Everlasting! Eternal! For Ever! Etc.
1. In the Old Testament there are several words and expressions thus translated, the principal of which is
A. Olam.
This word is derived from 'alam (to hide), and means the hidden time or age, like aion (see below II. A), by which the word, or its Adjective aionios, it is generally rendered in the Sept. In Ezra 4 and Daniel 2-7, the Chaldee form 'alam is used. There are 448 passages where the word occurs.
1. It is doubled, "from 'olam to 'olam" in 11 places, and is translated :--
"for ever and ever" in 1 Chronicles 16:36; 29:10. Nehemiah 9:5. Jeremiah 7:7; 25:5. Daniel 2:20; 7:18. "from everlasting to everlasting" in Psalm 41:13; 90:2; 103:17; 106:48.
2. It is used in the plural 11 times, and translated :--
"for ever" in 1 Kings 8:13. 2 Chronicles 6:2. Psalm 61:4; 77:7. "everlasting" in Psalm 145:13 (see marg.). Isaiah 26:4. (see marg.); 45:17. Daniel 9:24. "of ancient times or old times" in Psalm 77:5. Ecclesiastes 1:10. "of old" in Isaiah 51:9.
3. It is rendered "for ever" in
Genesis
3:22; 13:15.
Exodus
3:15; 12:14, 17, 24; 14:13; 19:9; 21:6; 27:21; 28:43; 29:28; 30:21; 31:17; 32:13.
Leviticus
6:18, 22; 7:34, 336; 10:9, 15; 16:29, 31; 17:7; 23:14, 21, 31, 41; 24:3; 25:46.
Numbers
10:8; 15:15; 18:8, 11, 19, 23; 19:10.
Deuteronomy
5:29; 12:28; 13:16; 15:17; 23:3, 6; 28:46; 29:29; 32:40.
Joshua
4:7; 8:28; 14:9.
1 Samuel
1:22; 2:30; 3:13, 14; 13:13; 20:15, 23, 42; 27:12.
2 Samuel
3:28; 7:13, 15, 18, 24, 25, 26, 29.
1 Kings
1:31; 2:53, 45; 9:3, 5; 10:9.
2 Kings
5:27; 21:7.
1 Chronicles
15:2; 16:34, 41; 17:12, 14, 22, 24, 27; 22:10; 23:13, 25; 28:4, 7, 8; 29:18
2 Chronicles
2:4; 5:13; 7:3, 6, 16; 9:8; 13:5; 20:7, 21; 30:8; 33:4, 7.
Ezra
3:11; 9:12.
Nehemiah
2:3; 13:1.
Job
41:4.
Psalm
9:7; 12:7; 28:9; 29:10; 30:12; 33:11; 37:18, 28; 41:12; 44:8; 45:2; 48:8; 49:8, 11; 52:9; 61:7; 66:7;
72:17, 19; 73:26; 75:9; 78:69; 79:13; 81:15; 85:5; 89:1, 2, 4, 36, 37; 102:12; 103:9; 104:31; 105:8;
106:1; 107:1; 110:4; 111:9; 112:6; 117:2; 118:1, 2, 3, 4, 29; 119:89, 111, 152, 160; 125:1, 2; 131:3;
135:13; 136:1-26; 138:8; 146:6, 10.
Proverbs
27:24.
Ecclesiastes
1:4; 2:16; 3:14; 9:6.
Isaiah
9:7; 32:14, 17; 34:10, 17; 40:8; 47:7; 51:6, 8; 57:16; 59:21; 60:21.
Jeremiah
3:5, 12; 17:4, 25; 31:40; 33:11; 35:6; 49:33; 51:26, 62.
Lamentations
3:31; 5:19.
Ezekiel
37:25; 43:7, 9.
Daniel
2:4, 44; 3:9; 4:34; 5:10; 6:6, 21, 26; 7:18; 12:7.
Hosea
2:19.
Joel
3:20.
Obadiah
1:10.
Jonah
2:6.
Micah
2:9; 4:7.
Zechariah
1:5.
Malachi
1:4.
In conjunction with 'ad (see below, B) it is rendered :--
1. "for ever and ever" in
Exodus 15:18.
Psalm 9:5; 10:16; 21:4; 45:6, 17; 48:14; 52:8; 111:8; 119:44; 145:1, 2, 21; 148:6.
Isaiah 30:8.
Daniel 12:3.
Micah 4:5.
2. "for ever" in Psalm 104:5.
3. "world without end" in Isaiah 45:-17. (*1)
4. With a negative it is rendered "never" in
Judges 2:1.
2 Samuel 12:10.
Psalm 15:5; 30:6; 31:1; 55:22; 71:1; 119:93.
Proverbs 10:30.
Isaiah 14:20; 25:2; 63:19.
Ezekiel 26:21.
Daniel 2:44. Joel 2:26, 27.
5. Rendered "everlasting" in
Genesis 9:16; 17:7, 8, 13, 19; 21:33; 48:4; 49:26.
Exodus 40:15.
Leviticus 16:34; 24:8.
Numbers 25:13.
Deuteronomy 33:27.
2 Samuel 23:5.
1 Chronicles 16:17.
Psalm 24:7, 9; 93:2; 100:5; 105:10; 112:6; 119:142, 144; 139:24.
Proverbs 8:23; 10:25.
Isaiah 24:5; 33:14; 35:10; 40:28; 51:11; 54:8; 55:3, 13; 56:5; 60:19, 20; 61:7, 8; 63:12, 16.
Jeremiah 10:10; 20:11; 23:40; 31:3; 32:40.
Ezekiel 16:60; 37:26.
Daniel 4:3, 34; 7:14, 27; 12:2.
Micah 5:2.
Habakkuk 3:6.
6. Rendered "perpetual" in
Genesis 9:12.
Exodus 29:9; 31:16.
Leviticus 3:17; 24:9; 25:34.
Numbers 19:21.
Psalm 78:66.
Jeremiah 5:22; 18:16; 23:40; 25:9, 12; 49:13; 50:5; 51:39, 57.
Ezekiel 35:5, 9; 46:14.
Habakkuk 3:6. Zephaniah 2:9.
7. Rendered "for ever more" in
2 Samuel 22:51.
1 Chronicles 17:14.
Psalm 18:50; 37:27; 86:12; 89:28, 52; 92:8; 106:13; 113:2; 115:18; 121:8; 133:3.
Ezekiel 37:26, 28.
8. Rendered "of old" or "ever of old" in
Genesis 6:4.
Deuteronomy 32:7.
1 Samuel 27:8.
Psalm 25:6; 119:52.
Isaiah 46:9; 57:11; 63:9, 11.
Jeremiah 28:8.
Lamentations 3:6.
Ezekiel 26:20.
Amos 9:11.
Micah 7:14.
Malachi 3:4.
9. Rendered "old" or "ancient" in
Ezra 4:15, 19.
Job 22:15.
Proverbs 22:28; 23:10.
Isaiah 44:7; 58:12; 61:4.
Jeremiah 5:15; 6:16; 18:15.
Ezekiel 25:15; 36:2.
10. Rendered "of" or "In old time" in Joshua 24:2. Jeremiah 2:20. Ezekiel 26:20.
11. Rendered "alway" or "always" in
Genesis 6:3.
1 Chronicles 16:15.
Job 7:16.
Psalm 119:112.
Jeremiah 20:17.
12. Rendered "ever" in Psalm 5:11; 111:5; 119:98. Joel 2:2
13. Rendered "any more" in Ezekiel 27:36; 28:19; "long" in Psalm 143:3. Ecclesiastes 12:5; "world" in Psalm 73:12. Ecclesiastes 3:11; "continuance" in Isaiah 64:5; "eternal" in Isaiah 60:15; "lasting" in Deuteronomy 33:15; "long time" in Isaiah 42:14; "at any time" in Leviticus 25:32; and "since the beginning of the world" in Isaiah 64:4.
B. 'Ad from the verb 'adah (to pass on), as a Noun is used of time past or future. It is also a Preposition or Conjunction, meaning until" (see Oxford Gesenius, pp. 723, 4). The noun occurs 49 times, 19 of which occurrences are given above (A. iv). The remaining 30 are rendered :
1. "for ever" in
Numbers 24:20, 24.
1 Chronicles 28:9.
Job 19:24.
Psalm 9:18; 19:9; 21:6; 22:26; 37:29; 61:8; 83:17; 89:29; 92:7; 111:3, 10; 112:3, 9; 132:14.
Proverbs 12:19; 29:14.
Isaiah 26:4; 64:9; 65:18.
Micah 7:18.
2. "everlasting" in Isaiah 9:6. Habakkuk 3:6.
3. "eternity" in Isaiah 57:15; "evermore" in Psalm 132:12; "of old" in Job 20:4; and "perpetually" in Amos 1:11.
Other words are: -
3. Nezach, which means "excellence" or "completeness", and is the word used in the subscription of 55 Psalms for "chief" in "chief Musician". It is rendered :--
"for ever" in
2 Samuel 2:26.
Job 4:20; 14:20; 20:7; 23:7; 36:7.
Psalm 13:1; 44:23; 49:9; 52:5; 68:16; 74:1, 10, 19; 77:8; 79:5; 89:46.
Jeremiah 50:39.
Lamentations 5:20.
Amos 1:11.
2. "never" (with a negative) in Psalm 10:11; 49:19. Isaiah 13:20. Amos 8:7. Habakkuk 1:4.
3. alway(s) in Psalm 9:18; 103:9. Isaiah 57:16.
4. "perpetual" in Psalm 9:6; 74:3. Jeremiah 15:18.
5. "ever" in Isaiah 28:28; 33:20; "strength" in 1 Samuel 15:29. Lamentations 3:18; "the end" in Job 34:36. Jeremiah 3:5; "victory" in 1 Chronicles 29:11. Isaiah 25:8. "evermore" in Psalm 16:11; "constantly" in Proverbs 21:28 and "for ever and ever" in Isaiah 34:10. In this last passage it is doubled, lenezach nezahim = completeness of completenesses.
4. Kedem, from the verb kadam, to precede or prevent (2 Samuel 22:6, &c.), means that which is before, of time or place; hence often translated the east (Genesis 3:24, &c.). It is always used of the past, and is rendered "ever" in Proverbs 8:23; "eternal" in Deuteronomy 33:27; "everlasting" in Habakkuk 1:12; "old" or "ancient" in Deuteronomy 33:15. 2 Kings 19:25. Nehemiah 12:46. Psalm 44:1; 55:19; 68:33; 74:2,12; 77:5,11; 78:2; 119:152; 143:5. Isaiah 19:11; 23:7; 37:26; 45:21; 46:10; 51:9. Jeremiah 46:26. Lamentations 1:7; 2:17; 5:12. Micah 5:2; 7:20; and "past" in Job 29:2.
5. Zmithuth, from zamath (to cut), means "for cutting off". It occurs only in Leviticus 25:23 (see marg.), 30, and is rendered "for ever".
6. Tamid = always, is rendered :--
"ever" in Leviticus 6:13. Psalm 25:15; 51:3; "evermore" in Ps/ 105:4, and (with a negative) "never" in Isaiah 62:6.
7. Dor = generation, is translated (with a negative) "never" in Psalm 10:6, and "for evermore" in Psalm 77:8, where the margin in both cases gives "to generation to generation".
8. Yom = day, occurs nearly 2,500 times. The expression orek yamin, "length of days", is translated "for ever" in Psalm 23:6; 93:5. In both cases the margin gives "to length of days". Kal yamin, or kal hayyamin, "all days" or "all the days" is translated "for ever" in Genesis 43:9; 44:32. Deuteronomy 4:40; 18:5. Joshua 4:24. 1 Samuel 2:32, 35; 28:2. 1 Kings 11:39; 12:7. 2 Chronicles 10:7; 21:7. Jeremiah 31:36; 32:39; 35:19; "ever" in Deuteronomy 19:9. 1 Kings 5:1. Psalm 37:26; and "evermore" in Deuteronomy 28:29. 2 Kings 17:37. 2. In the N.T. the words rendered "for ever", &c., are the Noun aion, the Adjectives aionios, aidios, akatalutos, and aperantos; the Adverbs aei and pantote, and the adverbial phrase eis to dienekes.
9. Aion, which means "age" (Ap. 129. 2), is found 128 times in 105 passages, in 23 of which it is doubled (see below, ii. 6, 9, 10). It occurs in its simple form 37 times, and with Prepositions 68 times.
In its simple form it is rendered :--
1. "age". Ephesians 2:7 (pl). Colossians 1:26 (pl).
2. "course". Ephesians 2:2.
3. "world".
Matthew 12:32; 13:22, 39, 40, 49; 24:3; 28:20.
Mark 4:19; 10:30.
Luke 16:8; 18:30; 20:34, 35.
Romans 12:2.
1 Corinthians 1:20; 2:6, 7 (pl), 8; 3:18; 10:11 (pl).
2 Corinthians 4:4. Galatians 1:4. Ephesians 1:21; 6:12.
1 Timothy 6:17.
2 Timothy 4:10.
Titus 2:12.
Hebrews 1:2 (pl); 6:5; 9:26 (pl); 11:3 (pl).
4. "eternal". Ephesians 3:11. 1 Timothy 1:17 (lit. "of the ages").
2. In prepositional phrases :--
ap'aionos [from (Ap. 104. iv) an (the) age], rendered "since the world began" in Luke 1:70. Acts 3:21; and "from the beginning of the world" in Acts 15:18. apo ton aionon [from (Ap. 104. iv) the ages], rendered "from the beginning of the world" in Ephesians 3:9. ek tou ainos [out of (Ap. 104. vii) the age], rendered "since the world began" in John 9:32. eis ton ainona [to (Ap. 104. vi) the age], rendered :--
1. "for ever" in Matthew 21:19. Mark 11:14. Luke 1:55. John 6:51, 58; 8:35; 12:34; 14:16. 2 Corinthians 9:9. Hebrews 5:6; 6:20; 7:17, 21. 1 Peter 1:23, 25. 2 Peter 2:17 (no Art.). 1 John 2:17. 2 John 2. Jude 1:13.
2. "never" (with a negative) in Mark 3:29. John 4:14; 8:51, 52; 10:28; 11:26; 13:8.
3. "ever" in Hebrews 7:24.
4. "for evermore" in Hebrews 7:28.
5. "while the world standeth" in 1 Corinthians 8:13.
5. eis hemeran aionos [to (Ap. 104. vi) day of an age], rendered "for ever" in 2 Peter 3:18.
6. eis ton aiona tou aionos [to (Ap. 104. vi) the age of an age], rendered "for ever and ever" in Hebrews 1:8.
7. eis tous aionas [to (Ap. 104. vi) the ages], rendered :--
"for ever" in Matthew 6:13. Luke 1:33. Romans 1:25; 9:5; 11:36; 16:27. Hebrews 13:8. "for evermore" in 2 Corinthians 11:31.
8. eis pantas tous aionas [to (Ap. 104. vi) all the ages], rendered "ever" in Jude 1:25.
9. eis tous aionas ton aionon [to (Ap. 104. vi) to the ages of the ages], rendered :--
"for ever and ever" in Galatians 1:5. Philippians 4:29. 1 Timothy 1:17. 2 Timothy 4:18. Hebrews 13:21. 1 Peter 4:11; 5:11. Revelation 1:6; 4:9, 10; 5:13, 14; 7:12; 10:6; 11:15; 14:11 (no Arts); 15:7; 19:3; 20:10; 22:5. "for evermore" in Revelation 1:18.
10. eis pasas tas geneas tou aionos ton aionon [to (Ap. 104. vi) all the generations of the age of ages], rendered "throughout all ages, world without end" in Ephesians 3:21.
10. Aionios,
of or belonging to an age, occurs 71 times, and is rendered :--
1. "eternal" in
Matthew 19:16; 25:46.
Mark 3:29; 10:17, 30.
Luke 10:25; 18:18. John 3:15; 4:36; 5:39; 6:54, 68; 10:28; 12:25; 17:2, 3.
Acts 13:48.
Romans 2:7; 5:21; 6:23.
2 Corinthians 4:17, 18; 5:1.
1 Timothy 6:12, 19.
2 Timothy 2:10. Titus 1:2; 3:7. Hebrews 5:9; 6:2; 9:12, 14, 15. 1 Peter 5:10.
1 John 1:2; 2:25; 3:15; 5:11, 13, 20. Jude 1:7; 1:21.
2. "everlasting" in
Matthew 18:8; 19:29; 25:41, 46.
Luke 16:9; 18:30.
John 3:16, 36; 4:14; 5:24; 6:27, 40, 47; 12:50.
Acts 13:46.
Romans 6:22; 16:26.
Galatians 6:8.
2 Thessalonians 1:9; 2:16.
1 Timothy 1:16; 6:16. Hebrews 13:20.
2 Peter 1:11. Revelation 14:6.
"for ever" in Philemon 1:15.
"Before or since the world began", in the phrases, chronois, aioniois, or pro chronon aionion, (in, or before age-times), strangely rendered in the R.V. "through, or before times eternal", in Romans 16:25. 2 Timothy 1:9. Titus 1:2.
11. Aidios,
said to be from aei (see F below), but perhaps from a not and idein to see, = unseen or hidden, occurs twice and is rendered :--
"eternal" in Romans 1:20. "everlasting" in Jude 1:6.
12. Akatalutos
(indissoluble) occurs once, and is rendered "endless" in Hebrews 7:16.
13. Aperantos
(interminable) occurs once, and is rendered "endless" in 1 Timothy 1:4.
14. Aei
(always) occurs 8 times, and is rendered :--
"ever" in Mark 15:8.
"alway" or "always" in Acts 7:51. 2 Corinthians 4:11; 6:10. Titus 1:12. Hebrews 3:10. 1 Peter 3:15. 2 Peter 1:12.
15. Pantote
(always) occurs 42 times, and is rendered :--
1. "alway" or "always" in
Matthew 26:11.
Mark 14:7.
Luke 18:1. John 7:6; 8:29; 11:42; 12:8; 18:20.
Romans 1:9.
1 Corinthians 1:4; 15:58.
2 Corinthians 2:14; 4:10; 5:6; 9:8.
Galatians 4:18. Ephesians 5:20.
Philippians 1:4, 20; 2:12; 4:4.
Colossians 1:3; 4:6, 12.
1 Thessalonians 1:2; 2:16; 3:6.
2 Thessalonians 1:3, 11; 2:13. Philemon 1:4.
"ever" in Luke 15:31. John 18:20. 1 Thessalonians 4:17; 5:15. 2 Timothy 3:7. Hebrews 7:25.
"evermore" in John 6:34. 1 Thessalonians 5:16.
16. Eis to dienekes [to (Ap. 104. vi) that which is continuos] occurs 4 times, rendered :--
"continually" in Hebrews 7:3; 10:1.
"for ever" in Hebrews 10:12, 14.