UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament

Sense 1: life

Semantic entry: 23.88

Semantic domains: Physiological Processes and States

Subdomains: Live, Die

Definition: the condition of being alive and well because of the presence of air to breathe and food to eat; in many cases its usage implies health, strength, and some degree of prosperity

Notes: In some figurative expressions ζάω[a] and ζωή may involve serious complications in reference. For example, in RV JHN 6:51 · LV JHN 6:51 · Read together JHN 6:51 the expression ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ἄρτος ὁ ζῶν ‘I am the living bread’ may be understood in some languages as bread which has some living objects in it, namely, bread which is being eaten by worms or weevils. It may therefore be necessary to say ‘I am that bread which gives life.’{N:001}|In RV MRK 10:30 · LV MRK 10:30 · Read together MRK 10:30, καὶ ἐν τῷ αἰῶνι τῷ ἐρχομένῳ ζωὴν αἰώνιον ‘and in the age to come (he will receive) eternal life,’ there are significant differences of opinion as to whether the emphasis is primarily upon duration or upon the quality of life which is to be characteristic of the coming age. Since in some languages life can only be spoken of as a verb meaning literally ‘to live,’ then ‘eternal life’ might be expressed merely as ‘living without dying,’ but this can be misunderstood to mean that Christians will never die physically. Some translators have thus spoken of ‘eternal life’ as being ‘real life that never ends.’ In this way a qualitative distinction is introduced so that readers will not think merely in terms of the prolongation of earthly life, something which in some parts of the world would be regarded as being a terrible punishment rather than a blessing.|In a number of languages there is no noun-like word for ‘life.’ It may therefore be necessary to change all passages which speak of ‘life’ into a corresponding expression using a verb-like form meaning ‘to live.’