Lexical Summary epeita: then, thereafter, afterwards Original Word: ἔπειτα Strong's Exhaustive Concordance afterward, then. From epi and eita; thereafter -- after that(-ward), then. see GREEK epi see GREEK eita HELPS Word-studies 1899 épeita (an adverb composed of 1909 /epí, "on, fitting" and 1534 /eíta, a primitive particle meaning "then, to continue on") – properly, only then (emphasizing what precedes is a necessary precursor). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom epi and eita Definition thereafter NASB Translation after (2), then (14). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1899: ἔπειταἔπειτα, adverb (ἐπί, εἶτα), thereupon, thereafter, then, afterward; used a. of time: Mark 7:5 R G; Luke 16:7; Galatians 1:21; James 4:14; μετά τοῦτο is added redundantly in John 11:7 (cf. Meyer at the passage; Winers Grammar, § 65, 2; (Buttmann, 397 (340))); a more definite specification of time is added epexegetically, μετά ἔτη τρία, Galatians 1:18; διά δεκατεσσάρων ἐτῶν, Galatians 2:1. b. in enumerations it is used α. of time and order: πρῶτον ... ἔπειτα, 1 Corinthians 15:46; 1 Thessalonians 4:17; πρότερον ... ἔπειτα, Hebrews 7:27; ἀπαρχή ... ἔπειτα, 1 Corinthians 15:23; εἶτα (but T Tr marginal reading WH marginal reading ἔπειτα) ... ἔπειτα, 1 Corinthians 15:5, 6; ἔπειτα ... ἔπειτα, 1 Corinthians 15:7 L marginal reading T Tr marginal reading WH marginal reading β. of order alone: πρῶτον ... ἔπειτα, Hebrews 7:2; τρίτον ... ἔπειτα ... ἔπειτα (R G εἶτα), 1 Corinthians 12:28. Ἔπειτα marks orderly succession in time or logic. Whether narrating actions in a parable (Luke 16:7), recounting historical facts (Galatians 1:18, 1:21; 2:1), describing God-ordained structures (1 Corinthians 12:28), or unfolding redemptive chronology (1 Corinthians 15:6-46; 1 Thessalonians 4:17), the word signals that one event follows another according to an intentional plan. It therefore reinforces Scripture’s presentation of history as linear, purposeful, and directed by God rather than random or cyclical. Occurrences in the Teaching of Jesus In Luke 16:7 the Lord employs ἔπειτα twice inside the Parable of the Unjust Steward. The adverb moves the account forward (“Then he asked another…”), highlighting the steward’s calculated steps and underscoring Christ’s lesson on prudent foresight. The sequential marker helps listeners feel the urgency of decisive action before a final accounting, a motif that echoes the coming judgment. Paul’s Personal Testimony Galatians 1:18, 1:21, and 2:1 use ἔπειτα to arrange Paul’s post-conversion itinerary: “Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem…”, “Then I went to the regions of Syria and Cilicia…”, “Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem…”. These temporal markers validate Paul’s gospel and apostleship by anchoring them in verifiable history. The careful chronology also silences accusations that he derived his message second-hand from the Jerusalem leaders; rather, God revealed it, and Paul later confirmed it with the apostles. Ecclesiological Order 1 Corinthians 12:28 reads, “And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles…”. Here ἔπειτα distinguishes the foundational ministries from subsequent manifestations. The sequence does not diminish later gifts but emphasizes the primacy of the Word-grounded offices that guard doctrine and unity. Church history bears out this pattern: proclamation precedes power; truth undergirds experience. Resurrection Chronology The resurrection chapter (1 Corinthians 15) employs ἔπειτα four times (verses 6, 7, 23, 46), mapping both past appearances and future resurrection order: • 1 Corinthians 15:6 – “Then He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once.” The word safeguards the historicity of Christ’s appearances and clarifies the eschatological timetable. It guarantees that believers’ bodily resurrection is not simultaneous with Christ’s but is nonetheless certain and scheduled. Eschatological Hope 1 Thessalonians 4:17 promises, “After that, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” The adverb “After that” (ἔπειτα) distinguishes the resurrection of sleeping saints from the simultaneous rapture of the living, emphasizing that every believer, dead or alive, will participate in the Lord’s return in orderly procession. Christological Typology in Hebrews Hebrews 7 twice uses ἔπειτα to trace Abraham’s actions toward Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:2) and to contrast Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice with daily Levitical offerings (Hebrews 7:27). The successive logic underscores the superiority of Christ’s priesthood: after receiving tithes, “Then he blessed him”; after “He offered once for all,” no further sacrifice is necessary. The term thus upholds the finality of Calvary. Wisdom and Moral Progression James applies ἔπειτα to ethical development. Heavenly wisdom is “pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason…” (James 3:17). Likewise, life is “a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14). The sequence teaches that purity must precede peace, and that human plans must yield to God’s sovereign timing. Theological Significance 1. Providence and Order: Ἔπειτα highlights God’s meticulous ordering of redemptive history—from Christ’s resurrection appearances to future glorification—affirming that “all things are done decently and in order” (cf. 1 Corinthians 14:40). Summary Though a small adverb, ἔπειτα serves a large theological purpose: it threads the biblical narrative with clear succession, reinforcing the certainty, coherence, and forward movement of God’s saving plan. Englishman's Concordance Luke 16:7 AdvGRK: ἔπειτα ἑτέρῳ εἶπεν NAS: Then he said to another, KJV: Then said he to another, INT: Then to another he said John 11:7 Adv 1 Corinthians 12:28 Adv 1 Corinthians 12:28 Adv 1 Corinthians 15:6 Adv 1 Corinthians 15:7 Adv 1 Corinthians 15:23 Adv 1 Corinthians 15:46 Adv Galatians 1:18 Adv Galatians 1:21 Adv Galatians 2:1 Adv 1 Thessalonians 4:17 Adv Hebrews 7:2 Adv Hebrews 7:27 Adv James 3:17 Adv James 4:14 Adv |
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