Lexical Summary bioó: To live, to spend one's life Original Word: βιόω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance live. From bios; to spend existence -- live. see GREEK bios HELPS Word-studies Cognate: 980 bióō – to live out physical life as a physical-spiritual being. See 979 (bios). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom bios Definition to live NASB Translation live (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 980: βιόωβιόω, βίῳ: 1 aorist infinitive βιῶσαι; for which in Attic the 2 aorist infinitive βιωναι is more common, cf. Winers Grammar, 84 (80); (Buttmann, 54 (48); Veitch, or Liddell and Scott, under the word); (βίος); (from Homer down); to spend life, to live: τόν χρόνον, to pass the time, 1 Peter 4:2; (Job 29:18; ἡμέρας, Xenophon, mem. 4, 8, 2). (Synonym: see βίος, at the end.) Topical Lexicon Scope and BackgroundStrong’s Greek 980 (βιόω) speaks to “living out” one’s earthly existence. Classical writers used the term for the span or conduct of life in the visible world. Whereas the noun βίος focuses on material livelihood and ζωή on the quality of life that comes from God, βιόω zeroes in on the practical out-working of one’s allotted time. Single New Testament Occurrence 1 Peter 4:2: “so as to live (βιῶσαι) the remaining time in the flesh no longer for human desires, but for the will of God.” Peter writes to believers scattered through Asia Minor who were facing social marginalization and brewing governmental hostility. His choice of βιόω emphasizes that every remaining moment—however mundane—must now be redirected from self-centered impulses to the revealed will of God. Theological Emphasis 1. Stewardship of Time • Life is portrayed as a finite “remaining time.” Conscious awareness of its brevity urges decisive separation from sin (compare Ephesians 5:16). • The verb frames a decisive shift: from passions that once ruled (Romans 6:12) to the will that now rules—God’s. The believer’s biography is rewritten. • The broader context (1 Peter 4:1) ties this living to Christ’s own suffering “in the flesh.” Believers who arm themselves with the same mindset demonstrate that sin’s dominion has been broken (Romans 6:6–7). • 1 Peter 4:7 adds, “The end of all things is near.” A verb that could have been merely descriptive becomes eschatologically charged: life is the arena for final witness. Contrast with Related Terms • ζωή (e.g., John 10:10) stresses the divine quality of life imparted through regeneration. Old Testament Parallels Hebrew wisdom repeatedly weighs the transient nature of human days against the fear of the LORD (Psalm 90:12; Ecclesiastes 12:13). Peter’s use of βιόω continues that wisdom tradition, now anchored in the finished work of Christ. Historical and Cultural Setting First-century Asia Minor offered abundant civic festivals, guild feasts, and domestic cults that promoted “human desires.” Refusing participation threatened livelihoods and social standing (1 Peter 4:4). βιόω thus called for a counter-cultural lifestyle that could incur suffering yet testified to a higher allegiance. Practical Ministry Applications 1. Discipleship Training • Encourage believers to audit daily routines, aligning each segment of “remaining time” with Kingdom priorities. • Use 1 Peter 4:2 to comfort those whose obedience costs them vocational or relational security, reminding them that Scripture anticipated such tension. • A life (βιόω) distinct from passions but full of kindness validates the gospel before a watching world (1 Peter 2:12). • The term’s emphasis on limited time offers a gentle framework for preparing saints for glory without regret. Synthesis Strong’s 980 summons believers to transform the ordinary flow of earthly days into a continual expression of God’s will. Though the verb appears only once, its significance ripples through New Testament ethics: redeemed people must showcase heavenly citizenship in every practical decision until their “remaining time” is complete. Forms and Transliterations βιρά βιωσαι βιώσαι βιῶσαι βιώσεις βιώσητε βιώσω biosai biôsai biōsai biō̂saiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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