UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament

Sense 1: age, era

Semantic entry: 67.143

Semantic domains: Time

Subdomains: Indefinite Units of Time: Age, Lifetime, Interval, Period

Definition: a unit of time as a particular stage or period of history

Notes: In a number of languages there is no specific term for ‘age’ or ‘era.’ The closest approximation in the context of RV MAT 12:32 · LV MAT 12:32 · Read together MAT 12:32 may be ‘not in these many years and not in the many years which will follow.’|In RV TI1 1:17 · LV TI1 1:17 · Read together TI1 1:17 (τῷ δὲ βασιλεῖ τῶν αἰώνων literally ‘to the king of the ages’) the genitive phrase τῶν αἰώνων is better understood as an abstract of unlimited extent of time, and accordingly, one may translate more accurately as ‘the eternal king.’ Compare 67.95: αἰών / 67.95: διηνεκής / 67.95: εἰς / 67.95: παντελής.

Sense 2: universe

Semantic entry: 1.2

Semantic domains: Geographical Objects and Features

Subdomains: Universe, Creation

Definition: the universe, perhaps with some associated meaning of ‘eon’ or ‘age’ in the sense of the transitory nature of the universe (but this is doubtful in the contexts of RV HEB 1:2 · LV HEB 1:2 · Read together HEB 1:2 and RV HEB 11:3 · LV HEB 11:3 · Read together HEB 11:3)

Notes: In RV HEB 1:2 · LV HEB 1:2 · Read together HEB 1:2 it may be essential in a number of languages to translate ‘he is the one through whom God created everything,’ though in some instances a more idiomatic and satisfactory way of rendering the meaning would involve a phrase such as ‘… created both the earth and the sky’ or ‘… the heavens and the earth.’

Sense 3: world system, worlds standards, world

Semantic entry: 41.38

Semantic domains: Behavior and Related States

Subdomains: Particular Patterns of Behavior

Definition: the system of practices and standards associated with secular society (that is, without reference to any demands or requirements of God)

Notes: αἰών in RV CO1 3:18 · LV CO1 3:18 · Read together CO1 3:18 may also be rendered as ‘by the way in which people in this world think’ or ‘by the things which people in this world think are right.’ In RV MRK 4:19 · LV MRK 4:19 · Read together MRK 4:19 the phrase αἱ μέριμναι τοῦ αἰῶνος may be rendered as ‘the cares which people in this world have’ or ‘the way in which people in this world worry about things.’

Sense 4: long ago, very long ago

Semantic entry: 67.25

Semantic domains: Time

Subdomains: A Point of Time with Reference to Other Points of Time: Before, Long Ago, Now, At the Same Time, When, About, After

Definition: (an idiom, literally: from an age) a point of time preceding another point of time, with a very long interval between (more emphatic than πάλαι[a], ἔκπαλαι[a], 67.24: ἔκπαλαι / 67.24: πάλαι / 67.24: παλαιός)

Notes: Some persons have concluded that ἀπ᾽ αἰῶνος must be understood in the sense of ‘from an earlier age,’ but there seems to be no justification for reading a dispensational implication into this idiomatic expression.

Collocations: ἀπ᾽ αἰῶνος

Sense 5: since all time, from all ages past, from the beginning of time

Semantic entry: 67.133

Semantic domains: Time

Subdomains: Duration of Time with Reference to Some Point of Time: Until, Delay, Still, From

Definition: an exceedingly long period of time from an assumed beginning up to the present

Collocations: ἐκ τοῦ αἰῶνος; ἀπὸ τῶν αἰώνων; πρὸ παντὸς τοῦ αἰῶνος

Sense 6: always, forever, forever and ever, eternally, (with neg.) never

Semantic entry: 67.95

Semantic domains: Time

Subdomains: Duration of Time without Reference to Points or Units of Time: Time, Spend Time, Always, Eternal, Old, Immediately, Young

Definition: unlimited duration of time, with particular focus upon the future

Notes: See also RV LUK 1:33 · LV LUK 1:33 · Read together LUK 1:33; RV PE2 3:18 · LV PE2 3:18 · Read together PE2 3:18; RV JDE 1:25 · LV JDE 1:25 · Read together JDE 1:25; RV HEB 1:8 · LV HEB 1:8 · Read together HEB 1:8. The more elaborate expressions employing αἰών are somewhat more emphatic in meaning and are to be found especially in the solemn style of doxologies.

Collocations: εἰς αἰῶνα; εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα; εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας; εἰς ἡμέραν αἰῶνος; εἰς παντὰς τοὺς αἰῶνας; εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος; εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τῶν αἰώνων; εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων

Sense 7: power, authority, lordship, ruler, wicked force

Semantic entry: 12.44

Semantic domains: Supernatural Beings and Powers

Subdomains: Supernatural Powers

Definition: title for supernatural forces and powers: a supernatural power having some particular role in controlling the destiny and activities of human beings

Notes: Some scholars have believed that it is possible to reconstruct at least in part some of the hierarchy represented by these various supernatural forces and powers, on the basis of the neoplatonic system of nine such powers arranged in three orders of three each. NT terminology and usage does not, however, lend itself to such a classification, and it is difficult, if not impossible, to determine what are the significant differences between these supernatural powers and forces.|For the most part, translators have endeavored to render the various terms in somewhat different ways, for example, ἐξουσία as ‘authority’; δύναμις as ‘power’; κυριότης as ‘ruler’; and phrases such as τὰ πνευματικὰ τῆς πονηρίας ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις as ‘wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world.’ In a number of languages, however, there are simply not enough terms to designate various kinds of powers, authorities, and forces which could be employed in speaking of such supernatural impersonal powers. Accordingly, some translators have simply used a phrase such as ‘any and all kinds of supernatural powers.’ Where it is possible to make certain lexical distinctions between terms and phrases, this, of course, should be done, but in a number of contexts this may be impossible, and accordingly, some explanation in a marginal note may be required if the reader is to understand satisfactorily the intent of the passages in question.

Collocations: αἰὼν τοῦ κόσμου τούτου

Sense 8: the god of this world, the Devil

Semantic entry: 12.24

Semantic domains: Supernatural Beings and Powers

Subdomains: Supernatural Beings

Definition: (a title for the Devil, literally: the god of this world) one who has power or authority over this world (or this age) and is so recognized by people of the world

Notes: The expression ‘the god of this world’ may be understood in two senses: (1) the god who rules over this world or (2) the god whom the people of this world trust or worship. Though many persons have traditionally interpreted ‘the god of this world’ as the one who rules over this world, it is the second meaning which probably fits more accurately in the context of RV CO2 4:4 · LV CO2 4:4 · Read together CO2 4:4.

Collocations: ὁ θεὸς τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου

Sense 9: non-religious people, people of this world, people of this age

Semantic entry: 11.16

Semantic domains: Groups and Classes of Persons and Members of Such Groups and Classes

Subdomains: Socio-Religious

Definition: (an idiom, literally: sons of this age) persons who hold to the value system of the world

Notes: In some instances ‘the people of this world’ may be rendered as ‘the people who live like most people in the world’ or ‘the people who are concerned only about what people say.’ Sometimes the identification with the world is expressed in contrast with people’s attitude concerning God, for example, ‘people who have no use for God.’

Collocations: υἱοὶ τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου

Sense 10: always, eternally, past and present and future

Semantic entry: 67.87

Semantic domains: Time

Subdomains: Duration of Time without Reference to Points or Units of Time: Time, Spend Time, Always, Eternal, Old, Immediately, Young

Definition: (an idiom, literally: yesterday, today, and forever) an unlimited extension of time, from the past into the future

Collocations: ἐχθὲς καὶ σήμερον καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας