primarily "order, arrangement, ornament, adornment" (1Pe 3:3, see ADORN, B), is used to denote (a) the "earth," e.g., Mat 13:35, Joh 21:25, Act 17:24, Rom 1:20 (probably here the universe: it had this meaning among the Greeks, owing to the order observable in it); 1Ti 6:7, Heb 4:3, Heb 9:26; (b) the "earth" in contrast with Heaven, 1Jo 3:17 (perhaps also Rom 4:13); (c) by metonymy, the "human race, mankind," e.g., Mat 5:14, Joh 1:9 [here "that cometh (RV, 'coming') into the world" is said of Christ, not of "every man;" by His coming into the world He was the light for all men]; 1Jo 3:10, 1Jo 1:3-17 (thrice), 1Jo 3:19, 1Jo 4:42, and frequently in Rom. 1 Cor. and 1 John; (d) "Gentiles" as distinguished from Jews, e.g., Rom 11:12,Rom 11:15, where the meaning is that all who will may be reconciled (cp. 2Co 5:19); (e) the "present condition of human affairs," in alienation from and opposition to God, e.g., Joh 7:7, Joh 8:23, Joh 14:30, 1Co 2:12, Gal 4:3, Gal 6:14, Col 2:8, Jam 1:27, 1Jo 4:5 (thrice); 1Jo 5:19; (f) the "sum of temporal possessions," Mat 16:26, 1Co 7:31 (1st part); (g) metaphorically, of the "tongue" as "a world (of iniquity)," Jam 3:6; expressive of magnitude and variety.
<2,,165, aion>
"an age, a period of time," marked in the NT usage by spiritual or moral characteristics, is sometimes translated "world;" the RV marg. always has "age." The following are details concerning the world in this respect; its cares, Mat 13:22; its sons, Luk 16:8, Luk 20:34; its rulers, 1Co 2:6,1Co 2:8; its wisdom, 1Co 1:20, 1Co 2:6, 1Co 3:18, its fashion, Rom 12:2; its character, Gal 1:4; its god, 2Co 4:4. The phrase "the end of the world" should be rendered "the end of the age," in most places (see END, A, No. 2); in 1Co 10:11, AV, "the ends (tele) of the world," RV, "the ends of the ages," probably signifies the fulfillment of the Divine purposes concerning the ages in regard to the church [this would come under END, A, No. 1, (c)]. In Heb 11:3 [lit., "the ages (have been prepared)"] the word indicates all that the successive periods contain; cp. Heb 1:2. Aion is always to be distinguished from kosmos, even where the two seem to express the same idea, e.g., 1Co 3:18, aion, 1Co 3:19, kosmos; the two are used together in Eph 2:2, lit., "the age of this world." For a list of phrases containing aion, with their respective meanings, see EVER, B.
<3,,3625, oikoumene>
"the inhabited earth" (see EARTH, No. 2), is used (a) of the whole inhabited world, Mat 24:14, Luk 4:5, Luk 21:26, Rom 10:18, Heb 1:6, Rev 3:10, Rev 16:14; by metonymy, of its inhabitants, Act 17:31, Rev 12:9; (b) of the Roman Empire, the world as viewed by the writer or speaker, Luk 2:1, Act 11:28, Act 24:5; by metonymy, of its inhabitants, Act 17:6, Act 19:27; (c) the inhabited world in a coming age, Heb 2:5.
Notes: (1) In Rev 13:3, AV, ge, "the earth" (RV), is translated "world." (2) For phrases containing aionios, e.g., Rom 16:25, 2Ti 1:9, Tit 1:2, see ETERNAL, No. 2.
