ἀόρατος
aoratos
invisible
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredThe Greek word ἀόρατος (aoratos) is defined as "invisible." This adjective is used five times in the Bible, conveying the idea of something that cannot be seen or perceived by the physical senses. The word carries a sense of being beyond human understanding or perception. In its occurrences, ἀόρατος is often used to describe God or divine beings, emphasizing their transcendence and otherness from the material world. For example, in Colossians 1:15, Jesus is described as the "image of the invisible God," highlighting the relationship between the divine and the human. This usage underscores the idea that God's nature and existence are beyond human comprehension. The significance of ἀόρατος lies in its ability to convey the mystery and awe-inspiring nature of the divine. By emphasizing the invisible quality of God, the word encourages a sense of reverence and humility, acknowledging the limitations of human understanding in the face of the divine.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
5 total occurrences across the text
For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity, that they may be without excuse.
Colossians 1:15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
Colossians 1:16For by him all things were created in the heavens and on the earth, visible things and invisible things, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things have been created through him and for him.
1 Timothy 1:17Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Hebrews 11:27By faith, he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.