Lexical Summary etos: year Original Word: ἔτος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance year. Apparently a primary word; a year -- year. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. word Definition a year NASB Translation age (1), year (3), years (42), years of age (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2094: ἔτοςἔτος, ἔτους (the genitive plural ἐτῶν, cf. Buttmann, 14 (13)), τό, (from Homer down), Hebrew שָׁנַה, a year: Luke 3:1; Acts 7:30; Hebrews 1:12; 2 Peter 3:8; Revelation 20:3, etc.; ἔτη ἔχειν, to have passed years, John 8:57; with ἐν ἀσθένεια added, John 5:5 (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 32, 6); εἶναι, γίνεσθαι, γεγονέναι ἐτῶν, e. g. δώδεκα, to be twelve years old (cf. English (a boy) of twelve years): Mark 5:42; Luke 2:42; Luke 3:23 (cf. Winer's Grammar, 349 (328)); Topical Lexicon Overview The word translated “year” in the New Testament appears in forty-nine places and serves as a divinely inspired yardstick for measuring both human experience and redemptive history. Whether denoting a single revolution of the sun or a millennial span, every occurrence underscores God’s sovereign ordering of time and His faithfulness across generations. Historical Anchoring in Salvation History • Luke 3:1 situates John the Baptist’s ministry “in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar,” rooting the gospel events in verifiable chronology. Personal Ages and Life Milestones The term frequently marks key stages of life. Jesus was “about thirty years old when He began His ministry” (Luke 3:23), and at age twelve He astounded teachers in the temple (Luke 2:42). Jairus’s daughter (Luke 8:42) and the synagogue ruler’s son (Mark 5:42) were each twelve, a culturally significant threshold into adulthood. Widows qualifying for church support had to be “not less than sixty years of age” (1 Timothy 5:9), illustrating pastoral concern for verifiable maturity and proven faithfulness. Durations of Affliction and Waiting Years highlight prolonged suffering that magnifies Christ’s compassion: These extended periods emphasize both human helplessness and the sufficiency of the Savior. Prophetic and Redemptive Timeframes Forty years recur as a motif of testing and transition: Israel wandered forty years (Acts 7:36; Hebrews 3:9, 17), God “gave them over to worship the host of heaven” forty years (Acts 7:42), and Saul reigned forty years (Acts 13:21). Elijah’s drought lasted “three years and six months” (Luke 4:25), prefiguring tribulation language. Stephen cites a divinely foretold four-hundred-year sojourn in Egypt (Acts 7:6). Peter’s reminder that “with the Lord one day is like a thousand years” (2 Peter 3:8) calibrates eschatological patience, while Revelation 20 introduces the climactic “thousand years” of Christ’s reign, during which Satan is bound (Revelation 20:2-7). All these intervals affirm that divine promises ripen precisely on God’s timeline. Apostolic Ministry Time Markers Paul’s movements are tracked in years: three years in Arabia before meeting Cephas (Galatians 1:18), fourteen more before the Jerusalem consultation (Galatians 2:1), and “two years” of daily reasoning in Ephesus (Acts 19:10). Such notes verify apostolic credibility and Gospel spread. Romans 15:23 and Acts 24:17 speak of “many years” of longing and preparation for ministry, revealing that strategic waiting is part of Spirit-led service. Liturgical and Agricultural Rhythms Luke 2:41 mentions Joseph and Mary’s yearly Passover pilgrimage, reflecting covenant faithfulness. The parable of the barren fig tree marks “three years” of unfruitfulness and requests “one more year” of cultivation (Luke 13:7-8), pressing hearers toward timely repentance before divine patience expires. Eschatological Horizons in Revelation The final book gathers the term into a single, concentrated vision: six references to the thousand-year reign (Revelation 20:2-7) guarantee the ultimate vindication of the martyrs and the definitive subjugation of evil. These verses anchor Christian hope in a concrete future era, neither symbolic vacancy nor human utopia, but Messiah’s righteous administration. God’s Eternal Contrast While human history is counted in years, God’s existence is not. Hebrews 1:12 declares of the Son, “Your years will never end,” while 2 Peter 3:8 relativizes time itself under His lordship. The juxtaposition of finite years and the Lord’s infinity invites worship and trust. Pastoral and Discipleship Implications 1. Stewardship: Believers are urged to number their years wisely, redeeming the time (cf. Ephesians 5:16). Conclusion Throughout the New Testament, every occurrence of “year” situates events, characters, and promises within God’s overarching redemption chronicle. From the infancy narratives to the millennial reign, the term testifies that time itself is the servant of the Lord who “works out everything according to the counsel of His will.” Forms and Transliterations ΕΤΕΙ έτει ἔτει έτεσι ετεσιν έτεσιν ἔτεσιν ετη έτη ἔτη ετος έτος ἔτος ετους έτους ετων ετών ἐτῶν ete etē éte étē ETEI etesin étesin eton etôn etōn etō̂n etos étosLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Matthew 9:20 N-NNPGRK: αἱμορροοῦσα δώδεκα ἔτη προσελθοῦσα ὄπισθεν NAS: for twelve years, came KJV: twelve years, came INT: having had a flux of blood twelve years having come behind Mark 5:25 N-NNP Mark 5:42 N-GNP Luke 2:36 N-ANP Luke 2:37 N-GNP Luke 2:41 N-ANS Luke 2:42 N-GNP Luke 3:1 N-DNS Luke 3:23 N-GNP Luke 4:25 N-ANP Luke 8:42 N-GNP Luke 8:43 N-GNP Luke 12:19 N-ANP Luke 13:7 N-ANP Luke 13:8 N-ANS Luke 13:11 N-ANP Luke 13:16 N-ANP Luke 15:29 N-ANP John 2:20 N-DNP John 5:5 N-ANP John 8:57 N-ANP Acts 4:22 N-GNP Acts 7:6 N-ANP Acts 7:30 N-GNP Acts 7:36 N-NNP Strong's Greek 2094 |
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