δεύτερος G1208
Second (ordinal) or a second time (adverbial); indicating sequence, rank, or repetition
The Greek ordinal adjective 'second,' appearing 44 times in the New Testament with a strong concentration in Revelation's sequential visions -- the second seal, the second angel, the second death. In most occurrences it functions as a straightforward ordinal marking position in a series. However, about a quarter of its uses shift to an adverbial sense meaning 'a second time' or 'again,' marking the repetition of an action rather than ranking within a list. This adverbial usage appears in pivotal narrative moments: Nicodemus asking how one can be born a second time, Peter's threefold denial, and Jesus praying again in Gethsemane.
Senses
1. second (ordinal) — The ordinal numeral 'second' indicating position in a sequence or rank, attested 33 times. Used for the second commandment (Matthew 22:39), the second angel or seal in Revelation's apocalyptic series (Revelation 6:3, 8:8), and sequential narrative events (Mark 12:21, the second brother). Spanish segunda/segundo, French deuxieme, and German zweite all render this uniformly as a positional ordinal. Key passages include Hebrews 8:7 ('no place for a second') and Revelation 20:6 ('the second death has no power'), where rank and classification are in view. 33×
AR["الثانيُ", "الثَّانيَةُ", "الثَّانِي", "الثَّانِيَ", "الثّاني", "الثّانيَةَ", "ثاني", "ثانٍ", "ثانِيَةً", "ثانِيَةٌ", "ثَانِي", "ثَانِيَةً", "ثَانِيَةِ", "ٱلثَّانِيَةَ"]·ben["দ্বিতীয়", "দ্বিতীয়,", "দ্বিতীয়টি"]·DE["zweite"]·EN["Second", "second"]·FR["deuxième"]·heb["שְׁנִיָּה", "שֵׁנִי", "שֵׁנִית"]·HI["दूसरा", "दूसरी", "दूसरी,", "दूसरे", "दूसरे-ने", "दोओस्रि"]·ID["kedua", "kedua,", "yang-kedua"]·IT["secondo"]·jav["ingkang-kaping-kalih", "ingkang-kaping-kalih,", "kapindho", "kaping-kalih", "kaping-kalih,"]·KO["두-번째", "두번째", "둘째", "둘째가", "둘째는", "둘째를", "둘째에"]·PT["Segundo", "segunda", "segundo"]·RU["Вторая", "вторая", "второго", "второе", "второй", "вторую", "вторую,"]·ES["segunda", "segundo"]·SW["cha-pili", "kiumbe-hai-cha-pili", "la-pili", "lakini", "malaika-wa-pili", "mara-ya-pili", "pili", "wa-pili", "wa-pili,", "ya-pili"]·TR["ikinci", "ikincide", "ikincisi", "ikincisini", "ikinciyi", "lütuf", "o-", "İkincisi"]·urd["دوسرا", "دوسری", "دوسرے", "دوسرے-نے", "دوسرے-کو", "دُوسرا", "نشان"]
Matt 21:30, Matt 22:26, Matt 22:39, Mark 12:21, Mark 12:31, Luke 12:38, Luke 19:18, Luke 20:30, John 4:54, Acts 7:13, Acts 12:10, Acts 13:33 (+21 more)
2. a second time / again — An adverbial construction meaning 'a second time' or 'again,' indicating repetition rather than ordinal ranking, found 11 times. Spanish shifts to segunda vez, French to seconde fois, and German to zweite Mal -- all adding an explicit 'time' word that the Greek leaves implicit through context. Theologically significant passages include John 3:4 (Nicodemus: 'Can one enter a second time into the mother's womb?'), Mark 14:72 (the rooster crowing a second time at Peter's denial), and John 21:16 (Jesus asking Peter 'a second time, Do you love me?'). The repetition sense carries narrative weight that mere ordinal counting does not. 11×
amh["ሁለተኛ-ጊዜ"]·AR["الثَّانِيَةِ", "الثّانِيَةَ", "ثانياً", "ثانِيَة", "ثانِيَةً", "ثَانِيَةً", "ثَانِيَةٍ", "ثَانِيَةَ", "مَرَّةً-ثانِيَةً"]·ben["দ্বিতীয়", "দ্বিতীয়বার", "দ্বিতীয়বার,"]·ces["podruhé"]·dan["anden-gang"]·DE["zweite", "zweite-Mal"]·ell["δεύτερον"]·EN["a-second-time", "second", "second-time"]·FR["deuxième", "seconde-fois"]·guj["બીજી-વાર"]·hat["dezyèm"]·hau["karo-na-biyu"]·heb["פַּעַם-שְׁנִיָּה", "פעם-שניה", "שֵׁנִית"]·HI["दूसरी-बार", "दूसरी-बार,"]·hun["másodszor"]·ID["kedua-kali", "kedua-kalinya", "kedua-kalinya>", "yang-kedua"]·IT["seconda", "secondo"]·jav["kalih", "kalih»⇔", "kaping-kalih"]·JA["二度目-に"]·KO["두-번째", "두-번째로", "두번째-로", "두번째로", "두째-번에", "둘째에", "번째로"]·mar["दुसऱ्यांदा"]·mya["ဒုတိယအကြိမ်"]·nld["tweede-maal"]·nor["andre-gang"]·pnb["دوجی-وار"]·pol["potem"]·PT["-", "segunda", "segunda-vez"]·ron["doua-oară"]·RU["во-второй", "во-второй-раз", "второе", "второй", "второй-раз"]·ES["segunda", "segunda-vez"]·SW["mara-ya-pili", "mara-ya-pili,", "pili", "ya-pili"]·swe["andra"]·tam["இரண்டாவது"]·tel["రెండవసారి"]·tgl["pangalawa"]·TH["ครั้งที่สอง"]·TR["ikinci", "ikinci-defa", "ikinci-kez", "ikinciden"]·ukr["вдруге"]·urd["دوسری-بار"]·VI["lần-thứ-hai"]·yor["ìgbà-kejì"]·yue["第二次"]·ZH["第二次"]
Related Senses
H3605 1. all, every, whole (5352×)H0259 1. one (cardinal numeral) (940×)H8147 1. cardinal number two (666×)G3956 1. all (collective plural) (616×)H3967 1. cardinal numeral hundred (550×)H1419a 1. great, large (general quality) (486×)H7969 1. cardinal number three (431×)H0505 1. cardinal number thousand (427×)H7651 1. seven (cardinal number) (393×)G1520 1. cardinal number one (339×)H6240 1. ten (cardinal number) (334×)H6242 1. twenty (cardinal number) (315×)H2568 1. cardinal number five (309×)H0702 1. four (cardinal number) (277×)G3956 2. every, each (distributive) (227×)H8337 1. six (cardinal number) (215×)G3956 3. all things, everything (substantive) (211×)G3956 4. (187×)H6235 1. ten (177×)G3173 1. great in size or extent (176×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
δεύτερος, α, ον, second, (perhaps from δύο with comparative termination): __I next in Order (with a notion of Time), in Refs 8th c.BC+ of one who comes in second in a race,Refsnext, Refs; οὔ μ᾽ ἔτι δ. ὧδε ἵξετ᾽ ἄχος no second grief, i.e. none hereafter like this, Refs; as comparative, with genitive, ἐμεῖο δεύτεροι after my time, Refs; σοὶ δ᾽ οὐκέτι δ. ἔσται no second choice will be allowed thee,…