Lexical Summary dromos: Course, race, path Original Word: δρόμος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance course, raceFrom the alternate of trecho; a race, i.e. (figuratively) career -- course. see GREEK trecho HELPS Word-studies 1408 drómos (related to edramon, "run" and 5143 /tréxō, "to race") – properly, a race-course (track), where foot-runners competed in the ancient Greek games. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom dramein (to run) Definition a course, race NASB Translation course (3). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1408: δρόμοςδρόμος, δρόμου, ὁ (from ΔΡΑΜΩ (which see); cf. νόμος, τρόμος, and the like), a course (Homer and following); in the N. T. figuratively, the course of life or of office: πληροῦσθαι τόν δρόμον, Acts 13:25; τελειουν, Acts 20:24; τέλειν, 2 Timothy 4:7. Topical Lexicon Overview Strong’s Greek 1408 (dromos) conveys the image of a racecourse or running lane and is employed in the New Testament to describe the ordered, divinely appointed “course” of a life or ministry. Beyond a mere athletic metaphor, the term underscores God’s sovereign design for every servant and the necessity of perseverance to the finish line. Occurrences in Scripture 1. Acts 13:25 reports John the Baptist’s awareness that his own “course” was approaching completion as Messiah appeared. The Race Motif in Greco-Roman Culture First-century readers were familiar with stadiums such as those in Corinth, Ephesus, and Antioch of Pisidia. By drawing from the athletic world, Scripture speaks into a shared cultural symbol: disciplined training, singular focus, and the coveted victor’s crown. Dromos would evoke not only the track but the entire regulated event—starting point, measured lanes, adjudication, and prize ceremony—allowing the apostles to illustrate spiritual truths with vivid immediacy. Application in Apostolic Ministry For Paul, dromos intertwines personal calling and gospel stewardship. Acts 20:24 links the completion of his “course” with the fulfillment of the evangelistic charge. The word thus encapsulates a whole itinerary governed by Christ: missionary journeys, church planting, teaching, and suffering. In 2 Timothy 4:7 the term marks the transfer of the baton to Timothy and subsequent generations, reinforcing that each believer’s course is part of a larger relay orchestrated by God. The Believer’s Personal Course Though limited to three direct occurrences, the concept resonates with passages such as Hebrews 12:1 and 1 Corinthians 9:24–27, where the believer is urged to run with endurance and self-control. Dromos therefore calls every disciple to recognize a unique, God-given lane, to avoid comparison, and to pursue holiness and faithfulness until death or Christ’s return. Eschatological Implications Finishing the course is linked with eschatological reward. Paul anticipates “the crown of righteousness” in 2 Timothy 4:8, implying that perseverance in one’s dromos will be publicly honored by the righteous Judge. Thus the term feeds hope, anchoring present exertion in future vindication. Pastoral Reflections • Identity: God assigns the lane; believers need not craft their own. Dromos, then, is more than an athletic metaphor; it is a concise theological declaration that every life and ministry unfolds under God’s sovereign plan and culminates in His commendation for those who endure to the end. Forms and Transliterations δρομον δρόμον δρόμος δρόμου δρόσον δρόσος δρόσου δρόσους δρόσω dromon drómonLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Acts 13:25 N-AMSGRK: Ἰωάννης τὸν δρόμον ἔλεγεν Τί NAS: was completing his course, he kept saying, KJV: fulfilled his course, he said, INT: John the course he said Whom Acts 20:24 N-AMS 2 Timothy 4:7 N-AMS |
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