Foundation
θεμέλιοςStrong’s G2310themelios
Appears in 15 verses of the New Testament
In short
Themelios is the Greek word usually translated “foundation” and “foundations”. It appears in 15 verses of the New Testament.
“Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.”
Meaning
Usually translated “foundation” and “foundations”. Open the dictionary entry below for the full range of meaning, with the verses it cites.
How it's translated
- foundation 7
- a foundation 5
- foundations 4
Word-by-word English from the STEPBible tagged text.
Where it's used most
- Luke 3
- 1 Corinthians 3
- Hebrews 2
- Revelation 2
- Acts 1
- Romans 1
9 books in all.
Related words
Explore in Scripture
- Luke 6:48He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
- Luke 6:49But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.
- Luke 14:29Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,
- Acts 16:26And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.
- Romans 15:20Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man’s foundation:
- 1 Corinthians 3:10According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
Greek dictionary
θεμέλιος themelios · foundation
θεμέλιος, -ον (τίθημι), [in LXX for אַרְמוֹן, מוֹסָד, etc. ;] of or for a foundation; as subst., ὁ θ. (sc. λίθος), a foundation stone, foundation: Luk.6:48-49 14:29 (but see Deiss., BS, 123); pl., οἰ θ. (cl.), Heb.11:10 Rev.21:14, 19; neut., τὸ θ. (Arist., Phys., vi, 6, 10, LXX and later writers), Act.16:26; metaphorically, Rom.15:20, 1Co.3:10-12 Eph.2:20, 1Ti.6:19, 2Ti.2:19, Heb.6:1.† (AS)
From STEPBible’s Greek lexicon (based on Abbott-Smith).
Webster's 1828 Dictionary
How the English word “foundation” was understood when the King James Version was still the common Bible of English readers.
FOUNDA'TION, noun
[Latin fundatio, fundo.]
- The basis of an edifice; that part of a building which lies on the ground; usually a wall of stone which supports the edifice.
- The act of fixing the basis.
- The basis or ground work, or any thing; that on which any thing stands, and by which it is supported.“Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone - a precious cornerstone” Isaiah 28:16“Other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” 1 Corinthians 3:11
- Original; rise; as the foundation of the world.
All definitions
- Endowment; a donation or legacy appropriated to support an institution, and constituting a permanent fund, usually for a charitable purpose.
- Establishment; settlement.
Noah Webster, An American Dictionary of the English Language (1828). Verse references are checked against the KJV. Read the full entry.
Verses are from the King James Version. Word meanings come from the original Greek, not from any one translation.