This is a Bible Dictionary. This is a dictionary of words, terms, people, places, and things (and some synonyms) that are either in the Bible or are in some way related to the Bible. The definitions given here are Biblical definitions. The words and terms are defined in the way that the Bible uses them. In other fields these words and terms may carry different meanings. We are not concerned with those other meanings here. Here, we are only concerned with how God uses these words and terms in and relating to His Word.
In a standard dictionary, after the word, the pronunciation of the word, and what part of speech the word is (noun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, etc.), an etymology is usually given. The etymology shows the origin and line of development of the word. Within this etymology oftentimes, are the original meanings of the words that are the parts of the etymology. This is what the word actually means.
Following the etymology and the meanings of the words in the etymology, are the various ways that the word is used (and misused) in speaking and writing. Oftentimes there will be several “definitions.” Sometimes these “definitions” are numbered (1., 2., 3., etc.) and/or lettered (a., b., c., etc.).
It is important to understand when using a dictionary, that words can mean different things in different fields and different contexts. For example, if a person says that they “have a run,” it depends on the context of the conversation. If the person is talking about playing cards, this could mean five cards in numerical sequence. If the person is talking about dogs and kennels, this could mean an enclosed area where the dogs can move about freely. If it is a woman talking, and she is looking at her pantyhose, it could mean that her pantyhose have a cut, or hole, or a section that has become separated. If it is a long distance runner speaking, he could mean that he has some sort of a running race coming up.
A dictionary also gives definitions for various fields. The dictionary will say, “in music,” and give the definition of the word as it is used in the music field. The dictionary will say, “in law,” and give the definition of the word as it is used in the law field. The dictionary will say, “in medicine,” and give the definition of the word as it is used in the field of medicine. The dictionary will say, “in aviation,” and give the definition of the word as it is used in the aviation field. Etc., etc., etc.
A standard dictionary also gives definitions for “the fields” of “Christianity” and “the Bible.” The dictionary will say, “in Christianity,” and give the definition of the word as it is (supposedly) used in Christianity. The dictionary will say, “in the Bible,” and give the definition of the word as it is (supposedly) used in the Bible. The problem here is that the people who are usually writing the definitions for “in Christianity,” and “in the Bible,” and such related “fields,” don't understand the Bible, and thus do not really understand how God is using these words and terms in His Word!
Therefore, (and this is the whole point of this preface), we cannot necessarily go by what a standard dictionary says when we are talking about words and terms that are in the Bible and Christianity, or related to the Bible and Christianity. We have to go by what God says in His Word. The Bible defines itself. In Bible-believing circles we say that, “Scripture interprets Scripture.”
Many of these words have variant spellings and pronunciations. For example, the word “Hanukkah” has at least twenty variant spellings (Chanuka, Chanukah, Chanukka, Chanukkah, Channuka, Channukka, Channukah, Channukkah, Chanuqa, Hanuka, Hanukah, Hanukka, Hanukkah, Hannuka, Hannukah, Hannukka, Hannukkah, Janukah, Janukkah, Xanuka) and at least four different pronunciations (HAH-noo-kah, KAH-noo-kah, JAH-noo-kah, GZAH-noo-kah). However, usually only one spelling and one pronunciation is given here (and elsewhere on this website).
Also included are some educational and scientific terms—because all people should be educated—that are not actually in the Bible, but have some relationship with Biblical teaching on various subjects.
With this having now been said, we can proceed to the Biblical definitions.
abortion – the murder of an unborn child.
Approximately 1,000,000 children are murdered each year (mostly by abortions) in the United States of America. This is an average of about 2,700 murders of children each day in the U.S.A. Here, in the state of Illinois, about 40,000 children are murdered each year, with over half of these, over 20,000 of these murders of children, occurring each year in Chicago and Cook County.
Approximately 30% (about 3 out of every 10) of all girls/women age 15 and over in the United States have murdered at least one of their own children.
abortionist – a person who favors, supports, advocates, induces, or performs abortions.
Achaia (uh-KAY-uh) – the name of the province that comprised the southern portion of Greece. Its capital city was Corinth. (The name of the province of the northern portion was Macedonia.)
adult – a person who is 20 years of age or older; a person who is not a child. (see When Does a Person Become an Adult?)
adulterer – a person who commits adultery.
adulteress – a girl or woman who commits adultery.
adultery – fornication where at least one of the people involved is married.
agnostic – a person who claims that they don't know if God exists or not.
Romans 1:18–22 says,
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.
The Word of God says here that all people know that God exists. The existence of God is manifest in them because God has shown it to them. The existence of God is clearly seen by all people, being understood by the things that are made (His creation). Everybody knows that God created the universe and all things in it, and that the things we see did not come into existence by some “Big Bang” and/or evolution. Even His eternal power and Godhead are clearly seen and understood by all people so that all people are without excuse.
The Word of God says that even though all people knew that God exists, some chose to not glorify Him as God and to be unthankful. They then became vain in their imaginations and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools.
Therefore, all agnostics are fools and liars and cannot be trusted.
agnosticism – the claim that “there may be a God or there may not be a God.” It is only a “claim” because ALL people know that God exists.
Romans 1:18–21 says,
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Therefore, ALL people know that God exists. People who say that they don't know if there is a God or not are liars and are dishonest people.
Ahasuerus (uh-hazz-oo-EE-russ) (proper masculine noun) – There are three different men named Ahasuerus in the Bible, all of whom are in the Old Testament:
Alphaeus (al-FEE-uss) (proper masculine noun) – There are two different men named Alphaeus in the Bible, both of whom are in the New Testament:
Arabah, Sea of the (see Dead Sea)
Ashpenaz (proper masculine noun) – the master (prince) of the eunuchs of King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylonia (Daniel 1).
Asphalt, Sea of (see Dead Sea)
Assyrian Captivity – the carrying away of the northern kingdom of Israel to Assyria in 722 B.C. when Shalmaneser V, the king of Assyria, conquered the northern kingdom of Israel and carried away its ten tribes (Reuben, Simeon, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Manasseh, Ephraim) to Assyria. This was the end of the northern kingdom of Israel as these tribes never returned to Israel and were “lost.” Because of this, these ten tribes are sometimes referred to as “the ten lost tribes of Israel.”
atheism – the claim that “there is no God.” It is only a “claim” because ALL people know that God exists.
Romans 1:18–21 says,
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Therefore, ALL people know that God exists. People who say that they don't believe that God exists are liars and are dishonest people.
atheist – a person who claims that they don't believe that God exists.
Romans 1:18–22 says,
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.
The Word of God says here that all people know that God exists. The existence of God is manifest in them because God has shown it to them. The existence of God is clearly seen by all people, being understood by the things that are made (His creation). Everybody knows that God created the universe and all things in it, and that the things we see did not come into existence by some “Big Bang” and/or evolution. Even His eternal power and Godhead are clearly seen and understood by all people so that all people are without excuse.
The Word of God says that even though all people knew that God exists, some chose to not glorify Him as God and to be unthankful. They then became vain in their imaginations and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools.
Therefore, all atheists are fools and liars and cannot be trusted.
atmosphere (ATT-muss-feer) (first heaven) – the area from the surface of the earth to about 100 kilometers above the earth (where the Karman line is). This includes the troposphere (11 kilometers), the stratosphere (39 kilometers), the mesosphere (35 kilometers), and the first 15 kilometers of the thermosphere. This is where the birds fly, airplanes fly, the clouds are, weather balloons are, etc.
Atonement, Day of – the 10th day of the 7th month on the Jewish calendar (Ethanim or Tishri 10th). (definition to come)
Augustus – a title which means “majestic” or “venerable” originally conferred upon the first Roman emperor, Gaius Octavius Thurinus (reigned 27 B.C. to 14 A.D.), by the Roman Senate. It then became a title for the Roman emperors succeeding him. This title, “Augustus,” was then combined with the title, “Caesar,” to become “Augustus Caesar” or “Caesar Augustus.” Therefore, the Roman emperors from Octavius on were referred to by their name or as “Augustus” or “Caesar” or “Augustus Caesar” or “Caesar Augustus.” (see Caesar)
We see this in Acts 25:21 where the titles “Augustus” and “Caesar” are used interchangeably in referring to the Roman emperor, Nero:
“But when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar.”
babe – Early Modern English word for baby. (see baby)
baby (babe, infant) – a child who has not yet reached the point in their life when they can speak. Once a child is old enough to talk, they are no longer a baby. This point is usually between one and two years of age.
Babylonian Captivity – a period of 70 years (605–535 B.C.) which began when the Babylonian Empire conquered the southern kingdom of Judah (which consisted of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin) and took some of the Jews captive to Babylon including Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. It ended when the Medo-Persian Empire conquered the Babylonian Empire and allowed the Jews to return to their homeland of Judah.
bar mitzvah (bar MITZ-vuh) – the Hebrew term for “son of the commandment”; the Jewish term for the ceremonial time when a boy reaches “the age of accountability.” (see What is “the Age of Accountability?”)
bastard (illegitimate child) – a child who is conceived (comes into existence) outside of wedlock. A child who is “born” outside of wedlock may or may not be a bastard. If a married woman conceives a child in wedlock, and while pregnant gets divorced or becomes a widow, and then gives birth to the child while she is unmarried, the child is NOT a bastard. By the same token, a child who is “born” inside of wedlock is a bastard if the child was conceived (came into existence) outside of wedlock.
bat mitzvah (bat MITZ-vuh) – the Hebrew term for “daughter of the commandment”; the Jewish term for the ceremonial time when a girl reaches “the age of accountability.” (see What is “the Age of Accountability?”)
beastiality (beess-tee-AL-it-ee) – sexual relations with an animal. A type of fornication, which, like homosexuality, is unnatural (against nature) (Exodus 22:19; Leviticus 18:23; Deuteronomy 27:21). Beastiality and homosexuality are also known as “sodomy.” Beastiality is a perverted behavior, and anyone who says that beastiality is normal, is also perverted. The Word of God says that beastiality is an abomination in the sight of God, and such people who commit this sin deserve the death penalty. Leviticus 20:15–16 says,
“And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast. And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the woman, and the beast: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.”
Bethabara (beth-ABB-uh-ruh) (house of the ford) – a place on the eastern bank of the Jordan River nine kilometers north of the Dead Sea where John the Baptist (and his disciples) baptized people—including Jesus. It is known today as “Al-Maghtas,” which is an Arabic word that means “baptism” or “immersion.”
Booths, Feast of (see Tabernacles, Feast of)
boy – a male person who is under the age of 20 (has not yet reached his 20th birthday); a male person who is not an adult. This would include male children from conception on. (see When Does a Person Become an Adult?)
Caesar (SEE-zirr) – originally the cognomen (the third name) of Gaius Julius (making his name Gaius Julius Caesar) that was then passed down to other family members and over time became an imperial title. Gaius Julius Caesar was the last dictator of the Roman Republic (reigned 49–44 B.C.).
Caesarea (see-zirr-EE-uh) – a seaport city on the western coast of Israel named after Augustus Caesar.
Caesarea Philippi (see-zirr-EE-uh FILL-ipp-iy) – a city on the southwestern slope of Mount Hermon that was originally known as Paneas. Herod Philip II (the tetrarch) renamed the city Caesarea Philippi in honor of the Roman emperor Augustus Caesar (and himself) in order to distinguish it from the city of Caesarea that was on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.
call boy – middle class people's term for a “whoremonger for hire”; a whoremonger who receives payment for committing fornication. (Payment could be in any form such as money, food, clothing, housing, transportation, employment, entertainment, special favors, etc.)
call girl – middle class people's term for a “whore for hire”; a whore who receives payment for committing fornication. (Payment could be in any form such as money, food, clothing, housing, transportation, employment, entertainment, special favors, etc.)
child – a person who is under the age of 20 (has not yet reached their 20th birthday); a person who is not an adult. This would include children from conception on. (see When Does a Person Become an Adult?)
Chinnereth (KINN-er-eth), Sea of (see Galilee, Sea of)
church – The word “church” is used several different ways. (see church building, church service, local church, universal church)
church building – a building where the local church (the pastor and the congregation) meets. Called “church” for short.
church service – a meeting where people are gathered together to praise and worship God, to be taught the Word of God, to pray, to fellowship with each other, etc. Called “church” for short.
cisgender – denoting, relating to, or being a person who acknowledges that their gender identity corresponds with the sex (gender) that God made them; the opposite of transgender. (see transgender)
Cleopas (KLEE-oh-pass) (proper masculine noun) – a male disciple of the Lord who walked 60 furlongs (12 kilometers) from Jerusalem to Emmaus with another disciple and Jesus on the Sunday afternoon following Jesus' resurrection. The three of them then went in to eat where Cleopas and this other disciple were staying in the village of Emmaus. When Jesus then revealed Himself to them and vanished, Cleopas and this other disciple then returned to Jerusalem where the eleven apostles and some other disciples were gathered together (Luke 24:13–35).
Cleopas is NOT the same person as Cleophas (KLEE-oh-fass).
Cleopas is also NOT the same person as Alphaeus (al-FEE-uss).
Cleophas (KLEE-oh-fass) (proper masculine noun) – the husband of Mary, and brother-in-law of Jesus' mother, Mary. Cleophas' wife, Mary, was the sister of Mary, the mother of Jesus (John 19:25). Cleophas and his wife, Mary, were the parents of James the less and Joses (Mark 15:40). Cleophas is NOT the same person as Cleopas (KLEE-oh-pass) who walked 60 furlongs (12 kilometers) from Jerusalem to Emmaus with another disciple and Jesus on the Sunday afternoon following Jesus' resurrection in Luke 24:13–29. Cleophas is also NOT the same person as Alphaeus (al-FEE-uss) who was the father of James and Judas Lebbaeus, two of the twelve original apostles (Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15–16; Acts 1:13).
cubit – a unit of measurement equal to the distance from the end of a man's elbow to the tip of his middle finger. This varied slightly from one people to another as different peoples are of slightly different statures, but the average was about ½ of a meter.
cult – a religious organization that calls itself “Christian,” but in reality is not Christian, because it does not believe the basic doctrine of the Bible that would make it Christian (i.e. being born again according to Romans 10:9). (see What is a Cult?)
cum laude (kuhm LAW-day) – a Latin phrase meaning “with honor.” This distinction is given to graduates, usually from a college or university, who have received the third highest level of academic excellence as required by the college or university. This is one level below “magna cum laude” and two levels below “summa cum laude.”
Darius (duh-RIY-uss) (proper masculine noun) – There are three different men named Darius in the Bible, and a fourth that is indirectly referred to, all of whom are in the Old Testament:
days of unleavened bread – the 13th day through the 21st day of the first month on the Jewish calendar (Abib or Nisan 13th through 21st) (Matthew 26:17; Mark 14:12; Luke 22:7; Acts 12:3; 20:6).
In the days of the Old Covenant, the day before the Passover (Nisan 13th), the Day of Passover (Nisan 14th), and the seven-day Feast of Passover (Nisan 15th through 21st), was a nine-day period that the Jews did not eat any leavened bread or even have any leavened bread in their homes. (see What are the “Days of Unleavened Bread?”)
Dead Sea (Salt Sea, Sea of the Arabah, Sea of the Plain, East(ern) Sea) – an inland sea at the mouth of the Jordan River at the southern end of the Jordan valley. It is approximately 80 kilometers long (north to south) and up to 16 kilometers wide (west to east). The surface of the water is 390 kilometers below sea level, and at its deepest part, the water is 390 kilometers deep. In Arabic it is called Bahr Lut (i.e. the Sea of Lot). It is also sometimes known as the Sea of Asphalt or Lake Asphaltites because of the bitumen pits that now lie underneath its surface and expel bitumen (which is used to make asphalt) into the sea. Nothing flows out of it, and because it is so rich in minerals, nothing can live in it. Hence its name, the “Dead Sea.”
death – There are three types of death mentioned in the Bible. (see spiritual death, physical death, the second death)
Decapolis (ten cities) – a district originally comprised of ten cities mostly south and east of the Sea of Galilee and mostly east of the lower Jordan River. The city of Scythopolis was the only city of the ten that was on the west side of the Jordan River. The other nine cities were Damascus, Raphana, Hippos, Dion, Canatha, Gadara, Pella, Gerasa, and Philadelphia. Later, other cities were added to this district.
Dedication, Feast of the (see Hanukkah, Feast of)
dies (DEE-ays) – the Latin word for “day.”
dies natalis – the Latin phrase for “birthday.”
divers (DIY-vers) – Early Modern English word for diverse (diy-VERS or di-VERS).
dog (masculine noun) – This word is used two ways in the Scriptures:
“There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel. Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the LORD thy God for any vow: for even both of these are abomination unto the LORD thy God.”
East(ern) Sea (see Dead Sea)
elementary school (grade school, grammar school, primary school) – grades 1 through 8. Normally a child is six years old when he or she begins elementary school. Each school year starts about the first of September and runs to the end of May.
escort – upper class people's term for a “whore (or whoremonger) for hire”; a whore (or whoremonger) who receives payment for committing fornication. (Payment could be in any form such as money, food, clothing, housing, transportation, employment, entertainment, special favors, etc.)
evolution – the unscientific (contrary to the laws of science) theory that the universe and all things in it including all plants, animals, and man “evolved” over billions of years from a supposed “Big Bang” that “supposedly” occurred billions of years ago.
We (and they, the evolutionists) know that this did not happen because the Bible says that God created the universe and everything in it and the Bible says that all people clearly understand that God created the universe and everything in it. In Romans, chapter 1, it says,
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.
Therefore, ALL people know that God created the universe and everything in it. People who say that they believe in evolution are liars and are dishonest people.
evolutionist – a person who claims that they believe in the unscientific (contrary to the laws of science) theory of evolution. It is only a “claim” because NOBODY really believes in evolution. The Word of God says in Romans, chapter 1,
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.
Therefore, ALL people know that God created the universe and everything in it. People who say that they believe in evolution are liars and are dishonest people.
fault – a flaw or weakness. A fault is NOT a sin.
feasts (sometimes called festivals) – There were three feasts instituted by God (Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles) under the Old Covenant (Exodus 23:14–17; 34:18–23; Deuteronomy 16:1–17). The Jews later added two of their own (Purim and Hanukkah), bringing the total number of feasts that the Jews celebrated to five. Under the New Covenant we no longer observe the three Old Covenant feasts that God instituted, and there are no New Covenant feasts instituted by God.
The three feasts instituted by God (Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles) were given to Moses by God on Mount Sinai with the rest of the Old Covenant commandments in 1445 B.C., and were a part of the Old Covenant. These three feasts are sometimes referred to as the “feasts of peregrination” because they required all the male Israelites to travel to Jerusalem to celebrate them. (Exodus 34:23; Deuteronomy 16:16) All three feasts began with a Sabbath day and ended with a Sabbath day. (The Feast of Pentecost was only a one-day feast, so the feast was a Sabbath day.)
The two feasts instituted by the Jews (Purim and Hanukkah) were first celebrated in 473 B.C. and 164 B.C. respectively, and were NOT a part of the Old Covenant.
While it is not wrong for a Christian to celebrate the Feast of Purim or the Feast of Hanukkah with the Jewish people, it is wrong for a Christian to observe any of the three God-instituted Old Covenant feasts. When Jesus hung on the cross right before He died, He cried with a loud voice, “It is finished!” He was referring to the fulfillment of the Old Testament Law of Moses (John 19:30). Jesus was not referring to His suffering being finished for the redemption of mankind, because He still had three days and three nights of suffering left in the flames of Hell (Hades). He then said, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” And then He gave up His spirit, meaning, He died (Luke 23:46). That is why the curtain in the temple was then supernaturally torn in two from the top to the bottom (Matthew 27:51)—because the Old Testament Law of Moses had been “fulfilled.” It was “finished.”
Note 1: The Day of Trumpets, the first day of the 7th month on the Jewish calendar, was NOT a feast day. Many so-called “Bible scholars” and “Bible study helps” wrongly refer to the Day of Trumpets as a feast day.
Some Christians claim that the Old Testament holiday (holy day) of the Day of Trumpets should still be celebrated because it points to the second coming of Christ, not the first coming of Christ. They say that the trumpets are referring to the trumpets that will sound when Christ returns (I Corinthians 15:51–54; I Thessalonians 4:15–17). This is not possible because when Jesus came the first time He said that He fulfilled the law (Matthew 5:17). When He hung on the cross right before He died, He said, “It (the Old Covenant—including the festivals and holy days) is finished!”
Therefore, the Day of Trumpets must be referring to something under the Old Covenant. The Day of Trumpets, Tishri 1st, was referring to the first coming of Christ. This is the day that Jesus was born on.
Note 2: Some Jews of today claim to still observe the three Old Testament feasts that were instituted by God. (Some even claim that there were more than three, but this is contrary to the written Word of God.) However, they do not observe them according to the commandments (including the dates) of the Old Testament of the Bible. Instead, they have made up their own traditions (including the dates) in “observing” them. They call them “Pesach” (PAY-sokk) for Passover, “Shavuot” (shah-VOO-oht) for Pentecost, and “Sukkot” (soo-KOHT) for Tabernacles. (There are various spellings and pronunciations for these Jewish words.)
(For a brief explanation of each of the five feasts, see each individual feast: i.e. Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles, Hanukkah, Purim.)
female human being – a person who does not have any Y chromosomes (or the Sex-determining Region Y (SRY) gene from the Y chromosome) in the nuclei of the cells of her body.
A normal female person has a pair of X chromosomes (XX) in the nuclei of the cells of her body.
A female person who has a single X chromosome (X) in the nuclei of the cells of her body has an abnormality called “Turner's Syndrome” or “XO Syndrome.”
A female person who has three X chromosomes (XXX) in the nuclei of the cells of her body has an abnormality called “Trisomy X Syndrome” or “Triple X Syndrome.”
A female person who has four X chromosomes (XXXX) in the nuclei of the cells of her body has an abnormality called “Tetrasomy X Syndrome” or “Quadruple X Syndrome.”
A female person who has five X chromosomes (XXXXX) in the nuclei of the cells of her body has an abnormality called “Pentasomy X Syndrome” or “Quintuple X Syndrome.”
festivals (see feasts)
first heaven (atmosphere) – the atmosphere around the earth. It extends from the surface of the earth to about 100 kilometers above the earth (where the Karman line is). This includes the troposphere (11 kilometers), the stratosphere (39 kilometers), the mesosphere (35 kilometers), and the first 15 kilometers of the thermosphere. This is where the birds fly, airplanes fly, the clouds are, weather balloons are, etc. (see What is Heaven?)
first lady – the wife of the president of the United States of America.
Some local churches refer to their pastor's wife as the “first lady,” but this is not Biblically correct, and is a misuse of the term.
If the president of the United States of America was a woman, her husband would be the “first gentleman.”
first resurrection (resurrection of life) – the resurrection of the righteous. This takes place after the seven-year tribulation, but before the millennium. They (the righteous) will then reign with Christ a thousand years, and ultimately will be in Heaven for all eternity.
Firstfruits, Day of (Yom Bikkurim; yohm BIKK-ur-im) – There were two different days of firstfruits under the Old Covenant. There was the Day of Firstfruits of the Barley Harvest, the second day of the Feast of the Passover, which was the 16th day of the first month, Abib or Nisan 16th, and there was the Day of Firstfruits of the Wheat Harvest, the Feast of Pentecost, which was the 6th day of the third month, Sivan 6th. There were exactly seven weeks from the Day of Firstfruits of the Barley Harvest to the Day of Firstfruits of the Wheat Harvest. This is why the Day of Firstfruits of the Wheat Harvest is sometimes called the “Feast of Weeks.”
For a brief explanation of each of the two days of firstfruits, see each individual day: (i.e. Firstfruits of Barley Harvest, Firstfruits of Wheat Harvest).
Firstfruits of Barley Harvest, Day of – The Day of Firstfruits of Barley Harvest was the second day of the Feast of Passover, Abib or Nisan 16th, which celebrated the reaping of the barley harvest by offering the firstfruits of the barley harvest unto the Lord (Leviticus 23:7–14). The first day of the Feast of Passover, Abib or Nisan 15th, was a Sabbath day (“a holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.,” verse 7), and the next day (“the morrow after the Sabbath,” verse 11), was the day that the firstfruits of the barley harvest were offered.
Note: There are some who have claimed that the only Sabbath days mentioned in the Bible are the weekly Sabbaths, the Saturday Sabbaths, and they deny the existence of the other seven Sabbath days mentioned in the Old Testament. They say that “holy convocations” where “ye shall do no servile work therein” are not necessarily Sabbaths. Therefore, they conclude that the Day of Firstfruits of Barley Harvest was celebrated on the Sunday following the weekly Sabbath that occurred during the Feast of Passover, thus being on a different date every year. This is implausible. Not only is the Word of God very clear that a “holy convocation” where “ye shall do no servile work therein” is a Sabbath day (Leviticus 23:24–25), but this would mean that about once every seven years when the Feast of Passover began on a Sunday, that the Day of Firstfruits of Barley Harvest would be celebrated after the Feast of Passover had concluded! This is preposterous. This is error. This is contrary to the Word of God as the Day of Firstfruits of Barley Harvest is a part of the Feast of Passover.
Firstfruits of Wheat Harvest, Day of (see Pentecost, Feast of)
fornication (sexual sin) – any kind of sexual activity outside of marriage. (see What is Fornication?)
fornicator – a person who commits fornication.
full-time ministry – a term that some Christians use to denote a person who is in the ministry and does not have another job on the side. (If a minister has another job on the side, these people say that the minister is in “part-time ministry.”)
The terms “full-time ministry” and “part-time ministry” are not in the Word of God. According to the Word of God, a person is either in the ministry, or not in the ministry. Whether or not a minister has another job, has nothing to do with it.
furlong – a unit of measurement equal to 200 meters (400 cubits).
Gadara (GADD-uh-ruh) – a city about 10 kilometers southeast of the Sea of Galilee. On the shore of the Sea of Galilee in the countryside of this city, Jesus cast a legion of demons out of a possessed, naked man (Mark 5:1–20; Luke 8:26–39). The city is known today as “Umm Qais.”
This is not to be confused with Gergesa, a city about one-third of the way down the east coast of the Sea of Galilee, opposite Magdala, where Jesus cast demons out of two possessed people (Matthew 8:28–34).
This is also not to be confused with Gerasa, a city about 60 kilometers southeast of the Sea of Galilee, and which is not mentioned by name in the Bible. Gerasa is indirectly mentioned in the Bible by virtue of the fact that it is one of the ten cities of “Decapolis” (Matt. 4:25; Mark 5:20; 7:31).
Gadarenes (gadd-uh-REENZ) – residents of the town and countryside of Gadara.
Galilee, Sea of (Sea of Chinnereth, Sea of Tiberias, Lake Gennesaret) – a harp-shaped, fresh-water body of water located 98 kilometers north of Jerusalem. It is almost 21 kilometers long (from north to south) and 13 kilometers wide (from west to east) at its widest part about one-third of the way down the sea where the city of Magdala is located on its western coast and the city of Gergesa is located on its eastern coast. The surface of the sea is 230 meters below sea level and the sea is from 25 to 30 meters deep at its deepest parts. The Jordan River, which flows southward, enters the sea at the north end and exits the sea at the south end. (The Jordan River above (north of) the Sea of Galilee is called the “upper Jordan River” and the Jordan River below (south of) the Sea of Galilee is called the “lower Jordan River.”) The sea is so named because it borders part of the eastern side of the province of Galilee.
The sea is also called the “Sea of Chinnereth” (KINN-er-eth) because “Chinnereth” means “harp-shaped” which is the shape of the sea, the “Sea of Tiberias” (tiy-BEER-ee-iss) because the city of Tiberias is on the western coast of the sea, and “Lake Gennesaret” (geh-NESS-arr-ett) because the Plain of Gennesaret borders the northwest of the lake.
gay (adjective) – 1) joyous and lively; merry; happy. 2) bright; brilliant in color.
Gehenna – the word used in the New Testament for the place that all sinners (the wicked) and Satan and the demons will ultimately end up in for all eternity. (The word “Gehenna” is in the Bible twelve times and in the King James Version (KJV) is translated as “Hell.”) It is a hot, flamy, tormentuous place where the devil, the demons, and all wicked people will be thrown into on Judgment Day. It is also known as “the lake of fire.” (see What is Hell?)
Gennesaret, Lake of (see Galilee, Sea of)
Gentile – a person who is not Jewish by ethnicity. In the New Testament, this person is sometimes referred to as a “Greek.” (see Greek)
Gergesa (GURR-geh-suh) – a city about one-third of the way down the east coast of the Sea of Galilee, opposite Magdala, where Jesus cast demons out of two possessed people (Matthew 8:28–34). The city is known today as “Kursi.”
This is not to be confused with Gadara, a city about 10 kilometers southeast of the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus, on the Sea of Galilee's shore of its countryside, cast a legion of demons out of one possessed, naked man (Mark 5:1–20; Luke 8:26–39).
This is also not to be confused with Gerasa, a city about 60 kilometers southeast of the Sea of Galilee, and which is not mentioned by name in the Bible. Gerasa is indirectly mentioned in the Bible by virtue of the fact that it is one of the ten cities of “Decapolis” (Matthew 4:25; Mark 5:20; 7:31).
Gergesenes (gurr-geh-SEENZ) – residents of the town and countryside of Gergesa.
gigolo (JIGG-uh-loh) – a male prostitute; a whoremonger who receives payment for committing fornication. (Payment could be in any form such as money, food, clothing, housing, transportation, employment, entertainment, special favors, etc.)
girl – a female person who is under the age of 20 (has not yet reached her 20th birthday); a female person who is not an adult. This would include female children from conception on. (see When Does a Person Become an Adult?)
gluttony – the sin of eating too much food.
grade school (elementary school, grammar school, primary school) – grades 1 through 8. Normally a child is six years old when he or she begins grade school. Each school year starts about the first of September and runs to the end of May.
grammar school (elementary school, grade school, primary school) – grades 1 through 8. Normally a child is six years old when he or she begins grammar school. Each school year starts about the first of September and runs to the end of May.
Greek – This word is used two different ways in the Bible:
Hades (HAY-deez) – the word used in the New Testament for “the place of the wicked dead.” (In the King James Version (KJV), this “place of the wicked dead” is translated “Hell” ten times, and “grave” one time.) It is a hot, flamy, tormentuous place where the wicked dead are held temporarily until Judgment Day. (see What is Hell?)
Hanukkah, Feast of (Feast of the Dedication, Feast of Lights) – an eight-day celebration observed from the 25th day of the ninth month through the 2nd day of the tenth month on the Jewish calendar (Chislev 25th through Tebeth 2nd) that was first observed in 164 B.C. commemorating the Jewish Maccabees' 165 B.C. victory of their reclaiming of Jerusalem and the temple from Antiochus IV Epiphanes and his Syrian Greek army.
harlot (whore) – a female who commits fornication.
Harvest, Feast of (see Pentecost, Feast of)
heaven – There are three different heavens mentioned in the Bible. If it is capitalized (Heaven), it is referring to the third heaven. (see first heaven, second heaven, third heaven)
heavens, the – This phrase (the heavens) refers to the first and second heavens. (see first heaven, second heaven) We sometimes would call the heavens, “the skies,” or “the sky.” Sometimes in the King James Version (KJV), “the heavens” is just translated “heaven,” just like we sometimes refer to “the skies,” as just “the sky.”
Genesis 1:1 is a good example of this. In the KJV it reads,
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”
However, in virtually every other translation, “the heaven” is translated “the heavens.” This is because in the beginning God created the first and second heavens (our atmosphere around our earth and outer space). The third heaven, where God lives, has always existed, just like God has always existed.
Another good example of this is in II Kings 2:11 where Elijah was taken up into the sky by a chariot of fire and horses of fire by a whirlwind. The KJV and many other translations say that Elijah was taken into “heaven.” But some translations say, and the literal Hebrew translation is, “the heavens.” This is the same Hebrew word here that is used in Genesis 1:1 and many other places in the Old Testament. The word is “šÄmayim” (shaw-MAH-yimm). It is what is called in the Hebrew a “dual” word. It means “two heavens.”
We know that Elijah was not taken up into Heaven (the third heaven, where God lives), because before Jesus came and lived and died and rose again from the dead, no one could go to Heaven (the third heaven, where God lives) because no one could get born again and become righteous by nature. And only people who are righteous by nature, and have no sin nature in them, can get into Heaven. Jesus said when He was on earth before He died and rose again from the dead (before anybody could get born again),
“And no man hath ascended up to Heaven, but He that came down from Heaven, even the Son of man which is in Heaven” (John 3:13).
So instead, when the Old Testament saints died (or when they were taken by the Lord without dying, as in the cases of Enoch (Genesis 5:24) and Elijah (II Kings 2:11)), they went down into the heart of the earth to a place of paradise called “Abraham's Bosom” (Luke 16:19–31). Luke 16:19–31 is the true story—not a parable—of a rich man and a man named “Lazarus.” Once Jesus was born again and rose from the dead, the people in Abraham's Bosom were born again and then were taken to Heaven (the third heaven, where God lives) by Jesus (Ephesians 4:8–10). (see What is Heaven?)
Hell – There are three different places called “Hell” in the Bible. (see Hades, Gehenna, Tartarus)
Herod (proper masculine noun) – “Herod” is the family name. There are eleven members of the “Herod” family mentioned in the Bible, seven men and four women, all of whom are in the New Testament:
Herodias (proper feminine noun) – She was a granddaughter of King Herod the Great and his wife, Mariamne the Asmonaean, through their son, Aristobulus, and his wife, Bernice.
She married her uncle, Herod Philip I (Matthew 14:3; Mark 6:17), and they had a daughter named “Salome” who was the daughter that danced before Herod Antipas and his guests (Matthew 14:6; Mark 6:22).
She was the instigator—with the help of her daughter, Salome—in the death of John the Baptist.
high school (senior high school, secondary school) – grades 9 through 12. Normally a child is 14 years old when he or she begins high school. Each school year starts about the first of September and runs to the end of May.
holy kiss – a kiss on the cheek.
holy matrimony – the holy union (marriage) of a husband and a wife—as long as at least one them is a Christian. If the husband and wife are not Christians, it is only a marriage.
homo (noun) – a shortened form of “homosexual.”
homophobe (noun) – a person who has a fear of homos (homosexuals); a person who has a fear of being harmed or killed by homosexuals.
homophobia (noun) – a fear of homos (homosexuals); a fear of being harmed or killed by homosexuals.
homophobic (adjective) – having a fear of homos (homosexuals); having a fear of being harmed or killed by homosexuals.
homosexual (noun) – a person who commits the sin of homosexuality. Sometimes called “homo” for short. A person is not a homosexual until they commit homosexual acts, just like a thief is not a thief until they steal things, or a liar is not a liar until they tell lies.
homosexuality (noun) – fornication where the people involved are of the same sex. Homosexuality is unnatural (against nature), and like beastiality, is also known as “sodomy.” Romans 1:26–27 says,
“For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.”
This Scripture explains—among other things—that homosexuals do not love one another. They lust for one another.
No one is created by God or born a homosexual. Homosexuality is a choice a person makes. And though they may have had “help” (by being influenced by demons or molested or raped or had a bad marriage or whatever), in all cases the homosexual person has made a conscious decision to pervert themselves.
The reason we know that “homosexuality is a choice a person makes” is because the Bible says that homosexuality is a sin. God doesn't create people with tendencies to sin—and then tell them not to do it! Sinning is a choice a person makes. If homosexuality was a normal or permitted behavior it wouldn't be a sin.
Homosexuality is a perverted behavior, and anyone who says that homosexuality is normal, is also perverted. The Word of God says that homosexuality is an abomination in the sight of God, and such people who commit this sin deserve the death penalty. Leviticus 20:13 says,
“If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.”
Other Scriptures that mention homosexuality are: Genesis 19:4–7; Leviticus 18:22; I Corinthians 6:9; I Timothy 1:10; and Jude 7.
illegitimate child (bastard) – a child who is conceived (comes into existence) outside of wedlock. A child who is “born” outside of wedlock may or may not be an illegitimate child. If a married woman conceives a child in wedlock, and while pregnant gets divorced or becomes a widow, and then gives birth to the child while she is unmarried, the child is NOT an illegitimate child. By the same token, a child who is “born” inside of wedlock is an illegitimate child if the child was conceived (came into existence) outside of wedlock.
infant (babe, baby) – a child who has not yet reached the point in their life when they can speak. Once a child is old enough to talk, they are no longer an infant. This point is usually between one and two years of age.
Ingathering, Feast of (see Tabernacles, Feast of)
invictus – the Latin word for “unconquered.”
James (proper masculine noun) – There are four different men named James in the Bible, all of whom are in the New Testament:
Jew – a shortened term for “Judahite.” (see Judahite)
Judahite – a person who was a descendant of Jacob's fourth son, Judah. Called “Jew” for short. Over time the term “Jew” came to mean a person who descended from any of the twelve sons of Jacob.
junior high (junior high school) – the last two years of grammar school, 7th and 8th grades, usually in a building separate from the first six years of grammar school. Normally a child is 12 years old when he or she begins junior high.
junior high school (junior high) – the last two years of grammar school, 7th and 8th grades, usually in a building separate from the first six years of grammar school. Normally a child is 12 years old when he or she begins junior high school.
Karman line – the line that is used to define the boundary between the first and second heavens (between the earth's atmosphere and outer space) which is about 100 kilometers above the surface of the earth.
kilometer – a unit of measurement equal to 1,000 meters (5 furlongs). “Kilo” means “thousand.”
Lake Asphaltites (see Dead Sea)
Lake Gennesaret (see Galilee, Sea of)
lake of fire (see Gehenna)
leaven – fermented dough; dough with ferment in it. The ferment in the dough would normally be yeast.
leavened bread – bread made with leaven (fermented dough) in it. The fermentation then spreads through the entire batch of dough causing the dough to rise.
liar – a person who tells lies.
lie – a false statement spoken by a person who knows it to be false with the intent to deceive. (If a person speaks a false statement by accident, it is not lying. It is misspeaking.) Lying is a sin. Lying is immoral. People who lie are immoral people.
Lights, Feast of (see Hanukkah, Feast of)
local church – a pastor and a congregation. Usually just called a “church.”
logos (LOH-gohs) – the Greek word for the “written word (of God).”
Lord's Day – the first day of the week; Sunday. So named because this is the day of the week on which the Lord first appeared to His disciples after His resurrection (Revelation 1:10).
Lot, Sea of (see Dead Sea)
Lots, Feast of (see Purim, Feast of)
lust – inordinate desire.
Macedonia (mass-i-DOHN-ee-uh) – the name of the province that comprised the northern portion of Greece. Its capital city was Thessalonica. (The name of the province of the southern portion was Achaia.)
magna cum laude (MAGG-nuh kuhm LAW-day) – a Latin phrase meaning “with high honor.” This distinction is given to graduates, usually from a college or university, who have received the second highest level of academic excellence as required by the college or university. This is one level below “summa cum laude” and one level above “cum laude.”
male human being – a person who has at least one Y chromosome (or the Sex-determining Region Y (SRY) gene from the Y chromosome) in the nuclei of the cells of his body.
A normal male person has an X and Y chromosome pair (XY) in the nuclei of the cells of his body.
A male person who has two X chromosomes and a Y chromosome (XXY) or two X chromosomes and two Y chromosomes (XXYY) in the nuclei of the cells of his body has an abnormality called “Klinefelter's Syndrome.”
A male person who has three X chromosomes and a Y chromosome (XXXY) or four X chromosomes and a Y chromosome (XXXXY) in the nuclei of the cells of his body has an abnormality called “Extreme Klinefelter's Syndrome.”
A male person who has two X chromosomes with one of them having the SRY gene in the nuclei of the cells of his body has an abnormality called “XX Male Syndrome” or “De La Chapelle Syndrome.”
man – This word is used three different ways in the Scriptures:
“And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed” (Genesis 2:25).(Obviously, when God created Adam and Eve, they had not yet lived for 20 years! But God created them as adults—not as children.)
“And he said unto him, ‘Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honorable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go’” (I Samuel 9:6).
“For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh” (Ephesians 5:31).
“And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, ‘I have gotten a man from the LORD’” (Genesis 4:1).
“And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed” (Genesis 17:12).
“And Saul said to him, ‘Whose son art thou, thou young man?’ And David answered, ‘I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite’” (I Samuel 17:58).(We know from other Scriptures that David was “a youth,” a teenager, at this time. He was not an adult yet. He was not literally a “young man” (a man between the ages of 20 and 60). When King Saul called David a “young man,” the king was using a colloquialism.)
“So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them” (Genesis 1:27).
“But Jesus did not commit Himself unto them, because He knew all men, And needed not that any should testify of man: for He knew what was in man” (John 2:24–25).
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20).
mankind – the human race; all people. Called “man” for short.
manslaughter – the accidental killing of a person.
marriage (noun) – the state of being united (married) to a person of the opposite sex as husband and wife; wedlock.
Mary (proper feminine noun) – There are six different women named Mary in the Bible, all of whom are in the New Testament:
Melzar (masculine noun) – the person who Ashpenaz, the prince of the eunuchs of King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylonia, had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (Daniel 1:11).
men – This word is the plural form of “man” and is used two different ways in the Scriptures:
“And the LORD said unto Moses, ‘Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee’” (Numbers 11:16).
“And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children” (Matthew 14:21).
“And they that did eat were four thousand men, besides women and children” (Matthew 15:38).
“And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name ‘Enos’: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD” (Genesis 4:26).
“Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3).
“Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (I Timothy 2:4).
mesosphere (MEZZ-uss-feer) – the area from about 50 kilometers above the earth to about 85 kilometers above the earth.
meter – a unit of measurement that is 1/10,000,000 (one ten-millionth) of the distance from the equator to either the north or south pole. 1 meter = 2 cubits.
middle school – the last three years of grammar school, 6th, 7th, and 8th grades, usually in a building separate from the first five years of grammar school. Normally a child is 11 years old when he or she begins middle school.
misspeak – to say something incorrect accidentally. Misspeaking is NOT lying and thus is NOT a sin. (past tense—misspoke)
mistake – an error that is committed accidentally. A mistake is NOT a sin.
mitzvah (MITZ-vuh) – the Hebrew word for “commandment.”
mitzvot (MITZ-voht) – the Hebrew word for “commandments.” (the plural of mitzvah)
murder – the intentional killing of a person who does not deserve to die. This would include:
natalis – the Latin word for “birth.”
outer space (see second heaven)
part-time ministry – a term that some Christians use to denote a person who is in the ministry, but also has another job on the side. These people say that the apostle Paul was in “part-time ministry” because in addition to being in the ministry, he also worked making tents (Acts 18:3).
There is no such thing as “part-time ministry” in the Word of God. According to the Word of God, you are either in the ministry, or not in the ministry. Whether or not a minister has another job, has nothing to do with it.
Passover – The word “Passover” is used five different ways in the Bible. Many times the word “Passover” is used by itself, leaving the reader to figure out which one of the five ways the word is being used:
Passover, Day of – the 14th day of the first month on the Jewish calendar (Abib or Nisan 14th). (definition to come)
Passover, Feast of (Feast of Unleavened Bread) – the 15th day through the 21st day of the first month on the Jewish calendar (Abib or Nisan 15th through 21st). (definition to come)
Passover Lamb – the lamb that was eaten during the Passover Meal on the Day of Passover (Nisan 14th).
Passover Meal – the meal that was eaten on the Day of Passover (Nisan 14th) that included the eating of the Passover Lamb.
Pentateuch – the Law of God as given to Moses; the first five books of the Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy); also known as the Torah.
Pentecost, Feast of (Feast of Weeks, Feast of Harvest, Day of Firstfruits of Wheat Harvest) – The Feast of Pentecost or Feast of Weeks or Feast of Harvest or Day of Firstfruits of Wheat Harvest as it is sometimes called (Acts 2:1; Exodus 34:22; 23:16), was one of the three Old Testament feasts instituted by God. (The other two being the Feast of Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles.) This feast was a one-day feast observed on the 6th day of the third month on the Jewish calendar (Sivan 6th). We have no record of what the name of the third month was originally, but from the time of the Babylonian Captivity on, the third month was called “Sivan.”
The word “Pentecost” is from the Greek word “pentecoste” (penn-tay-cahs-TAY) and means “fiftieth.” The feast was so named because it was observed on the fiftieth day after the first day of the Feast of Passover. Many “Bible study helps” say that Pentecost is “the fiftieth day after Passover.” But this is very loose and unclear terminology, as this could mean “50 days after the Day of Passover” (50 days after Nisan 14th) or “50 days after the beginning of the Feast of Passover” (50 days after Nisan 15th) or “50 days after the end of the Feast of Passover” (50 days after Nisan 21st). The Bible explains that the first day of the Feast of Passover is a Sabbath day, and that the Feast of Pentecost is 50 days after this day (Leviticus 23:7, 15–16).
The Feast of Pentecost was a Sabbath day (Leviticus 23:21) which celebrated the reaping of the wheat harvest by offering the firstfruits of the wheat harvest unto the Lord (Exodus 34:22; Leviticus 23:16–20).
Note: There is a tradition which claims that Moses received the commandments of the Old Covenant from God on Mount Sinai on the day of the Feast of Pentecost (Sivan 6th) in 1445 B.C. Not only can this not be substantiated by the Bible, but Pentecost is only a one-day feast, whereas Moses spent 40 days twice (for a total of 80 days) on Mount Sinai receiving the Old Testament commandments (Exodus 24:18; 34:28).
Philip (fond of horses) (proper masculine noun) – There are four different men named Philip in the Bible, all of whom are in the New Testament:
Philistia (fill-ISS-tee-uh) – a heathen nation that was on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea (the western border of Israel) that stretched about 80 kilometers from north to south (from Joppa to Gaza) and extended about 25 kilometers inland. The Philistines, who came from the island of Crete, invaded and took over this part of Israel around 1200 B.C. Its principal cities were Joppa, Ekron, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Gaza.
Philistines (fill-ISS-teens) – the people of Philistia.
phobia (noun) – an extreme or excessive fear of something.
physical death – when a person's spirit and soul leave their body. The person either goes to Heaven, if they are a believer, or goes to Hell (Hades), if they are an unbeliever. Their lifeless body remains on earth.
Plain, Sea of the (see Dead Sea)
politics – adult peer pressure.
polyandrist (pah-lee-ANN-drist) – a female who commits polyandry. King David's wife, Michal, was a polyandrist (I Samuel 18:27; 25:44; II Samuel 3:15–16). Herod Philip I's wife, Herodias, was also a polyandrist (Mark 6:17).
polyandry (pah-lee-ANN-dree) – the act or practice of having multiple (two or more) husbands at the same time.
polygamist (puh-LIGG-uh-mist) – a person who commits polygamy.
polygamy (puh-LIGG-uh-mee) – the act or practice of having multiple (two or more) spouses at the same time.
polygynist (puh-LIJ-i-nist) – a male who commits polygyny.
polygyny (puh-LIJ-i-nee) – the act or practice of having multiple (two or more) wives at the same time.
preach – to proclaim.
primary school (elementary school, grade school, grammar school) – grades 1 through 8. Normally a child is six years old when he or she begins primary school. Each school year starts about the first of September and runs to the end of May.
pro-choice – for, or in favor of a mother's choice to murder her own unborn child.
pro-life – for, or in favor of life and keeping all people alive as long as possible.
prostitute – lower class people's term for a “whore (or whoremonger) for hire”; a whore or whoremonger who receives payment for committing fornication. (Payment could be in any form such as money, food, clothing, housing, transportation, employment, entertainment, special favors, etc.)
Purim, Feast of (Feast of Lots) – a two-day celebration that was observed on the 14th and 15th days of the twelfth month on the Jewish calendar (Adar 14th & 15th) that was first observed in 473 B.C. commemorating the Jewish smiting of, and deliverance from, their Persian enemies on Adar 13th and 14th in 473 B.C.
raised from the dead – when a person's spirit and soul return to their body and the person becomes physically alive again. Such a person is said to be “raised from the dead” and will physically die again someday. This can only happen in the case of believers. Unbelievers cannot be “raised from the dead” because that would mean that they would have to come up out of Hell (Hades) and get back into their bodies. And no one can be delivered from Hell once they go there. (see Raised From the Dead and Resurrected)
resurrected – when a person's spirit and soul are reunited with their body and they never die (physically) again. This will happen to everyone in the end when everyone gets judged. The wicked will then be cast into the lake of fire (Gehenna), and the Christians will go to Heaven. Jesus is the only person who has been resurrected thus far. (see Raised From the Dead and Resurrected)
resurrection – Aside from the resurrection of Jesus, there are two resurrections spoken of in the Bible. (see first resurrection, second resurrection)
resurrection of damnation (see second resurrection)
resurrection of life (see first resurrection)
resurrection of the just (see first resurrection)
resurrection of the unjust (see second resurrection)
rhema (RAY-muh) – the Greek word for the “spoken word (of God).”
Sabbath – a day of rest that was mandated under the Old Covenant. There were various Sabbath days observed under the Old Covenant, the most well-known of which, was the weekly Sabbath which occurred every Saturday (Leviticus 23:3).
The other seven Sabbath days were based upon calendar dates and thus could fall on any day of the week, and were:
Note 1: The “Day of Passover” (Nisan 14th) was NOT a Sabbath day.
Note 2: The “Feast of Passover” (Nisan 15–21) was also known as the “Feast of Unleavened Bread.”
Salt Sea (see Dead Sea)
Saturn – the Roman god of agriculture and harvest.
Saturnalia – a Roman pagan festival observed from about December 17th to December 25th, that celebrated the belief that Saturn, the god of agriculture and harvest, was in need of the sun god to complete his job.
Sea of Asphalt (see Dead Sea)
Sea of Chinnereth (KINN-er-eth) (see Galilee, Sea of)
Sea of Galilee (see Galilee, Sea of)
Sea of Lot (see Dead Sea)
Sea of the Arabah (see Dead Sea)
Sea of the Plain (see Dead Sea)
Sea of Tiberias (see Galilee, Sea of)
second death – what the wicked and the devil and the demons will experience when they are cast into the lake of fire (Gehenna) on Judgment Day. This is not a cessation of existence. They will be tormented forever in the lake of fire.
second heaven – outer space, or “space” for short. It begins where the earth's atmosphere ends (at about 100 kilometers above the earth, where the Karman line is) and extends outward. This is where the moon is, the planets are, the stars are, etc. (see What is Heaven?)
second resurrection (resurrection of damnation) – the resurrection of the wicked. This takes place after the millennium. They (the wicked) will then be judged and cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death.
secondary school (senior high school, high school) – grades 9 through 12. Normally a child is 14 years old when he or she begins secondary school. Each school year starts about the first of September and runs to the end of May.
senior high school (high school, secondary school) – grades 9 through 12. Normally a child is 14 years old when he or she begins senior high school. Each school year starts about the first of September and runs to the end of May.
sexual sin (fornication) – any kind of sexual activity outside of marriage. (see What is Fornication?)
Sheol (SHEE-ohl) – the word used in the Old Testament for “the place of the dead.” (In the King James Version (KJV), this “place of the dead” is translated “Hell” 31 times, “the grave” 31 times, and “the pit” 3 times.) Before Jesus came and died and rose from the dead, all people who were of an accountable age (see What is “the Age of Accountability?”) and died, went down to Sheol. (People who were not of an accountable age and died went directly to Heaven—just like they do today.) Sheol was comprised of three sections: a hot, flamy, place of torment called “Hades” where the wicked dead went, a great gulf or chasm, and a place of paradise called “Abraham's Bosom” where the dead believers went. (see What is Hell?)
Siddim (the valley of the fields) – (see vale of Siddim)
sin – the act of transgressing (breaking, disobeying) the Word of God—either the written Word (logos), or the spoken Word (rhema). A person cannot commit a sin “by accident.” Sinning is a willful act. A sin is NOT a mistake. A sin is NOT a fault. (see What is Sin?)
sinner – This word is used two different ways in the Scriptures:
Sodomite (SODD-umm-ite) – a resident of the city of Sodom, one of the five “cities of the plain.” (The other four cities were Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela (Zoar).) There are no Sodomites (residents of Sodom) alive today, as they, as well as the Gomorrahites (residents of Gomorrah), the Admahites (residents of Admah), and the Zeboiimites (residents of Zeboiim) were destroyed with their cities in 2066 B.C. when God rained brimstone and fire from heaven upon them because of their sinfulness (Genesis 19:24–25).
Although Bela (Zoar) was also supposed to be destroyed along with the other four cities of the plain with brimstone and fire, it was not destroyed because Lot asked and was granted permission from the Lord (via two of His angels) to flee there. The small city remained for many centuries, but is no longer in existence today.
Because the Dead Sea has no outlet, and millions of liters of water pour into it every day from the Jordan River and several other sources, the level of the sea rose for centuries since the destruction of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim. Today, the ruins of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela (Zoar) are located underneath what is now the expanded southern portion of the Dead Sea.
sodomite (SODD-umm-ite) (masculine noun) – the Old Testament word for a male fornicator; the equivalent of the New Testament word, “whoremonger.” This, of course, includes—but is not limited to—male prostitutes (Deut. 23:17; I Kings 14:24; 15:12; 22:46; II Kings 23:7).
sodomy (SODD-umm-ee) – unnatural (against nature) sexual relations; beastiality and homosexuality. The word sodomy is not found in the Bible, but it (beastiality and homosexuality) is referred to in Genesis 19:4–5; Exodus 22:19; Leviticus 18:22–23; 20:13, 15–16; Deuteronomy 27:21; Romans 1:26–27; I Corinthians 6:9; I Timothy 1:10; and Jude 7. Sodomy is a perverted behavior, and anyone who says that sodomy is normal, is also perverted. The Word of God says that sodomy is an abomination in the sight of God, and such people who commit this sin deserve the death penalty. Exodus 22:19 says,
“Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death.”
Leviticus 18:22–23, 29 says,
“Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion (perversion)…For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people.”
sol – the Latin word for “sun.”
Sol Invictus (unconquered sun) – the official sun god of the Later Roman Empire.
space (see second heaven)
spiritual death – separation from God; not in a relationship with God. People who are of an accountable age (see What is “the Age of Accountability?”) and not Christians are spiritually dead. If a person physically dies in this state, they will go to Hell (Hades).
stratosphere (STRATT-uss-feer) – the area from about 11 kilometers above the earth to about 50 kilometers above the earth.
summa cum laude (SOO-muh kuhm LAW-day) – a Latin phrase meaning “with highest honor.” This distinction is given to graduates, usually from a college or university, who have received the highest level of academic excellence as required by the college or university. This is one level above “magna cum laude” and two levels above “cum laude.”
Tabernacles, Feast of (Feast of Booths, Feast of Ingathering) – the 15th day through the 22nd day of the seventh month on the Jewish calendar (Ethanim or Tishri 15th through 22nd). (definition to come)
Tartarus – the word used in the New Testament for the place that is below Hades where some of the demons (fallen angels) are kept in chains until Judgment Day. (This place is mentioned only once in the Bible (in II Peter 2:4) and in the King James Version (KJV) is translated “Hell.”) It is a hot, flamy, tormentuous place where these demons are held temporarily until Judgment Day. (see What is Hell?)
teach – to explain.
tetrarch (TEH-trark) – a person who governs or rules over ¼ of a province or kingdom or country.
thermosphere (THURR-muss-feer) – the area from about 85 kilometers above the earth to about 690 kilometers above the earth.
third heaven – This is where God lives. Heaven, the third heaven, has always existed just like God has always existed. However, it was not always called the third heaven. It only began being called the third heaven when “God created the heavens (the first heaven and the second heaven) and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). The Bible says that Heaven (If it is capitalized, it is referring to the third heaven.) is north of the earth (Psalm 48:2; Isaiah 14:13; Psalm 75:6–7). It is not visible to us because it is in the spiritual realm. (see What is Heaven?)
Tiberias, Sea of (see Galilee, Sea of)
Torah – the Law of God as given to Moses; the first five books of the Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy); also known as the Pentateuch.
trans (adjective) – a shortened form of “transgender” or “transsexual.”
transgender (sometimes called transsexual) (adjective) – A person who calls themself “transgender” is a person who does not acknowledge that their gender identity corresponds with the sex (gender) that God made them. This is the opposite of cisgender. (see cisgender)
A person who says that they are “transgender” (or “trans” for short) is a liar because it is impossible for a person to “transform” or “transition” from one sex (gender) into the other.
A person who is a male has at least one Y chromosome (or the Sex-determining Region Y (SRY) gene from the Y chromosome) in the nuclei of the cells of his body.
A person who is a female does not have any Y chromosomes (or the Sex-determining Region Y (SRY) gene from the Y chromosome) in the nuclei of the cells of her body.
In order for a person to change from one sex (gender) into the other, they would have to change the chromosomes in every cell of their body. Since this is impossible, no one can “transform” or “transition” from one sex (gender) into the other. (see What's the Deal with Transgenderism?)
transgenderism (sometimes called transsexualism) (noun) – the (false) idea that a person can “transform” or “transition” from one sex (gender) into the other. (see What's the Deal with Transgenderism?)
transphobe (noun) – a person who has a fear of people who call themselves “trans”; a person who has a fear of being harmed or killed by people who call themselves transgenders or transsexuals.
transphobia (noun) – a fear of people who call themselves “trans”; a fear of being harmed or killed by people who call themselves transgenders or transsexuals.
transphobic (adjective) – having a fear of people who call themselves “trans”; having a fear of being harmed or killed by people who call themselves transgenders or transsexuals.
transsexual (also called transgender) (adjective) (see transgender)
transsexualism (also called transgenderism) (noun) (see transgenderism)
troposphere (TROPP-uss-feer) – the first part the earth's atmosphere, from the earth's surface to about 11 kilometers above the earth.
Trumpets, Day of – the 1st day of the seventh month on the Jewish calendar (Ethanim or Tishri 1st). (definition to come)
universal church – all people who are Christians. Called “the church” for short.
unleavened bread – bread made without using leaven (fermented dough).
Unleavened Bread, Feast of (see Passover, Feast of)
vale – a valley.
vale of Siddim – a vale, or valley of slime (bitumen) pits that was located near the five cities of the plain (Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela (Zoar)). Because of the rising of the water level of the Dead Sea over the years, and the subsidence of the land, this valley, as well as the five cities of the plain, are now under the water of the expanded southern portion of the Dead Sea.
viper – a venomous snake.
Weekly Sabbath – a day of rest that that was mandated under the Old Covenant and took place on the last day of the week, Saturday. So named to distinguish it from the seven other Sabbath days that were observed under the Old Covenant.
Note: There are many people—even many Christians—who think that Sunday is the new weekly Sabbath day under the New Covenant. They think that the weekly Sabbath day was changed from Saturday to Sunday when the New Covenant came in when Jesus rose from the dead.
There is nothing in the Bible that says that the weekly Sabbath day was ever changed from the last day of the week (Saturday) to the first day of the week (Sunday).
This idea (of the weekly Sabbath day changing from Saturday to Sunday) came from the Roman Catholic Church in 321 A.D. when Pope Constantine (the first pope of the Roman Catholic Church) issued the “Edict of Constantine” declaring that Sunday (the Venerable Day of the Sun) shall be a day of rest for all people in the Roman Empire and the Roman Catholic Church.
However, under the New Covenant we do not have any commandments to keep any Sabbath days—including the weekly Sabbath day.
Weeks, Feast of (see Pentecost, Feast of)
whore (harlot) – a female who commits fornication.
whoremonger (sodomite) – a male who commits fornication. The Old Testament uses the word “sodomite” to denote a male fornicator. The New Testament uses the word “whoremonger” to denote a male fornicator.
woman – a female who is 20 years old or older.
women – the plural of “woman.”
young boy – a boy who is not a baby, but who is under the age of 12 (has not yet reached his 12th birthday).
young child – a child who is not a baby, but who is under the age of 12 (has not yet reached their 12th birthday).
young girl – a girl who is not a baby, but who is under the age of 12 (has not yet reached her 12th birthday).
young man – an adult male who is under the age of 60 (has not yet reached his 60th birthday). (see What is Young? What is Old?)
young woman – an adult female who is under the age of 60 (has not yet reached her 60th birthday). (see What is Young? What is Old?)
youth (noun) – A youth is a child from the age of 12 through the age of 19. Jether, the firstborn son of Gideon, was a youth when he was told by his father to slay Zebah and Zalmunna, the two Midianite kings, in Judges 8. David was a youth when he slew the Philistine giant, Goliath of Gath, in I Samuel 17. Jesus was a youth when He stayed behind in Jerusalem after the Feast of the Passover without telling His parents (Luke 2:40–50).
A person in their youth is a person under the age of 60.