# G2540 - kairos **Strong's:** [G2540](https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g2540/) · BLB lookup **Pronunciation:** kahee-ros' **Part of speech:** masculine noun **NT occurrences:** 85 ## Semantic range 1. **Appointed / opportune time**, the moment with definite content / significance 2. **Season, period**, a defined era 3. **Right time, proper time**, fitting moment for an action 4. **Critical / decisive moment** in some contexts ## *Kairos* vs *chronos* Greek distinguishes two time-words: - **chronos** (G5550), quantitative time; chronological duration; "clock time" - **kairos** (G2540), qualitative time; significant moment; "opportune time" The distinction is roughly: - *Chronos* answers "how long?" / "when in the sequence?" - *Kairos* answers "what is happening now?" / "what does this moment require?" NT writers exploit this distinction. *Chronos* describes the passage of time; *kairos* describes time *filled with theological significance*. ## Theological force ### *Kairos* as God's appointed time The most theologically loaded use is **God's appointed / decisive moment**: - **[Mark 1:15](/codex/mark-1-15/)**, *peplērōtai ho kairos*, "the *kairos* is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand" - **[John 7:6](/codex/john-7-6/), [8](/codex/john-7-8/)**, Jesus's *kairos* "has not yet come"; *eperchetai* - **[Romans 5:6](/codex/romans-5-6/)**, "while we were still helpless, at the right *kairos* Christ died for the ungodly", see [Romans 5.8](/codex/romans-5-8/) - **[Galatians 4:4](/codex/galatians-4-4/)**, "when the *plērōma tou chronou* came", analogous; the "fullness of time" The pattern: God's redemptive-historical purposes unfold according to *kairos*, appointed-significant moments, not just *chronos* duration. ### Eschatological *kairos* *Kairos* describes both Christ's first coming and the eschatological consummation: - **[Mark 13:33](/codex/mark-13-33/)**, "you do not know when the *kairos* is" (eschatological vigilance) - **[1 Corinthians 4:5](/codex/1-corinthians-4-5/); 7:29**, *ho kairos synestalmenos*, "the *kairos* has been shortened" - **[Revelation 1:3](/codex/revelation-1-3/); 22:10**, "the *kairos* is near" ### The kingdom *kairos* [Mark 1:15](/codex/mark-1-15/)'s *peplērōtai ho kairos* combined with [Galatians 4:4](/codex/galatians-4-4/) establishes the **kingdom-time-fulfillment** pattern. Israel's covenantal-redemptive history reaches its decisive *kairos* in Christ's incarnation. The end-time has invaded the present-time; the "age to come" has broken into "this age." ## *Kairos* and Christian living The NT urges Christians to *kairos*-awareness: - **[Romans 13:11](/codex/romans-13-11/)**, "knowing the *kairos*, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep" - **[Ephesians 5:16](/codex/ephesians-5-16/); [Colossians 4:5](/codex/colossians-4-5/)**, *exagorazomenoi ton kairon*, "redeem the *kairos*" / "make the most of the *kairos* / opportunity" - **[Galatians 6:10](/codex/galatians-6-10/)**, "while we have *kairon*, let us do good" - **[2 Timothy 4:2](/codex/2-timothy-4-2/)**, "preach the word; be ready in *kairō* and *akairōs*", in season and out of season - **[Hebrews 11:15](/codex/hebrews-11-15/)**, "they would have had a *kairon* to return" The pattern: time is *opportunity-filled*; Christians live in awareness of *kairos*-significance, redeeming time / using opportunity. ## *Kairos* in the Gospels Christ's repeated *kairos*-language (esp. in John): - **[John 2:4](/codex/john-2-4/)**, "*hē hōra mou*", Cana, "My hour has not yet come" - **[John 7:6](/codex/john-7-6/), [8](/codex/john-7-8/)**, "*ho kairos ho emos oupō parestin*", "My *kairos* has not yet come" - **[John 12:23](/codex/john-12-23/), [27](/codex/john-12-27/); 13:1; 17:1**, "*hē hōra*", Christ's hour of crucifixion-glorification The pattern: Christ's life unfolds toward *the* defining *kairos* / *hōra*, the cross. ## Notable verses ### Salvation-historical *kairos* - **[Mark 1:15](/codex/mark-1-15/)**, *peplērōtai ho kairos* - **[Romans 5:6](/codex/romans-5-6/)**, at the right *kairos* Christ died - **[Galatians 4:4](/codex/galatians-4-4/)**, fullness of *chronos* (parallel) - **[Ephesians 1:10](/codex/ephesians-1-10/)**, *oikonomian tou plērōmatos tōn kairōn* - **[1 Timothy 2:6](/codex/1-timothy-2-6/)**, "*kairois idiois*", "in proper *kairos* / in proper times" - **[1 Timothy 6:15](/codex/1-timothy-6-15/); [Titus 1:3](/codex/titus-1-3/)**, "*kairois idiois*" ### Eschatological *kairos* - **[Mark 13:33](/codex/mark-13-33/); [Luke 21:8](/codex/luke-21-8/)**, eschatological vigilance - **[Acts 1:7](/codex/acts-1-7/); 17:26**, God's set times - **[Revelation 1:3](/codex/revelation-1-3/); 22:10**, the *kairos* is near - **[1 Peter 1:5](/codex/1-peter-1-5/); 5:6**, eschatological *kairos* ### Discipleship *kairos* - **[Romans 13:11](/codex/romans-13-11/)**, knowing the *kairos* - **[1 Corinthians 7:29](/codex/1-corinthians-7-29/)**, *ho kairos synestalmenos* - **[Ephesians 5:16](/codex/ephesians-5-16/); [Colossians 4:5](/codex/colossians-4-5/)**, redeem the *kairos* - **[Galatians 6:9-10](/codex/galatians-6-9-10/)**, at proper *kairō* ### Christ's *kairos* / hour - **[John 7:6](/codex/john-7-6/), [8](/codex/john-7-8/)**, Jesus's *kairos* - **[John 12:23](/codex/john-12-23/), [27](/codex/john-12-27/); 17:1**, *hē hōra*, the climactic moment ## Patristic / scholarly note Patristic engagement: extensive across eschatological / Christological discussion. Modern engagement: - Oscar Cullmann (*Christ and Time*, 1951), foundational study of NT time-vocabulary - John Marsh (*The Fullness of Time*, 1952) - G. E. Ladd (*The Presence of the Future*, 1974) - N. T. Wright on the *kairos* of Christ's coming ## See also - G5550 - chronos, duration / chronological time - [G165 - aion](/codex/g0165-aion/), age - [G0166 - aionios](/codex/g0166-aionios/), eternal - [G3952 - parousia](/codex/g3952-parousia/), coming - [G5056 - telos](/codex/g5056-telos/), end / goal - [Romans 5.8](/codex/romans-5-8/), *kairos* of atonement ## Notes _Lexical workspace for kairos._