Grafted Biblical Concept · Concept

Death

מָוֶת · Mavetθάνατος · thánatos · G2288

Death is the cessation of mortal life and, in biblical theology, one of the central consequences associated with humanity's rebellion against God.

106 Scripture references3 lexical sources59 supporting resources

Primary Study

Grafted Bible Dictionary

Definition

Death is the cessation of mortal life and, in biblical theology, one of the central consequences associated with humanity's rebellion against God.

Genesis

God warns Adam concerning death in Genesis 2:17.
Genesis 3 introduces humanity's expulsion from the tree of life.

Universal Reality

Death becomes a dominant feature of the post-Eden world.
Genesis 5 repeatedly emphasizes:
"and he died."

Tanakh

Death is often associated with:
• Sheol
• the grave
• mourning
• human frailty
Yet the Tanakh also develops hope that God will ultimately defeat death.
See:
• Isaiah 25:8
• Isaiah 26:19
• Daniel 12:2

Messiah

Yeshua confronts death directly through:
• raising the dead
• His own death
• His resurrection

Paul

Yeshua whose mission focuses especially on proclaiming the gospel among Gentiles.">Paul calls death:
"the last enemy."
See:
• 1 Corinthians 15:26
Romans 5 contrasts death through Adam with life through Messiah.

Final Defeat

Revelation 20–21 portrays the final destruction of death.
The biblical goal is therefore not merely survival after death but the defeat of death through resurrection.
Editorial source: Grafted Bible Dictionary · Entry 106

Hebrew and Greek Word Study

Greek Word Study

θάνατος

thánatos · G2288

Greek Word Family

Primary Lemmaθάνατοςthánatos · G2288
Primary LemmaΘάνᾰτοςthánatos · G2288

Hebrew Source

מָוֶת · Mavet

Unified Lexical Definition

θάνατος, -ου, ὁ (θνήσκω), [in LXX chiefly for מָוֶת ,מוּת, sometimes דֶּבֶר ;] death; __1. of the death of the body, whether natural or violent: Jhn.11:13, Php.2:27, Heb.7:23, al; opposite to ζωή, Rom.8:38, Php.1:20; of the death of Christ, Rom.5:10, Php.3:10, Heb.2:9; ῥυέσθαι (σώζειν) ἐκ θ., 2Co.1:10, Heb.5:7; περίλυπος ἕως θανάτου, Mat.26:38, Mrk.14:34; μέχρι (ἄχρι), Php.2:8, Rev.2:10; πληγὴ θανάτου, a deadly wound. Rev.13:3; ἰδεῖν θάνατον, Luk.2:26, Heb.11:5; γεύεσθαι θανάτου, Mrk.9:1; ἔνοχος θανάτου, Mrk.14:64; θανάτῳ τελευτᾶν ( Exo.21:17, מוּת יוּמָת), Mrk.7:10; death personified, Rom.6:9, 1Co.15:26, Rev.21:4; pl., of deadly perils, 2Co.11:23. __2. Of spiritual death: Jhn.5:24 8:51, Rom.7:10, Jas.1:15, 5:20, 1Jn.3:14 5:16, al.; of eternal death, Rom.1:32 7:5, al.; ὁ θ. ὁ δεύτερος, Rev.2:11 21:8 (cf. Cremer, 283ff.; DB, iii, 114ff.; DCG, i, 791f.). (AS) death, the extinction of life, whether naturally, Lu. 2.26. Mar. 9.1; or violently, Mat. 10.21; 15.4; imminent danger of death, 2 Co. 4.11, 12; 11.23; in N.T. death, as opposed to ζωή in its spiritual sense, spiritual condemnation, exclusion from salvation, the penal state of loss of salvation. Jno. 8.51. Ro. 6.16, et al.: whence

Related Words

Lexical Sources

TBESGSTEPBible TBESG (based primarily on Abbott-Smith)

θάνατος, -ου, ὁ (θνήσκω), [in LXX chiefly for מָוֶת ,מוּת, sometimes דֶּבֶר ;] death; __1. of the death of the body, whether natural or violent: Jhn.11:13, Php.2:27, Heb.7:23, al; opposite to ζωή, Rom.8:38, Php.1:20; of the death of Christ, Rom.5:10, Php.3:10, Heb.2:9; ῥυέσθαι (σώζειν) ἐκ θ., 2Co.1:10, Heb.5:7; περίλυπος ἕως θανάτου, Mat.26:38, Mrk.14:34; μέχρι (ἄχρι), Php.2:8, Rev.2:10; πληγὴ θανάτου, a deadly wound. Rev.13:3; ἰδεῖν θάνατον, Luk.2:26, Heb.11:5; γεύεσθαι θανάτου, Mrk.9:1; ἔνοχος θανάτου, Mrk.14:64; θανάτῳ τελευτᾶν ( Exo.21:17, מוּת יוּמָת), Mrk.7:10; death personified, Rom.6:9, 1Co.15:26, Rev.21:4; pl., of deadly perils, 2Co.11:23. __2. Of spiritual death: Jhn.5:24 8:51, Rom.7:10, Jas.1:15, 5:20, 1Jn.3:14 5:16, al.; of eternal death, Rom.1:32 7:5, al.; ὁ θ. ὁ δεύτερος, Rev.2:11 21:8 (cf. Cremer, 283ff.; DB, iii, 114ff.; DCG, i, 791f.). (AS)

Lemma
θάνατος
Gender
Masculine
Meaning
death
View original lexicon entry
{
    "type": "abbott-smith",
    "slug": "g2288",
    "title": "θάνατος",
    "source": "STEPBible TBESG (based primarily on Abbott-Smith)",
    "strong": "G2288",
    "language": "greek",
    "lemma": "θάνατος",
    "transliteration": "thanatos",
    "pronunciation": "",
    "part_of_speech": "G:N-M",
    "meaning": "",
    "description": "",
    "definition": "θάνατος, -ου, ὁ (θνήσκω), [in LXX chiefly for מָוֶת ,מוּת, sometimes דֶּבֶר ;] death; __1. of the death of the body, whether natural or violent: Jhn.11:13, Php.2:27, Heb.7:23, al; opposite to ζωή, Rom.8:38, Php.1:20; of the death of Christ, Rom.5:10, Php.3:10, Heb.2:9; ῥυέσθαι (σώζειν) ἐκ θ., 2Co.1:10, Heb.5:7; περίλυπος ἕως θανάτου, Mat.26:38, Mrk.14:34; μέχρι (ἄχρι), Php.2:8, Rev.2:10; πληγὴ θανάτου, a deadly wound. Rev.13:3; ἰδεῖν θάνατον, Luk.2:26, Heb.11:5; γεύεσθαι θανάτου, Mrk.9:1; ἔνοχος θανάτου, Mrk.14:64; θανάτῳ τελευτᾶν ( Exo.21:17, מוּת יוּמָת), Mrk.7:10; death personified, Rom.6:9, 1Co.15:26, Rev.21:4; pl., of deadly perils, 2Co.11:23. __2. Of spiritual death: Jhn.5:24 8:51, Rom.7:10, Jas.1:15, 5:20, 1Jn.3:14 5:16, al.; of eternal death, Rom.1:32 7:5, al.; ὁ θ. ὁ δεύτερος, Rev.2:11 21:8 (cf. Cremer, 283ff.; DB, iii, 114ff.; DCG, i, 791f.). (AS)",
    "glosses": [
        "death",
        "X deadly, (be…) death"
    ],
    "lexical_summary": [],
    "exhaustive_concordance": [],
    "brown_driver_briggs": [],
    "topical_lexicon": [],
    "occurrences": [],
    "references": [
        {
            "osis": "Jhn.11.13",
            "display": "Jhn.11:13"
        },
        {
            "osis": "Php.2.27",
            "display": "Php.2:27"
        },
        {
            "osis": "Heb.7.23",
            "display": "Heb.7:23"
        },
        {
            "osis": "Rom.8.38",
            "display": "Rom.8:38"
        },
        {
            "osis": "Php.1.20",
            "display": "Php.1:20"
        },
        {
            "osis": "Rom.5.10",
            "display": "Rom.5:10"
        },
        {
            "osis": "Php.3.10",
            "display": "Php.3:10"
        },
        {
            "osis": "Heb.2.9",
            "display": "Heb.2:9"
        },
        {
            "osis": "2Co.1.10",
            "display": "2Co.1:10"
        },
        {
            "osis": "Heb.5.7",
            "display": "Heb.5:7"
        },
        {
            "osis": "Mat.26.38",
            "display": "Mat.26:38"
        },
        {
            "osis": "Mrk.14.34",
            "display": "Mrk.14:34"
        },
        {
            "osis": "Php.2.8",
            "display": "Php.2:8"
        },
        {
            "osis": "Rev.2.10",
            "display": "Rev.2:10"
        },
        {
            "osis": "Rev.13.3",
            "display": "Rev.13:3;"
        },
        {
            "osis": "Luk.2.26",
            "display": "Luk.2:26"
        },
        {
            "osis": "Heb.11.5",
            "display": "Heb.11:5"
        },
        {
            "osis": "Mrk.9.1",
            "display": "Mrk.9:1;"
        },
        {
            "osis": "Mrk.14.64",
            "display": "Mrk.14:64;"
        },
        {
            "osis": "Exo.21.17",
            "display": "Exo.21:17"
        },
        {
            "osis": "Mrk.7.10",
            "display": "Mrk.7:10;"
        },
        {
            "osis": "Rom.6.9",
            "display": "Rom.6:9"
        },
        {
            "osis": "1Co.15.26",
            "display": "1Co.15:26"
        },
        {
            "osis": "Rev.21.4",
            "display": "Rev.21:4"
        },
        {
            "osis": "2Co.11.23.",
            "display": "2Co.11:23."
        },
        {
            "osis": "Jhn.5.24; 8.51",
            "display": "Jhn.5:24 8:51"
        },
        {
            "osis": "Rom.7.10",
            "display": "Rom.7:10"
        },
        {
            "osis": "Jas.1.15; 5.20",
            "display": "Jas.1:15, 5:20"
        },
        {
            "osis": "1Jn.3.14; 5.16",
            "display": "1Jn.3:14 5:16"
        },
        {
            "osis": "Rom.1.32; 7.5",
            "display": "Rom.1:32 7:5"
        },
        {
            "osis": "Rev.2.11; 21.8",
            "display": "Rev.2:11 21:8"
        }
    ],
    "occurrence_count": 120,
    "url": "bible/greek/g2288",
    "source_url": "https://github.com/openscriptures/strongs",
    "source_license": "CC BY-SA"
}
A GREEK-ENGLISH LEXICOA Greek-English Lexicon to the New Testament

death, the extinction of life, whether naturally, Lu. 2.26. Mar. 9.1; or violently, Mat. 10.21; 15.4; imminent danger of death, 2 Co. 4.11, 12; 11.23; in N.T. death, as opposed to ζωή in its spiritual sense, spiritual condemnation, exclusion from salvation, the penal state of loss of salvation. Jno. 8.51. Ro. 6.16, et al.: whence

View original lexicon entry
{
    "type": "greenfield",
    "slug": "greenfield-ed2549a6d63e",
    "title": "Θάνᾰτος",
    "source": "A Greek-English Lexicon to the New Testament",
    "strong": "G2288",
    "language": "greek",
    "lemma": "Θάνᾰτος",
    "transliteration": "thánatos",
    "pronunciation": "",
    "part_of_speech": "",
    "meaning": "",
    "description": "",
    "definition": "death, the extinction of life, whether naturally, Lu. 2.26. Mar. 9.1; or violently, Mat. 10.21; 15.4; imminent danger of death, 2 Co. 4.11, 12; 11.23; in N.T. death, as opposed to ζωή in its spiritual sense, spiritual condemnation, exclusion from salvation, the penal state of loss of salvation. Jno. 8.51. Ro. 6.16, et al.: whence",
    "glosses": [
        "X deadly, (be…) death"
    ],
    "lexical_summary": [],
    "exhaustive_concordance": [],
    "brown_driver_briggs": [],
    "topical_lexicon": [],
    "occurrences": [],
    "references": [],
    "occurrence_count": 120,
    "url": "bible/greenfield/greenfield-ed2549a6d63e",
    "source_url": "https://github.com/openscriptures/strongs",
    "source_license": "CC BY-SA"
}
STRONG'SStrong’s Hebrew and Greek Lexicon

(properly, an adjective used as a noun) death (literally or figuratively)

View original lexicon entry
{
    "strongs": "G2288",
    "language": "greek",
    "lemma": "θάνατος",
    "transliteration": "thánatos",
    "pronunciation": "",
    "part_of_speech": "",
    "glosses": [
        "X deadly, (be…) death"
    ],
    "definitions": [
        "(properly, an adjective used as a noun) death (literally or figuratively)"
    ],
    "administrator_commentary": "",
    "source": {
        "dataset": "Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Lexicon",
        "provider": "Open Scriptures",
        "url": "https://github.com/openscriptures/strongs",
        "license": "CC BY-SA"
    },
    "version": 1,
    "updated_at": "2026-08-05T10:41:58-05:00",
    "strong": "G2288"
}

New Testament Usage

120 occurrences

First listed reference: Jhn.11.13

View All Greek Occurrences

Sources: STEPBible TBESG (based primarily on Abbott-Smith) · A Greek-English Lexicon to the New Testament · Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Lexicon

Biblical Usage

Concordance and Scripture Usage

106Exact Lemma346Conceptual Relationship
Gospels · 28
Acts · 8
Epistles · 55
Revelation · 15

Reference Works

Bible Dictionary, Encyclopedia, and Names

Unified Dictionary Summary

Death is the cessation of mortal life and, in biblical theology, one of the central consequences associated with humanity's rebellion against God.

Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897)
May be simply defined as the termination of life. It is represented under a variety of aspects in Scripture: (1.) "The dust shall return to the earth as it was" (Eccl. 12:7). (2.) "Thou takest away their breath, they die" (Ps. 104:29). (3.) It is the dissolution of "our earthly house of this tabernacle" (2 Cor. 5:1); the "putting off this tabernacle" (2 Pet. 1:13, 14). (4.) Being "unclothed" (2 Cor. 5:3, 4). (5.) "Falling on sleep" (Ps. 76:5; Jer. 51:39; Acts 13:36; 2 Pet. 3:9. (6.) "I go whence I shall not return" (Job 10:21); "Make me to know mine end" (Ps. 39:4); "to depart" (Phil. 1:23). The grave is represented as "the gates of death" (Job 38:17; Ps. 9:13; 107:18). The gloomy silence of the grave is spoken of under the figure of the "shadow of death" (Jer. 2:6). Death is the effect of sin (Heb. 2:14), and not a "debt of nature." It is but once (9:27), universal (Gen. 3:19), necessary (Luke 2:28-30). Jesus has by his own death taken away its sting for all his followers (1 Cor. 15:55-57). There is a spiritual death in trespasses and sins, i.e., the death of the soul under the power of sin (Rom. 8:6; Eph. 2:1, 3; Col. 2:13). The "second death" (Rev. 2:11) is the everlasting perdition of the wicked (Rev. 21:8), and "second" in respect to natural or temporal death. THE DEATH OF CHRIST is the procuring cause incidentally of all the blessings men enjoy on earth. But specially it is the procuring cause of the actual salvation of all his people, together with all the means that lead thereto. It does not make their salvation merely possible, but certain (Matt. 18:11; Rom. 5:10; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 1:4; 3:13; Eph. 1:7; 2:16; Rom. 8:32-35).

Sources: Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897)

Connections

Cross References

Torah

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