noun · feminine
zōas
Strong’sG2222
life
stem zō-135 times in the New Testamentin 22 of 27 books4 of 10 forms occur
What it means
A plain-English reading of the word, with the lexicons it draws on — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, and Liddell-Scott-Jones — right below it, in full.
AI Summary
ζωή (zōē) means life, in the sense of being alive or having existence, as opposed to death 1234. In this ordinary sense it covers the natural, physical life of a person or living creature 1, including the life of one who has been raised from the dead 1. Strong's notes that the word can be used both literally and figuratively 2, and that it derives from the verb "to live" 2.
The word is also used, especially in the New Testament, for a distinct, higher kind of life — the life belonging to the kingdom of God, both the present life of grace and the life of glory to come, often described as "eternal life" 1. In this sense it is closely tied to concepts such as light, bread, water, and the tree of life as pictures of this life, and it is sometimes used by extension for the thing or person that gives or embodies this life, such as the Spirit, the words of Christ, or Christ himself 1.
Sources: 1 Abbott-Smith 2 Strong's 3 LSJ 4 Dodson. Condensed by anthropic/claude-sonnet-5 on 2026-09-23 — it may still misstate what these say; check them yourself if it matters to you.
The lexicons it was drawn from, in full:
Abbott-Smith — the 1922 lexicon entry, in full
ζωή, -ῆς, ἡ (ζάω),
[in LXX chiefly for חַיִּים;]
SYN.: v.s. βίος.
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G2222 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saiddzo-ay'
life (literally or figuratively)
Fromfrom G2198;
King Jameslife(-time).
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
(ζωιή (probably an error) Refs 3rd c.BC+, Doric dialect ζωά: Ionic dialect and poetry ζόη, Refs 5th c.BC+, Doric dialect ζόα: Aeolic dialect ζοΐα Refs 3rd c.BC+: ἡ:— living, i.e. one's substance, property, ἦ γάρ οἱ ζ. γ᾽ ἦν ἄσπετος Refs 8th c.BC+; τοὶ δὲ ζωὴν ἐδάσαντοRefs; τὴν ζόην ποιέεσθαι or καταστήσασθαι ἀπὸ or ἐκ.. to get one's living by.., Refs 5th c.BC+
2 after Refs 8th c.BC+, life, existence, opposed to death, Refs 7th c.BC+; θανάτου πέρι καὶ ζωᾶςRefs 5th c.BC+; ζόας (ζωᾶς codices) βιοτά Refs 5th c.BC+ mylife! LXX+4th c.BC+; μετὰ τὴν μίαν ζ. πολλαὶ ζ. Refs 4th c.AD+
3 way of life, ζόην ἔζωον τὴν αὐτήν Refs 5th c.BC+
II ζωή,= γραῦς Refs, the scum on milk, Refs; ζόη· τὸ ἐπάνω τοῦ μέλιτος, Refs 5th c.AD+ is required by the metre in trimeters in Refs 5th c.BC+
H. G. Liddell, R. Scott, H. S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon (9th ed., 1925–1940) — digitised by the Perseus Digital Library and corrected and expanded by Tyndale House, Cambridge, via STEPBible-Data's TFLSJ table, CC BY 4.0. Covers all of Greek literature, not just the Bible.
Translated as
Every occurrence, sorted by the English it was actually given — the evidence for what the word means, not a gloss of it.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain — berean.bible.
Biblang forms
Every form this word takes in Biblang, with the Greek it corresponds to and how often the New Testament uses it.
| Job in the sentence case | one singular | more than one plural |
|---|---|---|
| subject nominative | zōas24×ζωὴ | zōais |
| object accusative | zōan60×ζωὴν | zōain |
| direct address vocative | zōar | zōair |
| of, belonging to genitive | zōau47×ζωῆς | zōaiu |
| to, for dative | zōa4×ζωῇ | zōai |
Tinted cells are forms the New Testament never uses, so there is no Greek to show against them — but they are still correct Biblang, built from the slots below like any other.
Why these forms, and no others — the slots that make them
zōa is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.
same in every form varies — every value shown
Words built on the same stem
Other words sharing the exact same stem — not merely related in meaning.
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
135 occurrences, 100 of them printed here — the rest are in the reader
zōas“life”subjectnominative singular24×
Luke 12:15… ouk en te perisseuarō tino tas zōas autou atō ek teiu huparcharōnteiu auto.… every form of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance …
John 1:4en auto zōas ate, kai tas zōas ate tem …In Him was life, and that life was the light …
John 1:4en auto zōas ate, kai tas zōas ate tem fōtem toiu anthrōpoiu;In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.
John 6:63… mis lalamē vi pneumem atō kai zōas atō.… you are spirit and they are life.
John 11:25… Mis amō tas anastasias kai tas zōas; tos pisteuarōntos eis min kan apothnēskateia …… I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live …
John 12:50kai oidamē hoti tas entolas autou zōas aiōnias atō. heim oun mis lalamō, …… that His command leads to eternal life. So I speak exactly what the …
John 14:6… hodas kai tas alētheias kai tas zōas; oudenos erchotō pros ton patron ei …… way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father …
John 17:3houtas de atō tas aiōnias zōas hina gnōskaleiō sin ton monon alēthinon …Now this is eternal life, that they may know You, the …
Acts 8:33… hoti airotō apo tau gēau tas zōas autou.… can recount His descendants? For His life was removed from the earth.”
Romans 6:23… thanatos, tem de charismem tou theou zōas aiōnias en Christo Iēso to kurio …… the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:6… thanatos, tem de fronēmem teu pneumeu zōas kai eirēnas;… the mind of the Spirit is life and peace,
Romans 8:10“life”… nekrem dia hamartan, tem de pneumem zōas dia dikaiosunan.… body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.
Romans 8:38peithomē gar hoti oute thanatos oute zōas oute angelois oute archais oute enstēarēnteim …… am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the …
Romans 11:15… kosmou, tinas tas proslēmpsias ei mē zōas ek nekroiu?… what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
1 Corinthians 3:22… Apollos eite Kēfos eite kosmos eite zōas eite thanatos eite enstēarēnteim eite mellarōnteim, …… or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or …
2 Corinthians 4:10… te sōme periferarōntois, hina kai tas zōas tou Iēsu en te sōme nu …… death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed …
2 Corinthians 4:11… paradōonō dia Iēsun, hina kai tas zōas tou Iēsu faneriteia en ta thnēta …… for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed …
2 Corinthians 4:12… thanatos en ni energotō, tas de zōas en vi.… is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
Colossians 3:3apothnēskava gar, kai tas zōas vu kruptotē sun to Christo en …For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in …
Colossians 3:4hotan tos Christos faneriteia, tas zōas vu, tote kai vis sun auto …When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear …
James 4:14… epistovō tem tau aurion poias tas zōas vu; atmidas gar avō tas pros …… will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears …
1 John 1:2kai tas zōas fanerita, kai horanē kai marturanō kai …And this is the life that was revealed; we have seen …
1 John 5:11… tos theos ni, kai houtas tas zōas en to huio autou atō.… given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
1 John 5:20… houtos atō tos alēthinos theos kai zōas aiōnias.… is the true God and eternal life.
zōan“life”objectaccusative singular60×, 36 shown
Matthew 7:14… tas hodas tas apagarōntas eis tan zōan, kai oligois alō tois heuriskarōntois autan.… narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Matthew 18:8… kalem si atō eiserchara eis tan zōan kullon ē chōlon, ē duo cheirain …… is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than to have …
Matthew 18:9… kalem si atō monofthalmon eis tan zōan eiserchara, ē duo ofthalmoin echarōnton balira …… is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have …
Matthew 19:16… Didaskalor, tinem agathem poiameia hina echameia zōan aiōnian?… must I do to obtain eternal life?”
Matthew 19:17… agathos; ei de thelasō eis tan zōan eiserchara, tērasar tain entolain.… good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”
Matthew 19:29… teu onomeu mu, hekatontaplasiōneim labeti kai zōan aiōnian klēronomati.… a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.
Matthew 25:46… kolasian aiōnian, tois de dikaiois eis zōan aiōnian.… punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Mark 9:43… atō sin kullon eiserchara eis tan zōan ē tain duo cheirain echarōnton aperchara …… is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two hands …
Mark 9:45… kalem atō sin eiserchara eis tan zōan chōlon ē toin duo podoin echarōnton …… is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet …
Mark 10:17… auton; Didaskalor agathor, tinem poiameia hina zōan aiōnian klēronomameia?… must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Mark 10:30… kai en to aiōno to erchorōnto zōan aiōnian.… in the age to come, eternal life.
Luke 10:25… ekpeirazarōntos auton legarōntos; Didaskalor, tinem poiarantos zōan aiōnian klēronomami?… must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Luke 18:18… archontos legarōntos; Didaskalor agathor, tinem poiarantos zōan aiōnian klēronomami?… must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Luke 18:30… kai en to aiōno to erchorōnto zōan aiōnian.… in the age to come, eternal life.”
John 3:15… pantos tos pisteuarōntos en auto echateiō zōan aiōnian.… believes in Him may have eternal life.
John 3:16… eis auton mē apoleteia alla echateiō zōan aiōnian.… shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:36tos pisteuarōntos eis ton huion echatō zōan aiōnian; tos de apeitharōntos to huio …… believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son will not …
John 3:36… de apeitharōntos to huio ouk horeti zōan, alla tas orgas tou theou menatō …… rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains …
John 4:14… en auto pēgas hudeu hallorōnteu eis zōan aiōnian.… of water springing up to eternal life.”
John 4:36… misthon labatō kai sunagatō karpon eis zōan aiōnian, hina tos sperarōntos homou chairateiō …… and gathers a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the …
John 5:24… kai pisteuarōntos to pemparanto min echatō zōan aiōnian, kai eis krisian ouk erchotō …… Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment …
John 5:24… metabainatē ek tou thanatou eis tan zōan.… has crossed over from death to life.
John 5:26hōsper gar tos patros echatō zōan en heauto, houtōs kai to huio …For as the Father has life in Himself, so also He has …
John 5:26… heauto, houtōs kai to huio dōata zōan echarō en heauto;… has granted the Son to have life in Himself.
John 5:39… grafain, hoti vis dokavō en autai zōan aiōnian echarō; kai ekeinais alō tais …… that by them you possess eternal life. These are the very words that …
John 5:40… ouk thelavō erchara pros min hina zōan echaveiō.… to come to Me to have life.
John 6:27… alla tan brōsian tan menarōntan eis zōan aiōnian, han tos huios tou anthrōpou …… for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will …
John 6:33… tos katabainarōntos ek tou ouranou kai zōan dōarōntos to kosmo.… comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
John 6:40… huion kai pisteuarōntos eis auton echateiō zōan aiōnian, kai anastēami auton mis ta …… believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up …
John 6:47… amēn legamō vi, tos pisteuarōntos echatō zōan aiōnian.… you, he who believes has eternal life.
John 6:53… pinaveia autou tem haimem, ouk echavō zōan en heautoi.… Son of Man, you have no life in you.
John 6:54… kai pinarōntos mu tem haimem echatō zōan aiōnian, kamis anastēami auton ta eschata …… and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up …
John 10:10… thuateia kai apolateia; mis erchama hina zōan echaleiō kai perissem echaleiō.… have come that they may have life, and have it in all its …
John 10:28kamis dōamō autei zōan aiōnian, kai ouk mē apoleleia eis …I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No …
John 12:25… autou en to kosmo houto eis zōan aiōnian fulassati autan.… world will keep it for eternal life.
John 17:2… pantem hem dōasē auto dōateia autoi zōan aiōnian.… so that He may give eternal life to all those You have given …
zōau“life”of, belonging togenitive singular47×, 36 shown
John 5:29… tois teim agatheim poiarantois eis anastasian zōau, tois de teim fauleim prassarantois eis …… done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil …
John 6:35… Iēsus; Mis amō tos artos tau zōau; tos erchorōntos pros min ouk mē …… answered, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never …
John 6:48mis amō tos artos tau zōau;I am the bread of life.
John 6:51… mu atō huper tau tou kosmou zōau.… which I will give for the life of the world, is My flesh.”
John 6:68… Petros; Kurior, pros tinon apercheni? rēmeim zōau aiōniau echasō,… You have the words of eternal life.
John 8:12… skotia, alla echati tem fōtem tau zōau.… but will have the light of life.”
Acts 2:28gnōrizasa mi hodain zōau, plērasi min eufrosunēau meta teu prosōpeu …… known to me the paths of life; You will fill me with joy …
Acts 3:15ton de archēgon tau zōau apoktenava, hon tos theos egerata ek …You killed the Author of life, but God raised Him from the …
Acts 5:20… to lao panteim teim rēmeim tau zōau houtau.… the full message of this new life.”
Acts 13:46… ouk axioin krinavō heautoin tau aiōniau zōau, idou strefonō eis teim ethneim;… not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.
Romans 5:18… dikaiōmeu eis pantoin anthrōpoin eis dikaiōsian zōau;… act of righteousness brought justification and life for all men.
Romans 6:4… patrou, houtōs kai nis en kainota zōau peripataneia.… too may walk in newness of life.
Romans 8:2tos gar nomos teu pneumeu tau zōau en Christo Iēso eleutherata sin apo …… the law of the Spirit of life set you free from the law …
2 Corinthians 2:16“life”… eis thanaton, hoi de osmas ek zōau eis zōan. kai pros houteim tinos …To the one we are an odor that brings death, to the other a fragrance that brings life. And who is qualified for such a …
2 Corinthians 5:4… hina katapiniteia tem thnētem hupo tau zōau.… mortality may be swallowed up by life.
Ephesians 4:18skotorēntois ta dianoia arōntois, apallotriorēntois tau zōau tou theou, dia tan agnoian tan …… their understanding and alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance …
Philippians 1:20… en te sōme mu, eite dia zōau eite dia thanatou.… exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
Philippians 2:16logon zōau epecharōntois, eis kauchēmem mi eis hēmeran …… you hold forth the word of life, in order that I may boast …
Philippians 4:3… mu, hoiu teim onomeim en bibla zōau.… names are in the Book of Life.
1 Timothy 4:8… pros panteim ōfelimas atō, epangelian echarōntas zōau tau nun kai tau mellarōntau.… way, holding promise for the present life and for the one to come.
1 Timothy 6:12… agōnon tau pistiau, epilabesar tau aiōniau zōau, eis han kalisa kai homologasa tan …… faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when …
1 Timothy 6:19… tem mellarōntem, hina epilabeleia tau ontōs zōau.… hold of that which is truly life.
2 Timothy 1:1… Iēsu dia thelēmeu theou kata epangelian zōau tau en Christo Iēso… God, according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus,
Titus 1:2epi elpida zōau aiōniau, han epangeleta tos apseudos theos …in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised …
Titus 3:7… ekeinou charita klēronomois genineia kata elpidan zōau aiōniau.… heirs with the hope of eternal life.
Hebrews 7:3… amētōros, agenealogētos, mēte archan hēmeraiu mēte zōau telem echarōntos, afomoiorēntos de to huio …… beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God, he …
Hebrews 7:16… entolau sarkinau genatē alla kata dunamian zōau akatalutau,… by the power of an indestructible life.
James 1:12… dokimos generantos labeti ton stefanon tau zōau, hon epangeleta toi agaparōntoi auton.… he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those …
1 Peter 3:7… aponemarōntois timan, hōs kai sunklēronomoi charitau zōau, eis tem mē enkoptorō tain proseuchain …… heirs of the gracious gift of life, so that your prayers will not …
1 John 1:1… nu psēlafala, peri tou logou tau zōau… hands — this is the Word of life.
Revelation 2:7… auto esthiara ek teu xuleu tau zōau, hem atō en to paradeiso tou …… to eat from the tree of life in the Paradise of God.
Revelation 2:10… kai dōami si ton stefanon tau zōau.… will give you the crown of life.
Revelation 3:5… onomem autou ek tau biblau tau zōau, kai homologami tem onomem autou enōpion …… his name from the Book of Life, but I will confess his name …
Revelation 7:17… poimanati autoin, kai hodēgati autoin epi zōau pēgain hudeiu; kai exaleifati tos theos …… will lead them to springs of living water,’ and ‘God will wipe away …
Revelation 11:11… tain treis hēmerain kai hēmisuem pneumem zōau ek tou theou eiserchata en autoi, …… a half days, the breath of life from God entered the two witnesses …
Revelation 13:8… onomem autou en te biblie tau zōau teu arnieu teu sfazorēnteu apo katabolau …… the world in the Book of Life belonging to the Lamb who was …
zōa“life”to, fordative singular4×
Luke 16:25… apolabasa teim agatheim su en ta zōa su, kai Lazaros homoiōs teim kakoseim; …… answered, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, while …
Romans 5:10… polle mallon katallaxirantois sōzini en ta zōa autou;… shall we be saved through His life!
Romans 5:17… tau dōreau tau dikaiosunau labarōntois en zōa basilali dia tou henou Iēsu Christou.… the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
1 Corinthians 15:19ei en ta zōa houta en Christo elpizarēntois anō monem, …… hope in Christ is for this life alone, we are to be pitied …