Original Word: ἕως
Part of Speech: Adverb
Transliteration: heós
Pronunciation: heh-os'
Phonetic Spelling: (heh'-oce)
KJV: even (until, unto), (as) far (as), how long, (un-)til(-l), (hither-, un-, up) to, while(-s)
NASB: until, how, even, far, while, down, point
Word Origin: [of uncertain affinity]

1. a conjunction, preposition and adverb of continuance, until (of time and place)

even, as far as, how long, until, while.

Of uncertain affinity; a conjunction, preposition and adverb of continuance, until (of time and place) -- even (until, unto), (as) far (as), how long, (un-)til(-l), (hither-, un-, up) to, while(-s).

Word Origin
a prim. particle used as a preposition, adverb and conjunction
Definition
till, until
NASB Translation
down (2), even (5), far (5), how (7), long (1), long* (7), no more (1), point (2), right (1), until (83), while (5).

STRONGS NT 2193: ἕως

ἕως, a particle marking a limit, and

I. as a conjunction signifying

1. the temporal terminus ad quem, till, until (Latindonee,usquedum); as in the best writings a. with an preterite indicative, where something is spoken of which continued up to a certain time: Matthew 2:9 (ἕως ... ἔστη (ἐστάθη L T Tr WH)); (1 Macc. 10:50; Wis. 10:14, etc.).

b. with ἄν and the aorist subjunctive (equivalent to the Latin future perfect), where it is left doubtful when that will take place till which it is said a thing will continue (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 42, 5): ἴσθι ἐκεῖ, ἕως ἄν εἴπω σοι, Matthew 2:13; add, ; Mark 6:10; Mark 12:36; Luke 17:8; Luke 20:43; Acts 2:55; Hebrews 1:13; after a negative sentence: Matthew 5:18, 26; Matthew 10:23 (T WH omit ἄν); ; Mark 9:1; Luke 9:27; Luke 21:32; 1 Corinthians 4:5; with the aorist subjunctive without the addition of ἄν: Mark 6:45 R G; (here Tr marginal reading future); Luke 15:4; ( T Tr WH; L T Tr WH); 2 Thessalonians 2:7; Hebrews 10:13; Revelation 6:11 (Rec. ἕως οὗ); οὐκ ἀνἔζησαν ἕως τελεσθῇ τά χίλια ἔτη, did not live again till the thousand years had been finished (elapsi fuerint), Revelation 20:5 Rec. Cf. Winers Grammar, § 41 b. 3.

c. more rarely used with the present indicative where the aorist subjunctive might have been expected (Winers Grammar, as above; Buttmann, 231 (199)): so four times ἕως ἔρχομαι, Luke 19:13 (where L T Tr WH ἐν ᾧ for ἕως, but cf. Bleek at the passage); John 21:22; 1 Timothy 4:13; ἕως ἀπολύει, Mark 6:45 L T Tr WH, for R G ἀπολύσῃ (the indicative being due to a blending of direct and indirect discourse; as in Plutarch, Lycurgus 29, 3 δεῖν οὖν ἐκείνους ἐμμένειν τοῖς καθεστωσι νόμοις ... ἕως ἐπανεισιν).

d. once with the future indicative, according to an improbable reading in Luke 13:35: ἕως ἥξει Tdf., ἕως ἄν ἥξει Lachmann, for R G ἕως ἄν ἥξῃ; (but WH (omitting ἄν ἥξῃ ὅτε) read ἕως εἴπητε; Tr omits ἄν and brackets ἥξῃ ὅτε; cf. Buttmann, 231f (199f)).

2. as in Greek writings from Homer down, as long as, while, followed by the indicative in all tenses — in the N. T. only in the present: ἕως ἡμέρα ἐστιν, John 9:4 (Tr marginal reading WH marginal reading ὡς); ἕως (L T Tr WH ὡς) τό φῶς ἔχετε, John 12:35f (ἕως ἔτι φῶς ἐστιν, Plato, Phaedo, p. 89 c.); (Mark 6:45 (cf.

c. above)).

II. By a usage chiefly later it gets the force of an adverb, Latinusquead; and

1. used of a temporal terminus ad quem, until (unto);

a. like a preposition, with a genitive of time (Winers Grammar, § 54, 6; Buttmann, 319 (274)): ἕως αἰῶνος, Luke 1:55 Griesbach (Ezekiel 25:15 Alex.; 1 Chronicles 17:16; Sir. 16:26, Fritzsche; , etc.); τῆς ἡμέρας, Matthew 26:29; Matthew 27:64: Luke 1:80; Acts 1:22 (Tdf. ἄχρι); Romans 11:8, etc.; ὥρας, Matthew 27:45; Mark 15:33; Luke 23:44; τῆς πεντηκοστῆς, 1 Corinthians 16:8; τέλους, 1 Corinthians 1:8; 2 Corinthians 1:13; τῆς σήμερον namely, ἡμέρας, Matthew 27:8; τοῦ νῦν, Matthew 24:21; Mark 13:19 (1 Macc. 2:33); χήρα ἕως ἐτῶν ὀγδοήκοντα τεσσάρων a widow (who had attained) even unto eighty-four years, Luke 2:37 L T Tr WH; before the names of illustrious men by which a period of time is marked: Matthew 1:17; Matthew 11:13; Luke 16:16 (where T Tr WH μέχρι); Acts 13:20; before the names of events: Matthew 1:17 (ἕως μετοικεσίας Βαβυλῶνος); ; Luke 11:51; James 5:7; ἕως τοῦ ἐλθεῖν, Acts 8:40 (Buttmann, 266 (228); cf. Winer's Grammar, § 44, 6; Judith 1:10 Judith 11:19, etc.).

b. with the genitive of the neuter relative pronoun οὗ or ὅτου it gets the force of a conjunction, until, till (the time when); α. ἕως οὗ (first in Herodotus 2, 143; but after that only in later authors, as Plutarch, et al. (Winers Grammar, 296 (278) note; Buttmann, 230f (199))): followed by the indicative, Matthew 1:25 (WH brackets οὗ); ; Luke 13:21; Acts 21:26 (see Buttmann); followed by the subjunctive aorist, equivalent to Latin future perfect, Matthew 14:22; Matthew 26:36 (where WH brackets οὗ and Lachmann has ἕως οὗ ἄν); Luke 12:50 (Rec.; Luke 15:8 Tr WH); Luke 24:49; Acts 25:21; 2 Peter 1:19; after a negative sentence, Matthew 17:9; Luke 12:59 (R G L; Luke 22:18 Tr WH); John 13:38; Acts 23:12, 14, 21. β. ἕως ὅτου, αα. until, till (the time when): followed by the indicative, John 9:18; followed by the subjunctive (without ἄν), Luke 13:8; Luke 15:8 (R G L T); after a negation, Luke 22:16, 18 (R G L T). ββ. as long as, whilst (Song of Solomon 1:12), followed by the present indicative, Matthew 5:25 (see ἄχρι, 1 d. at the end).

c. before adverbs of time (rarely so in the earlier and more elegant writings, as ἕως ὀψέ, Thucydides 3, 108; (cf. Winers Grammar, § 54, 6 at the end; Buttmann, 320 (275))): ἕως ἄρτι, up to this time, until now (Vig. ed. Herm., p. 388), Matthew 11:12; John 2:10; John 5:17; John 16:24; 1 John 2:9; 1 Corinthians 4:13; 1 Corinthians 8:7; 1 Corinthians 15:6; ἕως πότε; how long? Matthew 17:17; Mark 9:19; Luke 9:41; John 10:24; Revelation 6:10 (Psalm 12:2f (f); 2 Samuel 2:26; 1 Macc. 6:22); ἕως σήμερον, 2 Corinthians 3:15.

2. according to a usage dating from Aristotle down, employed of the localterminus ad quem, unto, as far as, even to;

a. like a preposition, with a genitive of place (Winers Grammar, § 54, 6; Buttmann, 319 (274)): ἕως ᾅδου, ἕως τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, Matthew 11:23; Luke 10:15; add, Matthew 24:31; Matthew 26:58; Mark 13:27; Luke 2:15; Luke 4:29; Acts 1:8; Acts 11:19, 22; Acts 17:15; Acts 23:23; 2 Corinthians 12:2; with the genitive of person, to the place where one is: Luke 4:42; Acts 9:38 (ἕως ὑπερβορεων, Aelian v. h. 3, 18).

b. with adverbs of place (Winers Grammar, and Buttmann, as in c. above): ἕως ἄνω, John 2:7; ἕως ἔσω, Mark 14:54; ἕως κάτω, Matthew 27:51; Mark 15:38; ἕως ὧδε, Luke 23:5 (cf. Winers Grammar, § 66, 1 c.).

c. with prepositions: ἕως ἔξω τῆς πόλεως, Acts 21:5; ἕως εἰς, Luke 24:50 (R G L marginal reading, but L text T Tr WH ἕως πρός as far as to (Polybius 3, 82, 6; 12, 17, 4; Genesis 38:1)); Polybius 1:11, 14; Aelian v. h. 12, 22.

3. of the limit (terminus)of quantity; with an adverb of number: ἕως ἑπτάκις, Matthew 18:21; with numerals: Matthew 22:26 (ἕως τῶν ἑπτά); cf. Matthew 20:8; John 8:9 (Rec.); Acts 8:10; Hebrews 8:11; οὐκ ἐστιν ἕως ἑνός, there is not so much as one, Romans 3:12 from Psalm 13:1 ().

4. of the limit of measurement: ἕως ἡμίσους, Mark 6:23; Esther 5:3, 6 Alex.

5. of the end or limit in acting and suffering: ἕως τούτου, Luke 22:51 (see ἐάω, 2); ἕως τοῦ θερισμοῦ, Matthew 13:30 L Tr WH text; ἕως θανάτου, even to death, so that I almost die, Mark 14:34; Matthew 26:38 (Sir. 4:28 Sir. 31:13 (Sir. 34:13); ; 4 Macc. 14:19).

STRONGS NT 2193a: ζ [ζ Zeta, on its substitution for sigma ς see Sigma.]

Overview

Ἕως delineates a limit—whether of time, space, goal, or condition—marking the point up to which an action, promise, judgment, or hope extends. Scripture employs the word to trace the unfolding of redemptive history, to frame eschatological expectation, and to encourage steadfast obedience.

Temporal Boundaries in Narrative

Narrators frequently use ἕως to move events forward:

• Matthew 2:9 “They went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stood over the place where the Child was.”
• Luke 24:49 “But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
• John 2:10 records the steward’s surprise that the best wine was kept “until now.”

Such markers highlight God’s providential timing—every episode advances precisely to its appointed limit.

Eschatological Horizons

The term anchors prophetic assurance:

• Matthew 24:27,34,39 speak of events “until the Son of Man comes,” fixing hope on His visible return.
• James 5:7 “Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the Lord’s coming.”
• Revelation 6:10-11 records the martyrs crying, “How long, O Lord…?” and they are told to rest “a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants…is complete.”

By fastening faith to a divinely set “until,” believers endure with confidence that history is moving toward Christ’s consummation.

Christological Applications

1. Incarnation: Matthew 1:25 notes that Joseph “did not know her until she gave birth to a Son,” safeguarding both the virgin birth and marital honor.
2. Present Session of Christ: Hebrews 10:13 quotes Psalm 110:1, “until His enemies are made a footstool,” lifting eyes to the ongoing reign of the risen Lord.
3. Communion Hope: Matthew 26:29 “I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom,” linking the Supper to the wedding feast of the Lamb.

Covenantal Continuity and Fulfillment

Matthew 5:18 affirms Scripture’s permanence: “Until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot or stroke of a pen will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” The double use stresses both the certainty of present authority and the inevitability of complete fulfillment in Christ.

Perseverance and Mission

• Matthew 10:22 “He who stands firm to the end will be saved.”
• Matthew 28:20 “And surely I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
• Acts 1:8 “You will be My witnesses…unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Here ἕως broadens the Church’s field and duration of service: worldwide, lifelong, age-long.

Pastoral and Ethical Exhortation

• 1 Timothy 4:13 “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, and to teaching.”
• 1 Corinthians 4:5 “Judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes.”
• 2 Corinthians 3:15 describes Israel: “Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts,” encouraging prayer for enlightenment that lasts “until” the veil is removed.

Spatial Extension in Storytelling

Ἕως can mark distance as well as duration:

• Luke 4:29 records an angry crowd driving Jesus “to the edge of the hill.”
• Acts 8:40 shows Philip preaching “until he came to Caesarea.”

Such usage enriches the realism of the narratives and underscores God’s guiding hand over physical movements.

Genealogies and Salvation History

Matthew 1:17 arranges Israel’s account “from Abraham to David…to the exile…to the Christ,” each segment labelled with ἕως to demonstrate divine orderliness leading inexorably to Messiah.

Parabolic and Didactic Scenes

• The unrighteous judge delays “until” he avenges the widow (Luke 18).
• In the Parable of the Weeds the wheat and tares grow “until the harvest” (Matthew 13:30).
• The mustard seed grows “until it becomes a tree” (Luke 13:19 implied through parallel).

These accounts teach patience and trust in God’s timing.

Historical-Theological Significance

From Genesis onward God sets boundaries: day and night, floodwaters, appointed seasons. In the New Testament ἕως verbalizes that principle, tying every promise to a fixed limit known to the Lord. Eschatology is thus not open-ended: there is an “until” after which faith becomes sight, injustice ends, and the kingdom is fully manifest.

Practical Ministry Takeaways

1. Steadfastness: Saints are called to labour, watch, and suffer until God’s purpose reaches its goal.
2. Sacramental Expectation: Each Lord’s Supper looks forward to the feast “until He comes.”
3. Scriptural Confidence: No word of God falls short; every stroke remains in force until fulfilled.
4. Missional Urgency: Witness continues to the ends of the earth and “until the end of the age,” assuring the Church of Christ’s presence throughout her task.

Selected References Categorized

Temporal completion: Matthew 18:34; Luke 12:59; Acts 28:23; 1 Corinthians 1:8.

Eschatological climax: Matthew 24:27; Mark 13:27; 2 Peter 1:19; Revelation 6:11.

Christological focus: Hebrews 1:13; Hebrews 10:13; Matthew 26:29.

Pastoral command: 1 Timothy 4:13; James 5:7; 1 Corinthians 4:5.

Missional scope: Acts 1:8; Acts 13:47; Romans 11:25 (conceptually); Matthew 28:20.

Through ἕως Scripture traces the line from promise to performance, from present toil to coming glory, assuring believers that every “until” set by God will be honored in His perfect time.

εως εώς έως ἕως Εωσφόρον Εωσφόρος εωσφόρου ς eos eōs heos heōs héos héōsInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts