ἄθεος
átheos
G112 substantive adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Fundamentally, without a god; lacking relationship, affiliation, or recognition of a deity. In Koine and Hellenistic Greek contexts, refers to an individual or community that does not acknowledge, serve, or honor any deity, or is considered estranged from divine presence. In the New Testament, specifically denotes those lacking knowledge of or relationship with the God of Israel.
Semantic Range
without god, lacking belief in a god, estranged from deity, not recognizing a god, lacking relationship with the God of Israel (in NT context), impious
Root / Etymology
From the negative prefix ἄ- (a-, 'not, without') and θεός (theos, 'god, deity'), thus meaning 'without god' or 'godless.' Related to other Greek adjectives formed with alpha privative (e.g., ἄνομος, 'lawless').
Historical & Contextual Notes
Earliest attested in classical Greek (5th c. BCE) with a primary sense of 'godless' or 'impious,' often as a strong accusation of impiety or atheism – not merely absence but rejection or irreverence toward divinity. In Hellenistic and Roman usage, could describe those considered outside divine favor, excluded from official cults, or foreign to local deities. In the Septuagint, usage is rare. In Christian writings (NT, e.g., Eph 2:12), designates those 'without God' – not in the later philosophical sense of atheism as disbelief in all gods, but as being excluded from the covenantal relationship with the God of Israel, seen as outside the 'people of God.' English 'atheist' (from atheos) later developed the philosophical sense of denial of all gods, but this postdates Koine usage. In both biblical and wider Greek, the term can connote not only lack but alienation from divine presence.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from Α (as a negative particle) and θεός; godless:--without God.
Root Family
ἄθεος (atheos) — without god, godless, estranged from deity
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G112-01 |
ἄθεοι | atheoi | ADJ.S NOM M PL |
without God | godless ones | without God | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G112-01 |
Ephesians 2:12 | ἄθεοι | atheoi | ADJ.S NOM M PL |
without God | godless ones | without God |