Meaning
is used (I) literally, (a) of "the alternating natural period to that of the day," e.g., Mat 4:2, Mat 12:40, 2Ti 1:3, Rev 4:8; (b) of "the period of the absence of light," the time in which something takes place, e.g., Mat 2:14 (Mat 27:64, in some mss.); Luk 2:8, Joh 3:2 (Joh 7:50, in some mss.); Act 5:19, Act 9:25; (c) of "point of time," e.g., Mat 14:27 (in some mss.), Mat 14:30, Luk 12:20, Act 27:23; (d) of "duration of time," e.g., Luk 2:37, Luk 5:5, Act 20:31, Act 26:7 (note the difference in the phrase in Mar 4:27); (II) metaphorically, (a) of "the period of man's alienation from God," Rom 13:12, 1Th 5:5, lit., "not of night," where "of" means 'belonging to;' cp. "of the Way," Act 9:2; "of shrinking back" and "of faith," Heb 10:39, marg.; (b) of "death," as the time when work ceases, Joh 9:4.
