νεότης G3503
Youth; the period of early life, or the condition of being young
Denotes the season of life from childhood through young adulthood, often invoked when someone reflects on long commitment. The rich ruler tells Jesus he has kept the commandments 'from my youth' (Mark 10:20; Luke 18:21), and Paul likewise traces his life story back to his youth among his nation (Acts 26:4). Timothy receives the reverse application — do not let anyone despise your youth (1 Tim 4:12) — turning the word from a backward glance into a present challenge. Spanish juventud, French jeunesse, and German Jugend all converge on this single temporal sense.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The period of early life, from childhood through young adulthood, viewed as a formative stage of character and habit. In Mark 10:20 and Luke 18:21, speakers cite their youth as the starting point of lifelong Torah observance. Paul appeals to it as biographical evidence in Acts 26:4. In 1 Tim 4:12, Paul reverses the usual nostalgic framing — Timothy's youth is not a credential but a potential objection to be overcome by exemplary conduct. All major translations (Spanish juventud, French jeunesse, German Jugend) treat this as a unified temporal concept. 4×
AR["الصِّبَا", "شَبابَكَ", "شَبابِ", "شَبَابِي"]·ben["যৌবন", "যৌবন-থেকে", "যৌবনকে", "যৌবনের"]·DE["Jugend", "νεότητος"]·EN["youth"]·FR["jeunesse", "nouveau-né"]·heb["נְעוּרֶיךָ", "נְעוּרַי"]·HI["जवनि", "जवानी", "जवानीसे"]·ID["masa-muda", "masa-muda,", "masa-mudaku"]·IT["gioventù", "giovinezza", "neotētos"]·jav["anem", "anèm", "nem", "nem,"]·KO["어릴-때부터", "젊음", "젊음부터", "젖음을"]·PT["juventude", "juventude,"]·RU["юности", "юностью"]·ES["juventud"]·SW["ujana", "wako"]·TR["gençlikten", "gençliğimden", "gençliğini"]·urd["جوانی"]
Related Senses
H3117 1. day, specific time (2231×)H5704 1. until, unto, as far as (1238×)H8141 1. year, unit of time (880×)H6258 1. and now (421×)G2250 1. day (388×)H5750 1. again, more, further (288×)H5769 1. forever, to eternity (280×)H6256 1. time, period (264×)H2320 1. month, calendar period (260×)H0310a 2. after (temporal) (258×)H3915 1. night, period of darkness (234×)H1242 1. morning (214×)H5750 2. still, yet (continuative) (166×)G5119 1. then (160×)G3568 1. now (147×)G2193 1. until (143×)G3825 1. (141×)G3752 1. (123×)H6153 1. evening, time of day (123×)H0227a 1. then (122×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
νεότης, Doric dialect -τας, ητος, ἡ, (νέος) youth, ἐκ νεότητος.. ἐς γῆρας NT+8th c.BC+; ἐρατὴν γὰρ ἀπωλέσαμεν νεότητα, i.e. we died young, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐν νεότατι, ἐπὶ νεότητος, in one's youth, Refs 7th c.BC+; αἱ ν. ῥωμαλέαιRefs 4th c.AD+ __2 youthful spirit, impetuosity, Refs 5th c.BC+: in bad sense, youthful folly, insolence, ἀκολασίᾳ καὶ ν. Refs 5th c.BC+ __II collective, ={νεολαία}, body…