 7:18; ποιεῖν, Romans 7:21; 2 Corinthians 13:7; Galatians 6:9; James 4:17; καλόν ἐστιν, it is right, proper, becoming, followed by an infinitive: Matthew 15:26 (L T ἔξεστιν); (Mark 7:27); Galatians 4:18 (here Tr marginal reading imperative); Romans 14:21.

d. honorable, conferring honor: μαρτυρία, 1 Timothy 3:7; ὄνομα, James 2:7; οὐ καλόν τό καύχημα ὑμῶν, 1 Corinthians 5:6.

e. affecting the mind agreeably, comforting and confirming: Θεοῦ ῤῆμα (the Sept. for טוב דָּבָר, which is spoken of the divine promises, Joshua 21:45; Zechariah 1:13), the gospel and its promises full of consolation, Hebrews 6:5. Compar. καλλίων, κάλλιον, better: neut, adverbially, σύ κάλλιον ἐπιγινώσκεις, i. e. better than by thy question thou seemest to know, Acts 25:10 (Winers Grammar, 242 (227)). The word is not found in the Apocalypse. (Cf. Trench, § cvi. at the end; Zezschwitz, Profangräcität as above with, p. 60f (cf. ἀγαθός, at the end); Westcott on John 10:11.)