3466. mustérion
Lexical Summary
mustérion: Mystery

Original Word: μυστήριον
Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter
Transliteration: mustérion
Pronunciation: moos-TAY-ree-on
Phonetic Spelling: (moos-tay'-ree-on)
KJV: mystery
NASB: mystery, mysteries
Word Origin: [from a derivative of muo "to shut the mouth"]

1. a secret or "mystery"
{through the idea of silence imposed by initiation into religious rites}

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
mystery.

From a derivative of muo (to shut the mouth); a secret or "mystery" (through the idea of silence imposed by initiation into religious rites) -- mystery.

HELPS Word-studies

3466 mystḗrion (the root of the English term, "mystery") – mystery. In the Bible, a "mystery" (3466 /mystḗrion) is not something unknowable. Rather, it is what can only be known through revelation, i.e. because God reveals it.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from mustés (one initiated); from mueó
Definition
a mystery or secret doctrine
NASB Translation
mysteries (5), mystery (22).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 3466: μυστήριον

μυστήριον, μυστηρίου, τό (μύστης (one initiated; from μυέω, which see)), in classical Greek a hidden thing, secret, mystery: μυστήριον σου μή κατειπης τῷ φιλῶ, Menander; plural generally mysteries, religious secrets, confided only to the initiated and not to be communicated by them to ordinary mortals; (cf. K. F. Hermann, Gottesdienstl. Alterthümer der Griechen, § 32). In the Scriptures:

1. a hidden or secret thing, not obvious to the understanding: 1 Corinthians 13:2; 1 Corinthians 14:2; (of the secret rites of the Gentiles, Wis. 14:15, 23).

2. a hidden purpose or counsel; secret will: of men, τοῦ βασιλέως, Tobit 12:7, 11; τῆς βουλῆς αὐτοῦ, Judith 2:2; of God: μυστήρια Θεοῦ, the secret counsels which govern God in dealing with the righteous, which are hidden from ungodly and wicked men but plain to the godly, Wis. 2:22. In the N. T., God's plan of providing salvation for men through Christ, which was once hidden but now is revealed: Romans 16:25; 1 Corinthians 2:7 (on this see ἐν, I. 5 f.); Ephesians 3:9; Colossians 1:26f; with τοῦ θελήματος αὐτοῦ added, Ephesians 1:9; τοῦ Θεοῦ, which God formed, Colossians 2:2; (1 Corinthians 2:1 WH text); τοῦ Χριστοῦ, respecting Christ, Colossians 4:3; τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, which is contained and announced in the gospel, Ephesians 6:19; ἐτελέσθη τό μυστήριον τοῦ Θεοῦ, said of the consummation of this purpose, to be looked for when Christ returns, Revelation 10:7; τά μυστήρια τῆς βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν or τοῦ Θεοῦ, the secret purposes relative to the kingdom of God, Matthew 13:11; Mark 4:11; Luke 8:10; used of certain single events decreed by God having reference to his kingdom or the salvation of men, Romans 11:25; 1 Corinthians 15:51; of God's purpose to bless the Gentiles also with salvation through Christ (cf. Lightfoot on Colossians 1:26), Ephesians 3:3, cf. Ephesians 3:5; with τοῦ Χριστοῦ added, Ephesians 3:4; οἰκονόμοι μυστηρίων Θεοῦ, the stewards of God's mysteries, i. e. those intrusted with the announcement of God's secret purposes to men, 1 Corinthians 4:1; used generally, of Christian truth as hidden from ungodly men: with the addition of τῆς πίστεως, τῆς εὐσεβείας, which faith and godliness embrace and keep, 1 Timothy 3:9, 16; τό μυστήριον τῆς ἀνομίας the mystery of lawlessness, the secret purpose formed by lawlessness, seems to be a tacit antithesis to God's saving purpose, 2 Thessalonians 2:7.

3. Like רָזָא and סוד in rabbinic writers, it denotes the mystic or hidden sense: of an O. T. saying, Ephesians 5:32; of a name, Revelation 17:5; of an image or form seen in a vision, Revelation 1:20; Revelation 17:5; of a dream, (Theod.) Daniel 2:18f, 27-30, where the Sept. so renders רָז. (The Vulg. translates the wordsacramentum in Daniel 2:18; Daniel 4:6; Tobit 12:7; Wis. 2:22; Ephesians 1:9; Ephesians 3:3, 9; Ephesians 5:32; 1 Timothy 3:16; Revelation 1:20.) (On the distinctive N. T. use of the word cf. Campbell, Dissertations on the Gospels. diss. ix. part i.; Kendrick in B. D. American edition under the word ; Lightfoot on Colossians 1:26.)

Topical Lexicon
Essence of the New Testament “Mystery”

The term denotes a divine secret once concealed, now disclosed by God to His covenant people. It is never an esoteric riddle for an elite; rather, it is revelation granted through the Spirit and centered in Jesus Christ. Knowledge of any “mystery” therefore issues in worship, obedience, and proclamation.

Old Testament Anticipation and Progressive Revelation

While the word μυστήριον never appears in the Hebrew Scriptures, the idea of hidden counsel later unveiled is embedded in passages such as Deuteronomy 29:29 and Daniel 2:28. The New Testament writers inherit this framework, presenting the gospel as the climax of God’s long-kept counsel.

Mysteries of the Kingdom in the Gospels

Matthew 13:11, Mark 4:11, and Luke 8:10 introduce “the mysteries of the kingdom.” Through parables Jesus both conceals and reveals. Outsiders hear stories; insiders perceive “the knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 13:11). The kingdom’s presence in the King Himself is the concealed reality, comprehended only by faith.

Pauline Theology of the Mystery

1. Salvation-Historical Scope

Paul proclaims “God’s wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom that has been hidden” (1 Corinthians 2:7). This wisdom is the crucified Christ (1 Corinthians 2:1, 8), unknown to the rulers yet ordained for the saints’ glory.

2. Jew–Gentile Unity

“The mystery made known to me by revelation” (Ephesians 3:3-6) is that Gentiles are “fellow heirs” in one body. Romans 11:25 warns Gentile believers not to boast, for Israel’s partial hardening is itself a mystery within God’s saving plan.

3. Christ Indwelling Believers

Colossians 1:26-27 celebrates “the mystery hidden for ages… Christ in you, the hope of glory.” This indwelling Presence guarantees future conformity to Christ.

4. Cosmic Headship and Consummation

Ephesians 1:9-10 speaks of the unveiled “mystery of His will” to sum up all things in Christ—heavenly and earthly—at the fullness of time.

5. Marriage and Ecclesiology

The union of husband and wife mirrors “a profound mystery” concerning “Christ and the church” (Ephesians 5:32), grounding marital ethics in redemptive history.

6. Pastoral Stewardship

Ministers are “servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God” (1 Corinthians 4:1). Deacons must “hold to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience” (1 Timothy 3:9), and the church confesses “the mystery of godliness” centered on the incarnate, exalted Christ (1 Timothy 3:16).

7. Eschatological Transformation

“Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:51). The resurrection body is a revealed secret, securing hope amidst mortality.

The Mystery of Lawlessness

In contrast to gospel mysteries stands “the mystery of lawlessness” already at work (2 Thessalonians 2:7). Though presently restrained, this hidden rebellion will climax in the man of lawlessness and be destroyed by Christ’s appearing, underscoring God’s sovereign timetable.

Apocalyptic Mysteries in Revelation

Revelation unveils symbolic realities:
• “The mystery of the seven stars” (Revelation 1:20) interprets the vision of Christ among His churches.
• “The mystery of God will be accomplished” at the seventh trumpet (Revelation 10:7), signaling final judgment and reward.
• Babylon bears “a name written, a mystery: ‘Babylon the great…’ ” (Revelation 17:5-7), a cryptic title exposing her spiritual harlotry and inevitable fall.

Ministry Implications

1. Proclamation with Clarity

Paul requests prayer “to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains” (Ephesians 6:19-20). The revealed secret must be spoken plainly.

2. Dependent Illumination

Understanding is granted, not achieved. Hence believers pray “that God may open to us a door for the word, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ” (Colossians 4:3).

3. Humble Stewardship

Knowledge of divine mysteries produces humility, not arrogance (Romans 11:25). Spiritual gifts, even those able to “fathom all mysteries” (1 Corinthians 13:2), are meaningless without love.

4. Ethical Transformation

The mystery of godliness (1 Timothy 3:16) binds doctrine to conduct. To know Christ is to reflect His holiness.

Historical Trajectory

Early Christian writers quickly adopted μυστήριον to describe the gospel, baptism, and the Eucharist, emphasizing the sacramental disclosure of salvation history. Yet the New Testament usage anchors the word in revelation, not secrecy. The church’s liturgy and mission therefore stand upon what God has made known, inviting all nations to the open secret of Christ crucified and risen.

Summary

Μυστήριον signals God’s sovereign disclosure of redemptive truth: hidden in ages past, revealed in Christ, entrusted to the church, and consummated at His return. Believers live, worship, and witness in the light of this unveiled glory.

Forms and Transliterations
μυστηρια μυστήρια μυστηριον μυστήριον μυστηριου μυστηρίου μυστηριω μυστηρίω μυστηρίῳ μυστηριων μυστηρίων musteria mustēria musterio mustēriō musterion mustērion mustēriōn musteriou mustēriou mysteria mystēria mystḗria mysterio mystēriō mysteríoi mystēríōi mysterion mysteríon mystērion mystēriōn mystēríōn mystḗrion mysteriou mysteríou mystēriou mystēríou
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Englishman's Concordance
Matthew 13:11 N-ANP
GRK: γνῶναι τὰ μυστήρια τῆς βασιλείας
NAS: to know the mysteries of the kingdom
KJV: to know the mysteries of the kingdom
INT: to know the mysteries of the kingdom

Mark 4:11 N-ANS
GRK: Ὑμῖν τὸ μυστήριον δέδοται τῆς
NAS: to them, To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom
KJV: to know the mystery of the kingdom
INT: To you the mystery has been given of the

Luke 8:10 N-ANP
GRK: γνῶναι τὰ μυστήρια τῆς βασιλείας
NAS: to know the mysteries of the kingdom
KJV: to know the mysteries of the kingdom
INT: to know the mysteries of the kingdom

Romans 11:25 N-ANS
GRK: ἀδελφοί τὸ μυστήριον τοῦτο ἵνα
NAS: of this mystery-- so
KJV: of this mystery, lest
INT: brothers the mystery this that

Romans 16:25 N-GNS
GRK: κατὰ ἀποκάλυψιν μυστηρίου χρόνοις αἰωνίοις
NAS: to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret
KJV: to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret
INT: according to a revelation of [the] mystery in times of the ages

1 Corinthians 2:1 N-ANS
GRK: ὑμῖν τὸ μυστήριον τοῦ θεοῦ
INT: to you the testimony of God

1 Corinthians 2:7 N-DNS
GRK: σοφίαν ἐν μυστηρίῳ τὴν ἀποκεκρυμμένην
NAS: wisdom in a mystery, the hidden
KJV: in a mystery, [even] the hidden
INT: wisdom in a mystery that hidden

1 Corinthians 4:1 N-GNP
GRK: καὶ οἰκονόμους μυστηρίων θεοῦ
NAS: and stewards of the mysteries of God.
KJV: and stewards of the mysteries of God.
INT: and stewards of mysteries of God's

1 Corinthians 13:2 N-ANP
GRK: εἰδῶ τὰ μυστήρια πάντα καὶ
NAS: all mysteries and all
KJV: understand all mysteries, and all
INT: know the mysteries all and

1 Corinthians 14:2 N-ANP
GRK: δὲ λαλεῖ μυστήρια
NAS: he speaks mysteries.
KJV: in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
INT: however he speaks mysteries

1 Corinthians 15:51 N-ANS
GRK: ἰδοὺ μυστήριον ὑμῖν λέγω
NAS: I tell you a mystery; we will not all
KJV: I shew you a mystery; We shall not
INT: Behold a mystery to you I tell

Ephesians 1:9 N-ANS
GRK: ἡμῖν τὸ μυστήριον τοῦ θελήματος
NAS: He made known to us the mystery of His will, according
KJV: unto us the mystery of his
INT: to us the mystery the will

Ephesians 3:3 N-ANS
GRK: μοι τὸ μυστήριον καθὼς προέγραψα
NAS: there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before
KJV: unto me the mystery; (as
INT: to me the mystery according as I wrote before

Ephesians 3:4 N-DNS
GRK: ἐν τῷ μυστηρίῳ τοῦ χριστοῦ
NAS: my insight into the mystery of Christ,
KJV: knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
INT: in the mystery of Christ

Ephesians 3:9 N-GNS
GRK: οἰκονομία τοῦ μυστηρίου τοῦ ἀποκεκρυμμένου
NAS: is the administration of the mystery which for ages
KJV: [is] the fellowship of the mystery, which
INT: administration of the mystery which has been hidden

Ephesians 5:32 N-NNS
GRK: τὸ μυστήριον τοῦτο μέγα
NAS: This mystery is great;
KJV: is a great mystery: but I
INT: the mystery This great

Ephesians 6:19 N-ANS
GRK: γνωρίσαι τὸ μυστήριον τοῦ εὐαγγελίου
NAS: with boldness the mystery of the gospel,
KJV: to make known the mystery of the gospel,
INT: to make known the mystery of the gospel

Colossians 1:26 N-ANS
GRK: τὸ μυστήριον τὸ ἀποκεκρυμμένον
NAS: [that is], the mystery which has been hidden
KJV: [Even] the mystery which hath been hid
INT: the mystery which has been hidden

Colossians 1:27 N-GNS
GRK: δόξης τοῦ μυστηρίου τούτου ἐν
NAS: of this mystery among
KJV: of this mystery among
INT: glory of the mystery this among

Colossians 2:2 N-GNS
GRK: ἐπίγνωσιν τοῦ μυστηρίου τοῦ θεοῦ
NAS: of God's mystery, [that is], Christ
KJV: the acknowledgement of the mystery of God,
INT: [the] knowledge of the mystery of God

Colossians 4:3 N-ANS
GRK: λαλῆσαι τὸ μυστήριον τοῦ χριστοῦ
NAS: so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ,
KJV: to speak the mystery of Christ,
INT: to speak the mystery of Christ

2 Thessalonians 2:7 N-NNS
GRK: τὸ γὰρ μυστήριον ἤδη ἐνεργεῖται
NAS: For the mystery of lawlessness
KJV: For the mystery of iniquity doth
INT: the indeed mystery already is working

1 Timothy 3:9 N-ANS
GRK: ἔχοντας τὸ μυστήριον τῆς πίστεως
NAS: [but] holding to the mystery of the faith
KJV: Holding the mystery of the faith in
INT: holding the mystery of the faith

1 Timothy 3:16 N-NNS
GRK: τῆς εὐσεβείας μυστήριον Ὃς ἐφανερώθη
NAS: great is the mystery of godliness:
KJV: great is the mystery of godliness: God
INT: of godliness mystery which was revealed

Revelation 1:20 N-NNS
GRK: τὸ μυστήριον τῶν ἑπτὰ
NAS: As for the mystery of the seven stars
KJV: The mystery of the seven stars
INT: The mystery of the seven

Strong's Greek 3466
28 Occurrences


μυστήρια — 4 Occ.
μυστηρίῳ — 2 Occ.
μυστηρίων — 1 Occ.
μυστήριον — 17 Occ.
μυστηρίου — 4 Occ.

3465
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