θεῖος
theîos
G2304 substantive adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Pertaining to a deity or possessing qualities characteristic of a deity; divine. In various contexts, designates what belongs to, derives from, or is related to a god or divinity. In philosophical and religious usage, used to describe the nature, attributes, or essence associated with a god; occasionally used substantivally in neuter (τὸ θεῖον) to denote 'the divine' or 'divinity' (the quality or essence of being divine).
Semantic Range
divine, godlike, belonging to a deity, in the quality of a divine being; (neuter τὸ θεῖον) the divine, deity, divinity, the essence or power associated with 'the gods' or 'God'
Root / Etymology
From the Greek noun θεός (god, deity) with the adjectival suffix -ιος, indicating relationship or belonging to. Thus, θεῖος means 'of, or pertaining to, a god'.
Historical & Contextual Notes
θεῖος is first attested in classical Greek, where it describes something divine, godlike, or extraordinary (as in Homer, Plato, and other classical authors). In the Hellenistic and Koine periods, θεῖος retains its adjectival sense ('divine, relating to the divine') and is also used as a neuter noun (τὸ θεῖον, 'the divine' or 'divinity'). In Greco-Roman philosophical usage, especially among Stoics and later Platonists, τὸ θεῖον refers to the impersonal divine principle or 'the divine' as an abstract quality. In Philo and Hellenistic Jewish literature, τὸ θεῖον contrasts with ὁ θεός (the God, referring more personally to the God of Israel), signaling the conceptual difference between the personal deity and divine substance or attributes. In the New Testament, the word is rare but can signify the divine nature or quality (e.g. 2 Pet 1:3–4: θείας δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ, 'his divine power'). Standard English translations as 'divine' or 'divinity' often capture its meaning but can obscure distinctions between impersonal divinity and personal deity. Unlike θεός, θεῖος never functions as a personal name. Related terms include θειότης (G2305, 'deity, divinity'), which stresses the quality, and θεότης (G2320), emphasizing the state or being. The term does not automatically imply monotheistic or Christian theological concepts; it is a general descriptor for the divine in various Greek-speaking religious and philosophical environments.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from θεός; godlike (neuter as noun, divinity):-- divine, godhead.
Root Family
θεῖος (theios) — god, deity, divine, pertaining to a god
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2304-01 |
θείας | theias | ADJ.A GEN F SG |
divine | of a deity | divine | 2 |
G2304-02 |
θεῖον | theion | ADJ.S ACC N SG |
Divine Nature | the divine | Divine Nature | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2304-02 |
Acts 17:29 | θεῖον | theion | ADJ.S ACC N SG |
Divine Nature | the divine | Divine Nature |
G2304-01 |
2 Peter 1:3 | θείας | theias | ADJ.A GEN F SG |
divine | of a deity | divine |
G2304-01 |
2 Peter 1:4 | θείας | theias | ADJ.S GEN F SG |
divine | of a deity | divine |