καιρός G2540
An appointed time, season, or decisive moment; a point or period marked by divine purpose or particular significance.
Unlike χρόνος, which measures time quantitatively (duration, chronology), καιρός carries a qualitative charge—it is the right time, the fitting moment, the season ripe with significance. In the Gospels, Jesus speaks of 'my time' (Matt 26:18) and warns that the disciples do not know the appointed times (Acts 1:7). Paul uses it for both the present evil age and the coming 'fullness of times.' The word moves fluidly between an appointed moment in salvation history, a natural or liturgical season, and a window of opportunity. Spanish 'tiempo' covers most instances, but the occasional 'época' and 'tiempo oportuno' signal the semantic sub-distinctions.
3. opportune time or occasion — Three occurrences foreground the opportune or fitting character of the moment—the window of favorable action. In Luke 4:13, the devil departs 'until an opportune time' (ἄχρι καιροῦ); Luke 20:10 refers to sending a servant 'at the season' (i.e., the right time for collecting); Acts 1:7 speaks of times the Father has set by his own authority. Spanish 'tiempo oportuno' and 'ocasiones' and English 'in season' highlight the element of fitness and opportunity. 3×
AR["أَوْقَاتًا","حينٍ","في-الوَقتِ"]·ben["-সময়ে","-সেই","সময়ের"]·DE["Zeit"]·EN["a-time","in-season","seasons"]·FR["temps"]·heb["בַּ-עֵת","עִתּוֹת","עֵת"]·HI["पिता-ने","समय-तक","समय-पर"]·ID["masa-masa,","pada-waktu","waktu-yang-tepat"]·IT["tempo"]·jav["ing-wekdalipun,","mangsa,","wekdal."]·KO["그-것들-을","때-까지","때에"]·PT["estações","na-época"]·RU["времени","времени.","сроки,"]·ES["en-tiempo","ocasiones","tiempo-oportuno"]·SW["wakati","wakati-mwingine"]·TR["-o","bir-zamana","zamanda"]·urd["موسم-میں","موسموں-کو","وقت۔"]
▼ 2 more senses below
Senses
1. definite time or period — The dominant sense across roughly 80 occurrences designates a definite, appointed, or decisive point or period in time, often within God's redemptive plan. Spanish 'tiempo,' French 'temps,' German 'Zeit' are used consistently. Encompasses harvest time (Matt 13:30), the time of visitation (Luke 19:44), the present time (Rom 3:26; 8:18), and eschatological moments (Matt 8:29, 'before the time'). The word often carries theological weight—this is not just any moment but the moment appointed by God. 80×
AR["أَوانٍ","الزَّمَانَ","الزَّمَانُ","الوَقْتِ","الْمَوْسِمَ","حِينِهِ","زَمَنِ","وَقتٍ","وَقتُ","وَقتِ","وَقتِهِ","وَقْتُ","وَقْتِ","وَقْتِهَا","وَقْتِي"]·ben["সময়","সময়,","সময়ে","সময়ের"]·DE["Zeit"]·EN["a-time","due-time","season","time"]·FR["temps"]·heb["הַזְּמַן","זְּמַן","זְמַן","מוֹעֵד","עֵת"]·HI["समय","समय-के","समय-पर","समय-मेइन","समय-से"]·ID["itu","musim","sementara","waktu","waktunya","waktunya,"]·IT["tempo"]·jav["jaman","wanci","wekdal","wekdal,","wekdalipun","wektu,"]·KO["때","때-가","때-에","때가","때를","때에"]·PT["do-tempo","tempo","tempo,"]·RU["времени","время"]·ES["tiempo"]·SW["-wa-mavuno","amebarikiwa","wa-","wakati","wakati,"]·TR["Zamanım","mevsim","mevsimde","zaman","zaman,","zamanda","zamanı","zamanında","zamanından"]·urd["زمانے","موسم","موسم-میں","وقت","وقت-میں"]
Matt 8:29, Matt 11:25, Matt 12:1, Matt 13:30, Matt 14:1, Matt 21:34, Matt 24:45, Matt 26:18, Mark 1:15, Mark 10:30, Mark 11:13, Mark 12:2 (+38 more)
2. season or epoch — A small cluster (about 3 occurrences) narrows to season or epoch—a defined era, age, or natural season. In Acts 14:17, God gave 'fruitful seasons'; Gal 4:10 warns against observing 'times and seasons'; 1 Thess 5:1 pairs καιροί with χρόνοι to cover the full temporal horizon. Spanish 'épocas' and the English plural 'seasons' mark this as a broader, more extended temporal frame than the punctiliar 'appointed moment' of sense 1. 3×
AR["أوقاتًا","أَوقاتًا","الأوْقاتِ"]·ben["ঋতু","ঋতু,","কালের"]·DE["Zeit"]·EN["seasons"]·FR["temps"]·heb["מוֹעֲדִים","עִתּוֹת","עוֹנוֹת"]·HI["ऋतुएं","कअल","मोउसमोन,"]·ID["masa","musim","musim-musim"]·IT["tempo"]·jav["mangsa","mangsa,","wekdal,"]·KO["때들을","시기들에-대하여","절기들,"]·PT["estações","épocas"]·RU["времена","сроках"]·ES["tiempos","épocas"]·SW["majira","nyakati"]·TR["dönemlerin","mevsimler","mevsimleri"]·urd["موسموں","موسموں-کی"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
καιρός, ὁ, due measure, proportion, fitness (not in Refs 8th c.BC+; εἰ ὁ κ. ἦν σαφής the distinction, the point, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἡ ἀπορία ἔχει τινὰ κ. has some point or importance, Refs 4th c.BC+; καιροῦ πέρα beyond measure, unduly, Refs 5th c.BC+ codices; προσωτέρω or πορρωτέρω τοῦ κ., Refs 5th c.BC+; ὀξύτερα τοῦ κ. Refs 5th c.BC+; ὑπερβάλλων τῇ φιλοτιμίᾳ τὸν κ. Refs 5th c.BC+ __II of Place,…