3439. monogenés
Lexicon
monogenés: Only begotten, unique, one and only

Original Word: μονογενής
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: monogenés
Pronunciation: mo-no-ge-NACE
Phonetic Spelling: (mon-og-en-ace')
Definition: Only begotten, unique, one and only
Meaning: only, only-begotten; unique.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
only begotten, child.

From monos and ginomai; only-born, i.e. Sole -- only (begotten, child).

see GREEK monos

see GREEK ginomai

HELPS Word-studies

3439 monogenḗs (from 3411 /misthōtós, "one-and-only" and 1085 /génos, "offspring, stock") – properly, one-and-only; "one of a kind" – literally, "one (monos) of a class, genos" (the only of its kind).

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from monos and genos
Definition
only begotten
NASB Translation
only (3), only begotten (6).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 3439: μονογενής

μονογενής, μονογενές (μόνος and γένος) (Cicero,unigena; Vulg. (in Lukeunicus, elsewhere) and in ecclesiastical writingsunigenitus), single of its kind, only (A. V. only-begotten); used of only sons or daughters (viewed in relation to their parents), Hesiod theog. 426, 448; Herodotus 7, 221; Plato, Critias 113 d.; Josephus, Antiquities 1, 13, 1; 2, 7, 4; μονογενές τέκνον πατρί, Aeschylus Ag. 898. So in the Scriptures: Hebrews 11:17; μονογενῆ εἶναι τίνι (to be one's only son or daughter), Judges 11:34; Tobit 3:15; Luke 7:12; Luke 8:42; Luke 9:38; (cf. Westcott on Epistles of John, pp. 162ff). Hence, the expression μονογενής υἱός τοῦ Θεοῦ and υἱός τοῦ Θεοῦ μονογονης, John 3:16, 18; John 1:18 (see below); 1 John 4:9; μονογενής παρά πατρός, John 1:14 (some take this generally, owing to the omission of the article (cf. Green, pp. 48f)), used of Christ, denotes the only son of God or one who in the sense in which he himself is the son of God has no brethren. He is so spoken of by John not because λόγος which was ἐνσαρκωθεις in him was eternally generated by God the Father (the orthodox interpretation), or came forth from the being of God just before the beginning of the world (Subordinationism), but because by the incarnation (ἐνσαρκωσις) of the λόγος in him he is of nature or essentially Son of God, and so in a very different sense from that in which men are made by him τέκνα τοῦ Θεοῦ (John 1:13). For since in the writings of John the title ἱυος τοῦ Θεοῦ is given only to the historic Christ so called, neither the Logos alone, nor Jesus alone, but λόγος ἐνσαρκωθεις or Jesus through the λόγος united with God, is μονογενής υἱός τοῦ Θεοῦ. The reading μονογενής Θεός (without the article before μονογενής) in John 1:18, — which is supported by no inconsiderable weight of ancient testimony, received into the text by Tregelles, and Westcott and Hort, defended with much learning by Dr. Hort ("On μονογενής Θεός in Scripture and Tradition in his Two Dissertations" Camb. and Lond. 1876), and seems not improbable to Harnack (in the Theol. Lit.-Zeit. for 1876, p. 541ff) (and Weiss (in Meyer 6te Aufl. at the passage)), but is foreign to John's mode of thought and speech (John 3:16, 18; 1 John 4:9), dissonant and harsh — appears to owe its origin to a dogmatic zeal which broke out soon after the early days of the church; (see articles on the reading by Prof. Abbot in the Bib. Sacr. for Oct. 1861 and in the Unitarian Rev. for June 1875 (in the latter copious references to other discussions of the same passage are given); see also Prof. Drummond in the Theol. Rev. for Oct. 1871). Further, see Grimm, Exgt. Hdbch. on Sap., p. 152f; (Westcott as above).

Topical Lexicon
Word Origin: Derived from μόνος (monos), meaning "only" or "alone," and γένος (genos), meaning "kind" or "offspring."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Hebrew equivalent to μονογενής, the concept of a unique or only son can be related to the Hebrew term יָחִיד (yachid), Strong's Hebrew 3173, which means "only" or "solitary." This term is used in the Old Testament to describe an only child or a unique beloved son, as seen in Genesis 22:2, where Isaac is referred to as Abraham's "only son" in the context of the binding of Isaac.

Usage: The term is used in the New Testament to describe Jesus Christ as the unique and only begotten Son of God, highlighting His singular relationship with the Father. It is also used in reference to the unique status of certain individuals in familial contexts.

Context: The Greek term μονογενής appears in several key New Testament passages, primarily in the writings of John, to describe the unique nature of Jesus Christ as the Son of God. In John 1:14, the term is used to express the glory of the Word made flesh: "The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." Here, μονογενής underscores the singular and unparalleled relationship between Jesus and the Father, affirming His divine nature and preexistence.

In John 3:16, one of the most well-known verses in the Bible, the term is used to emphasize the depth of God's love for humanity: "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." This passage highlights the sacrificial aspect of Jesus' mission and His unique role in the salvation of mankind.

The term is also found in Hebrews 11:17, referring to Isaac as Abraham's "only begotten" son, despite Abraham having other sons. This usage emphasizes Isaac's unique role in the fulfillment of God's covenant promises.

Theologically, μονογενής is significant in Christological discussions, as it affirms the unique and eternal sonship of Christ, distinguishing Him from all creation and underscoring His divine origin and essence.

Forms and Transliterations
μονογενη μονογενή μονογενῆ μονογενης μονογενής μονογενὴς μονογενους μονογενούς μονογενοῦς μονόζωνοι μονοζώνοις μονόζωνον μονόζωνος μονοζώνους μονόκερος μονοκέρωτος μονοκερώτων μονομαχήσομεν monogene monogenê monogenē monogenē̂ monogenes monogenēs monogenḗs monogenḕs monogenous monogenoûs
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Luke 7:12 Adj-NMS
GRK: ἐξεκομίζετο τεθνηκὼς μονογενὴς υἱὸς τῇ
NAS: man was being carried out, the only son
KJV: carried out, the only son
INT: was being carried out [one] who had died only begotten son of the

Luke 8:42 Adj-NFS
GRK: ὅτι θυγάτηρ μονογενὴς ἦν αὐτῷ
NAS: for he had an only daughter, about
KJV: he had one only daughter, about
INT: because daughter an only was to him

Luke 9:38 Adj-NMS
GRK: μου ὅτι μονογενής μοί ἐστιν
NAS: at my son, for he is my only [boy],
KJV: he is mine only child.
INT: of me for an only child to me he is

John 1:14 Adj-GMS
GRK: δόξαν ὡς μονογενοῦς παρὰ πατρός
NAS: glory as of the only begotten from the Father,
KJV: as of the only begotten of
INT: a glory as of an only only-begotten with a father

John 1:18 Adj-NMS
GRK: ἑώρακεν πώποτε μονογενὴς θεὸς ὁ
NAS: at any time; the only begotten God
KJV: at any time; the only begotten Son,
INT: has seen ever yet only-begotten God the

John 3:16 Adj-AMS
GRK: υἱὸν τὸν μονογενῆ ἔδωκεν ἵνα
NAS: that He gave His only begotten Son,
KJV: he gave his only begotten Son, that
INT: Son the only begotten he gave that

John 3:18 Adj-GMS
GRK: ὄνομα τοῦ μονογενοῦς υἱοῦ τοῦ
NAS: in the name of the only begotten Son
KJV: the name of the only begotten Son
INT: name of the only begotten Son

Hebrews 11:17 Adj-AMS
GRK: καὶ τὸν μονογενῆ προσέφερεν ὁ
NAS: was offering up his only begotten [son];
KJV: offered up his only begotten [son],
INT: and [his] only begotten son was offering up the [one]

1 John 4:9 Adj-AMS
GRK: αὐτοῦ τὸν μονογενῆ ἀπέσταλκεν ὁ
NAS: has sent His only begotten Son
KJV: sent his only begotten Son into
INT: of him the only-begotten has sent

Strong's Greek 3439
9 Occurrences


μονογενῆ — 3 Occ.
μονογενὴς — 4 Occ.
μονογενοῦς — 2 Occ.















3438
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