The Biblical Words for “World” (Hebrew & Greek)
The English word “world” is actually a cluster of ideas in Scripture:
- the physical earth
- humanity
- the nations
- the present age
- the fallen system opposed to God
Let’s break down the original words.
HEBREW TERMS (Old Testament)
A. אֶרֶץ — ’erets
Meaning: earth, land, ground, territory, the whole earth.
This is the most common Hebrew word for the physical world.
Key ideas:
- the planet
- the land of Israel
- the ground itself
- the inhabited earth
Key uses:
- Genesis 1:1 — “God created the heavens and the earth.”
- Psalm 24:1 — “The earth is the LORD’s…”
This is the physical world.
B. תֵּבֵל — tevel
Meaning: the inhabited world, the productive earth.
This word emphasizes the ordered, inhabited, flourishing world.
Key uses:
- Psalm 96:10 — “The world is firmly established.”
- Isaiah 13:11 — God will punish the world for its evil.
This is the civilized, populated world.
C. עוֹלָם — olam
Meaning: age, eternity, forever, the long duration of time.
Not “world” in the physical sense — but often translated as “world” in older English Bibles (“world without end”).
Key ideas:
- the age
- the long span of time
- eternity
- the world as a time‑realm
Key uses:
- Ecclesiastes 3:11 — God has set olam in the human heart.
- Psalm 90:2 — “From everlasting to everlasting…”
This is the world as an age or era.
GREEK TERMS (New Testament)
The NT uses three major Greek words for “world,” each with a different meaning.
A. κόσμος — kosmos
Meaning: world, ordered system, humanity, the world-system.
This is the most important NT word for “world.”
It can mean:
- the physical world
- the human race
- the world system opposed to God
- the beauty and order of creation
Key uses:
- John 3:16 — “God so loved the world…” (humanity)
- John 15:19 — “The world hates you…” (fallen system)
- 1 John 2:15 — “Do not love the world…” (evil order)
- Romans 1:20 — creation reveals God (physical world)
Kosmos is multi-layered:
- God loves the world
- but believers must not love the world-system
This tension is central to NT theology.
B. οἰκουμένη — oikoumenē
Meaning: the inhabited world, the civilized world, the Roman Empire.
Key ideas:
- the populated world
- the political world
- the empire
Key uses:
- Luke 2:1 — Caesar’s census of “the whole world”
- Acts 17:31 — God will judge “the world”
- Revelation 3:10 — testing coming on “the whole world”
This is the humanly organized world.
C. αἰών — aiōn
Meaning: age, era, world-age, the present world order.
This is the word behind:
- “this present age”
- “the age to come”
- “forever and ever”
Key uses:
- Romans 12:2 — “Do not be conformed to this age.”
- Matthew 28:20 — “I am with you to the end of the age.”
- 2 Corinthians 4:4 — Satan is “the god of this age.”
This is the world as a time‑realm, not a place.
Timeline of the Concept of “World” from Genesis to Revelation
Stage 1: The Created World (Genesis 1–2)
The world is:
- good
- ordered
- beautiful
- God’s temple
The world is God’s masterpiece.
Stage 2: The Fallen World (Genesis 3–11)
The world becomes:
- corrupted
- violent
- filled with rebellion
The world is broken but still God’s.
Stage 3: The World of Nations (Genesis 12–Malachi)
The world becomes:
- the nations
- the Gentiles
- the political powers
Israel is called to be a light to the world.
Stage 4: The World God Loves (Gospels)
Jesus enters the world:
- as light
- as Savior
- as the one who overcomes the world
John 3:16 becomes the turning point:
- God loves the world
- God sends His Son to save it
The world is loved but lost.
Stage 5: The World-System Opposed to God (Epistles)
Paul and John describe the world as:
- under the power of the evil one
- hostile to God
- seductive
- temporary
Believers live in the world but not of it.
Stage 6: The World to Be Judged (Revelation)
Revelation shows:
- the world-system collapsing
- the nations judged
- Babylon (the world’s corruption) destroyed
The world is purged.
Stage 7: The New World (New Creation)
Revelation ends with:
- a new heaven
- a new earth
- a restored world
- God dwelling with humanity
The world is reborn.
Comparison of “World” in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
Judaism
The world is:
- created good
- the stage for covenant
- the place where God’s kingdom will be revealed
- destined for renewal
Judaism emphasizes this world, not escape from it.
Christianity
The world is:
- created good
- fallen
- loved by God
- opposed to God
- redeemed through Christ
- destined for new creation
Christianity holds a dual tension:
- love the people of the world
- reject the world-system of evil
Islam
The world (dunyā) is:
- a temporary testing ground
- full of beauty but also distraction
- not evil, but dangerous if loved too much
- preparation for the afterlife
Islam emphasizes balance:
- use the world
- do not be owned by it