Unique
μονογενήςStrong’s G3439monogenēs
Appears in 9 verses of the New Testament
In short
Monogenēs is the Greek word usually translated “only begotten”, “only” and “only child”. It appears in 9 verses of the New Testament.
“Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.”
Meaning
Usually translated “only begotten”, “only” and “only child”. Open the dictionary entry below for the full range of meaning, with the verses it cites.
How it's translated
- only begotten 5
- an only 1
- an only child 1
- of an only begotten 1
- one and only 1
Word-by-word English from the STEPBible tagged text.
Where it's used most
- John 4
- Luke 3
- Hebrews 1
- 1 John 1
4 books in all.
Explore in Scripture
- Luke 8:42For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him.
- Luke 9:38And, behold, a man of the company cried out, saying, Master, I beseech thee, look upon my son: for he is mine only child.
- John 1:14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
- John 1:18No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
- John 3:16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
- John 3:18He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Greek dictionary
μονογενής monogenēs · unique
μονογενής, -ές (μόνος, γένος), [in LXX: Jdg.11:34, Psa.22:20 25:16 35:17 (יָחִיד), Tob.3:15 6:10, 14 8:17, Wis.7:22, Bar.4:16 * ;] only, only begotten (DCG, ii, 281), of sons and daughters : Luk.7:12 8:42 9:38, Heb.11:17; of Christ, Jhn.3:16, 18, 1Jn.4:9; μ. παρὰ πατρός, Jhn.1:14; μ. θεός, Jhn.1:18.† (AS)
From STEPBible’s Greek lexicon (based on Abbott-Smith).
Webster's 1828 Dictionary
How the English word “only” was understood when the King James Version was still the common Bible of English readers.
ONLY, adjective
- Single; one along; as, John was the only man present.
- This and no other.
- This above all others.
All definitions and other forms of “only”
ONLY, adverb
- Singly; merely; barely; in one manner or for one purpose along.
- This and no other wise.“Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” Genesis 6:5
- Singly; without more; as only-begotten.
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.