Bible Concepts & terms

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The books of the Bible and its events, parables, places and concepts · Articles: 490 (2,444 in the whole category)

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Aaron's RodAaron's rod was the staff carried by Aaron, the elder brother of Moses, and was used to perform signs before Pharaoh during the Exodus. In the wilder…
AbaddonAbaddon is a Hebrew word meaning "destruction" or "place of destruction." In the Old Testament it appears alongside Sheol as a designation for the re…
AbbaAbba is an Aramaic word meaning "father." In the New Testament it is used by Jesus when addressing God in Gethsemane and by Paul when describing the …
Abba, Father"Abba" is an Aramaic word meaning "father." It appears three times in the New Testament, always paired with the Greek word for "father" as "Abba, Fat…
Abraham's BosomAbraham's bosom is the expression used for the place to which the beggar Lazarus was carried after his death in Jesus' account of the rich man and La…
Abrahamic CovenantThe Abrahamic covenant is the covenant in which God promised Abraham and his descendants a great nation, land, and blessing, and declared that all th…
AbyssThe Abyss (Korean mujeogaeng, 無底坑, "bottomless pit") is a New Testament term for a deep place in which demons and evil powers are confined or from…
AdarAdar is the twelfth month of the calendar the Jews used after the Babylonian exile and is mentioned in the books of Ezra and Esther. The Feast of Pur…
AdonaiAdonai is a Hebrew word meaning "my Lord," used in the Old Testament as a title for God. In Judaism, readers did not pronounce the divine name (YHWH)…
AdulteryAdultery is sexual intercourse between a married person and someone other than his or her spouse. The Bible forbids it in the Ten Commandments, and t…
AgapeAgape (Greek ἀγάπη) is the principal New Testament word for "love." It denotes both God's love for human beings and the love of those who have receiv…
Alabaster BoxAn alabaster box (Korean okhap, 玉盒) is a small stone vessel for holding perfumed ointment. The term is best known from the Gospel accounts of a wom…
Aleppo CodexThe Aleppo Codex is a manuscript of the Hebrew Old Testament believed to have been produced in Tiberias, Galilee, in the first half of the tenth cent…
AloesAloes (Korean chimhyang, 沈香) is a precious aromatic mentioned in the Bible. In the Old Testament it describes the fragrance of a king and of lovers…
Alpha and OmegaAlpha and omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. In the Book of Revelation, both God and Jesus Christ use the phrase as a self-d…
AmenAmen is a Hebrew word meaning "truly, it is so" or "so be it." In the Bible it serves as a response of assent to prayer, praise, and proclamation, an…
AnathemaAnathema is a Greek word meaning "something dedicated to God" or "something accursed and cut off." In the New Testament it appears mainly in the lett…
AngelIn the Bible, an angel is a spiritual being who serves God and conveys His will. The Hebrew mal'akh and the Greek angelos both mean "one who is sent,…
Angel of the LordThe Angel of the Lord is an Old Testament term for a being sent by God who appears to people and delivers his word. Because the angel sometimes speak…
Anointing OilThe anointing oil is the holy oil that God commanded Moses to make in Exodus 30. It was used to consecrate the tabernacle and its furnishings, as wel…
AntichristIn the Epistles of John, "antichrist" refers to anyone who denies or opposes Christ. Christian tradition has linked the term to an adversary expected…
Apocalyptic LiteratureApocalyptic literature is a genre of biblical writing that uses visions and symbols to reveal the end of history and God's final victory. Its leading…
AramaicAramaic was the language of the ancient Arameans and served as the common language of the Near East during the Assyrian and Persian periods. Portions…
ArchangelArchangel means "chief of the angels." In the New Korean Revised Version of the Bible, the term appears only in two New Testament passages, 1 Thessal…
Artemis of EphesusArtemis was a goddess worshiped in ancient Ephesus and identified with the Artemis of Greek mythology; the King James Version calls her Diana. In Act…
AsherahAsherah is the name of a Canaanite goddess mentioned in the Old Testament. The word also refers to the wooden pole or carved image used in her worshi…
AshtorethAshtoreth (also Ashtaroth) is the name of a Canaanite and Sidonian goddess mentioned in the Old Testament. Usually named alongside Baal, she stands a…
AssarionThe assarion was a small copper coin used in the Roman Empire during the New Testament era. It appears when Jesus cites the price of sparrows to spea…
Assumption of MosesThe Assumption of Moses is a Jewish pseudepigraphal work framed as Moses foretelling Israel's future to Joshua before his death. Early church fathers…
Authorship of the BibleThe authorship of the Bible concerns who wrote each of the books of Scripture. The Bible speaks both of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and of the…
Avenger of BloodIn Old Testament law, the avenger of blood is the near kinsman of a person who has been killed, who holds the killer accountable for the blood that w…
AzazelAzazel is a Hebrew word that appears in the Day of Atonement regulations of Leviticus 16 in connection with the goat that bears the people's sins and…

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BaalBaal is a Hebrew word meaning "lord" or "master." In the Old Testament it refers to the god whom the Canaanites worshiped as a deity of rain and fert…
Babylon the GreatBabylon the Great is a symbolic city that appears in Revelation 14–18. It represents worldly power that opposes God and the judgment that falls upon …
Beast (Book of Revelation)In the Book of Revelation, the beast is a figure that receives authority from the dragon (Satan) and symbolizes the powers that oppose God and His sa…
BeatitudesThe Beatitudes are the eight blessings that Jesus Christ proclaimed at the opening of the Sermon on the Mount. They are recorded in Matthew 5:3-10, a…
BeelzebubBeelzebub (Beelzebul) is a name used in the New Testament Gospels for the "prince of the devils." It is generally thought to derive from Baalzebub, t…
BehemothBehemoth is the enormous beast that God shows to Job in Job 40. The name derives from the plural of the Hebrew word for "beast." The creature is comm…
Bel and the DragonBel and the Dragon is a story in which Daniel exposes the true nature of Bel, an idol of Babylon, and of a dragon that was worshiped there. It has be…
BelialBelial is a Hebrew word in the Old Testament meaning "worthlessness" or "wickedness," used mainly in the expression "son (or man) of Belial" to descr…
BeulahBeulah is the new name that God gives to the restored land of Zion in Isaiah 62:4. Meaning "married woman" in Hebrew, it signifies that a land once f…
Biblical ChronologyBiblical chronology is the reconstruction, from numbers in the biblical text and historical sources from the ancient Near East, of when the events re…
Biblical GeographyBiblical geography is the field that examines the locations and natural environments of the lands, cities, mountains, rivers, and seas mentioned in t…
Biblical ManuscriptsBiblical manuscripts are handwritten copies of the Bible transmitted before the advent of printing. No original autographs survive, and modern Bible …
Bishops' BibleThe Bishops' Bible is an English Bible published in 1568 by the Church of England under the direction of Matthew Parker, Archbishop of Canterbury. It…
BitumenBitumen is a black, sticky, naturally occurring asphalt substance found in the earth. In the Bible it served as a waterproofing agent and adhesive fo…
BlasphemyBlasphemy is the dishonoring of God's name and majesty by word or deed. The Old Testament law punished it with death, and in the Gospels Jesus is acc…
Book of BaruchThe Book of Baruch is a work attributed to Baruch, the scribe of Jeremiah. The Catholic and Orthodox Churches include it in the canon (in Catholic te…
Book of EnochThe Book of Enoch is an ancient Jewish apocalyptic work transmitted under the name of Enoch from the Book of Genesis. A passage from it is quoted in …
Book of JasherThe Book of Jasher is an ancient Israelite record cited in the Old Testament. It is named in Joshua 10:13 and 2 Samuel 1:18, and the original has not…
Book of JubileesThe Book of Jubilees is an ancient Jewish work that retells the narrative from Genesis through the opening portion of Exodus, dividing history into u…
Book of JudithThe Book of Judith is a sixteen-chapter book that tells how the widow Judith saved Israel by killing the enemy general Holofernes. The Catholic and O…
Book of LifeThe Book of Life is the heavenly register in which, according to Scripture, God records the names of those who will be saved. The concept begins with…
Book of RemembranceThe book of remembrance is the book that, according to Malachi 3:16, is written before God for those who fear the LORD. The expression conveys that G…
Book of the CovenantThe Book of the Covenant is the book that Moses read aloud before the people in Exodus 24:7. In scholarship and in the church, the name is commonly a…
Book of the Wars of the LordThe Book of the Wars of the Lord is an ancient Israelite book cited once, in Numbers 21:14. It is thought to have been a collection of poems celebrat…
Books of the MaccabeesThe Books of the Maccabees are writings that record the Jewish resistance to persecution under the Seleucid dynasty in the second century BC and the …
Branch (Messianic Title)"Branch" translates the Hebrew word tsemach, which the Old Testament prophets used as a title for a righteous ruler who would arise from the line of …
Bread (Bible)In the Bible, "bread" (rendered *tteok* in the Korean Revised Version) refers to a baked food made from kneaded grain flour. It denotes a staple food…
Breaking of BreadThe breaking of bread is an expression derived from the Jewish mealtime custom of breaking bread by hand and sharing it. In the New Testament it refe…
BreastplateA breastplate (Korean *hosimgyeong*, 護心鏡) is a piece of armor that protects the chest in battle. The New Korean Revised Version uses this term to …
Breastplate (High Priest)The breastplate was a square ornamental piece of fabric that the high priest of Old Testament Israel wore on his chest over the ephod. It held twelve…
Bride of the LambThe Bride of the Lamb is an expression in the Book of Revelation for the bride who is married to the Lamb, Jesus Christ. It is commonly read as a sym…
Bronze SeaThe Bronze Sea was a large basin cast in bronze that Solomon placed in the court of the temple in Jerusalem. It rested on twelve bronze oxen and was …
Broom TreeThe broom tree (Hebrew rotem) is a leguminous shrub that grows in arid regions such as the Sinai wilderness and the Negev. In the Bible it is best kn…
Burning BushThe burning bush is the thornbush in Exodus 3 that burned with fire yet was not consumed when Moses first encountered God at Mount Horeb. The scene i…
Byzantine TextThe Byzantine text is the text type to which the majority of extant Greek New Testament manuscripts belong. Widely copied in the church of the mediev…

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CaesarCaesar is a title for the Roman emperor; the Korean form *Gaisa* is used in the New Korean Revised Version of the New Testament. The title appears in…
Captain of the Guard"Captain of the guard" is a biblical term for the head of a unit responsible for guarding an ancient king, carrying out executions, and similar dutie…
Carob PodsThe husks (Korean jwieom yeolmae) are the pig fodder with which the younger son in the Parable of the Prodigal Son, having squandered his inheritance…
CedarThe cedar is a tall evergreen conifer that grows in the mountains of Lebanon. In the Bible it appears as a precious timber used to build the temple a…
CenserA censer was a portable vessel used in the tabernacle and the Temple to hold live coals from the altar, either for burning incense or for carrying fi…
CenturionA centurion was a Roman army officer who commanded a unit of roughly one hundred soldiers. The New Testament mentions several centurions, including t…
Chapter and Verse Divisions of the BibleThe chapter and verse divisions of the Bible are the system by which the biblical text is divided into numbered chapters and verses. They were not pa…
Chapters and Verses of the BibleThe chapters and verses of the Bible are a numbering system added to make biblical passages easier to locate and cite. The divisions were not part of…
ChemoshChemosh is a foreign deity presented in the Old Testament as the god worshiped by the Moabites. Scripture records that Solomon built a high place for…
CherubCherubim are winged beings in the Old Testament who guard God's holy presence and throne. They appear at the entrance to the Garden of Eden, upon the…
ChristChrist is the English rendering of the Greek Christos, meaning "anointed one," and corresponds to the Hebrew Messiah. The New Testament applies this …
ChristianThe term "Christian" means "one who belongs to Christ" and refers to a person who believes in and follows Jesus as the Christ. It appears three times…
Circumcision of the HeartCircumcision of the heart is a biblical metaphor, drawn from physical circumcision, for the inward transformation in which a person casts off a heart…
City of DavidA phrase used in Luke 2 for Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, designating the hometown where David was born and raised. In the Old Testament, the s…
Clean and UncleanClean and unclean is the Old Testament legal distinction that determined whether persons, animals, or objects were in a fit state to approach God and…
Coats of SkinsThe coats of skins are the garments that God made to clothe Adam and Eve after they ate the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:21). They stand in contrast to…
Codex AlexandrinusCodex Alexandrinus is a Greek manuscript of the Bible written around the fifth century, containing both the Old Testament (in the Septuagint) and the…
Codex SinaiticusCodex Sinaiticus is a fourth-century Greek manuscript of the Bible. It was discovered at Saint Catherine's Monastery at Mount Sinai and is known as t…
Codex SinaiticusCodex Sinaiticus is a fourth-century Greek manuscript of the Bible. It is the oldest surviving manuscript that contains the complete New Testament an…
Codex VaticanusCodex Vaticanus is a Greek manuscript of the Bible generally dated to the fourth century, containing both the Old Testament (Septuagint) and the New …
Commandment"Commandment" is a biblical term for the commands God gave to his people. It encompasses the Ten Commandments and the provisions of the law in the Ol…
ConscienceConscience is a biblical term for the inner awareness by which a person reflects on and knows the rightness or wrongness of his or her own conduct. I…
CorbanCorban is a Hebrew word meaning "an offering given to God." In the New Testament it appears in Mark 7:11, in a passage where Jesus criticizes the pra…
CornerstoneA cornerstone is an important stone set at the corner of a building to align its walls and stabilize its structure. It appears in Psalm 118 and Isaia…
Covenant RenewalCovenant renewal refers to Israel's public reaffirmation of its covenant with God and its renewed pledge to keep it. Such renewals are recorded in th…
Covenant of PeaceThe covenant of peace is God's promise of a perpetual priesthood, given to Phinehas after the incident at Baal-peor (Numbers 25:12). In the prophetic…
Covenant of SaltThe covenant of salt is an Old Testament expression that uses salt as an image of the eternal, unchanging nature of a covenant made with God. It appe…
Critical TextThe critical text is an original-language text of the Bible reconstructed by comparing and examining the many extant biblical manuscripts and selecti…
CubitThe cubit is an ancient unit of length based on the distance from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger. In the Bible it is used to give the dime…
Cup of WrathThe cup of wrath is a biblical image that likens the judgment and anger God sends to a cup of wine that people must drink. It appears in the Old Test…
CupbearerA cupbearer was a court official in ancient royal palaces who poured wine and served it to the king. In the Bible, the best-known examples are the ch…
CymbalsCymbals (Korean jegeum) were bronze percussion instruments used in temple worship and praise in the Old Testament. Played by striking a pair together…

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DagonDagon is the name of a god worshiped by the Philistines in the Old Testament. He appears in the story of Samson and in the account of the Ark of the …
Daughter of ZionThe Daughter of Zion is a poetic Old Testament expression that personifies Jerusalem and its inhabitants as a woman. It appears frequently in the Pro…
Davidic CovenantThe Davidic covenant is God's promise, delivered to David through the prophet Nathan, to establish his house (dynasty) and throne forever. It forms a…
Day StarGyemyeongseong (啓明星), "day star," is a term for the star that rises brightly in the dawn sky, that is, the morning star. In the New Korean Revised…
Day of the LordThe Day of the Lord is an expression used by the Old Testament prophets for the time when God intervenes directly in history to bring about judgment …
Dead Sea ScrollsThe Dead Sea Scrolls are ancient Jewish documents discovered beginning in 1947 in caves around Qumran, northwest of the Dead Sea. They include the ol…
DemonIn the Bible, demons are evil spiritual beings that oppose God, torment people, and work behind idolatry and false teaching. They appear especially o…
DenariusThe denarius was a silver coin of the Roman Empire in the New Testament era. In the Gospels it appears as the standard of a laborer's daily wage, and…
Deutero-IsaiahDeutero-Isaiah (Second Isaiah) is a term in biblical scholarship for Isaiah 40–55, or for the anonymous prophet thought to have written that section.…
Deuterocanonical BooksThe deuterocanonical books are books such as Tobit, Judith, and Maccabees that the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church include in the Old Testame…
Devoted Thing"Devoted thing" translates the Hebrew word herem and refers to an object or person wholly dedicated to God, which therefore can no longer be put to p…
DiakoniaDiakonia is a Greek word meaning "service," "ministry," or "office." In the New Testament it refers collectively to the service of Jesus, almsgiving,…
DiasporaDiaspora is a Greek word meaning "scattering." It refers to the Jews who lived in various regions outside Palestine and to their communities. In the …
DivinationDivination is the attempt to discover the future or the divine will through omens, instruments, or mediums. The Old Testament law forbids it, and the…
DrachmaThe drachma was an ancient Greek silver coin and monetary unit. In the New Testament it appears in the parable of the lost coin in Luke 15, and it is…

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EbenezerEbenezer, Hebrew for "stone of help," is the name of the memorial stone that Samuel set up after defeating the Philistines, saying, "Hitherto hath th…
EireneEirene (εἰρήνη) is the Greek word for "peace." In the New Testament it refers to reconciliation with God, peace between people, and inner peace of he…
EkklesiaEkklesia (ἐκκλησία) is a Greek word meaning "assembly" or "congregation." In the New Testament it is usually translated "church."
El ElyonEl Elyon is a Hebrew title for God meaning "God Most High." It first appears in Genesis 14 as the name of the God whom Melchizedek served.
El OlamEl Olam is a Hebrew title meaning "the Everlasting God." Abraham used it when he called on God at Beersheba in Genesis 21:33, and it expresses the et…
El ShaddaiEl Shaddai is one of the Hebrew names for God in the Old Testament. The New Korean Revised Version renders it "Almighty God," and it appears chiefly …
El-bethelEl-bethel, meaning "God of Bethel," is the name Jacob gave to Bethel when he returned there and built an altar (Genesis 35:7).
ElohimElohim is the most common Hebrew word for God in the Old Testament. Although it is grammatically plural, it usually takes a singular verb when it ref…
EmetEmet (אֱמֶת) is a Hebrew word meaning "firmness, faithfulness, truthfulness, truth." In the Old Testament it describes the character and word of God …
EphahThe ephah is an Old Testament dry measure of volume used for grain and flour. It appears both in sacrificial regulations and in everyday reckonings o…
EphphathaEphphatha is an Aramaic word that Jesus spoke when He healed a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment. It appears in Mark 7:34 and means "Be op…
EpistlesThe Epistles are the twenty-one books of the New Testament, from Romans through Jude, that were written in letter form. They are commonly divided int…
Eshel TreeThe eshel tree takes its name from a transliteration of the Hebrew word eshel. Today it is generally identified as the tamarisk. It appears in Genesi…
EunuchIn the Bible, "eunuch" denotes a castrated male official who served in an ancient royal court. More broadly, the term can also refer to a high-rankin…
EunuchA eunuch was an official who served the king and the royal household closely in ancient palaces and was in many cases a castrated man. The Revised Ko…
EuraquiloEuraquilo is the name of the violent northeast wind that, according to Acts 27, struck the ship carrying Paul to Rome off the coast of Crete.

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Faith Chapter"Faith Chapter" is a common name for Hebrews 11. After defining faith, the chapter recounts in turn what Old Testament figures, from Abel to the prop…
FaithfulnessFaithfulness (Korean *chungseong*, often rendered "loyalty") is a biblical term for the disposition of acting reliably to the end in one's entrusted …
False Christ"False Christ" is a biblical term for someone who claims to be the Christ (the Messiah), or is venerated as such, and leads people astray. Jesus used…
False ProphetA false prophet, in biblical usage, is a prophet who claims to speak the word of God although God has not sent him, or who leads people away from God.
Farewell DiscourseThe term for the extended charge and prayer that Jesus gave his disciples at the Last Supper on the night before his arrest, recorded in John 13–17. …
Fear of the LordThe fear of the Lord is a biblical expression for an attitude of fearing, revering, and obeying God. Old Testament wisdom literature calls it the beg…
Fiery SerpentsThe fiery serpents were venomous snakes that bit the Israelites, killing many, after the people murmured against God in the wilderness, as recorded i…
Fig TreeThe fig tree, together with the grapevine and the olive tree, is one of the fruit trees most characteristic of the land of Israel. In the Bible it sy…
Fine LinenFine linen (Korean semapo, 細麻布) is a cloth finely woven from thin threads spun from flax. In the Bible it appears as the garment of priests, the c…
FirmamentThe firmament (Korean: gungchang, 穹蒼) is the expanse God made on the second day in Genesis 1 to divide the waters above from the waters below; God …
FirstfruitsFirstfruits were an Old Testament offering to God of the first grain and produce harvested from the land each year. In the New Testament the term is …
Fishers of MenA phrase Jesus used when He called disciples who were fishermen on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, likening the work of bringing people to God to ca…
FleshIn the Bible, "flesh" refers to human flesh and the body, and more broadly to finite and frail human existence. In the Pauline epistles it can also d…
Flesh (Pauline Usage)Flesh (Greek sarx) is a central term in the Pauline Epistles that refers to the human body, lineage, and weakness, and above all to sinful human natu…
Food Offered to IdolsFood offered to idols is a biblical term for food, especially meat, that had been sacrificed to pagan gods. Through the warnings of the Old Testament…
Food Sacrificed to Idols"Food sacrificed to idols" is a New Testament term for meat and other food that had been offered to pagan gods and was then eaten or sold in the mark…
Fool"Fool" is a biblical term for a person who does not fear God and refuses to heed teaching and instruction. It appears frequently in the wisdom litera…
Formation of the CanonThe formation of the canon (canonization) is the historical process by which it became settled which of the many writings in circulation were receive…
Former ProphetsThe Former Prophets is the name given to the first four books of the Prophets, the second division of the Hebrew Bible: Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and K…
Former ProphetsThe Former Prophets is the collective name for Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings, the books that stand at the beginning of the Prophets division of t…
Four HorsemenThe Four Horsemen are four figures riding horses of different colors who appear in turn in Revelation 6 as the Lamb opens the first four of the seven…
Four HorsemenThe Four Horsemen are the four figures, riding a white horse, a red horse, a black horse, and a pale horse, who appear in succession in Revelation 6 …
Four Living CreaturesThe four living creatures are four beings who appear beside the throne of God in the visions of Ezekiel and Revelation. They bear the likeness of a l…
FrankincenseFrankincense is an aromatic substance made from the resin of trees native to southern Arabia and northeastern Africa. In the Old Testament it was use…
Fruit of the Knowledge of Good and EvilThe fruit of the knowledge of good and evil is the fruit of the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil," which stood in the midst of the Garden of E…
Fruit of the SpiritThe fruit of the Spirit refers to the nine virtues—love, joy, peace, and others—that Paul lists in Galatians 5:22–23 as the character displayed by th…

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GabrielGabriel is an angel of God named in the Book of Daniel and the Gospel of Luke. He explained the meaning of visions to Daniel and announced the births…
GehennaGehenna is a term derived from the "Valley of Hinnom" beside Jerusalem. In the New Testament it refers to the place where the wicked are punished aft…
GenealogyA genealogy is a record that traces descent from ancestors to descendants by name. In the Bible, genealogies appear in Genesis, 1 Chronicles, Matthew…
Genealogy of JesusThe genealogy of Jesus is the record of the ancestry of Jesus Christ found in Matthew 1:1-17 and Luke 3:23-38. Matthew traces the line downward from …
Geneva BibleThe Geneva Bible is an English Bible published in 1560 in Geneva, Switzerland, by English Protestant exiles. Widely read for its verse numbering and …
GerahThe gerah is the smallest unit of weight mentioned in the Old Testament. Scripture defines it in the statement "a shekel is twenty gerahs," and it ap…
Gift of HealingThe "gifts of healing" are one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit that Paul lists in 1 Corinthians 12. Korean churches commonly call this the "gift of d…
Gifts of the Holy SpiritThe gifts of the Holy Spirit are the various abilities and ministries that the Holy Spirit distributes to believers for building up the church. Lists…
Glory (Bible)In the Bible, glory refers to the visible manifestation of God's majesty and presence. In the Old Testament it appears as the cloud and light that fi…
Gog and MagogGog and Magog are names that appear in Ezekiel 38–39 and Revelation 20 for hostile forces that come against the people of God in the last days. Magog…
Golden RuleThe Golden Rule is the traditional name for Jesus' teaching "whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them" (Matthew 7:12; Luk…
Goodness (Fruit of the Spirit)Goodness (Korean *yangseon*, 良善) is one of the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22. It refers to the goodness that appears in those who li…
Gopher WoodGopher wood is the timber God instructed Noah to use in building the ark in Genesis 6:14. Because the word appears only once in the Bible, the kind o…
Gospel of NicodemusThe Gospel of Nicodemus is an ancient Christian text that recounts the trial, death, and resurrection of Jesus and his descent into Hades. It is a Ne…
Gospel of PeterThe Gospel of Peter is an ancient Greek gospel bearing the name of the apostle Peter. It is not part of the biblical canon, and only a fragment deali…
Great CommissionThe Great Commission is the command in which the risen Jesus instructed his disciples to make disciples of all nations, baptizing and teaching them. …
Great WhoreA symbolic figure in Revelation 17–19 who is depicted riding a scarlet beast, drunk with the blood of the saints, and committing fornication with the…
GreeksIn the New Testament, "Greek" (Korean: Hellain) refers to a Greek person or, more broadly, to a non-Jew belonging to the Greek-speaking world and Gre…

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HadesEumbu (陰府, "Hades") is the Korean biblical term for the place to which the dead go. It translates the Old Testament Hebrew word Sheol and the New T…
HalakhaHalakha refers to the body of Jewish legal interpretation and regulation that organizes the commandments of the Pentateuch for application to daily l…
HallelHallel is a Hebrew word meaning "praise." It refers to groups of praise psalms sung together at Jewish festivals, particularly Psalms 113–118.
HallelujahHallelujah is a Hebrew exclamation meaning "Praise the LORD." In the Old Testament it appears only in the Psalms, and in the New Testament only in Re…
Hardening of the HeartHardening of the heart is a biblical term for the condition of a heart that has grown hard and refuses to receive God's word and warnings. It is best…
Heart (Bible)In the Bible, the heart refers not only to the emotions but to the whole inner person, the seat of thought, will, and judgment. It is regarded as the…
Hebrew LanguageHebrew is the language of the ancient Israelites, in which most of the Old Testament was written. The New Testament refers to it as "the Hebrew tongu…
HeremHerem, rendered in Korean as jinmyeol (殄滅, "to destroy completely"), refers in the Old Testament to the act of devoting people or objects wholly to…
HeremHerem is a Hebrew term for the irrevocable devotion of a person or thing to God, which removes it from human use, or for the thing so devoted. In the…
HesedHesed (חֶסֶד) is a Hebrew word used in the Old Testament for the steadfast love and faithful kindness that God shows to his covenant people and that …
HiggaionHiggaion is a Hebrew word that appears together with "Selah" in Psalm 9:16. It is thought to be either a musical term or a word indicating meditation…
High PlaceA high place (Korean sandang, 山堂) is an Old Testament term for a local site of sacrifice, often located on elevated ground. It translates the Hebre…
High Priestly PrayerThe High Priestly Prayer is the extended prayer of Jesus Christ recorded in John 17. Jesus offered it just before his Passion for himself, for his di…
Historical BooksIn the genre classification of the Bible, the term for the books that narrate the history of Israel and the early church in narrative form. In Protes…
HokmahHokmah is a Hebrew word meaning "wisdom." In the Old Testament it covers a wide range of meanings, from a craftsman's skill to the wisdom of a life l…
HolinessHoliness is a central biblical concept denoting that which belongs to God and is set apart for Him. It refers first to the nature of God and is exten…
Holy PlaceThe holy place (Korean seongso, 聖所), or sanctuary, is a sacred place set apart for God. In its narrower sense, it refers to the outer room of the t…
Holy WarA scholarly term for the Old Testament wars portrayed as fought by God himself on Israel's behalf. The term does not appear as such in the Bible; the…
HomerThe homer is a Hebrew unit of dry measure for grain mentioned in the Old Testament. Equal to ten ephahs, it is the largest dry measure and equals one…
HopeHope is a biblical term referring both to the disposition of trusting and waiting for the fulfillment of God's promises and to the object of that wai…
Hosanna"Hosanna" is a transliteration of a Hebrew expression meaning "save now." It derives from Psalm 118 and is recorded in the Gospels as the acclamation…
HyssopHyssop is a plant used in Old Testament purification rites to sprinkle blood or water. It appears in connection with the Passover, the rite for clean…

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IdolAn idol is an image of a deity made to be worshiped in place of God or to represent God, or any object treated in that way. Scripture forbids making …
IdolatryIdolatry is the worship of gods other than God or of images made by human hands. Scripture forbids it in the Ten Commandments and treats it as a fund…
ImmanuelImmanuel is a Hebrew name meaning "God is with us." It first appears as the name of a child given as a sign in Isaiah 7:14, and Matthew 1:23 applies …
InheritanceInheritance (Korean *gieop*, 基業) is a biblical term for a portion given by God or handed down from generation to generation. In the Old Testament i…
Interpretation of TonguesThe interpretation of tongues is a gift of the Holy Spirit mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12 and 14. It refers to explaining the meaning of speech in ton…

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Jachin and BoazJachin and Boaz are the names of the two bronze pillars set up before the porch of the Temple in Jerusalem built by Solomon. The pillar on the right …
JedidiahJedidiah, meaning "beloved of the LORD," is the name the LORD gave through the prophet Nathan to Solomon, the son of David and Bathsheba. It appears …
JehovahJehovah is the proper name of the God of Israel in the Old Testament. It is written with four Hebrew consonants (YHWH), and scholars often render it …
Jehovah RaphaJehovah Rapha, meaning "the LORD who heals," is a title of God derived from Exodus 15:26: "for I am the LORD that healeth thee."
Jehovah-jirehJehovah-jireh is the name Abraham gave to the place on the mountain where he was about to offer Isaac, as recorded in Genesis 22:14. It means "the LO…
Jehovah-nissiJehovah-nissi is the name Moses gave to the altar he built after Israel's victory over Amalek in Exodus 17. It means "The LORD is my banner."
Jehovah-shalomJehovah-shalom is the name Gideon gave to the altar he built at Ophrah in Judges 6:24. In Hebrew it means "the LORD is peace."
Jehovah-shalomJehovah-shalom is the name the judge Gideon gave to the altar he built at Ophrah. It means "The LORD is peace." The name appears in Judges 6:24.
Jehovah-shammahJehovah-shammah is a Hebrew name meaning "the LORD is there," given to the restored city in Ezekiel 48:35.
JoyJoy is a key biblical term for the gladness that arises from a relationship with God and from salvation. It appears throughout Scripture, from the fe…
Juridical ParableA juridical parable is a biblical narrative form in which a seemingly unrelated case is presented so that the hearer pronounces judgment, only for th…

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KerygmaKerygma is a Greek word meaning "proclamation" or "that which is proclaimed." In the New Testament it refers to the apostles' proclamation of the gos…
Ketiv and QereKetiv and qere are a Masoretic notation system marking places in manuscripts of the Hebrew Old Testament where what is written (ketiv) differs from w…
King James VersionThe King James Version (KJV) is an English translation of the Bible produced at the command of King James I of England and published in 1611. For cen…
KislevKislev is the ninth month of the calendar used by the Jews after the Babylonian exile, corresponding roughly to November–December. Scripture names it…
Koine GreekKoine Greek was the common form of Greek widely used throughout the Mediterranean world after the conquests of Alexander the Great. All twenty-seven …
Korean Revised VersionThe Korean Revised Version (Gaeyeok Hangeul) is the common short name for the Holy Bible, Korean Revised Version (Seonggyeong Jeonseo Gaeyeok Hangeul…
KyriosKyrios (κύριος) is a Greek word meaning "lord" or "master." The Septuagint used it to render the name of God, and in the New Testament it is the prin…

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LORD of HostsThe LORD of Hosts is an Old Testament title for God that renders the Hebrew Yahweh Tseba'ot. Meaning "LORD of armies (hosts)," it expresses God's sov…
Lake of FireThe lake of fire is the place of final judgment described in the Book of Revelation. The beast, the false prophet, the devil, death and Hades, and al…
Lamb of GodThe Lamb of God is the title John the Baptist applied to Jesus, recorded in John 1. Conveying the idea of a sacrifice offered for sin, it became one …
Lament PsalmsLament psalms are a type of psalm in which the psalmist cries out and appeals to God amid suffering, illness, persecution, or national disaster. They…
Lamp (Bible)In the Bible, the lamp is a vessel that burns oil to give light; the term also refers to its flame. It symbolizes the light kept burning continually …
Land Flowing with Milk and HoneyAn Old Testament idiom describing the abundance of the land of Canaan, which God promised to give to Israel. It first appears in Exodus 3:8 and recur…
Languages of the BibleThe languages of the Bible are the original languages in which the Bible was first written. The Old Testament was written mainly in Hebrew, with some…
Latter ProphetsThe Latter Prophets (Hebrew Nevi'im Aharonim) are the second half of the Prophets (Nevi'im), the second division of the Hebrew Bible. The term refers…
LaverThe laver was a bronze basin placed in the tabernacle between the tent of meeting and the altar of burnt offering. The priests washed their hands and…
LeavenLeaven is fermented dough used to make dough rise. In the Old Testament it appears in the regulations for the Feast of Unleavened Bread and for offer…
Leningrad CodexThe Leningrad Codex is a manuscript of the Hebrew Old Testament copied around 1008 or 1009. It is known as the oldest surviving manuscript of the Mas…
LeprosyLeprosy (Korean *nabyeong*) is the term the New Korean Revised Version (Gaeyeok Gaejeong) uses for an "unclean" disease of the skin and for blemishes…
LeptonThe lepton was the smallest denomination of coin used in Judea in the New Testament period. In the Bible it is best known from the "two mites" that a…
Letter of JeremiahThe Letter of Jeremiah is a short work presented as a letter from Jeremiah to the Judean captives being carried off to Babylon, warning them against …
LeviathanLeviathan is a great sea creature mentioned in Job, Psalms, and Isaiah. The name serves as a symbol of a power beyond human control or of the chaos a…
Light of the WorldAn expression Jesus used of himself (John 8:12) and of his disciples (Matthew 5:14). It denotes one who reveals God's truth and salvation to a world …
Light to the Gentiles"Light to the Gentiles" is an expression in the Book of Isaiah indicating that the Servant of God was given a mission to bring the light of salvation…
Living Stone"Living stone" is a metaphor in 1 Peter 2:4–5 that refers both to Jesus Christ and to those who believe in him. It describes believers as stones buil…
Living WaterLiving water (Korean saengsu, 生水) is a biblical expression for "water that is alive," that is, water that springs up and flows from a source. It re…
LogosLogos (λόγος) is a Greek word meaning "word" or "reason." In the prologue of the Gospel of John it serves as a title for Jesus Christ, who existed be…
Lord's DayAn expression used in the New Testament. In Revelation 1:10 it refers to the day on which Christians gathered for worship; in the Epistles it refers …
Love of EnemiesLove of enemies is the teaching of Jesus that his followers should love even those who hate and persecute them and should pray for them. It is record…
LuciferLucifer is the Latin Vulgate's rendering of the "morning star, son of the morning" in Isaiah 14:12. In later tradition the word came to be widely use…

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MaccabeesThe Books of Maccabees record the Jewish revolt against persecution under the Seleucid dynasty in the second century BC. The Catholic and Orthodox ch…
MagnificatThe Magnificat is the song of praise to God that Mary offered after conceiving Jesus, when she visited Elizabeth, as recorded in Luke 1:46-55. It tak…
Majority TextThe Majority Text is a textual-criticism term for a reconstructed text of the Greek New Testament that follows the common readings of the medieval By…
MammonMammon is a word of Aramaic origin that Jesus used to refer to wealth. In Matthew 6 and Luke 16, it is portrayed as a master that opposes God and hol…
Man of God"Man of God" is a biblical title for a person who belongs to God, proclaims His word, and is entrusted with His work. In the Old Testament it is appl…
Man of LawlessnessThe man of lawlessness is the figure who, according to Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2, will appear before the day of the Lord. He opposes God and exalts h…
MandrakeThe mandrake (Korean *hapwanchae*) is the plant that Reuben found in the field and gave to Leah in Genesis 30; it also appears in Song of Solomon 7. …
MangerA manger is a trough that holds feed for livestock. In the Gospel of Luke, it is where the newborn Jesus was laid. In the Christmas story, it serves …
ManuscriptA manuscript is a book or document copied by hand from an original. None of the original documents of the Bible survive; modern Bibles are translated…
MaranathaMaranatha is an Aramaic expression found in 1 Corinthians 16:22, meaning "Our Lord, come" or "Our Lord is coming." It is known as a phrase the early …
Markan PriorityMarkan priority is a hypothesis in biblical scholarship holding that the Gospel of Mark was the first of the Synoptic Gospels to be written and that …
Marriage Supper of the LambThe marriage supper of the Lamb is an expression found in Revelation 19. It refers to the feast celebrating the complete union of Christ, the Lamb, w…
MaschilMaschil is a Hebrew word that appears in the superscriptions (headings) of thirteen psalms. It derives from a root meaning "to understand" or "to be …
MasoretesThe Masoretes were Jewish scholars, active roughly from the sixth to the tenth century, who copied and transmitted the Hebrew text of the Old Testame…
Masoretic TextThe Masoretic Text is the standard text of the Hebrew Old Testament, transmitted by medieval Jewish scholars (the Masoretes) who added vowel points a…
Measuring LineA measuring line is a cord used to measure length and area. In the Bible it appears chiefly in visions that anticipate the rebuilding of Jerusalem an…
MediumIn the Old Testament, a medium (KJV: one who has a familiar spirit) is a person who claims to communicate with the spirits of the dead or with other …
MeeknessIn the Bible, meekness refers to a disposition and attitude of not asserting one's own power, entrusting oneself to God, and treating others gently. …
Mene, Mene, Tekel, UpharsinMene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin is the Aramaic inscription that the fingers of a man's hand wrote on the palace wall during the feast of Belshazzar, king…
MercyMercy (Korean geungyul, 矜恤) means to pity and care for someone. In the Bible it refers to God's compassionate heart and action toward those who suf…
MercyMercy is the disposition and action of taking pity on the suffering of others, treating them generously, and helping them. Scripture confesses mercy …
Mercy SeatThe mercy seat was the slab of pure gold that covered the Ark of the Covenant in the Most Holy Place of the tabernacle. On the Day of Atonement the h…
MerodachMerodach is the Hebrew rendering of Marduk, the chief god of ancient Babylon. It appears in Jeremiah 50:2 in a prophecy of Babylon's fall and also fo…
MessiahFrom the Hebrew for "anointed one." In the Old Testament the term was applied to kings, priests, and others, and it later came to designate the deliv…
Messianic ProphecyMessianic prophecy refers to Old Testament passages understood to point to the anointed deliverer who was to come, the Messiah. The New Testament reg…
MichaelMichael is an angel named in the Bible. In the book of Daniel he appears as the "great prince" who protects the people of Israel, in Jude as "the arc…
Middle Wall of PartitionThe "middle wall of partition" is an expression from Ephesians 2:14 that refers to the barrier between Jews and Gentiles that Christ broke down throu…
MidrashMidrash, from a Hebrew verb meaning "to seek" or "to inquire," refers both to the method by which Jewish rabbis interpreted the biblical text and to …
MidrashMidrash is a term derived from a Hebrew word meaning "to seek" or "to inquire." In the Old Testament it appears in the titles of written records. It …
MidwifeA midwife is a woman who assists another woman in childbirth. In the Bible, midwives appear in Genesis and Exodus. They are best known through the ac…
MiktamMiktam is a Hebrew term found in the superscriptions of six psalms: Psalm 16 and Psalms 56–60. It appears to designate a type or use of psalm, but it…
MilcomMilcom is a god of the Ammonites mentioned in the Old Testament. Scripture records that Solomon followed this idol in his later years and that King J…
MinaThe mina was a unit of weight and currency used in the ancient Near East and the Greco-Roman world. In the New Testament it appears in the Parable of…
Minor JudgesThe Minor Judges are the judges in the book of Judges whose records consist of little more than a name and a brief notice. The term usually refers to…
Minor ProphetsThe Minor Prophets are the twelve prophetic books, Hosea through Malachi, that appear at the end of the Old Testament. The name refers to the books' …
MiracleA miracle is an event brought about by God that cannot be explained by the ordinary course of nature. The Bible describes such events with words such…
MishnahThe Mishnah is a written compilation, made around the late second or early third century, of the interpretations of the law that Jewish rabbis had tr…
MolechMolech is a foreign deity, or the name of a type of sacrifice, mentioned in the Old Testament in connection with the offering of children by fire. Th…
Morning StarThe morning star is the star that heralds the dawn in the eastern sky before sunrise. In the Bible it serves as a symbol of the coming of a new day a…
Moses' SeatMoses' seat is an expression Jesus used in Matthew 23:2 to describe the position of the scribes and Pharisees. It is generally read as referring to t…
Mustard SeedThe mustard seed is the seed of the mustard plant. In the Gospels, Jesus uses it as the classic example of something very small when teaching about t…
MyrrhMyrrh is the fragrant resin of trees native to southern Arabia and northeastern Africa. In the Bible it was used as a spice, a cosmetic, and an ingre…

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Names of GodThe names of God are the proper name and the various titles by which God is called in the Bible. In Scripture a name is regarded not merely as a form…
NardNard is a precious aromatic oil made from the roots of a plant that grows in the Himalayan region. In the Bible it appears in the Song of Solomon and…
NehushtanNehushtan is the name applied to the bronze serpent that Moses made in the wilderness, at the time King Hezekiah of Judah broke it in pieces. The nam…
New CommandmentThe new commandment is the command Jesus Christ gave his disciples at the Last Supper: "as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." It appea…
New CovenantThe new covenant is the covenant that God promised in Jeremiah 31:31-34 to make with Israel. The New Testament teaches that this promise was establis…
New JerusalemThe New Jerusalem is the holy city in the Book of Revelation that comes down out of heaven at the end of the age and in which God dwells with his peo…
New Testament ApocryphaThe New Testament Apocrypha is a collective term for early Christian writings that tell stories about Jesus and the apostles or bear an apostle's nam…
New Testament Quotations of the Old TestamentThe practice by which New Testament writers reproduce or borrow the words of the Old Testament to explain Jesus Christ and the church, as well as the…
NisanNisan is the first month of Israel's religious calendar, designated at the time of the Exodus as "the first month of the year." Passover and the Feas…
NisrochIn the Old Testament, Nisroch is the name of the god worshiped by the Assyrian king Sennacherib. According to the biblical account, Sennacherib was k…
Noah's ArkNoah's Ark is the large vessel that Noah built at God's command in Genesis 6–9, in which Noah's family of eight and the animals survived the judgment…
Noah's ArkThe ark is the large vessel that God commanded Noah to build in Genesis 6–9. Noah's family of eight and the animals survived the Flood aboard it. The…
Noahic CovenantThe Noahic covenant is the covenant God made after the Flood with Noah, his descendants, and every living creature. God promised never again to destr…
Number of the BeastThe number 666, which appears in Revelation 13:18. It is mentioned in connection with the mark that the beast rising out of the earth causes people t…

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OathAn oath is an act in which God or a being greater than oneself is invoked as a witness to guarantee that one's words are true or that one will keep a…
OchlosOchlos (ὄχλος) is the Greek word used in the New Testament for the "crowd," a large gathering of people who followed or surrounded Jesus. In Korea th…
OfferingAn offering (Korean *yemul*, also *heonmul*) is a biblical term for something brought and presented to God, or for a gift sent to another person as a…
Oil (Bible)In the Bible, "oil" refers chiefly to olive oil pressed from the fruit of the olive tree. It was used for food, for lamps, and as medicine, and in sa…
Old CovenantThe Old Covenant is the name given to the covenant God made with Israel through Moses at Mount Sinai, in contrast to the New Covenant established thr…
Old Latin VersionThe Old Latin version (Latin: Vetus Latina) is the collective term for the various Latin translations of the Bible used in the Western church from ar…
Old Man and New Man"Old man" and "new man" are expressions from the Pauline epistles. Using the image of taking off and putting on clothing, they contrast the person un…
Old Testament ApocryphaThe Old Testament Apocrypha is the Protestant term for Jewish writings that appear in Greek manuscripts of the Old Testament but are absent from the …
Olive TreeGamnam-namu ("olive tree") is the term the New Korean Revised Version (Gaeyeok Gaejeong) uses for the olive tree. In Scripture the olive tree serves …
Olivet DiscourseThe Olivet Discourse is a lengthy address that Jesus delivered to his disciples on the Mount of Olives during the final week of his public ministry. …
OmerThe omer is an ancient Israelite dry measure for grain mentioned in Exodus 16. It is best known from the account of the manna in the wilderness, whic…
Only Begotten SonThe Only Begotten Son (Korean *doksaengja*, 獨生子, "one and only son") is a term used in the Gospel of John and the First Epistle of John to refer t…
OnyxOnyx (Korean homano) is the name of a precious stone used in the New Korean Revised Version to translate the Hebrew word shoham. It first appears as …
Oral LawThe Oral Law is the body of Jewish interpretations and regulations believed to have been transmitted by word of mouth alongside the written law of th…
Orphans and Widows"Orphans and widows" is a biblical word pair referring to people whose livelihood and legal protection were weakened by the loss of a husband or fath…

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"I Am" SayingsThe "I am" sayings (Greek ego eimi) are the sayings in which Jesus Christ identified himself with the words "I am …." They appear mainly in the Gospe…

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Paleo-Hebrew ScriptThe Paleo-Hebrew script is the consonantal alphabet that the people of Israel and Judah used to write Hebrew before the Babylonian exile. It predates…
Palm TreeIn the Bible, "palm tree" refers to the date palm. It is associated with the joy of the Feast of Tabernacles, the flourishing of the righteous, and t…
PapyrusPapyrus is an aquatic plant that grows in the marshes of the Nile Valley; the name also refers to the ancient writing material made from its stalks. …
Parables of the KingdomThe parables of the kingdom are the parables in which Jesus described the reign of God with the words "The kingdom of heaven is like…"; in the narrow…
ParadiseParadise is a New Testament term for the place where the righteous dead are with Christ, or for the blessed place where God dwells. The word derives …
ParallelismParallelism is the characteristic mode of expression in Hebrew poetry, in which the thought of one line is paired with a following line that restates…
ParchmentParchment is a writing material made by preparing the skins of animals such as sheep, goats, and calves into thin sheets. In the Bible it appears in …
ParousiaParousia (παρουσία) is a Greek word meaning "presence" or "arrival." In the New Testament it refers chiefly to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
Pastoral EpistlesThe Pastoral Epistles is the collective name for three New Testament books: 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus. They are presented as letters in which P…
Patriarch"Patriarch" refers to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the founding ancestors of the people of Israel, and to Jacob's twelve sons. Their story is told in G…
PeacePeace is a biblical term translating the Hebrew shalom and the Greek eirene. Beyond the absence of conflict, it denotes wholeness, well-being, and a …
Peace Offering and PropitiationHwamokjemul is a term used in the New Korean Revised Version of the Bible both for the peace offering of Leviticus in the Old Testament and for Chris…
PearlA pearl is a round gem formed inside a mollusk. In the Bible it denotes something of great value, and it is best known from the New Testament parable…
Penitential PsalmsThe Penitential Psalms are seven psalms (Psalms 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, and 143) that church tradition groups together because they give prominent e…
PerseverancePerseverance (also patience or endurance) is a biblical concept describing the disposition to keep faith and endure to the end amid suffering and tri…
PeshittaThe Peshitta is a translation of the Bible into Syriac, a branch of Aramaic. The Eastern churches that carry on the Syriac tradition still use it tod…
PhiliaPhilia (φιλία) is a Greek word meaning "friendship" or "affectionate love." It appears only once as a noun in the New Testament, but the cognate verb…
PhylacteriesPhylacteries are small leather boxes containing parchment inscribed with passages from the Law, together with the straps by which Jews bind them to t…
Pillar of Fire and Pillar of CloudA sign during the Exodus in which the LORD led the people of Israel through the wilderness, going before them by day in a pillar of cloud and by nigh…
Plumb LineA plumb line is a cord with a weight attached, used to check whether a wall stands straight. Because of its use in Amos 7, in a vision of God measuri…
Poetic BooksThe Poetic Books are the five books of the Protestant Old Testament written in poetic form: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solo…
Portion"Portion" (Korean *bungit*) is a biblical term for a share that is divided and received, such as an inheritance or a piece of land. In the Old Testam…
Praetorian GuardThe praetorian guard is a term in Philippians 1:13 that translates the Greek word praitōrion. It is commonly interpreted as referring to the soldiers…
Prayer of ManassehThe prayer of repentance offered by Manasseh, king of Judah, during the affliction of his captivity. It is recorded in 2 Chronicles 33, and a short G…
Primeval HistoryPrimeval history is a scholarly term for Genesis 1–11, the part of Genesis that precedes Abraham and recounts the beginnings of the world and of huma…
Prison EpistlesThe Prison Epistles is the collective name for Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon, the four letters in which the apostle Paul indicates…
Prologue of JohnThe Prologue of John is John 1:1–18, the opening section of the Gospel of John, which declares that the "Word" (Logos), who existed from the beginnin…
Promised LandThe Promised Land is the land of Canaan, which God promised to give to Abraham and his descendants. In the New Testament, the term also comes to refe…
ProphecyProphecy is the act of receiving a message from God and conveying it to others, or the message so conveyed. In the Old Testament it was the ministry …
Prophetic BooksThe Prophetic Books are the books of the Old Testament that bear the names of prophets. In Protestant usage the term refers to the seventeen books fr…
Prophetic Symbolic Actions"Prophetic symbolic action" is a descriptive term for actions by which the Old Testament prophets made God's message visible through gestures, object…
ProselyteProselyte (Greek prosēlytos) is a New Testament term for a person born a Gentile who came to believe in the God of Israel and formally entered the Je…
Protevangelium of JamesThe Protevangelium of James is a Greek apocryphal work from around the second century that recounts the birth and upbringing of Mary, the mother of J…
Psalm SuperscriptionsPsalm superscriptions are short headings placed before the text of many psalms. They identify the psalm's author or affiliation, the type of song, pe…
Pseudepigrapha"Pseudepigrapha" is the term Protestants use for Jewish and early Christian writings, composed for the most part around the intertestamental period, …
PurPur is a word meaning "lot." In the Book of Esther it refers to the lot that Haman cast to fix the day for destroying the Jews, and the Jewish festiv…

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Q SourceThe Q source is a hypothetical collection of the sayings of Jesus that scholars posit as the source of material found in both Matthew and Luke but ab…
QuadransThe quadrans (Greek kodrantes) was a small Roman coin of the New Testament period; its name comes from the Latin quadrans. In the Gospel of Mark it e…
Queen of HeavenThe Queen of Heaven is a title used in the Book of Jeremiah for a goddess whom the people of Judah worshiped by burning incense and offering cakes. J…

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RabbiRabbi is a Hebrew and Aramaic title of respect meaning "my teacher." In the New Testament Gospels, disciples and others use it to address Jesus and J…
RabboniRabboni is an Aramaic form of address meaning "my teacher." It is used twice in the New Testament to address Jesus and is best known as the word Mary…
Rainbow (Bible)In the Bible, the rainbow is the sign of the covenant God made after Noah's Flood, promising never again to destroy the earth by a flood. Ezekiel and…
Ram's Horn TrumpetThe ram's horn trumpet, called the shofar in Hebrew, is a trumpet made from the horn of a ram. It is best known from the account of the fall of Jeric…
RansomRansom (Korean sokjeon, 贖錢) is an Old Testament term for a price paid in place of a life or a person. The half shekel paid at the census in Exodus …
Relationship Between the Old and New TestamentsThe relationship between the Old and New Testaments concerns how the two parts of the Christian Bible, the Old Testament and the New Testament, are c…
RemnantThe remnant is a biblical concept referring to a small group that survives God's judgment and times of tribulation and so carries on the line of the …
RhemaRhema (ῥῆμα) is a Greek word in the New Testament meaning "word" or "saying." In Korean churches it is sometimes distinguished from logos and used in…
RighteousnessRighteousness is a central biblical concept referring to God's character and actions and to a right relationship between God and human beings. In the…
RimmonRimmon is the name of a god worshiped in Damascus, the capital of Aram. The name appears in 2 Kings 5, where Naaman, the Aramean commander who had be…
River of the Water of LifeThe river of the water of life is the river described in Revelation 22 as flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb and watering the New Jerusal…
River of the Water of LifeThe river of the water of life is the clear river in Revelation 22 that flows from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the New Jerusalem. Drawi…
RockA rock is a large, solid mass of stone. In the Bible it appears as the actual rock that gave water in the wilderness, and it also serves as a figure …
Rod of MosesThe rod of Moses was the shepherd's staff that Moses held in his hand when he performed God's miracles, as recorded in Exodus and Numbers. Scripture …
Ruler of the SynagogueThe ruler of the synagogue was the official responsible for leading worship and assemblies in Jewish synagogues during the New Testament period. Jair…

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SackclothSackcloth is a coarse fabric, or a garment made from it, that people in the Bible wrapped around or wore on their bodies to express grief, repentance…
Sacred PillarA sacred pillar (Hebrew matstsebah) was a standing stone erected in ancient Canaan to worship or commemorate a deity. The Old Testament commands Isra…
Salt (Bible)In the Bible, salt is a daily necessity used to season food and keep it from spoiling. In the Old Testament it appears in connection with offerings a…
Samaritan PentateuchThe Samaritan Pentateuch is the Hebrew text of the Five Books of Moses that the Samaritan community has preserved from generation to generation. It a…
SatanSatan is the name the Bible gives to an evil spiritual being who opposes and accuses God and His people. The Hebrew word means "adversary," and the N…
ScrollA scroll is an ancient form of book made from long strips of papyrus or animal skin joined together, written on, and stored rolled up. In Jeremiah, E…
Sea of GlassThe sea of glass is the sea "like unto crystal" that the Book of Revelation describes as spread before the throne of God in heaven. In chapter 15, th…
Sect of the NazarenesThe "sect of the Nazarenes" is the expression the advocate Tertullus used in Acts 24 for the followers of Jesus when he brought charges against Paul.…
Seed of AbrahamThe seed of Abraham is a biblical term for the descendants God promised to Abraham. In the Old Testament it refers to the people of Israel, descended…
SeerA seer (Korean *seongyeonja*, 先見者) is "one who sees" what God has shown. It is an older Old Testament term for a prophet. Samuel, Gad, and Iddo, a…
SelahSelah is a Hebrew word that appears in the Old Testament book of Psalms and in Habakkuk 3. Many interpreters regard it as a marker related to singing…
Self-ControlSelf-control is a biblical concept referring to the power to govern one's own desires and emotions. In Galatians 5:23 it is listed last among the fru…
SeptuagintThe Septuagint is a translation of the Hebrew Old Testament into ancient Greek, produced in Alexandria, Egypt, beginning around the third century BC.…
SeraphThe seraphim are six-winged heavenly beings who, in the vision of Isaiah 6, stand above the throne of God and cry "Holy" three times. The singular is…
Seraphim and CherubimSeraphim and cherubim are winged heavenly beings in the Old Testament who appear near God's throne and in holy places. The seraphim praise God in Isa…
Servant (Bible)In the Bible, a servant is a person bound to serve another. The term can refer to the institution of slavery in the Old Testament, and it is also use…
Servant Songs"Servant Songs" is a scholarly term for four poems in Isaiah 40–55 about "the servant of the LORD." They are found in Isaiah 42, 49, 50, and 52:13–53…
Seven BowlsThe seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God that seven angels pour out in succession upon the earth, the sea, the rivers, the sun, the throne of …
Seven SealsThe seven seals are the seals that close the scroll held in the hand of God in Revelation 5–8. As the slain Lamb opens them one by one, war, famine, …
Seven Seals, Trumpets, and BowlsThe seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven bowls are visions in Revelation 6–16 in which God's judgments unfold in three successive series of seven. …
Seven TrumpetsThe seven trumpets are the trumpets blown in succession by seven angels in Revelation 8–11, together with the plagues and events that follow each one…
Seventy WeeksThe seventy weeks are a period named in the prophecy that the angel Gabriel delivered to Daniel in Daniel 9:24-27. They are commonly understood as "s…
ShalomShalom is a Hebrew word meaning "wholeness, well-being, peace." In the Old Testament it is used widely as a greeting, in blessings, and to describe t…
ShekelThe shekel was a unit of weight used in ancient Israel and also a unit of value reckoned by that weight of silver. It later became the name of a silv…
ShibbolethShibboleth is the Hebrew word that, according to Judges 12, the Gileadites required people to pronounce at the fords of the Jordan in order to identi…
ShigionothShigionoth is a Hebrew musical term in the superscription of Habakkuk 3:1. It is thought to indicate the character or style of song that Habakkuk's p…
Shittim WoodShittim wood is the wood used in the Old Testament to build the tabernacle and its furnishings; the name renders the Hebrew shittim. Today it is gene…
ShofarThe shofar is an ancient Israelite trumpet made from the horn of an animal such as a ram. In the Old Testament it was used to proclaim feasts and the…
SignA sign is a mark that reveals God's will or shows in advance what is to come. In the Old Testament the term refers to signs of the covenant and to th…
SignA sign (Korean pyojeok, 標蹟) is a token that God displays to reveal His will and power, or the authority of one He has sent. The Gospel of John call…
Sign of JonahThe sign of Jonah refers to Jesus' reply to those who demanded a sign, that no sign would be given "but the sign of the prophet Jonas." The saying ap…
Signs and Wonders"Signs and wonders" is a biblical word pair referring to the marvelous works God performs to reveal his will and power. The Old Testament applies the…
Sin of JeroboamThe sin of Jeroboam refers to the actions of Jeroboam, the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel, who set up golden calves at Bethel and Dan a…
Sinai CovenantThe Sinai Covenant is the covenant God made at Mount Sinai with the people of Israel after the Exodus, with Moses serving as mediator. Centered on th…
SirachSirach is a book of wisdom literature generally attributed to Jesus ben Sira, a teacher of the law in Jerusalem in the early second century BC. The C…
SlingThe sling is an ancient throwing weapon consisting of a pouch of leather or cord that holds a stone; the sling is whirled and the stone released. In …
SojournerA sojourner, or resident alien, is a biblical term for a foreigner who has left his homeland and lives among another people. The Old Testament law co…
SojournerA sojourner is a person who has left his or her own land and lives in a land belonging to others. Old Testament law commands the protection of sojour…
Son of DavidA term meaning a descendant of King David. In the New Testament it is applied to Jesus as a title for the Messiah, the king who, in keeping with the …
Son of God"Son of God" is a biblical expression denoting a special relationship with God. In the Old Testament it refers to angels, Israel, and the king; in th…
Son of Man"Son of Man" (Korean *inja*) literally means "son of man." In the Old Testament it is an expression for a human being; in Daniel 7 it describes a fig…
Song of HannahThe Song of Hannah is Hannah's prayer of praise recorded in 1 Samuel 2:1–10. Offered after she dedicated her son Samuel at the sanctuary in Shiloh, i…
Song of LamechThe Song of Lamech is a short poem in Genesis 4:23–24 in which Lamech, a descendant of Cain, tells his two wives that he has killed a man and boasts …
Song of MiriamThe Song of Miriam is a short hymn of praise sung by the prophetess Miriam as she led the women with timbrels and dancing after Israel crossed the Re…
Song of MosesThe Song of Moses refers to two Old Testament poems attributed to Moses: the hymn of deliverance sung after the crossing of the Red Sea (Exodus 15) a…
Song of SimeonThe Song of Simeon is the short hymn of praise that Simeon sang in the Temple while holding the infant Jesus, recorded in Luke 2:29-32. It is also ca…
Song of ZechariahThe Song of Zechariah is a hymn recorded in Luke 1:68-79. Filled with the Holy Spirit on the day of his son's circumcision, Zechariah, the father of …
Soul (Bible)In the Bible, "soul" translates the Hebrew nephesh and the Greek psyche, words that encompass breath, life, a living being, and the self. Interpretat…
SpicesIn the Bible, "spices" is a general term for aromatic plant substances. Scripture associates them with the holy anointing oil and incense of the tabe…
SpikenardSpikenard, or nard, is a costly aromatic ointment made from a plant of the Himalayan region. It is best known as the ointment a woman of Bethany pour…
Spirit and FleshSpirit and flesh are a pair of terms the Bible uses to describe human beings as they stand before God. They may refer to the constitution of the huma…
Spiritual BodyThe spiritual body is Paul's term in 1 Corinthians 15:44 for the body the dead will put on at the resurrection, in contrast to the "natural body." It…
StadionThe stadion is a Greek unit of distance found in the New Testament; one stadion measured roughly 185 meters. In Revelation it is used to give the dim…
Star of BethlehemThe Star of Bethlehem is the star in Matthew 2 that the wise men from the east saw and that led them to seek the child born King of the Jews. Scriptu…
Stem of JesseThe "stem of Jesse" is an image from Isaiah 11:1 in which a shoot springs from the stump of Jesse, the father of David. The expression prophesies an …
Still Small VoiceThe "still small voice" is the quiet, faint sound that came to Elijah on Mount Horeb after the wind, the earthquake, and the fire had passed (1 Kings…
Store CityA store city was a city built to store a nation's grain, supplies, weapons, and similar provisions. Pithom and Raamses, which the Israelites built fo…
Strange FireStrange fire is an expression from the incident in Leviticus 10 in which Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, died after offering incense in a manner …
Stumbling BlockA stumbling block is a stone or obstacle that catches the foot and causes a person to fall. In the Bible, the term refers to anything that causes a p…
Suffering ServantThe Suffering Servant is the "Servant of the Lord" in Isaiah's "Servant Songs" who suffers and bears the transgressions of others. The New Testament …
Swaddling ClothesSwaddling clothes (Korean *gangbo*, 襁褓) are the cloths used to wrap a newborn infant. In the Bible they are best known from Luke 2, where Mary wrap…
Sycamore FigThe sycamore fig is a member of the fig family that grows in the warm lowlands of Egypt and Palestine. In the Bible it appears as the tree Amos tende…
Symbolic Actions of the ProphetsThe symbolic actions of the prophets are acts by which Old Testament prophets conveyed God's message visibly, not only in words but through gestures,…
Synagogue of SatanThe "synagogue of Satan" is an expression found in Revelation 2:9 and 3:9. It refers to a gathering of those who "say they are Jews" and who slandere…
Synoptic ProblemThe Synoptic Problem is a question in biblical studies concerning why the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke resemble one another in content, order, …

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Table of NationsThe Table of Nations is the genealogy of the descendants of Noah's three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, recorded in Genesis 10. It traces how humanity…
Table of NationsThe Table of Nations is the genealogy in Genesis 10 of the peoples descended from Noah's three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. In a single list, it sho…
Table of NationsThe Table of Nations is the list of the descendants of Noah's three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, recorded in Genesis 10. Arranged in genealogical fo…
Tablets of the CovenantThe Tablets of the Covenant are the two stone tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments that God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai. Scripture also calls…
Tablets of the TestimonyThe tablets of the testimony are the two stone tablets, inscribed with the Ten Commandments, that God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai. They were kept in…
TalentThe talent was the largest biblical unit of weight, used for gold, silver, and other metals. Through the Parable of the Talents in the New Testament,…
Talitha KoumTalitha koum is the Aramaic phrase Jesus spoke when he raised the dead daughter of Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue. It appears in Mark 5:41 and mean…
TanakhTanakh is the name Judaism uses for the Hebrew Bible. The word is an acronym formed from the Law (Torah), the Prophets (Nevi'im), and the Writings (K…
TargumTargum is the term for the ancient Jewish translations and paraphrases of the Hebrew Old Testament into Aramaic. The Targums are generally understood…
TargumThe Targum is a body of Jewish literature that translates and paraphrases the Hebrew Old Testament into Aramaic. It arose from the post-exilic synago…
TasselsTassels (fringes) were the cords that the people of Israel attached to the four corners of their outer garments in accordance with Old Testament law.…
Temple VeilThe temple veil was the curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place in the tabernacle and the Jerusalem temple. Only the high prie…
Tent of MeetingThe Tent of Meeting is the tent where God met with Moses and Israel and spoke to them. In the Old Testament the term is used chiefly as another name …
TeraphimTeraphim are household idols mentioned in the Old Testament, generally thought to have been venerated in the home or used for divination. They appear…
TetragrammatonThe Tetragrammaton is the set of four Hebrew consonants (YHWH) that form the personal name of the God of Israel in the Old Testament. Korean Bibles r…
TetragrammatonThe Tetragrammaton (Korean *sinseong samunja*, "sacred four letters") is the term for the four Hebrew consonants (יהוה, YHWH) that spell the proper n…
Textus ReceptusThe Textus Receptus (Latin for "received text") refers to the printed Greek New Testament texts produced during the Reformation era of the sixteenth …
The Door of the Sheep"The door of the sheep" is the expression Jesus uses in John 10, where he compares himself to the door of a sheepfold, saying, "I am the door of the …
The Fear of the LordThe fear of the Lord is a central Old Testament expression for an attitude of reverence and awe toward God. It is presented especially in the wisdom …
The First and the Last"The First and the Last" is a biblical title declaring that God alone exists before the beginning of all things and after their end. In the Old Testa…
The Five Visions of AmosThe Five Visions of Amos is the collective name for five scenes that God showed the prophet Amos, recorded in Amos 7:1–9:4 in the Old Testament: the …
The Love ChapterThe Love Chapter is the name given to 1 Corinthians 13 in the New Testament. In this chapter Paul describes, in an almost hymnlike manner, the necess…
The Nations*Yeolbang* (列邦), meaning "many nations," is the Korean biblical term for the nations: the peoples and countries outside Israel, referred to collect…
The PoorIn the Bible, "the poor" refers to people who struggle to make a living and need protection. The Old Testament makes caring for them a duty of the co…
The Resurrection ChapterThe Resurrection Chapter is a name for 1 Corinthians 15 in the New Testament. It is the chapter in which Paul deals most extensively with the resurre…
The Seven Signs of the Gospel of JohnThe seven signs of the Gospel of John is the collective term for seven events recorded in chapters 1–12 of John's Gospel, which calls Jesus' miracles…
The Stone the Builders RejectedAn expression from Psalm 118:22 declaring that a stone rejected by people has become the head of the corner. The New Testament applies the verse to t…
Third HeavenThe third heaven is the heaven to which the apostle Paul says he was caught up in 2 Corinthians 12, the only place the expression appears in Scriptur…
Threshing FloorA threshing floor was a broad, level area where harvested grain was threshed to separate the kernels from the chaff. In the Bible it can signify abun…
Titulus CrucisThe titulus crucis (Korean joepae, "placard of the charge") was the placard stating the charge against Jesus Christ, fastened above him on the cross …
TobitTobit is a book included in Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Bibles but classified by Protestants as part of the Apocrypha; it is also the name of the b…
Tradition of the EldersThe "tradition of the elders" is a New Testament expression for the regulations, handed down from generation to generation outside the Law of Moses, …
Tree of LifeThe tree of life stood in the midst of the Garden of Eden in Genesis and symbolizes the life that God gives. Proverbs uses the phrase figuratively, a…
Tree of the Knowledge of Good and EvilThe tree of the knowledge of good and evil is the tree in the midst of the Garden of Eden in Genesis 2–3 whose fruit God commanded Adam not to eat, b…
Truth (Biblical Concept)In the Bible, truth denotes what is genuine rather than false. In the Old Testament it refers to the faithfulness of God, and in the New Testament it…
Two WitnessesThe Two Witnesses are two prophetic figures in Revelation 11 who prophesy for 1,260 days, are killed by the beast, and then come back to life and asc…

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Unleavened BreadUnleavened bread (Hebrew matzah) is flat bread baked without leaven. In the Bible it was eaten at Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread in comme…

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Veil (Tabernacle and Temple)The veil was the curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place in the tabernacle and the Jerusalem temple. The Gospels record that t…
VineyardA vineyard is a plot of land where grapevines are planted and cultivated. In the Bible it is part of agricultural life, and it frequently serves as a…
VisionA vision is a means by which God makes something known to a person by showing scenes or meanings that cannot be perceived with ordinary sight. Vision…
VulgateThe Vulgate is the Latin Bible that took shape chiefly through Jerome's translation and revision work in the late fourth and early fifth centuries. I…

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WadiA wadi (an Arabic term) is a valley watercourse that flows only during the rainy season and lies dry during the dry season. Biblical commentaries use…
Water of LifeThe water of life is a biblical expression that likens the life God gives to water. In the book of Revelation it is depicted as a river flowing from …
Wealth in the BibleIn the Bible, the rich are people who possess great wealth. The Old Testament often portrays wealth as a blessing from God while condemning its abuse…
Wedding GarmentThe wedding garment is the attire that the king requires of a guest at the feast in Jesus' parable of the wedding feast (Matthew 22:1–14). Interpreta…
WildernessThe wilderness is arid land on which people find it difficult to settle and farm. In the Bible it is the place where Israel spent forty years after t…
Wine in the BibleWine is an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting grape juice. In the Bible it appears as a symbol of joy and abundance and as an element used in sacr…
WinepressA winepress is an installation in which grapes are trodden by foot to extract their juice. In the Bible it can signify the blessing of harvest, and i…
WisdomIn the Bible, wisdom (Hebrew chokmah) is the ability to judge rightly and live well, an ability that begins with the fear of God. The New Testament c…
Wisdom LiteratureWisdom literature is the body of biblical writings that addresses the principles governing life, suffering, and the meaning of human existence within…
Wisdom of SolomonThe Wisdom of Solomon is a Greek work that speaks in the voice of Solomon and addresses wisdom, the immortality of the righteous, and the history of …
Word of KnowledgeThe word of knowledge is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit listed by the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 12:8. Interpretations of what it refers to d…
Word of WisdomThe word of wisdom is the first of the gifts of the Holy Spirit that Paul lists in 1 Corinthians 12:8. It refers to the gift of communicating in spee…
Works of the FleshThe works of the flesh are a catalog of sins that the apostle Paul lists in Galatians 5:19–21 in contrast to the fruit of the Spirit. The list names …
World (Biblical Concept)In the Bible, the "world" refers to the universe and humanity that God created, and also to the order of human society that has turned away from God …
Writings (Hebrew Bible)The Writings are the third of the three divisions of the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh), following the Law and the Prophets. Called Ketuvim ("things written")…

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YokeA yoke is a wooden frame placed on the neck of a draft animal such as an ox so that it can pull a plow or cart. In the Bible it serves as a figure fo…