Bible Word Study
παλιγγενεσία
paliggenesia · a new birth, regeneration
παλιγγενεσία
a new birth, regeneration
Definition
παλιγγενεσία (paliggenesia) refers to a comprehensive renewal or rebirth. In Matthew 19:28, it describes the future 'renewal of all things'—the cosmic restoration of creation when Jesus returns to establish his kingdom. In Titus 3:5, the meaning shifts to the personal, spiritual 'rebirth' or 'regeneration' that the Holy Spirit works in a believer through baptism and faith, washing away sin and granting new life. Thus, the word encompasses both a future cosmic renewal and a present, personal transformation.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only twice in the New Testament, in two distinct contexts. In Matthew 19:28, Jesus uses it in an eschatological sense, speaking of the future renewal of the world. In Titus 3:5, Paul uses it in a soteriological sense, describing the personal regeneration of the individual Christian by the Holy Spirit. The pattern shows its application from the grand, cosmic scale to the intimate, personal experience of salvation.
Etymology
Derived from πάλιν (palin, meaning 'again') and γένεσις (genesis, meaning 'birth,' 'origin,' or 'creation'). It literally means 'birth again' or 'regeneration.' The term was used in Greek philosophy (e.g., Stoicism) for the renewal of the world and in wider culture for restoration or revival, which the New Testament authors adapted for theological purposes.
Semantic Range
This word is crucial for understanding the doctrines of salvation and eschatology. It connects the personal experience of being 'born again' (Titus 3:5) with the future hope of a restored creation (Matthew 19:28). Understanding the Greek term enriches Bible reading by showing that Christian hope is not just for individual souls but for the entire cosmos, all made new through Christ. In the ancient Greco-Roman world, the concept was familiar. Stoic philosophers used it for the periodic renewal of the cosmos. The Jewish hope, informed by prophets like Isaiah, also looked for a renewal of the world. Jesus and Paul infused this existing concept with a specific, Christ-centered meaning, anchoring the promise of renewal in Jesus's life, death, and resurrection. ἀνακαίνωσις (anakainōsis, G342) — emphasizes the process of renewal or making new. ἀναγέννησις (anagennēsis, G313) — a closer synonym for 'rebirth,' but not used in the NT. κτίσις (ktisis, G2937) — means 'creation' or 'creature,' the thing being renewed.
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]