Lexical Summary biósis: Living, manner of life Original Word: βίωσις Strong's Exhaustive Concordance manner of life. From bioo; living (properly, the act, by implication, the mode) -- manner of life. see GREEK bioo NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom bioó Definition manner of life NASB Translation manner of life (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 981: βίωσιςβίωσις, βιώσεως, ἡ, manner of living and acting, way of life: Acts 26:4. (Sir. prolog. 10 διά τῆς ἐννόμου βιώσεως; not found in secular authors.) Topical Lexicon Word in Context βίωσις appears once in the Greek New Testament—Acts 26:4—where Paul tells King Agrippa, “Surely all the Jews know how I have lived from youth, from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem”. The noun refers to one’s manner of life, the observable pattern of conduct shaped by convictions and circumstances. Historical Setting in Acts 26 Paul stands before Agrippa II and the Roman governor Festus, giving his final recorded defense before journeying to Rome. By invoking his “way of life” from childhood, Paul strategically roots his testimony in facts verifiable by his opponents. His use of βίωσις affirms: 1. Continuity—his past and present lives are open to scrutiny. Connection to Other New Testament Motifs of Life 1. βίωσις (manner of life) focuses on outward, social existence. Paul’s speech moves from βίωσις (observable conduct) to ζωή (resurrection life in Christ) as he recounts the risen Lord’s commission (Acts 26:22–23). Old Testament Resonance Hebrew wisdom frequently links righteous “walk” with authentic faith (Psalm 1:1; Micah 6:8). Paul’s appeal to his βίωσις mirrors that heritage: a godly life validates the message (compare Proverbs 20:7). Doctrinal Significance 1. Integrity of Witness—Believers are called to live “in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ” (Philippians 1:27), so that conduct corroborates confession. Pastoral and Ministry Applications • Testimony Development: Encourage believers to trace and share God’s work through their own βίωσις, as Paul did. Summary Though βίωσις occurs only once, it captures a vital biblical theme: the believer’s public conduct must square with the truth of the gospel. Paul’s appeal to his lifelong pattern of living challenges the church in every age to let its manner of life confirm, rather than contradict, the message of salvation in Jesus Christ. Forms and Transliterations βιωσιν βίωσίν biosin biōsin bíosín bíōsínLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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