151.  "EVERLASTING", "ETERNAL", "FOR EVER", ETC.

I.  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 Dan. 2-7, the Chaldee form 'alam is used.  There are 448 passages where the word occurs.

    i.  It is doubled, "from 'olam to 'olam" in 11 places, and is translated :--
        1.  "for ever and ever" in 1Chron. 16:36; 29:10.  Neh. 9:5.  Jer. 7:7; 25:5.  Dan. 2:20; 7:18.
        2.  "from everlasting to everlasting" in Ps. 41:13; 90:2; 103:17; 106:48.

    ii.  It is used in the plural 11 times, and translated :--
        1.  "for ever" in 1Kings 8:13.  2Chron. 6:2.  Ps. 61:4; 77:7.
        2.  "everlasting" in Ps. 145:13 (see marg.).  Isa. 26:4. (see marg.); 45:17.  Dan. 9:24.
        3.  "of ancient times or old times" in Ps. 77:5.  Ecc. 1:10.
        4.  "of old" in Isa. 51:9.

    iii.  It is rendered "for ever" in Gen. 3:22; 13:15.  Ex. 3:15; 12:14, 17, 24; 14:13; 19:9; 21:6; 27:21; 28:43; 29:28; 30:21; 31:17; 32:13.  Lev. 6:18, 22; 7:34, 336; 10:9, 15; 16:29, 31; 17:7; 23:14, 21, 31, 41; 24:3; 25:46.  Num. 10:8; 15:15; 18:8, 11, 19, 23; 19:10.  Deut. 5:29; 12:28; 13:16; 15:17; 23:3, 6; 28:46; 29:29; 32:40.  Josh. 4:7; 8:28; 14:9.  1Sam. 1:22; 2:30; 3:13, 14; 13:13; 20:15, 23, 42; 27:12.  2Sam. 3:28; 7:13, 15, 18, 24, 25, 26, 29.  1Kings 1:31; 2:53, 45; 9:3, 5; 10:9.  2Kings 5:27; 21:7.  1Chron. 15:2; 16:34, 41; 17:12, 14, 22, 24, 27; 22:10; 23:13, 25; 28:4, 7, 8; 29:18  2Chron. 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.  Neh. 2:3; 13:1.  Job 41:4.  Ps. 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.  Prov. 27:24.  Ecc. 1:4; 2:16; 3:14; 9:6.  Isa. 9:7; 32:14, 17; 34:10, 17; 40:8; 47:7; 51:6, 8; 57:16; 59:21; 60:21.  Jer. 3:5, 12; 17:4, 25; 31:40; 33:11; 35:6; 49:33; 51:26, 62.  Lam. 3:31; 5:19.  Ezek. 37:25; 43:7, 9.  Dan. 2:4, 44; 3:9; 4:34; 5:10; 6:6, 21, 26; 7:18; 12:7.   Hos. 2:19.  Joel 3:20.  Obad. 10.  Jonah 2:6.  Mic. 2:9; 4:7.  Zech. 1:5.  Mal. 1:4.

    iv.  In conjunction with 'ad (see below, B) it is rendered :--
        1.  "for ever and ever" in Ex. 15:18.  Ps. 9:5; 10:16; 21:4; 45:6, 17; 48:14; 52:8; 111:8; 119:44; 145:1, 2, 21; 148:6.  Isa. 30:8.  Dan. 12:3.  Mic. 4:5.
        2.  "for ever" in Ps. 104:5.
        3.  "world without end" in Isa. 45:-17. (*1)

    v.  With a negative it is rendered "never" in Judg. 2:1.  2Sam. 12:10.  Ps. 15:5; 30:6; 31:1; 55:22; 71:1; 119:93.  Prov. 10:30.  Isa. 14:20; 25:2; 63:19.  Ezek. 26:21.  Dan. 2:44.  Joel  2:26, 27.

    vi.  Rendered "everlasting" in Gen. 9:16; 17:7, 8, 13, 19; 21:33; 48:4; 49:26.  Ex. 40:15.  Lev. 16:34; 24:8.  Num. 25:13.  Deut. 33:27.  2Sam. 23:5.  1Chron. 16:17.  Ps. 24:7, 9; 93:2; 100:5; 105:10; 112:6; 119:142, 144; 139:24.  Prov. 8:23; 10:25.  Isa. 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.  Jer. 10:10; 20:11; 23:40; 31:3; 32:40.  Ezek. 16:60; 37:26.  Dan. 4:3, 34; 7:14, 27; 12:2.  Mic. 5:2.  Hab. 3:6.

    vii.  Rendered "perpetual" in Gen. 9:12.  Ex. 29:9; 31:16.  Lev. 3:17; 24:9; 25:34.  Num. 19:21.  Ps. 78:66.  Jer. 5:22; 18:16; 23:40; 25:9, 12; 49:13; 50:5; 51:39, 57.  Ezek. 35:5, 9; 46:14.  Hab. 3:6.  Zeph. 2:9.

    viii.  Rendered "for evermore" in 2Sam. 22:51.  1Chron. 17:14.  Ps. 18:50; 37:27; 86:12; 89:28, 52; 92:8; 106:13; 113:2; 115:18; 121:8; 133:3.  Ezek. 37:26, 28.

    ix.  Rendered "of old" or "ever of old" in Gen. 6:4.  Deut. 32:7.  1Sam. 27:8.  Ps. 25:6; 119:52.  Isa. 46:9; 57:11; 63:9, 11.  Jer. 28:8.  Lam. 3:6.  Ezek. 26:20.  Amos 9:11.  Mic. 7:14.  Mal. 3:4.

    x.  Rendered "old" or "ancient" in Ezra 4:15, 19.  Job 22:15.  Prov. 22:28; 23:10.  Isa. 44:7; 58:12; 61:4.  Jer. 5:15; 6:16; 18:15.  Ezek. 25:15; 36:2.

    xi.  Rendered "of" or "In old time" in Josh. 24:2.  Jer. 2:20.  Ezek. 26:20.

    xii.  Rendered "alway" or "always" in Gen. 6:3.  1Chron. 16:15.  Job 7:16.  Ps. 119:112.  Jer. 20:17.

    xiii.  Rendered "ever" in Ps. 5:11; 111:5; 119:98.  Joel 2:2

    xiv.  Rendered "any more" in Ezek. 27:36; 28:19; "long" in Ps. 143:3.  Ecc. 12:5; "world" in Ps.  73:12.  Ecc. 3:11; "continuance" in Isa. 64:5; "eternal" in Isa. 60:15; "lasting" in Deut. 33:15; "long time" in Isa. 42:14; "at any time" in Lev. 25:32;  and "since the beginning of the world" in  Isa. 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 :

    i.  "for ever" in Num. 24:20, 24.  1Chron. 28:9.  Job 19:24.  Ps. 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.  Prov. 12:19; 29:14.  Isa. 26:4; 64:9; 65:18.  Mic. 7:18.

    ii.  "everlasting" in Isa. 9:6.  Hab. 3:6.

    iii.  "eternity" in Isa. 57:15;  "evermore" in Ps. 132:12;  "of old" in Job 20:4; and "perpetually"  in Amos 1:11.

Other words are: -


C.  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 :--

    i.  "for ever" in 2Sam. 2:26.  Job 4:20; 14:20; 20:7; 23:7; 36:7.  Ps. 13:1; 44:23; 49:9; 52:5; 68:16; 74:1, 10, 19; 77:8; 79:5; 89:46.  Jer. 50:39.  Lam. 5:20.  Amos 1:11.

    ii.  "never" (with a negative) in Ps. 10:11; 49:19.  Isa. 13:20.  Amos 8:7.  Hab. 1:4.

    iii.  alway(s) in Ps. 9:18; 103:9.  Isa. 57:16.

    iv.  "perpetual" in Ps. 9:6; 74:3.  Jer. 15:18.

    v.  "ever" in Isa. 28:28; 33:20; "strength" in 1Sam. 15:29.  Lam. 3:18; "the end" in Job 34:36.  Jer. 3:5; "victory" in 1Chron. 29:11.  Isa. 25:8.  "evermore" in Ps. 16:11; "constantly" in Prov. 21:28 and "for ever and ever" in Isa. 34:10.  In this last passage it is doubled, lenezach nezahim = completeness of completenesses.


D.  kedem, from the verb kadam, to precede or prevent (2Sam. 22:6, &c.), means that which is before, of time or place; hence often translated the east (Gen. 3:24, &c.).  It is always used of the past, and is rendered "ever" in Prov. 8:23; "eternal" in Deut. 33:27; "everlasting" in Hab. 1:12; "old" or "ancient" in Deut. 33:15.  2Kings 19:25.  Neh. 12:46.  Ps. 44:1; 55:19; 68:33; 74:2,12; 77:5,11; 78:2; 119:152; 143:5.  Isa. 19:11; 23:7; 37:26; 45:21; 46:10; 51:9.  Jer. 46:26.  Lam. 1:7; 2:17; 5:12.  Mic. 5:2; 7:20; and "past" in Job 29:2.

E.  zmithuth, from zamath (to cut), means "for cutting off".  It occurs only in Lev. 25:23 (see marg.), 30, and is rendered "for ever".

F.  tamid = always, is rendered :--
    "ever" in Lev. 6:13.  Ps. 25:15; 51:3;  "evermore" in Ps/ 105:4, and (with a negative) "never" in Isa. 62:6.

G.  dor = generation, is translated (with a negative) "never" in Ps. 10:6, and "for evermore" in Ps. 77:8, where the margin in both cases gives "to generation to generation".

H.  yom = day, occurs nearly 2,500 times.  The expression orek yamin, "length of days", is translated "for ever" in Ps. 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 Gen. 43:9; 44:32.   Deut. 4:40; 18:5.  Josh. 4:24.  1Sam. 2:32, 35; 28:2.  1Kings 11:39; 12:7.  2Chron. 10:7; 21:7.   Jer. 31:36; 32:39; 35:19; "ever" in Deut. 19:9.  1Kings 5:1.  Ps. 37:26;  and "evermore" in Deut. 28:29.  2Kings 17:37.

II.  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.

A.  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.

    i.  In its simple form it is rendered :--
        1.  "age".  Eph. 2:7 (pl).  Col. 1:26 (pl).
        2.  "course".  Eph. 2:2.
        3.  "world".  Matt. 12:32; 13:22, 39, 40, 49; 24:3; 28:20.  Mark 4:19; 10:30.  Luke 16:8; 18:30; 20:34, 35.  Rom. 12:2.  1Cor. 1:20; 2:6, 7 (pl), 8; 3:18; 10:11 (pl).  2Cor. 4:4.  Gal. 1:4.  Eph. 1:21;  6:12.  1Tim. 6:17.  2Tim. 4:10.  Tit. 2:12.  Heb. 1:2 (pl); 6:5; 9:26 (pl); 11:3 (pl).
        4.  "eternal".  Eph. 3:11.  1Tim. 1:17 (lit. "of the ages").

    ii.  In prepositional phrases :--
        1.  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.
        2.  apo ton aionon [from (Ap. 104. iv) the ages], rendered "from the beginning of the world" in Eph. 3:9.
        3.  ek tou ainos [out of (Ap. 104. vii) the age], rendered "since the world began" in John 9:32.
        4.  eis ton ainona [to (Ap. 104. vi) the age], rendered :--
            a.  "for ever" in Matt. 21:19.  Mark 11:14.  Luke 1:55.  John 6:51, 58; 8:35; 12:34; 14:16.  2Cor. 9:9.  Heb. 5:6; 6:20; 7:17, 21.  1Pet. 1:23, 25.  2Pet. 2:17 (no Art.).  1John 2:17.  2John 2.  Jude 13.
            b.  "never" (with a negative) in Mark 3:29.  John 4:14; 8:51, 52; 10:28; 11:26; 13:8.
            c.  "ever" in Heb. 7:24.
            d.  "for evermore" in Heb. 7:28.
            e.  "while the world standeth" in 1Cor. 8:13.
        5.  eis hemeran aionos [to (Ap. 104. vi) day of an age], rendered "for ever" in 2Pet. 3:18.
        6.  eis ton aiona tou aionos [to (Ap. 104. vi) the age of an age], rendered "for ever and ever" in Heb. 1:8.
        7.  eis tous aionas [to (Ap. 104. vi) the ages], rendered :--
            a.  "for ever" in Matt. 6:13.  Luke 1:33.  Rom. 1:25; 9:5; 11:36; 16:27.  Heb. 13:8.
            b.  "for evermore" in 2Cor. 11:31.
        8.  eis pantas tous aionas [to (Ap. 104. vi) all the ages], rendered "ever" in Jude 25.
        9.  eis tous aionas ton aionon [to (Ap. 104. vi) to the ages of the ages], rendered :--
            a.  "for ever and ever" in Gal. 1:5.  Phil. 4:29.  1Tim. 1:17.  2Tim. 4:18.  Heb. 13:21.  1Pet. 4:11; 5:11.  Rev. 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.
            b.  "for evermore" in Rev. 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 Eph. 3:21.


B.  aionios, of or belonging to an age, occurs 71 times, and is rendered :--

    i.  "eternal" in Matt. 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.  Rom. 2:7; 5:21; 6:23.  2Cor. 4:17, 18; 5:1.  1Tim. 6:12, 19.  2Tim. 2:10.  Tit. 1:2; 3:7.  Heb. 5:9; 6:2; 9:12, 14, 15.  1Pet. 5:10.  1John 1:2; 2:25; 3:15; 5:11, 13, 20.  Jude 7:21.

    ii.  "everlasting" in Matt. 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.  Rom. 6:22; 16:26.  Gal. 6:8.  2Thess. 1:9; 2:16.  1Tim. 1:16; 6:16.  Heb. 13:20.  2Pet. 1:11.  Rev. 14:6.

    iii.  "for ever" in Philem. 15.

    iv.  "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 Rom. 16:25.  2Tim. 1:9.  Tit. 1:2.


C.  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 :--
    i.  "eternal" in Rom. 1:20.
    ii.  "everlasting" in Jude 6.

D.  akatalutos (indissoluble) occurs once, and is rendered "endless" in Heb. 7:16.

E.  aperantos (interminable) occurs once, and is rendered "endless" in 1Tim. 1:4.
F.  aei (always) occurs 8 times, and is rendered :--
    i.  "ever" in Mark 15:8.
    ii.  "alway" or "always" in Acts 7:51.  2Cor. 4:11; 6:10.  Tit. 1:12.  Heb. 3:10.  1Pet. 3:15.  2Pet. 1:12.

G.  pantote (always) occurs 42 times, and is rendered :--
    i.  "alway" or "always" in Matt. 26:11.  Mark 14:7.  Luke 18:1.  John 7:6; 8:29; 11:42; 12:8; 18:20.  Rom. 1:9.  1Cor 1:4; 15:58.  2Cor. 2:14; 4:10; 5:6; 9:8.  Gal. 4:18.  Eph. 5:20.  Phil. 1:4, 20; 2:12; 4:4.  Col. 1:3; 4:6, 12.  1Thess. 1:2; 2:16; 3:6.  2Thess. 1:3, 11; 2:13.  Philem. 4.
    ii.  "ever" in Luke 15:31.  John 18:20.  1Thess. 4:17; 5:15.  2Tim. 3:7.  Heb. 7:25.
    iii.  "evermore" in John 6:34.  1Thess. 5:16.

H.  eis to dienekes [to (Ap. 104. vi) that which is continuos] occurs 4 times, rendered :--
    i.  "continually" in Heb. 7:3; 10:1.
    ii.  "for ever" in Heb. 10:12, 14.