Stoicheion originally meant a shadow on a sundial marking the hour, then came to denote any basic unit in a series — a letter of the alphabet, an element of physical matter, or a first principle of knowledge. In the New Testament, it carries theological weight in two distinct directions. Paul warns against returning to 'the elemental things of the world' (Gal 4:3, 9; Col 2:8, 20), likely referring to the basic regulatory principles — whether Jewish Torah observances or pagan cosmic forces — that once held believers in bondage before Christ. The author of Hebrews uses it differently, chiding readers who need someone to teach them 'the elements' (basic ABCs) of God's oracles again (Heb 5:12). German 'Elemente' and Spanish 'elementos' both preserve the same breadth of meaning.