ζωή
zōḗ
G2222 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Vitality, the state of being alive; refers primarily to the active, animate quality of existence, life as the property or principle that animates living beings. In some contexts, extends to 'the means by which one lives' or 'period of life.' Figuratively, can signify a higher or transcendent mode of existence, continuing life, or fullness of life, especially in philosophical or religious discourse.
Semantic Range
life (in general), vitality, existence, lifetime, means of living, continued existence, transcendent or eternal life
Root / Etymology
From the Greek verb ζάω (to live), with the feminine noun-forming suffix -ή. Shares root with related terms for life, but specifically denotes the quality or principle of being alive.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, ζωή is less common than βίος, which often refers to the course or manner of life, or specific means of living. ζωή refers more abstractly to life itself or the vital force. In the Septuagint, ζωή typically translates Hebrew חַיִּים (chayyim, life), especially in reference to the vitality bestowed or sustained by God, and serves as the standard word for life in creation and covenant contexts. In the New Testament, ζωή becomes the dominant term for life in both the physical and spiritual sense, often contrasted with θάνατος (death) and notably with ψυχή (soul/life), which can mean either 'life' or 'self/person.' In philosophical and Hellenistic Jewish texts, ζωή increasingly gains a nuance of 'eternal life' or 'life in the age to come,' especially in contexts referring to life as a divine gift or future state, a semantic expansion found in the usage of Jesus and early Christian writers. English translations often simply render ζωή as 'life', but this may flatten its nuance, especially its distinction from βίος (manner of life, livelihood) and its broader, sometimes transcendent, connotations in certain contexts.
Translation Consistency
'life' is the natural, idiomatic English noun that best covers the primary senses in SILEX—vitality, existence, lifetime, means of living, and eternal/continued life. It is by far the most common rendering in the P2 data (76 occurrences) and reads naturally in English contexts; adjectival or more formal alternatives (e.g., 'vital') are less flexible for the full semantic range. For consistency across all forms of G2222, 'life' is the clearest choice.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ζάω; life (literally or figuratively):--life(-time). Compare ψυχή.
Root Family
ζωή (zōē) — life, vitality, vital force, existence
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2222-02 |
ζωήν | zoen | N ACC F SG |
life | vital life | life | 60 |
G2222-03 |
ζωῆς | zoes | N GEN F SG |
life | of life | of life | 46 |
G2222-01 |
ζωὴ | zoe | N NOM F SG |
life | life | life | 28 |
Occurrences in Scripture
134 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2222-02 |
Matthew 7:14 | ζωήν | zoen | N ACC F SG |
life | vital life | life |
G2222-02 |
Matthew 18:8 | ζωὴν | zoen | N ACC F SG |
life | vital life | life |
G2222-02 |
Matthew 18:9 | ζωὴν | zoen | N ACC F SG |
life | vital life | life |
G2222-02 |
Matthew 19:16 | ζωὴν | zoen | N ACC F SG |
life | vital life | life |
G2222-02 |
Matthew 19:17 | ζωὴν | zoen | N ACC F SG |
life | vital life | life |
G2222-02 |
Matthew 19:29 | ζωὴν | zoen | N ACC F SG |
life | vital life | life |
G2222-02 |
Matthew 25:46 | ζωὴν | zoen | N ACC F SG |
life | vital life | life |
G2222-02 |
Mark 9:43 | ζωὴν | zoen | N ACC F SG |
life | vital life | life |
G2222-02 |
Mark 9:45 | ζωὴν | zoen | N ACC F SG |
life | vital life | life |
G2222-02 |
Mark 10:17 | ζωὴν | zoen | N ACC F SG |
life | vital life | life |