◄ 12. abussos ►
Strong's Lexicon abussos: Abyss, bottomless pit, deep Original Word: ἄβυσσος Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: abussos Pronunciation: ä'-bü-sos Phonetic Spelling: (ab'-us-sos) Definition: the abyss, unfathomable depth, an especially Jewish conception, the home of the dead and of evil spirits. Meaning: The term "ἄβυσσος" refers to an abyss, a deep or bottomless pit. It is often used to describe a vast, immeasurable space, frequently associated with the underworld or a place of confinement for evil spirits. Word Origin: Derived from the Greek prefix "α-" (a-, meaning "without") and "βυθός" (buthos, meaning "depth" or "bottom"), thus literally meaning "bottomless" or "without depth." Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The Greek "ἄβυσσος" is conceptually related to the Hebrew term "תְּהוֹם" (tehom, Strong's H8415), which refers to the deep or the primeval ocean, often associated with chaos and the waters of creation. Another related term is "שְׁאוֹל" (Sheol, Strong's H7585), the Hebrew concept of the underworld or the abode of the dead. These terms collectively contribute to the biblical understanding of the abyss as a place of depth, chaos, and divine judgment. Usage: The word "ἄβυσσος" appears in the New Testament primarily in apocalyptic and eschatological contexts. It is used to describe a place of imprisonment for demonic forces and is often associated with chaos and the deep. Context: The term "ἄβυσσος" is used in the New Testament to convey the concept of a deep, unfathomable chasm or pit. It is notably featured in the Book of Revelation, where it is depicted as a place of confinement for demonic entities. In Revelation 9:1-2 (BSB), the abyss is opened, releasing smoke and locusts upon the earth: "Then the fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from heaven to earth, and it was given the key to the pit of the abyss. The star opened the pit of the abyss, and smoke rose out of it like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke from the pit." The abyss is also mentioned in Luke 8:31 (BSB), where demons beg Jesus not to send them into the abyss: "And the demons kept begging Jesus not to order them to go into the abyss." This indicates the abyss as a place of torment and imprisonment for evil spirits, highlighting its role as a realm of divine judgment and restraint. In Romans 10:7 (BSB), the abyss is metaphorically used to describe the realm of the dead: "or, 'Who will descend into the abyss?' (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead)." Here, it signifies the depth of the grave or the realm of the dead, emphasizing the power of Christ's resurrection. The concept of the abyss in biblical literature often parallels ancient Near Eastern cosmologies, where the abyss represents chaos and the primordial waters. In the biblical narrative, it serves as a symbol of God's sovereignty over chaos and evil, demonstrating His ultimate authority to confine and control malevolent forces. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin from alpha (as a neg. prefix) and bussos = buthos Definition boundless, bottomless NASB Translation abyss (7), bottomless (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 12: ἄβυσσος ἄβυσσος, in classic Greek an adjective, (ος, (from ὁ βύσσος equivalent to βυθός), bottomless (so perhaps in Wis. 10:19), unbounded (πλοῦτος ἄβυσσος, Aeschylus, the Sept. (931) 950). in the Scriptures ἡ ἄβυσσος (the Sept. for תְּהום) namely, χώρα, the pit, the immeasurable depth, the abyss. Hence, of 'the deep' sea: Genesis 1:2; Genesis 7:11; Deuteronomy 8:7; Sir. 1:3 Sir. 16:18, etc.; of Orcus (a very deep gulf or chasm in the lowest parts of the earth: Psalm 70:20 () ἐκ τῶν ἀβύσσων τῆς γῆς, Euripides, Phoen. 1632 (1605) ταρτάρου ἄβυσσα χάσματα, Clement of Rome, 1 Cor. 20, 5 [ET] ἀβύσσων ἀνεξιχνίαστα κλίματα, ibid. 59, 3 [ET] ὁ ἐπιβλέπων ἐν ταῖς ἀβύσσοις, of God; (Act. Thom.32ὁ τήν ἄβυσσον τοῦ ταρτάρου οἴκων, of the dragon)), both as the common receptacle of the dead, Romans 10:7, and especially as the abode of demons, Luke 8:31; Revelation 9:1; Revelation 9:11; Revelation 11:7; Revelation 17:8; Revelation 20:1, 3. Among secular authors used as a substantive only by Diogenes Laërtius 4 (5) 27 κατῆλθες εἰς μέλαιναν Πλουτέως ἄβυσσον. Cf. Knapp, Scripta var. Arg., p. 554f; (J. G. Müller, Philo's Lehre von der Weltschöpfung, p. 173f; B. D. American edition under the word ). Strong's Exhaustive Concordance deep, bottomless From a (as a negative particle) and a variation of buthos; depthless, i.e. (specially) (infernal) "abyss" -- deep, (bottomless) pit. see GREEK a see GREEK buthos Forms and Transliterations άβυσσοι αβύσσοις αβυσσον άβυσσον ἄβυσσον άβυσσος αβυσσου αβύσσου ἀβύσσου αβύσσους αβύσσω αβύσσων abusson abussou abysson ábysson abyssou abýssou Links Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts Englishman's Concordance Luke 8:31 N-AFS GRK: εἰς τὴν ἄβυσσον ἀπελθεῖν NAS: them to go away into the abyss. KJV: to go out into the deep. INT: into the abyss to go away Romans 10:7 N-AFS GRK: εἰς τὴν ἄβυσσον τοῦτ' ἔστιν NAS: WILL DESCEND INTO THE ABYSS?' (that is, to bring KJV: into the deep? (that is, INT: into the abyss That is Revelation 9:1 N-GFS GRK: φρέατος τῆς ἀβύσσου NAS: and the key of the bottomless pit KJV: the key of the bottomless pit. INT: pit of the abyss Revelation 9:2 N-GFS GRK: φρέαρ τῆς ἀβύσσου καὶ ἀνέβη NAS: He opened the bottomless pit, KJV: And he opened the bottomless pit; and INT: pit of the abyss and there went up Revelation 9:11 N-GFS GRK: ἄγγελον τῆς ἀβύσσου ὄνομα αὐτῷ NAS: them, the angel of the abyss; his name KJV: [which is] the angel of the bottomless pit, whose INT: angel of the abyss name for him Revelation 11:7 N-GFS GRK: ἐκ τῆς ἀβύσσου ποιήσει μετ' NAS: that comes up out of the abyss will make KJV: out of the bottomless pit shall make INT: out of the abyss will make with Revelation 17:8 N-GFS GRK: ἐκ τῆς ἀβύσσου καὶ εἰς NAS: to come up out of the abyss and go KJV: out of the bottomless pit, and INT: out of the abyss and into Revelation 20:1 N-GFS GRK: κλεῖν τῆς ἀβύσσου καὶ ἅλυσιν NAS: the key of the abyss and a great KJV: the key of the bottomless pit and INT: key of the abyss and a chain Revelation 20:3 N-AFS GRK: εἰς τὴν ἄβυσσον καὶ ἔκλεισεν NAS: and he threw him into the abyss, and shut KJV: him into the bottomless pit, and shut INT: into the abyss and shut Strong's Greek 12 9 Occurrences ἄβυσσον — 3 Occ. ἀβύσσου — 6 Occ.