Is forever really for EVER?

The vast majority of the FOREVER words we read in the New Testament (such as everlasting, eternity, eternal) are translations of the Greek word aion and the adjective aionios.

If all of these verses were translated as age (eon), ages (eons), or of the ages (eonian), they would make absolute sense. But when we see that in many instances they've been translated as forever, everlasting, eternity, eternal and, strangely enough, WORLD, all sense flies out the window.

(Below I typed out all the verses where aion has been translated WORLD in the KJV, to show how nonsensical it would be if aion had been translated everlasting/eternity in those instances. And my question is, how did the translators just happen to know in those instances that aion meant WORLD instead of EVERLASTING/ETERNITY?)


Let's check out this Greek word, aion:

AION (Strong's 165) = from the same as 104 (see below); prop. an age; by extension perpetuity (also past); by imp. the world; spec. (Jewish) a Messianic period present or future:--age, course, eternal (for)ever(-more), (n-)ever, (beginning of the, while the) world (began, without end). Comp. 5550 (see below).

104 AEI = from an obs. prim. noun (appar. mean. continued duration): "ever;" by qualification regularly; by imp. earnestly; always, ever.

5550 CHRONOS = of uncert. der.; a space of time (in gen., and thus prop. distinguished from 2540 which designates a fixed or special occasion; and from 165, which denotes a particular period) or interval; by extens. an individ. opportunity, byimp. delay-- +years old, season, space, (X often-)time(-s), (a)while.


And now for aionios:

AIONIOS 166 = from 165; perpetual (also used of past time and past and future as well):--eternal, for ever, everlasting, world (began).

Yes, quite the paradox, so it seems. It's one thing for "grass" to mean the green stuff on our lawns as well as pot or money. No biggie. But for aion to have a finite as well as an infinite connotation, let alone a physical (world) connotation, well, that's a bit more than just a little confusing. And we know God isn't the author of confusion.

If we were to define aion 165 as EVERLASTING/ETERNITY every time we see it in the Greek New Testament, the scriptures would wind up sounding like total nonsense. How do we reconcile this?  

Check it out... here are verses where aion was translated WORLD in the KJV. Pretty nonsensical, yes?



AION translated as WORLD instead of EVERLASTING/ETERNITY:

"the harvest is the end of the everlasting/eternity" -- Mt 13:39

"As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this everlasting/eternity" -- Mt 13:40

"So shall it be at the end of the everlasting/eternity" -- Mt 13:49

"What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the everlasting/eternity" -- Mt 24:3

"And, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the everlasting/eternity" -- Mt 28:20

"And these are they which are sown among thorns; and the cares of this everlasting/eternity" -- Mk 4:18

"But he shall receive an hundredford now in this time, and in the everlasting/eternity to come eternal life." -- Mk 10:30 (The translators could also have said, "and in the world to come worldly life.")

"As he space by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the everlasting/eternity began." -- Lk 1:70

"For the children of this everlasting/eternity are in their generation wiser than the children of light." -- Lk 16:8

"Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the everlasting/eternity to come life everlasting." -- Lk 18:30 (Another goodie... the translators could also have said, "and in the world to come life worldly.")

"And Jesus said unto them, The children of this everlasting/eternity marry, and are given in marriage" -- Lk 20:34

"But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that everlasting/eternity, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage" -- Lk 20:35

"Since the everlasting/eternity began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind." -- Jn 9:32

"Yet a little while, and the everlasting/eternity seeth me no more" -- Jn 14:19

"And he shall send Jesus Christ, whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the everlasting/eternity began." -- Acts 3:21

"Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the everlasting/eternity" -- Acts 15:18

"And be not conformed to this everlasting/eternity" -- Romans 12:2

"Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the everlasting/eternity began, but now is made manifest" -- Romans 16:25

"Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this everlasting/eternity? -- 1 Cor 1:20 (What's interesting is that this verse is followed immediately by a real "world" word... "For after that in the wisdom of God the WORLD (2889) by wisdom knew not God." 1 Cor 1:21)

"Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this everlasting/eternity, nor of the princes of this everlasting/eternity, that come to nought" -- 1 Cor 2:6

"But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the everlasting/eternity unto our glory" -- 1 Cor 2:7

"Which none of the princes of this everlasting/eternity knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." -- 1 Cor 2:8

"Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this everlasting/eternity, let him become a fool, that he may be wise." -- 1 Cor 3:18

"Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the everlasting/eternity standeth, lest I make my brother to offend." -- 1 Cor 8:13

"They are written for our admonishment, upon whom the ends of the everlasting/eternity are come." -- 1 Cor 10:11

"But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this everlasting/eternity hath blinded the minds of them which believe not." -- 2 Cor 4:3

"Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil everlasting/eternity" -- Gal 1:4

"He raised Christ from the dead, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this everlasting/eternity, but also in that which is to come." -- Eph 1:21

"I preach the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the everlasting/eternity hath been hid in God" -- Eph 3:9

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rules of the darkness of this everlasting/eternity" -- Eph 6:12

"Charge them that are rich in this everlasting/eternity" -- 1 Tim 6:17

"Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the everlasting/eternity began" -- 2 Tim 1:9

"For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present everlasting/eternity" -- 2 Tim 4:10

"In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the everlasting/eternity began" -- Titus 1:2

"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and everlasting/eternity lusts" -- Titus 2:12

"And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the everlasting/eternity to come" -- Heb 6:5

"For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world (2889), but now once in the end of the everlasting/eternity hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself" -- Heb 9:26 (A scripture where "world" is there twice, but is actually 165 and 2889).

And as if that isn't confusing enough, there are actually a couple scriptures that, if translated consistently, would say everlastings/eternities...

"God hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the everlastings/eternities" -- Heb 1:2

"Through faith we understand that the everlastings/eternities were framed by the word of God" -- Heb 11:3


Now go through and replace all the "everlasting/eternity's" with age(s)/eon(s). 

INTERESTING, YES?