Copy Options

Cite Print

Lexicon :: Strong's G165 - aiōn

Strong's

Red Letter

αἰών

Transliteration

aiōn (Key)

Pronunciation

ahee-ohn'

Listen

Part of Speech

masculine noun

Root Word (Etymology)

From the same as ἀεί (G104)

Greek Inflections of αἰών [?]

mGNT
122x in 7 unique form(s) TR
128x in 9 unique form(s) LXX
415x in 8 unique form(s)

Dictionary Aids

Vine's Expository Dictionary: View Entry

TDNT Reference: 1:197,31

Trench's Synonyms: lix. κόσμος, αἰών.

Strong's Info

Strong’s Definitions

αἰών aiṓn, ahee-ohn'; from the same as G104; 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 G5550.

KJV Translation Count — Total: 128x

The KJV translates Strong's G165 in the following manner: ever (71x), world (38x), never (with G3364) (with G1519) (with G3588) (6x), evermore (4x), age (2x), eternal (2x), miscellaneous (5x).

KJV Translation Count — Total: 128x

The KJV translates Strong's G165 in the following manner: ever (71x), world (38x), never (with G3364) (with G1519) (with G3588) (6x), evermore (4x), age (2x), eternal (2x), miscellaneous (5x).

Outline of Biblical Usage [?]

for ever, an unbroken age, perpetuity of time, eternity
the worlds, universe
period of time, age

Strong’s Definitions [?](Strong’s Definitions Legend)

Thayer's Greek Lexicon [?] (Jump to Scripture Index)

STRONGS G165:

αἰών, -ῶνος, ὁ, (as if αἰὲν — poetic for ἀεί — ὤν, 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 αἰών is so connected with ἄημι to breathe, blow, as to denote properly that which causes life, vital force; cf. Harless on Ephesians 2:2). [But αἰών (＝αἰϝών) is now generally connected with αἰεί, ἀεί, Sanskrit êvas (aivas), Latin aevum, Gothic 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 âyus rather than êvas, although both these forms are derived from i to go (see Pott, Sehleicher, Fick, Vanicek, as above).]
In Greek authors:
1. age (Latin aevum, which is αἰών with the Aeolic digamma), a human lifetime (in Homer, Herodotus, Pindar, Tragic poets), life itself (Homer Iliad 5, 685 μὲ καὶ λίποι αἰών 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 Rabbinic idea of the word עוֹלָם (of which in the Sept. αἰών is the equivalent) combines in the Biblical and ecclesiastical writings.
Hence, in the N. T. used:
1.
a. universally: in the phrases εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, לְעוֹלָם (Genesis 6:3), forever, John 6:51, 58; John 14:16; Hebrews 5:6; Hebrews 6:20, etc.; and strengthened εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος, Hebrews 1:8 [from Psalm 44:7 (Ps. 45:7) Alexandrian LXX, cf. Winer's Grammar, § 36, 2] (Tobit 6:18; Psalm 82:18 (Ps. 83:18), etc.); εἰς αἰῶνα, Jude 1:13; εἰς ἡμέραν αἰῶνος 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]; John 8:51; 10:28; 11:26; 13:8; 1 Corinthians 8:13; or not for ever, not always, John 8:35; εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας, 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; [Romans 16:27 R G Tr WH]; 2 Corinthians 11:31; Hebrews 13:8; εἰς πάντας τ. αἰῶνας, Jude 1:25; εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων (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; εἰς αἰῶνας αἰώνων, Revelation 14:11; ὁ αἰὼν τῶν αἰώνων the (whole) age embracing the (shorter) ages, Ephesians 3:21 (cf. Meyer [or Ellicott] at the passage); ἀπὸ τῶν αἰώνων from the ages down, from eternity, Colossians 1:26; Ephesians 3:9; πρὸ τῶν αἰώνων before time was, before the foundation of the world, 1 Corinthians 2:7; πρόθεσις τῶν αἰώνων eternal purpose, Ephesians 3:11.
b. in hyperbolic and popular usage: ἀπὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος (מֵעוֹלָם 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 οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος; οἱ ἀπʹ αἰῶνος Ῥωμαῖοι, Dion Cass. 63, 20, 2 cf. 5; Longinus, 34 τούς ἀπʹ αἰῶνος ῥήτορας); also ἐκ τοῦ αἰῶνος, John 9:32 (1 Esdr. 2:19, 22 (23); Diodorus 4:83 of the temple of Venus τήν, ἐξ αἰῶνος ἀρχήν λαβόν, 17, 1 τούς ἐξ αἰῶνος βασιλεῖς [excerpt. de legat, xl.], p. 632 τήν ἐξ αἰῶνος παραδεδομένην ἐλευθερίαν).
2. by metonymy of the container for the contained, οἱ αἰῶνες 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 (Ps. 145:13); Tobit 13:6, 10; Sir. 36:22; Philo de plant. Noë § 12 twice; de mundo § 7; Josephus, Antiquities 1, 18, 7; Clement of Rome, 1 Cor. 61, 2; 35, 3 (πατὴρ τ. α.); 55, 6 (θεὸς τ. α.); Apostolic Constitutions 7, 34; see Abbot in Journal Society for Biblical Literature etc. i., p. 106 n.]. So αἰών in Wis. 13:9; Wis. 14:6; Wis. 18:4; the same use occurs in the Talmud, Chaldee, Syriac, Arabic; cf. Bleek, Hebräerbr. ii., 1, p. 36ff; Gesenius, Thesaurus ii., p. 1036; [cf. the use of οἱ αἰῶνες in the Fathers, equivalent to the world of mankind, e. g. Ignatius ad Eph. 19, 2]:
3. As the Jews distinguished הַזֶּה הָעוֹלָם the time before the Messiah, and הַבָּא הַעוֹלָם, the time after the advent of the Messiah (cf. Riehm, Lehrb. d. Hebräerbr., p. 204ff; [Schürer, § 29, 9]), so most of the N. T. writers distinguish ὁ αἰὼν οὗτος this age (also simply ὁ αἰών, Matthew 13:22; Mark 4:19 G L T Tr WH; ὁ ἐνεστὼς αἰών, Galatians 1:4; ὁ νῦν αἰών, 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 αἰὼν μέλλων the future age (also ὁ αἰὼν ἐκεῖνος, Luke 20:35; ὁ αἰὼν ὁ ἐρχόμενος, Luke 18:30; Mark 10:30; οἱ αἰῶνες οἱ 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 αἰὼν οὗτος, by metonymy, men controlled by the thoughts and pursuits of this present time, Romans 12:2, the same who are called υἱοὶ τοῦ αἰ. τούτου in Luke 16:8; Luke 20:34; κατὰ τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ κόσμου τούτου conformably to the age to which this (wicked) world belongs, Ephesians 2:2 [cf. Trench, § 59 under the end]; ἀγαπᾶν τὸν νῦν αἰῶνα, 2 Timothy 4:10 (see ἀγαπάω); ἄρχοντες τοῦ αἰ. τούτου, 1 Corinthians 2:6 (see ἄρχων); ὁ θεὸς τοῦ αἰ. τούτου, the devil, who rules the thoughts and deeds of the men of this age, 2 Corinthians 4:4; αἱ μέριμναι τοῦ αἰῶνος, the anxieties for the things of this age, Mark 4:19; πλούσιος ἐν τῷ νῦν αἰῶνι, rich in worldly wealth, 1 Timothy 6:17; σοφία τοῦ αἰ. τούτ. such wisdom as belongs to this age — full of error, arrogant, hostile to the gospel, 1 Corinthians 2:6; συζητητὴς τοῦ αἰ. τούτ. disputer, sophist, such as we now find him, 1 Corinthians 1:20; συντέλεια τοῦ αἰ. 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 τῶν αἰώνων in Hebrews 9:26 [so Test xii. Patr., test. Levi 10, test. Benj. 11 (cf. Vorstman, p. 133)]; τὰ τέλη τῶν αἰώνων the ends (last part) of the ages before the return of Christ, 1 Corinthians 10:11; δυνάμεις τοῦ μέλλοντος αἰῶνος, powers which present themselves from the future or divine order of things, i. e., the Holy Spirit, Hebrews 6:5; τοῦ αἰῶνος ἐκείνου τυχεῖν, to partake of the blessings of the future age, Luke 20:35. Among the N. T. writers James does not use the word αἰών.

[On the word in its relation to κόσμος see Trench, § 59: Its biblical sense and its relation to עוֹלָם 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 αἰών as the complete period, either of each particular life or of all existence, see Aristotle, cael. 1, 9, 15; on αἰών 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. Müller, Philo's Lehre v. d. Weltschöpfung, 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, αἰών, 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 οἱ αἰών etc.), in Attic prose differs from χρόνος by denoting time unlimited and boundless, which is not conceived of as divisible into αἰῶνες (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. χρόνω δὲ τὰ μέρεα τάσδε τὰς περιόδως λέγοντι, ἅς ἐκόσμησεν ὁ θεὸς σὺν κόσμῳ· οὐ γὰρ ἦν πρὸ κόσμω ἄστρα· διόπερ οὐδ’ ἐνιαυτὸς οὐδ’ ὠρᾶν περίοδοι, αἷς μετρέεταί ὁ γεννατὸς χρόνος οὗτος. εὶκὼν δέ ἐστι τῶ ἀγεννάτω χρόνω, ὅν αἰῶνα ποταγορεύομες· ὡς γὰρ ποτ’ ἀΐδιον παράδειγμα, τὸν ἰδανικὸν κόσμον, ὅδε ὁ ὠρανὸς ἐγεννάθη, οὕτως ὡς πρὸς παράδειγμα, τὸν αἰῶνα, ὅδε ὁ χρόνος σὺν κόσμῳ ἐδαμιουργήθη — after Plato, Timaeus, p. 37 d. (where see Stallbaum's note and references); Isocrates 8, 34 τοὺς δὲ μετ’ εὐσεβείας κ. δικαιοσύνης ζῶντας (ὁρῶ) ἐν τε τοῖς παροῦσι χρόνοις ἀσφαλῶς διάγοντας καὶ περὶ τοῦ σύμπαντος αἰῶνος ἡδίους τὰς ἐλπίδας ἔχοντας. The adjective ἄχρονος independent of time, above and beyond all time, is synonymous with αἰώνιος; where time (with its subdivisions and limitations) ends eternity begins: Nonnus, metaph, evang. Johan. 1:1, ἄχρονος ἦν, ἀκίχητος, ἐν ἀρρήτω λόγος ἀρχῇ. Thoroughly Platonic in cast are the definitions of Gregory of Nazianzus (orat. xxxviii. 8) αἰὼν γὰρ οὔτε χρόνος οὔτε χρόνου τι μέρος· οὐδὲ γάρ μετρητόν, ἀλλ’ ὅπερ, ἡμῖν ὁ χρόνος ἡλίου φορᾷ μετρούμενος, τοῦτο τοῖς ἀϊδίοις αἰών, τὸ συμπαρεκτεινόμενον τοῖς οὖσιν οἷον τι χρονικὸν κίνημα καὶ διάστημα (Suicer as above). So Clement of Alexandria, strom., i. 13, p. 756 a., Migne edition, ό γ’ οὖν αἰὼν τοῦ χρόνου τὸ μέλλον καὶ τὸ ἐνεστὼς, αὐτὰρ δὴ καὶ τὸ παρῳχηκὸς ἀκαριαίως συνίστησι. Instances from extra-biblical writings of the use of αἰών in the plural are: τὸν ἀπ’ αἰώνων μύθον, Anthol. vol iii., part ii., p. 55, Jacobs edition; εἰς αἰῶνας, ibid. vol. iv. epigr. 492; ἐκ περιτροπῆς αἰώνων, Josephus, b. j. 3, 8, 5; εἰς αἰῶνας διαμένει, 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 πᾶς (ἅπας, σύμπας) or πᾶς (etc.) ὁ αἰών: de alleg. leg. iii. § 70; de cherub. § 1 (a noteworthy passage, cf. de congressu erud. § 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) μακρὸς αἰ.: de sacrif. Ab et Caini § 21; de ebrietate § 47; de secular § 20; αἰ. μήκιστος: de sobrietate § 5; de secular § 21; ὁ ἄπειρος αἰ.: de legat, ad Gaium § 11; ὁ ἔμπροσθεν αἰ.: de praem, et. poen. § 6; αἰ. πολύς: de Abrah. § 46; τίς αἰ.: de merc. meretr. § 1; δἰ αἰ.: de cherub. § 26; de plantat. § 27; εἰς τὸν αἰ.: de gigant. § 5; ἐν (τῷ) αἰ.: de mut. nom. § 2 (twice) (note the restriction); quod deus immut. § 6; ἐξ αἰ.: de somn. 1 § 3; ἐπ’ αἰ.: de plantat. § 12 (twice); de mundo § 7; πρὸ αἰ.: de mut. nom. § 2; πρὸς αἰ.: de mut. nom. § 11; (ὁ) αἰ.: 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) πᾶς αἰών: Antiquities 1, 18, 7; 3, 8, 10; contra Apion 2, 11, 3; 2, 22, 1; μακρὸς αἰ.: Antiquities 2, 7, 3; πολὺς αἰ.: contra Apion 2, 31, 1; τοσοῦτος αἰ.: contra Apion 1, 8, 4; πλῆθος αἰῶνος: Antiquities prooem. § 3; ἀπ’ αἰ.: b. j. prooem. § 4; δι’ αἰ.: Antiquities 1, 18, 8; 4, 6, 4; b. j. 6, 2, 1; εἰς (τὸν) αἰ.: Antiquities 4, 8, 18; 5, 1, 27; 7, 9, 5; 7, 14, 5; ἐξ αἰ.: b. j. 5, 10, 5; (ὁ) αἰ.: Antiquities 19, 2, 2; b. j. 1, 21, 10; plural (see above) 3, 8, 5. See αἰώνιος.]

THAYER’S GREEK LEXICON, Electronic Database.
Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2006, 2011 by Biblesoft, Inc.
All rights reserved. Used by permission. BibleSoft.com

BLB Scripture Index of Thayer's

Genesis: 6:3; 6:4
Leviticus: 10
Deuteronomy: 32:7
Psalms: 44:7; 45:7; 83:18; 144:13; 145:13
Matthew: 12:32; 13:22; 13:39; 13:49; 24:3; 28:20
Mark: 4:19; 4:19; 10:30
Luke: 1:33; 1:70; 16:8; 18:30; 20:34; 20:35; 20:35
John: 4:14; 6:51; 6:58; 8:35; 8:51; 9:32; 10:28; 11:26; 13:8; 14:16
Acts: 3:21; 15:18
Romans: 1:25; 1:25; 9:5; 11:36; 12:2; 16:27; 16:27
1 Corinthians: 1:20; 2:6; 2:6; 2:7; 8:13; 10:11
2 Corinthians: 4:4; 11:31
Galatians: 1:4; 1:5
Ephesians: 1:21; 2:2; 2:2; 2:7; 3:9; 3:11; 3:21
Philippians: 4:20
Colossians: 1:26
1 Timothy: 1:17; 1:17; 6:17; 6:17
2 Timothy: 4:10; 4:10; 4:18
Titus: 2:12
Hebrews: 1:2; 1:8; 5:6; 6:5; 6:20; 9:26; 11:3; 13:8
1 Peter: 4:11
2 Peter: 3:18
Jude: 1:13; 1:25
Revelation: 1:6; 1:18; 4:9; 5:13; 7:12; 10:6; 11:15; 14:11; 15:3; 15:7; 19:3; 20:10; 22:5

Word / Phrase / Strong's Search

Next Strong's G166 ››

‹‹ Previous Strong's G164

Concordance Results Shown Using the CSB

Strong's Number G165 matches the Greek αἰών (aiōn),
which occurs 415 times in 351 verses in the LXX Greek.

Page 1 / 8 (Gen 3:22–1Ki 9:3)

Line-By-Line Order: Verse-Reference Reference-Verse Separate Line Verse Only Reference Only	Reference Delimiters: None — Jhn 1:1 KJV Square — [Jhn 1:1 KJV] Curly — {Jhn 1:1 KJV} Parens — (Jhn 1:1 KJV)
Paragraph Order: Verse-Reference Reference-Verse Reference-Only	Number Delimiters:* No Number No Delimiter — 15 Square — [15] Curly — {15} Parens — (15)
Other Options: Abbreviate Books Use SBL Abbrev. En dash not Hyphen	Quotes Around Verses Remove Square Brackets

Bible Search

Lexiconc Search

Theological FAQ Search

Multiverse Retrieval

Browse Dictionary Topics

Free Bible Courses on Christian Belief & Practice

Lexicon :: Strong's G165 - aiōn

αἰών

BLB Scripture Index of Thayer's

Word / Phrase / Strong's Search

Concordance Results Shown Using the CSB

Search Results in Other Versions

Search Results by Book

BLB Searches

Search the Bible

LexiConc

Theological FAQs

Multi-Verse Retrieval

Let's Connect

Daily Devotionals

Daily Bible Reading Plans

One-Year Plans

Two-Year Plan

Recently Popular Pages

Recently Popular Media

Settings

Copy Translation Order [?]

Translation Selection order copied to Bibles Tab order

Bibles Tab order copied to Translation Selection order

Translation Selection order and Bibles Tab order have been reset

Cite This Page

MLA Format

APA Format

Chicago Format

SBL Format

Share This Page

Email This Page

Follow Blue Letter Bible

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Blue Letter Bible

Login To Your Account

Did You Know BLB Is User Supported?

Old Testament

New Testament

Psalms