κτίσις

creation, creature, institution

Definition

κτίσις primarily means 'creation' or 'creature,' referring to the act of creating or the thing created. In the New Testament, it most often denotes the entire created order, the universe as God's handiwork (Romans 1:20, Mark 13:19). It can also refer to individual creatures or humanity as part of that creation (Mark 16:15, Romans 1:25). In a specific sense, it describes the state or condition of being created, as seen in passages about creation's subjection to futility and its hope for redemption (Romans 8:19-21).

Biblical Usage

Used 19 times, κτίσις appears most frequently in Paul's letters, especially Romans, where it carries deep theological weight about the relationship between God, humanity, and the cosmos. In the Gospels (Mark 10:6, 13:19), it refers to the original created order or the entire world. Paul uses it to personify creation groaning for liberation (Romans 8:19-22) and to contrast worship of the Creator with worship of created things (Romans 1:25).

Etymology

Derived from the verb κτίζω (ktizō, G2936), meaning 'to found,' 'build,' or 'create.' It shares a root with terms for founder or builder (κτίστης). In the Septuagint (Greek Old Testament), it was used to translate Hebrew words for creation, solidifying its theological association with God's creative act.

Semantic Range

This word is central to understanding the biblical doctrine of creation and redemption. It emphasizes that all creation is fundamentally good, dependent on God, and tragically subjected to corruption because of human sin (Romans 8:20). It also carries the profound hope that salvation in Christ is cosmic in scope, promising the liberation and renewal of all creation, not just human souls. This enriches reading by showing that the gospel is about the restoration of God's entire world.

In the Greco-Roman world, the concept of 'creation' was often tied to philosophical ideas of a formed cosmos from pre-existing matter. The biblical use of κτίσις, influenced by the Jewish creation narrative, insists on creation ex nihilo (out of nothing) by the sovereign will of God, a distinctively theological understanding of the world's origin and purpose.

κτίσμα (ktisma, G2938) — emphasizes the concrete result, the created thing itself. κόσμος (kosmos, G2889) — focuses on the world as an ordered system, often the inhabited earth. γένεσις (genesis, G1078) — emphasizes origin, generation, or beginning.

Word Details

Scripture References