Original Word: αあるふぁἰών, ῶνος, ὁ
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: aión
Phonetic Spelling: (ahee-ohn')
Short Definition: an age, a cycle of time
Definition: an age, a cycle (of time), especially of the present age as contrasted with the future age, and of one of a series of ages stretching to infinity.

165 aiṓn (see also the cognate adjective, 166 /aiṓnios, "age-long") – properly, an age (era, "time-span"), characterized by a specific quality (type of existence).

Example: Christians today live in the newer age (165 /aiṓn) of the covenant – the time-period called the NT. It is characterized by Christ baptizing all believers in the Holy Spirit, i.e. engrafting all believers (OT, NT) into His mystical body (1 Cor 12:13) with all the marvelous privileges that go with that (Gal 3:23-25; 1 Pet 2:5,9).

STRONGS NT 165: αあるふぁἰών

αあるふぁἰών, (ῶνος, ὁ (as if Αあるふぁιいおたεいぷしろん — poetic for ἀεί — ὤνにゅー, so teaches Aristotle, de caelo 1, 11, 9, vol. i., p. 279{a} 27; (so Proclus book iv. in Plato, Timaeo, p. 241; and others); but more probable is the conjecture (cf. Etym. Magn. 41, 11) that αあるふぁἰών is so connected with ἄηいーたμみゅーιいおた to breathe, blow, as to denote properly that which causes life, vital force; cf. Harless on Ephesians 2:2). (But αあるふぁἰών ( = αあるふぁἰϝών) is now generally connected with αあるふぁἰεί, ἀεί, Sanskrit evas (aivas), Latinaevum, Goth. aivs, German ewig, English aye, ever; cf. Curtius, § 585; Fick, Part i., p. 27; Vanicek, p. 79; Benfey, Wurzellex, i., p. 7f; Schleicher, Compend. edition 2, p. 400; Pott, Etymologicum Forsch., edition 2, 2:2, p. 442; Ebeling, Lex. Homer under the word; Liddell and Scott, under the word ἀεί; Cremer, edd, 2, 3 ,4 (although in edition 1 he agreed with Prof. Grimm); Pott and Fick, however, connect it with Sanskrit ayus rather than evas, although both these forms are derived from i to go (see Pott, Sehleicher, Fick, Vanicek, as above).) In Greek authors:

1. age (Latinaevum, which is αあるふぁἰών with the Aeolic digamma), a human lifetime (in Homer, Herodotus, Pindar, Tragic poets), life itself (Homer Iliad 5, 685 μみゅーεいぷしろん καί λίποι αあるふぁἰών etc.).

2. an unbroken age, perpetuity of time, eternity, (Plato, Tim., p. 37 d. 38 a.; Tim. Locr., p. 97 d. (quoted below); Plutarch, others). With this signification the Hebrew and rabbinical idea of the word עולָם (of which in the Sept. αあるふぁἰών is the equivalent) combines in the Biblical and ecclesiastical writings Hence, in the N. T. used:

1.

a. universally: in the phrases εいぷしろんἰς τόν αあるふぁἰῶνにゅーαあるふぁ, לְעולָם (Genesis 6:3), forever, John 6:51, 58; John 14:16; Hebrews 5:6; Hebrews 6:20, etc.; and strengthened εいぷしろんἰς τόν αあるふぁἰῶνにゅーαあるふぁ τたうοおみくろんῦ αあるふぁἰῶνος, Hebrews 1:8 (from Psalm 44:7 () Alexandrian LXX, cf. Winer's Grammar, § 36, 22 (Tobit 6:18; Psalm 82:18 (), etc.); εいぷしろんἰς αあるふぁἰῶνにゅーαあるふぁ, Jude 1:13; εいぷしろんἰς ἡμέραν αあるふぁἰῶνος unto the day which is eternity (genitive of apposition), 2 Peter 3:18 (cf. Sir. 18:10 (9)); with a negation: never, John 4:14 (Lachmann in brackets); ; 1 Corinthians 8:13; or not for ever, not always, John 8:35; εいぷしろんἰς τούς αあるふぁἰῶνας, unto the ages, i. e., as long as time shall be (the plural denotes the individual ages whose sum is eternity): (Luke 1:33); Romans 1:25; Romans 9:5; Romans 11:36; ( R G Tr WH); 2 Corinthians 11:31; Hebrews 13:8; εいぷしろんἰς πάντας τούς αあるふぁἰῶνας, Jude 1:25; εいぷしろんἰς τούς αあるふぁἰῶνας τたうῶνにゅー αあるふぁἰώνων (in which expression the endless future is divided up into various periods, the shorter of which are comprehended in the longer (cf. Winers Grammar, § 36, 2; among the various phrases to express duration composed of this word with preposition or adjuncts (which to the number of more than fifteen are to be found in the Sept., cf. Vaughan on Romans 1:25), this combination of the double plural seems to be peculiar to the N. T.)): (Romans 16:27 L T); Galatians 1:5; (Philippians 4:20); 1 Timothy 1:17; (2 Timothy 4:18; 1 Peter 4:11); Revelation 1:6, 18; Revelation 4:9; Revelation 5:13; Revelation 7:12; Revelation 10:6; Revelation 11:15; Revelation 15:7; Revelation 19:3; Revelation 20:10; Revelation 22:5; εいぷしろんἰς αあるふぁἰῶνας αあるふぁἰώνων, Revelation 14:11; ὁ αあるふぁἰών τたうῶνにゅー αあるふぁἰώνων the (whole) age embracing the (shorter) ages, Ephesians 3:21 (cf. Meyer (or Ellicott) at the passage); ἀπό τたうῶνにゅー αあるふぁἰώνων from the ages down, from eternity, Colossians 1:26; Ephesians 3:9; πρό τたうῶνにゅー αあるふぁἰώνων before time was, before the foundation of the world, 1 Corinthians 2:7; πρόθεσις τたうῶνにゅー αあるふぁἰώνων eternal purpose, Ephesians 3:11.

b. in hyperbolic and popular usage: ἀπό τたうοおみくろんῦ αあるふぁἰῶνος (מֵעולָם Genesis 6:4, cf. Deuteronomy 32:7) from the most ancient time down (within the memory of man), from of old, Luke 1:70; Acts 3:21; Acts 15:18 (Tobit 4:12 οおみくろんἱ πατέρες ἡμみゅーῶνにゅー ἀπό τたうοおみくろんῦ αあるふぁἰῶνος; Longinus, 34 τούς ἀπぱい' αあるふぁἰῶνος ῥήτορας); also ἐκかっぱ τたうοおみくろんῦ αあるふぁἰῶνος, John 9:32 (1 Esdr. 2:19, 22 (23); Diodorus 4:83 of the temple of Venus τήν, ἐξくしー αあるふぁἰῶνος ἀρχήν λαβόν, 17, 1 τούς ἐξくしー αあるふぁἰῶνος βασιλεῖς (excerpt. de legat, xl.), p. 632 τήν ἐξくしー αあるふぁἰῶνος παραδεδομένην ἐλευθερίαν).

2. by metonymy of the container for the contained, οおみくろんἱ αあるふぁἰῶνες denotes the worlds, the universe, i. e. the aggregate of things contained in time (on the plural cf. Winers Grammar, 176 (166); Buttmann, 24 (21)): Hebrews 1:2; Hebrews 11:3; and (?) 1 Timothy 1:17; (Revelation 15:3 WH text; cf. Psalm 144:13 (); Tobit 13:6, 10; Sir. 36:22; Philo de plant. Noe § 12 twice;de mundo § 7; Josephus, Antiquities 1, 18, 7; Clement of Rome, 1 Cor. 61, 2 [ET]; 35, 3 [ET] (πατήρ τたうῶνにゅー αあるふぁἰώνων); 55, 6 [ET] (Θεός τたうῶνにゅー αあるふぁἰώνων); Apostolic Constitutions 7, 34; see Abbot in Journal Society for Biblical Literature etc. i., p. 106 n.). So αあるふぁἰών in Wis. 13:9 Wis. 14:6 Wis. 18:4; the same use occurs in the Talmud, Chaldee, Syriac, Arabic; cf. Bleek, Hebraerbr. ii., 1, p. 36ff; Gesenius, Thesaurus ii., p. 1036; (cf. the use of οおみくろんἱ αあるふぁἰῶνες in the Fathers, equivalent to the world of mankind, e. g. Ignatius ad Eph. 19, 2 [ET]):

3. As the Jews distinguished הַזֶּה הָעולָם the time before the Messiah, and הַבָּא הַעולָם, the time after the advent of the Messiah (cf. Riehm, Lehrb. d. Hebraerbr., p. 204ff; (Schürer, § 29, 9)), so most of the N. T. writers distinguish ὁ αあるふぁἰών οおみくろんὗτος this age (also simply ὁ αあるふぁἰών, Matthew 13:22; Mark 4:19 G L T Tr WH; ὁ ἐνεστὼς αあるふぁἰών, Galatians 1:4; ὁ νにゅーῦνにゅー αあるふぁἰών, 1 Timothy 6:17; (2 Timothy 4:10); Titus 2:12), the time before the appointed return or truly Messianic advent of Christ (i. e., the παρουσία, which see), the period of instability, weakness, impiety, wickedness, calamity, misery — and αあるふぁἰών μέλλων the future age (also ὁ αあるふぁἰών ἐκかっぱεいぷしろんῖνος, Luke 20:35; ὁ αあるふぁἰών ὁ ἐρχόμενος, Luke 18:30; Mark 10:30; οおみくろんἱ αあるふぁἰῶνες οおみくろんἱ ἐπερχόμενοι, Ephesians 2:7), i. e., the age after the return of Christ in majesty, the period of the consummate establishment of the divine kingdom and all its blessings: Matthew 12:32; Ephesians 1:21; cf. Fritzsche on Romans, vol. 3:22f. Hence, the things of 'this age' are mentioned in the N. T. with censure: ὁ αあるふぁἰών οおみくろんὗτος, by metonymy, men controlled by the thoughts and pursuits of this present time, Romans 12:2, the same who are called υうぷしろんἱοί τたうοおみくろんῦ αあるふぁἰῶνος τούτου in Luke 16:8; Luke 20:34; κατά τόν αあるふぁἰῶνにゅーαあるふぁ τたうοおみくろんῦ κόσμου τούτου conformably to the age to which this (wicked) world belongs, Ephesians 2:2 (cf. Trench, § 59 under the end); ἀγαπᾶνにゅー τόν νにゅーῦνにゅー αあるふぁἰῶνにゅーαあるふぁ, 2 Timothy 4:10 (see ἀγαπάω); ἀρχόντων τたうοおみくろんῦ αあるふぁἰῶνος τούτου, 1 Corinthians 2:6 (see ἄρχων); ὁ Θεός τたうοおみくろんῦ αあるふぁἰ. τούτου, the devil, who rules the thoughts and deeds of the men of this age, 2 Corinthians 4:4; αあるふぁἱ μέριμναι τたうοおみくろんῦ αあるふぁἰῶνος, the anxieties for the things of this age, Mark 4:19; πλούσιος ἐνにゅー τたうῷ νにゅーῦνにゅー αあるふぁἰῶνにゅーιいおた, rich in worldly wealth, 1 Timothy 6:17; σοφία ... τたうοおみくろんῦ αあるふぁἰῶνος τούτου such wisdom as belongs to this age — full of error, arrogant, hostile to the gospel, 1 Corinthians 2:6; συζητητής τたうοおみくろんῦ αあるふぁἰ. τούτου, disputer, sophist, such as we now find him, 1 Corinthians 1:20; συντέλεια τたうοおみくろんῦ αあるふぁἰ. τούτ., the end, or rather consummation, of the age preceding Christ's return, with which will be connected the resurrection of the dead, the last judgment, the demolition of this world and its restoration to a more excellent condition (cf. 4 Esdr. 7:43 []), Matthew 13:39f, 49; Matthew 24:3; Matthew 28:20; it is called συντέλεια τたうῶνにゅー αあるふぁἰώνων in Hebrews 9:26 (so Test xii. Patr., test. Levi 10, test. Benj. 11 (cf. Vorstman, p. 133)); τά τέλη τたうῶνにゅー αあるふぁἰώνων the ends (last part) of the ages before the return of Christ, 1 Corinthians 10:11; δυνάμεις τたうοおみくろんῦ μέλλοντος αあるふぁἰῶνος, powers which present themselves from the future or divine order of things, i. e., the Holy Spirit, Hebrews 6:5; τたうοおみくろんῦ αあるふぁἰῶνος ἐκείνου τたうυうぷしろんχかいεいぷしろんῖνにゅー, to partake of the blessings of the future age, Luke 20:35. Among the N. T. writers James does not use the word αあるふぁἰών. (On the word in its relation to κόσμος see Trench, § 59: Its biblical sense and its relation to עולָם are discussed by Stuart, Exeget. Essays on Words relating to Future Punishment, Andover, 1830 (and Presbyterian Publishing Committee, Philadelphia); Tayler Lewis in Lange's Commentary on Ecclesiastes, pp. 44-51; J. W. Hanson, Aion-Aionios (pp. 174), Chicago, 1880. See especially E. Abbot, Literature of the Doctrine of a Future Life, etc. (New York, 1867), Index of subjects, under the word For its meanings in ecclesiastical writings see Suicer, Thesaurus Eccl. i. col. 140ff, cf. ii. col 1609; Huet, Origeniana (Appendix to Vol. iv. of De la Rue's Origen) book ii. c. ii. quaest. 11, § 26. Its use in Homer, Hesiod, Pindar, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristotle, Plato, Tim. Locr., is exhibited in detail by E. S. Goodwin in the Christ. Exam. for March and May, 1831, March and May, 1832. "On αあるふぁἰών as the complete period, either of each particular life or of all existence, see Aristotle, cael. 1, 9, 15; on αあるふぁἰών and χρόνος, cf. Philo (quis rer. div. her. § 34) i. 496, 18f; (de mut. nom. § 47) i. 619, 10f." Liddell and Scott, edition 6; see also Philo de alleg. leg. iii. 8;quod deus immut. § 6 at the end;de secular § 11;de praem, et poen. § 15; and (de mund, opif. § 7) especially J. G. Muller, Philo's Lehre v. d. Weltschopfung, p. 168 (Berl. 1864). Schmidt (chapter 44) gives the distinction, for substance, as follows: both words denote the abstract idea of time and with special reference to its extent or duration; χρόνος is the general designation for time, which can be divided up into portions, each of which is in its turn a χρόνος; on the other hand, αあるふぁἰών, which in the concrete and simple language of Homer (Pindar and the Tragedians) denotes the allotted lifetime, even the life, of the individual (Iliad 4, 478 μινυνθάδιος δέ οおみくろんἱ αあるふぁἰών etc.), in Attic prose differs from χρόνος by denoting time unlimited and boundless, which is not conceived of as divisible into αあるふぁἰῶνες (contrast here biblical usage and see below), but rather into χρόνοι. In philosophical speech it is without beginning also. Cf. Tim. Locr. 97 c. d. χρόνῳ δέ τά μέρεα τάσδε τάς περιόδως λέγοντι, ἅς ἐκόσμησεν ὁ Θεός σύν κόσμῳ. Οおみくろんὐ γάρ ἦνにゅー πρό κόσμῳ ἄστρα. Διόπερ οおみくろんὐδでるた' ἐνιαυτός ὀυうぷしろんδでるた' ὠρろーᾶνにゅー περίοδοι, αあるふぁἷς μετρηταί ὁ γεννατὸς χρόνος οおみくろんὗτος. Ἑικών δέ ἐσしぐまτたうιいおた τたうῷ ἀγεννάτω χρόνῳ, ὅνにゅー αあるふぁἰῶνにゅーαあるふぁ ποταγορεύομες. ὡς γάρ πぱいοおみくろんτたう' ἀΐδιον παράδειγμα, τόν ἰδανικὸνにゅー κόσμον, ὅδでるたεいぷしろん ὁ ὠρανός ἐγεννάθη, οおみくろんὕτως ὡς πρός παράδειγμα, τόν αあるふぁἰῶνにゅーαあるふぁ, ὅδでるたεいぷしろん ὁ χρόνος σύν κόσμῳ ἐδαμιουργήθη — after Plato, Timaeus, p. 37 d. (where see Stallbaum's note and references); Isocrates 8, 34 τούς εいぷしろんὐσεβείας καί δικαιοσύνης ζぜーたῶντας (ὁρろーῶ) ἐνにゅー τέ τたうοおみくろんῖς πぱいαあるふぁρろーοおみくろんῦσしぐまιいおた χρόνοις ἀσφαλῶς διάγοντας καί περί τたうοおみくろんῦ σύμπαντος αあるふぁἰῶνος ἡδίους τάς ἐλπίδας ἔχοντας. The adjective ἄχρονος independent of time, above and beyond all time, is synonymous with αあるふぁἰώνιος; where time (with its subdivisions and limitations) ends eternity begins: Nonnus, metaph, evang. Johan. 1:1, ἄχρονος ἦνにゅー, ἀκίχητος, ἐνにゅー ἀρρήτω λόγος ἀρχή. Thoroughly Platonic in cast are the definitions of Gregory of Nazianzus (orat. xxxviii. 8) αあるふぁἰών γάρ οおみくろんὔτたうεいぷしろん χρόνος οおみくろんὔτたうεいぷしろん χρόνου τί μέρος. Οおみくろんὐδέ γάρ μετρητόν, ἀλらむだλらむだ' ὅπぱいεいぷしろんρろー, ἡμみゅーῖνにゅー ὁ χρόνος ἡλίου φορά μετρούμενος, τたうοおみくろんῦτたうοおみくろん τたうοおみくろんῖς ἀϊδίοις αあるふぁἰών, τό συμπαρεκτεινόμενον τたうοおみくろんῖς οおみくろんὖσしぐまιいおたνにゅー οおみくろんἷοおみくろんνにゅー τί χρονικὸνにゅー κίνημα καί διάστημα (Suicer as above). So Clement of Alexandria, strom., i. 13, p. 756 a., Migne edition, ὁ γがんま' οおみくろんὖνにゅー αあるふぁἰών τたうοおみくろんῦ χρόνου τό μέλλον καί τό ἐνεστὼς, αあるふぁὐτάρ δή καί τό παρωχηκος ἀκαριαιὼς συνίστησι. Instances from extra-biblical writings of the use of αあるふぁἰών in the plural are: τόν ἀπぱい' αあるふぁἰώνων μύθον, Anthol. vol iii., part ii., p. 55, Jacobs edition; εいぷしろんἰς αあるふぁἰῶνας, ibid. vol. iv. epigr. 492; ἐκかっぱ περιτροπῆς αあるふぁἰώνων, Josephus, b. j. 3, 8, 5; εいぷしろんἰς αあるふぁἰῶνας διαμενεῖ, Sextus Empiricus, adv. Phys. i. 62. The discussions which have been raised respecting the word may give interest to additional references to its use by Philo and Josephus. Philo: ὁ πぱいᾶς (ἅπας, σύμπας) or πぱいᾶς (etc.) ὁ αあるふぁἰών:de alleg. leg. iii. § 70;de cherub. § I (a noteworthy passage, cf.de congressu ernd. § 11 and references under the word θάνατος);de sacrif. Ab. et Caini § 11;quod det. pot. § 48;quod deus immut. § 1, § 24;de plantat. § 27;de sobrietate § 13;de migr. Abr. § 2;de secular § 9;de mut. nom. § 34;de somn. ii., § 15, § 31, § 38;de legat. ad Gaium § 38; (ὁ) μακρός αあるふぁἰών:de sacrif. Ab et Caini § 21;de ebrietate § 47;de secular § 20; αあるふぁἰών μήκιστος:de sobrietate § 5;de secular § 21; ὁ ἄπειρος αあるふぁἰών:de legat, ad Gaium § 11; ὁ ἔμπροσθεν αあるふぁἰών:de praem, et. poen. § 6; αあるふぁἰών πολύς:de Abrah. § 46; τίς αあるふぁἰών:de merc. meretr. § 1; δでるたἰ αあるふぁἰών:de cherub. § 26;de plantat. § 27; εいぷしろんἰς τόν αあるふぁἰών:de gigant. § 5; ἐνにゅー (τたうῷ) αあるふぁἰώνω:de mut. nom. § 2 (twice) (note the restriction);quod deus immut. § 6; ἐξくしー αあるふぁἰών:de somn. 1 § 3; ἐπぱい' αあるふぁἰῶνος:de plantat. § 12 (twice);de mundo § 7; πρό αあるふぁἰῶνος:de mut. nom. § 2; πρός αあるふぁἰ.:de mut. nom. § 11; (ὁ) αあるふぁἰών:de secular § 18;de alleg. leg. iii. § 70;de cherub. § 22;de migr. Abr. § 22;de somn. i., § 18, § 22;de Josepho § 5;de vita Moys. ii. § 3;de decalogo § 14;de victimis § 3; fragment in Mang. 2:660 (Richter vi., p. 219);de plantat. § 12 (bis);de mundo § 7. Josephus: (ὁ) πぱいᾶς αあるふぁἰών: Antiquities 1, 18, 7; 3, 8, 10; contra Apion 2, 11, 3; 2, 22, 1; μακρός αあるふぁἰών: Antiquities 2, 7, 3; πολύς αあるふぁἰών: contra Apion 2, 31, 1; τたうοおみくろんσしぐまοおみくろんῦτος αあるふぁἰών: contra Apion 1, 8, 4; πぱいλらむだῆθος αあるふぁἰῶνος: Antiquities prooem. § 3; ἀπぱい' αあるふぁἰῶνος: b. j. prooem. § 4; δでるたἰ αあるふぁἰῶνος: Antiquities 1, 18, 8; 4, 6, 4; b. j. 6, 2, 1; εいぷしろんἰς (τόν) αあるふぁἰωおめがνにゅーοおみくろんνにゅー: Antiquities 4, 8, 18; 5, 1, 27; 7, 9, 5; 7, 14, 5; ἐξくしー αあるふぁἰωおめがνにゅーοおみくろんνにゅー: b. j. 5, 10, 5; (ὁ) αあるふぁἰών: Antiquities 19, 2, 2; b. j. 1, 21, 10; plural (see above) 3, 8, 5. See αあるふぁἰώνιος.)

age, course, eternal, forever

From the same as aei; properly, an age; by extension, perpetuity (also past); by implication, the world; specially (Jewish) a Messianic period (present or future) -- age, course, eternal, (for) ever(-more), (n-)ever, (beginning of the, while the) world (began, without end). Compare chronos.

see GREEK aei

see GREEK chronos

αιών αあるふぁιいおたωおめがνにゅーαあるふぁ αιώνα αιώνά αあるふぁἰῶνにゅーαあるふぁ αιωνας αιώνας αあるふぁἰωνας αあるふぁἰῶνας αあるふぁιいおたωおめがνにゅーιいおた αιώνι αあるふぁἰῶνにゅーιいおた αιωνος αιώνος αιώνός αあるふぁἰῶνος αあるふぁἰῶνός αあるふぁιいおたωおめがνにゅーωおめがνにゅー αιώνων αあるふぁἰώνων αιώσι αあるふぁιいおたωおめがσしぐまιいおたνにゅー αあるふぁἰῶσしぐまιいおたνにゅー ἐθしーたνにゅーῶνにゅー aiona aiôna aiōna aiō̂na aionas aiônas aiōnas aiō̂nas aioni aiôni aiōni aiō̂ni aionon aiōnōn aiṓnon aiṓnōn aionos aiônos aiônós aiōnos aiō̂nos aiō̂nós aiosin aiôsin aiōsin aiō̂sin ethnon ethnôn ethnōn ethnō̂nInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts