UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament

Sense 1: sky

Semantic entry: 1.5

Semantic domains: Geographical Objects and Features

Subdomains: Regions Above the Earth

Definition: space above the earth, including the vault arching high over the earth from one horizon to another, as well as the sun, moon, and stars

Notes: In OET ACT 2:5 the expression ‘under the sky’ is better translated in a number of languages as ‘on earth,’ and in OET HEB 11:12 ‘the stars of the sky’ is effectively rendered in many instances as ‘the stars up above,’ though in many languages ‘up above’ is not only redundant, but misleading, since it might suggest stars that would not be ‘up above.’ The area described by the phrase ἀπ’ ἄκρων οὐρανῶν ἕως τῶν ἄκρων αὐτῶν in OET MAT 24:31 refers to the limits of the horizon regarded as the limits of the sky, but in many languages the equivalent is an expression dealing with the limits of the earth.|In some contexts οὐρανός[a] ‘sky’ designates areas which in other languages are referred to by terms specifying only a part of the area above the earth. For example, a literal translation of ἐμβλέψατε εἰς τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ‘look at the birds of the sky’ (OET MAT 6:26) would in some languages refer only to those birds which fly particularly high in the sky, for example, eagles, vultures, and falcons. The Greek expression τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ simply designates wild birds in contrast with domestic fowl, such as chickens. Therefore, in translating ‘the birds of the sky,’ one may wish to use a general designation for all wild birds. See also 4.41: οὐρανός / 4.41: πετεινός.|The sky (οὐρανός[a]) is also represented in the Scriptures as a dwelling place of certain supernatural beings, for the various stars and constellations were associated with supernatural forces (see στρατιὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, literally ‘the army of heaven,’ in OET ACT 7:42: ὁ θεὸς … παρέδωκεν αὐτοὺς λατρεύειν τῇ στρατιᾷ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ‘God … gave them over to worship the stars of the heaven’). In some languages, however, there is a problem with the rendering ‘stars of heaven,’ since such an expression might imply that there are types of stars which do not exist in the sky. Therefore, it is often more appropriate to translate στρατιὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ as simply ‘the stars.’ At the same time it is often advisable to introduce a marginal note to indicate that the stars were regarded as symbols of supernatural beings. One may also translate στρατιὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ as ‘supernatural beings in the sky’ or ‘powers that dwell in the sky’ (see 12.45: οὐρανός / 12.45: στρατιά).|The semantic equivalent of οὐρανός[a] is in some instances merely an adverb meaning ‘up’ or ‘above.’ In other languages the various areas referred to by ούρανός[a] must be designated by more specific terms or phrases, for example, ‘the region of the stars,’ ‘the place of the clouds,’ or ‘where the wind blows,’ as a way of designating at least three different areas which may be significant in certain types of contexts.

Sense 2: heaven

Semantic entry: 1.11

Semantic domains: Geographical Objects and Features

Subdomains: Regions Above the Earth

Definition: the supernatural dwelling place of God and other heavenly beings (οὐρανός[b] also contains a component denoting that which is above or in the sky, but the element of abode is evidently more significant than location above the earth)

Notes: In a number of languages precisely the same term is used to designate both ‘sky’ and ‘heaven’ (as the abode of God). But in many instances a completely separate term must be employed in speaking of the dwelling place of God, for example, ‘where God lives’ or ‘where God is’ or ‘from where God governs.’ In some languages the term referring to ‘heaven’ is simply ‘the home above,’ and in one instance a designation of heaven refers primarily to a state, for example, ‘the life above.’|The phrase τρίτος οὐρανός ‘the third heaven’ is a fixed phrase referring to the abode of God (ἁρπαγέντα τὸν τοιοῦτον ἕως τρίτου οὐρανοῦ ‘(a man) who was caught up as far as the third heaven’ OET CO2 12:2), but in a number of languages it is extremely difficult to speak of ‘the third heaven,’ especially if one uses a term for ‘heaven’ which is ‘the abode of God.’ Therefore, in many instances τρίτος οὐρανός is translated as ‘heaven’ or ‘the abode of God,’ and if necessary, a footnote may be added in order to indicate the literal meaning of the Greek expression. If a literal rendering is employed, it is usually equivalent to ‘the third sky’ or ‘above two degrees of sky.’

Sense 3: God

Semantic entry: 12.16

Semantic domains: Supernatural Beings and Powers

Subdomains: Supernatural Beings

Definition: (a figurative extension of meaning of οὐρανός [source selector 000001][b] ‘heaven,’ 1.11: οὐρανός) a reference to God based on the Jewish tendency to avoid using a name or direct term for God

Notes: A translation such as ‘I have sinned against God’ would seem to be so much simpler than ‘I have sinned against heaven,’ but in reality it is not easy to find a satisfactory expression for ‘sinning against God.’ It is, of course, possible to speak of ‘fighting against a person,’ but ‘to sin against a person’ involves a very complex relationship which often needs to be more clearly explained, for example, ‘I have sinned against what God has said’ or ‘I have sinned by doing what displeases God.’ In some languages a strictly literal rendering of ‘I have sinned against God’ might be understood in the sense of committing some kind of sin with God.

Sense 4: heaven and earth, universe

Semantic entry: 1.3

Semantic domains: Geographical Objects and Features

Subdomains: Universe, Creation

Definition: a more or less fixed phrase: the heavens and the earth, equivalent to a single lexical item: the totality of God’s creation

Notes: There may be certain complications involved in rendering ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ as ‘heaven and earth,’ since ‘heaven’ might be interpreted in some languages as referring only to the dwelling place of God himself. The referents in this passage are ‘the sky and the earth,’ in other words, all of physical existence, but not the dwelling place of God, for the latter would not be included in what is destined to pass away.

Collocations: ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ

Sense 5: birds, wild birds

Semantic entry: 4.41

Semantic domains: Animals

Subdomains: Birds

Definition: (an idiom, literally: birds of the sky) wild birds in contrast with domesticated birds such as chickens

Notes: A literal rendering of πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, either as ‘birds of the air’ or ‘birds of the sky,’ may be misleading, since ‘birds of the air’ might imply that these are birds made out of air, and ‘birds of the sky’ might suggest they are birds which remain always in the sky. In some languages the equivalent expression is ‘birds of the trees’ or ‘birds of the winds.’

Collocations: πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ

Sense 6: the stars of heaven

Semantic entry: 12.45

Semantic domains: Supernatural Beings and Powers

Subdomains: Supernatural Powers

Definition: (an idiom, literally: army of heaven) the stars of heaven as symbols of various supernatural powers

Notes: Since ‘the stars of heaven’ serve primarily as symbols of certain heavenly supernatural powers, it may be appropriate in some languages to speak of ‘the spirits of the stars in the sky.’ See also 1.5: οὐρανός.

Collocations: στρατιὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ

Sense 7: on earth

Semantic entry: 1.43

Semantic domains: Geographical Objects and Features

Subdomains: The Earth's Surface

Definition: (an idiom, literally: under the sky) pertaining to being on the earth

Notes: ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανόν is essentially equivalent in reference to ἐπίγειος ‘on the earth’ (1.41: ἐπίγειος).

Collocations: ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανόν