χρόνος G5550
time, period, duration — a measurable span of time, as distinct from a decisive moment (kairos)
Chronos denotes time as a quantifiable stretch or elapsed duration, standing in quiet contrast to kairos, which marks the ripe or decisive moment. Across its 54 New Testament occurrences, it measures waiting periods ('a long time,' Matt 25:19), elapsed spans ('how long has this been happening to him?,' Mark 9:21), and ages of ignorance now ended (Acts 17:30). Herod's interrogation of the Magi about the exact chronos of the star's appearing (Matt 2:7, 16) shows the word's affinity for datable, calculable intervals. The translations are strikingly uniform: Spanish 'tiempo,' French 'temps,' German 'Zeit' — all rendering the neutral, measurable sense of time.
Senses
1. time, period, duration — Time conceived as a measurable extent, duration, or period — the stretch of time that can be long or short, counted or estimated, elapsed or anticipated. Covers temporal spans in narrative ('after a long time,' Matt 25:19), inquiries about duration (Mark 9:21), and theological periodization ('the times of ignorance,' Acts 17:30). Distinguished from kairos by its emphasis on quantity rather than quality, on the clock rather than the moment. All 54 occurrences share this single durational sense. 54×
AR["الزَّمَانِ", "زَمانًا", "زَمَانٍ", "زَمَانَ", "زَمَنٌ", "زَمَنٍ", "زَمَنُ", "مُنذُ-زَمَنٍ", "وَقْتًا", "وَقْتٌ", "وَقْتٍ", "وَقْتُ"]·ben["পুনঃস্থাপন-করিতেছ", "সময়", "সময়ে", "সময়ের"]·DE["Zeit"]·EN["a-time", "for-time", "time"]·FR["temps"]·heb["זְמַן", "זְמָן", "עֵת", "שְׁנוֹת"]·HI["-राज्य", "आया", "समय", "समय-के", "समय-से"]·ID["waktu", "waktu,"]·IT["tempo"]·jav["dangu", "wekdal", "wekdal,", "wekdal;", "wektu", "wektunipun"]·KO["기간", "때-가", "때-를", "때-에", "때를", "모든", "시간", "시간-동안", "시간-을", "시간-이", "시간을", "회복하시나이까"]·PT["por-tempo", "tempo"]·RU["временем", "времени", "время"]·ES["tiempo"]·SW["kwa-muda", "mrefu", "muda", "umri", "wakati"]·TR["bu", "süre", "zaman", "zamana", "zamanda", "zamandır", "zamanı", "zamanını"]·urd["عرصہ", "عرصے", "عرصے-سے", "مدّت", "وقت", "پہلے-ہی"]
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
χρόνος, ὁ, time, Refs 8th c.BC+; τῶν δὲ πεπραγμένων ἀποίητον οὐδ᾽ ἂν χ. δύναιτο θέμεν τέλος P.Refs 5th c.BC+; but in Prose, τοῦ χ. τὸν πλεῖστον Refs 5th c.BC+; χρόνου πολλοῦ δέονται take a long time, Refs 5th c.BC+ __b time in the abstract, ἀμερὴς χ. Timo 76; τριμερής Refs 4th c.BC+ __2 a definite time, period, δεκέτης, τρίμηνος, Refs 5th c.BC+; χ. βίου, ἥβης χ., Refs 5th c.BC+ with chronological…