3569. tanun or ta nun

Lexical Summary

tanun or ta nun: "now," "at present," "at this time"

Original Word: τανῦν or τὰ νῦν
Part of Speech: Adverb
Transliteration: tanun or ta nun
Pronunciation: tah-NOON or tah NOON
Phonetic Spelling: (tan-oon')
KJV: (but) now
Word Origin: [from neuter plural of G3588 (ὁ - those) and G3568 (νῦν - now)]

1. the things now
2. (adverbially) at present

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

but now.

Or ta nun (tah noon) from neuter plural of ho and nun; the things now, i.e. (adverbially) at present -- (but) now.

see GREEK ho

see GREEK nun

HELPS Word-studies

Cognate: 3569 tanýn (from ta, the neuter, plural, definite article, "the," and 3568 /nýn, "now") – properly, "the things that are now" as the past bears on the present. See 3568 /nyn, "now, in light of the significance of what has preceded."

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
see ho, and nun.

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 3569: τανῦν

τανῦν, see νῦν, 1 f. α., p. 430b top.

Topical Lexicon

Linguistic Background

Τανῦν (or τὰ νῦν) is an emphatic temporal adverbial expression that singles out the present moment—“now, therefore,” “as things stand,” “at this very point.” While built from common Greek elements, its force lies in the heightened attention it brings to the time at hand, sharpening the contrast between former circumstance and the current, God-ordered situation.

Occurrences in Scripture

The exact form τανῦν/τὰ νῦν does not appear in the Greek New Testament, yet its shorter cognate νῦν is frequent and conveys the same immediacy (for example Romans 8:1; 2 Corinthians 6:2). In the Septuagint the fuller phrase is occasionally employed to press a decisive moment upon the hearer (e.g., Deuteronomy 9:13; 1 Samuel 12:7), reinforcing the biblical pattern of God placing men and women before urgent choices.

Theological Motifs Carried by “Now” Language

1. Covenant Confrontation: “Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity” (Joshua 24:14). Whether expressed by τανῦν or νῦν, the vocabulary of “now” gathers past revelation into an immediate summons.
2. Redemptive Fulfilment: “In these last days He has spoken to us by His Son” (Hebrews 1:2). The shift from promise to realization is marked by temporal adverbs that underline the arrival of salvation history’s climactic stage.
3. Eschatological Urgency: “The night is nearly over; the day has drawn near” (Romans 13:12). The language of “now” propels believers toward watchfulness and holy haste.

Historical Significance in Translation

Early English translations often rendered τανῦν/τὰ νῦν with weighty connective phrases such as “now therefore” or “so now,” preserving the transitional thrust felt by Greek readers. Where the form is absent, translators still convey the concept through νῦν or discourse particles—an example of faithful dynamic equivalence serving the text’s urgency.

Pastoral and Homiletical Application

• Urgency of Repentance: 2 Corinthians 6:2—“Now is the time of favor; now is the day of salvation.”
• Assurance in the Present: Romans 8:1—“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
• Perseverance Under Trial: 1 Peter 1:6—“Now though for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in various trials.”

The preacher who investigates τανῦν is reminded that biblical exhortation is never merely academic; it calls hearers to immediate, God-honoring response.

Practical Reflection for Ministry

1. Frame invitations to faith with Scriptural urgency, echoing the Spirit’s “now.”
2. Counsel believers to interpret present sufferings through the lens of imminent redemption, reinforcing hope.
3. Structure liturgy and teaching so that every gathering confronts participants with a decisive “today, if you hear His voice” (Hebrews 3:15).

Conclusion

Although absent in the New Testament’s extant manuscripts, τανῦν/τὰ νῦν sits behind a rich biblical theme: God speaks in the present tense. Whether calling Israel to covenant fidelity or summoning the Church to gospel obedience, Scripture refuses to leave life-changing truth postponed. It presses the claims of Christ upon hearts—now.

Forms and Transliterations

τα τανύν

Englishman's Concordance

νοῦν — 9 Occ.
νοῦς — 3 Occ.
Νύμφαν — 1 Occ.
νύμφη — 2 Occ.
νύμφην — 5 Occ.
νύμφης — 1 Occ.
νυμφίον — 2 Occ.
νυμφίος — 9 Occ.
νυμφίου — 5 Occ.
νυμφῶνος — 3 Occ.
νυνὶ — 20 Occ.
νύκτα — 4 Occ.
νύκτας — 4 Occ.
νυκτὶ — 14 Occ.
νυκτὸς — 33 Occ.
νὺξ — 7 Occ.
ἔνυξεν — 2 Occ.
ἐνύσταξαν — 1 Occ.
νυστάζει — 1 Occ.
νυχθήμερον — 1 Occ.