Bible Word Study
μῆκος
mēkos · length
μῆκος
length
Definition
Μῆκος is a noun meaning 'length,' referring to the measurement of an object from end to end. In the New Testament, it is used in a literal, spatial sense to describe the dimensions of objects or spaces. For example, in Revelation 21:16, it specifies the length of the New Jerusalem as part of its cubic shape. In Ephesians 3:18, it appears in a metaphorical context, where believers are to comprehend the 'breadth and length and height and depth' of Christ's love, suggesting a comprehensive, immeasurable quality.
Biblical Usage
This word occurs only twice in the New Testament, both times in contexts emphasizing measurement or comprehension. In Ephesians 3:18, it is part of a fourfold dimensional description (breadth, length, height, depth) used metaphorically to express the vastness of Christ's love. In Revelation 21:16, it is used literally to describe the physical dimensions of the heavenly city, the New Jerusalem, which is said to be equal in length, breadth, and height.
Etymology
Derived from the ancient Greek μῆκος (mēkos), meaning 'length' or 'long duration.' It is related to the adjective μακρός (makros, G3117), meaning 'long' or 'far,' indicating a shared root concept of extension. The word is a straightforward term for linear measurement, common in classical and Koine Greek.
Semantic Range
While primarily a term of measurement, μῆκος gains theological significance in Ephesians 3:18. There, as part of a quartet of dimensions, it helps convey the incomprehensible and boundless nature of Christ's love. This metaphorical use invites believers to appreciate that God's love surpasses mere intellectual understanding, encompassing every aspect of existence. Understanding this Greek term enriches reading by highlighting the intentional use of spatial language to describe a spiritual reality. In the ancient Greco-Roman world, precise measurement was important in construction, land surveying, and commerce. The term μῆκος would have been understood in these practical contexts. The description in Revelation 21:16 of a city with equal length, breadth, and height would have been striking, as a perfect cube was a shape of symbolic perfection (like the Holy of Holies in the Old Testament), not a common architectural form. ἡλικία (hēlikia, G2244) — age, stature, or maturity; can refer to length of life or physical height. πῆχυς (pēchus, G4083) — a cubit, a specific unit of length measurement.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). Concordance and morphology data are derived from the interlinear Bible.
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]