βίωσις
bíōsis
G981 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
The act of living, the means or manner by which life is carried out or sustained; refers primarily to the practical conduct and experience of life, including livelihood, mode of life, or way of subsisting. Use may emphasize either the act of maintaining physical life or the overall manner in which one's life is conducted, depending on the literary or social context.
Semantic Range
act of living, means of living, livelihood, conduct of life, manner or mode of life, lifestyle, way of subsisting
Root / Etymology
From βιόω ('to live, to experience life'), which is derived from the root βίος (life, mode of life, livelihood). The suffix -σις forms nouns of action or condition, thus βίωσις denotes the act or process of living or sustaining life.
Historical & Contextual Notes
βίωσις is a later and relatively rare term in Greek literature, more commonly found in Koine and post-classical sources rather than in earlier classical texts. In non-biblical usage, it appears in philosophical, legal, and medical writings to indicate the conduct or maintenance of life as a practical reality, distinct from life in an abstract or philosophical sense (ζωή). In the Septuagint and New Testament periods, βίωσις typically refers to one's means of support, livelihood, or lifestyle—how a person lives or makes a living—rather than to existence itself. Unlike βίος (which can refer to both life in general and a way of life) and ζωή (life as existence or life-force), βίωσις focuses narrowly on the lived or practical aspect, especially material or economic. Standard English translations that render the word as 'manner of life' or 'livelihood' capture part of its range, but may not fully express its nuance distinguishing physical or practical subsistence from broader concepts of life. The term occurs rarely in biblical texts, but where it does, it is shaped by the social and economic realities of Hellenistic and Roman-period communities, with attention to daily sustenance and social status. βίωσις may also reflect the influence of contemporary philosophical discussions about proper modes or practices of living.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from βιόω; living (properly, the act, by implication, the mode):--manner of life.
Root Family
βίωσις (biōsis) — act of living, means of living, livelihood, conduct of life
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G981-01 |
βίωσίν | biosin | N ACC F SG |
manner of life | way of living | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G981-01 |
Acts 26:4 | βίωσίν | biosin | N ACC F SG |
manner of life | way of living |