Zōē in classical Greek could mean livelihood, substance, or simply the state of being alive. The New Testament dramatically reweights the term: of its 135 occurrences, the vast majority denote not mere biological existence but the divine, imperishable quality of life that belongs to God and is given through faith in Christ. John's Gospel is especially saturated with this usage — 'I am the way, the truth, and the life' (John 14:6); 'I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly' (John 10:10). Paul contrasts this life with death as the wages of sin (Rom 6:23). The adjective aiōnios ('eternal') frequently modifies zōē, but even without it the word often implies the fullness of God's own vitality.