neos (G3501) New
kainos (G2537) Young
Some scholars have denied that there is any difference between neos and kainos in the New Testament. Such scholars gain plausible support for their position from the fact that both of these words are translated by "new" in the Authorized Version and often are used interchangeably. Although they contend that neos and kainos have the same force and significance, this does not follow and in fact is not the case. The same man or the same wine may be neos or kainos or both, according to one's perspective.
Neos refers to something new in time, to something that recently has come into existence. Thus the young are hoi neoi or hoi neoteroi, the generation that has lately come into being. Neoi theoi (G2316) refers to the young race of godsJupiter, Apollo, and the other Olympiansas contrasted with Saturn, Ops, and the dynasty of elder deities whom they dethroned. Kainos refers to something new in quality and is contrasted with that which has seen servicethe outworn, the exhausted, or that which is marred through age. Thus "a piece of unshrunk cloth" (Mat_9:16) may be contrasted with "a piece from a new [kainou] garment" (Luk_5:36); the latter is "a new garment," the former a threadbare and outworn one. Kainoi askoi (G779) are "new wineskins" (Mat_9:17; Luk_5:38) that have not lost their strength and elasticity through age and use. This also is the sense of kainos ouranos (G3772; 2Pe_3:13), "a new heaven," as compared with one that has grown old and shows signs of decay and dissolution (Heb_1:11-12). Similarly, the phrase kainai glossai (G1100; Mar_16:17) does not refer to the recent commencement of the miraculous speaking with tongues but to the dissimilarity of these tongues to any that had occurred before. Therefore these tongues were called heterai (G2087) glossai (Act_2:4), unusual tongues that were different from any previously known. This sense of the unusual in kainos comes out very clearly in a passage from Xenophon: "Either a new [kaines] rule beginning or the customary one remaining." The kainon mnemeion (G3419) in which Joseph of Arimathea laid the body of Jesus (Mat_27:60; Joh_19:41) was not a tomb that recently had been hewn from rock but one that never had been used at all, one where no dead person had lain to make the place ceremonially unclean (Mat_23:27; Num_11:16; Eze_39:12; Eze_39:16). This tomb might have been created a hundred years before and therefore not be neon, but if it had never been used before, it would still be kainon. Even in the midst of the humiliations of his earthly life, a divine decorum attended Christ (cf. Luk_19:30; 1Sa_6:7; 2Ki_2:20).
Kainos often implies the secondary notion of praise, for frequently the new is better than the old. Thus in the kingdom of glory, everything will be new: "the new Jerusalem" (Rev_3:12; Rev_21:2), the "new name" (Rev_2:17; Rev_3:12), "anew song" (Rev_5:9; Rev_14:3), "a new heaven and new earth" (Rev_21:1; cf. 2Pe_3:13), "all things new" (Rev_21:5). Kainos does not necessarily imply superiority. Sometimes the old is better than the new, as is the old friend (Sir_9:10) and the old wine (Luk_5:39). Frequently kainos may refer only to the novel and strange as contrasted (even unfavorably) with the known and familiar. Neoi theoi was a title given to the younger generation of gods. The charge against Socrates, however, was that he had introduced kainous theous or kaina daimonia (G1140) into Athens, phrases that imply a novel pantheon of gods that Athens had not previously worshiped. Plato said: "These are new [kaina] and strange names of diseases." Similarly, those who exclaimed "What new [kaine] doctrine is this?" when they heard Christ's teaching, intended anything but praise (Mar_1:27). The kainon is the heteron, the qualitatively other; the neon is the allo (G243), the numerically distinct.
We will now apply this distinction to the interpretation of Act_17:21. Luke described the Athenians as spending their leisure in the marketplace. We might have expected to find ti neoteron here, especially since previously Demosthenes had portrayed the same Athenians as haunting the marketplace with this same aim: "Inquiring at the marketplace whether anything new New Young [neoteron] is said." Elsewhere, however, Demosthenes described the Athenians as Luke did: "Is anything new [kainon] said?" But the meaning of the two passages is not exactly identical. The neoteron of the first implies that it is always the latest news the Athenians sought: "They at once were despising the new and were seeking the newer." The kainon of the second passage refers to something not only new but sufficiently diverse from what had gone before to stimulate a jaded curiosity.
This distinction becomes even more apparent if we pursue these words into their derivatives and compounds. Thus neotesis youth; kainotes is newness or novelty; neoeides refers to youthful appearance; and kainoeides implies novel or unusual appearance. Neologia (had such a word existed) would have referred to a new development of words as distinguished from the older language, or as we would say, to "neologies." Kainologia, which exists in later Greek, refers to a novel, abnormal invention of words that are constructed on different laws from those previously recognized. A philoneos is a lover of youth; a philokainos is a lover of novelty.
There is a passage in Polybius where neos and kainos occur in close proximity but are not employed rhetorically, each having its own significance. In describing a stratagem whereby the town of Selge was almost surprised and taken, Polybius remarked that though many cities had been lost through a similar device, we are still new and young in regard to such deceits and capable of being deceived again. In that passage, kainoi is applied to men on the basis of their inexperience, and neoi is applied to them on the basis of their youth. Although inexperience and youth often go togetherPlutarch joined neos and apeiros (G552) this is not necessarily the case. An old man may be raw and unpracticed in the affairs of the world and so kainos; and there have been many young men, neoi in age, who were well skilled in worldly affairs.
If we apply this distinction to the New Testament, it becomes apparent that the same man, wine, and covenant each may be described as neos and as kainos in ways that convey different meanings. When a man is transformed by becoming obedient to the truth, in relation to time we subsequently call him neos anthropos. The old man in him has died and a new man has been born. Now let us view the same mighty transformation in relation to quality and condition. When a man who through long contact with the world and sinful habits throws off his old life like a snake casts off its shriveled skin, he emerges as "a new [kaine] creature" from his heavenly Maker's hands and has a "new [kainon] spirit" (Eze_11:19). This is the kainos anthropos, one who is prepared to walk "in newness of life" through the renewal (anakainosis) of the Spirit (Tit_3:5). "We have become new [kainoi], being created again from the beginning."
Sometimes, though not always, neos and kainos may be used interchangeably. For example, Clement of Alexandria said of those who are Christ's, "they must be new [kainous], having partaken of a new [kainon] Word [Christ]." It would be impossible to substitute neous or neou in that passage. Consider the verbs ananeoun and anakainoun.Everyone needs both ananeousthai and anakainousthai. It is the same marvelous and mysterious process, brought about by the same almighty agent, but seen from different perspectives. Ananeousthai is to be made young again, and anakainousthai is to be made new again. Chrysostom realized this distinction and based a separate exhortation on each word, as the following passages show. The first passage reads: "Be renewed [ananeousthe],Paul says, in the spirit of your mind.... to be renewed [ananeousthai] is when that which has grown old is made young again [ananeotai] and becomes changed.... The young [neos] is strong, does not have a wrinkle, and is not carried about." The second passage reads: "What we do in the case of houses, always restoring them when they become dilapidated, do also in the case of yourself. Have you sinned today? Have you worn out your life? Do not despair nor lose heart, but renew [anakainison] it by repentance."
Depending on the point of view, new wine may be characterized as neos or as kainos. As neos, it is tacitly set over against the vintage of past years; as kainos, we may assume it to be austere and strong, in contrast with chrestos (G5543), sweet and mellow through age (Luk_5:39). The covenant of which Christ is the mediator is a diatheke nea, as compared with the Mosaic covenant, confirmed nearly two thousand years before (Heb_12:24). The covenant that Christ established is a diatheke koine, when compared with the Mosaic covenant, because the Mosaic covenant is exhausted with age and has lost its vigor, energy, and quickening power.
A Latin grammarian distinguished recens and novus in the following way: "Recens refers to time, novum refers to a condition." By substituting neos for recens and kainos for novum, we may summarize the central distinction between neos and kainos: "Neos refers to time, kainos refers to a condition."
Besides the word
Term frequently occurring in Holy Scripture to signify the change of heart from infidelity to faith, from sin to virtue. Faith is like a new birth; grace acts like a new leaven; the Christian compared with the pagan is like a new man, in contrast with the old.
New describes something that has recently come into existence. It often replaces what existed before, making the old new.
That the second part of the Bible is called the New Testament shows how important the idea of "new" is to biblical revelation. Many important theological ideas include the concept of new:
new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17),
new birth (John 3:3),
new man (Ephesians 2:15; Colossians 3:10),
new commandment (John 13:34),
new covenant (Jeremiah 31:31),
new life (Romans 6:4), and various others.
The Expectation of the New
The totality of the expectation of the new is best expressed in Jeremiah and Ezekiel, and the Psalms. The reference in the Psalter to the "new song" to be given to the people to sing is a central metaphor (For example, Psalms 33:3; 40:3; 149:1; compare also Isaiah 42:10). Jeremiah speaks of the day when God will make a new covenant (special agreement) with the house of Israel (Jeremiah 31:31–34; compare Ezekiel 34:25–31; 37:26–28). In contrast with the old, this new covenant will be internal, written upon the heart. Ezekiel (Ezekiel 36:22–32) also tells of the day when God will cleanse his people and will give a heart of flesh in place of the heart of stone.
This act of God's holiness will introduce the age of the Spirit. It will bring about a new existence, characterized by security and freedom, where the laws of God are followed. The supreme feature of this new time is the new spirit within people (Ezekiel 11:19). Joel speaks also of that day when the Spirit of God will be poured out on all flesh (Joel 2:28). Isaiah 65:17 states the promise of "new heavens and a new earth." Isaiah's words often reflect national circumstances and hopes (for example, after the exile). However, this promise took on new significance beyond the hope of the nation Israel.
The Coming of the New
The presence of the kingdom in the world through Jesus announces that the promised new age has broken into time in powerful ways. Jesus’s ministry is one of fulfillment. What the prophets promised has begun to take place. John the Baptist had prepared the way for the one who would give the promised Spirit. The giving of this Spirit is the giving of new life. Through faith in Christ, one is born anew (John 3:3–7). But Jesus had to die in order for this new life to be given. The cup of wine Jesus shared with his disciples at the Last Supper symbolized the blood of the new covenant (Mark 14:24).
The early church expressed this significance in using many metaphors:
This "newness of life" is demonstrated through baptism (Romans 6:4).
The eucharistic cup is the new covenant through blood (1 Corinthians 11:25).
An extended discourse on the old and new covenants shows that by the shedding of his blood Christ has become mediator of a new covenant (Hebrews 9:15).
By his blood, Jesus has opened up a new and living way into the Holy Place (10:19–20).
Paul restates the promise of Ezekiel for a heart of flesh (2 Corinthians 3:3). He then gives an account of the ministry of the new covenant in contrast to the old.
The church represents the appearance of the new age in the domain of the old.
The one who comes to Christ by faith is declared a new person, a new creation, for whom the old has passed away (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15).
Jewish-gentile hostility disappears in the resulting "new humanity" (Ephesians 2:15).
All other social distinctions (such as male-female, slave-free) pass away in the new humanity created in Christ Jesus (Colossians 3:10–11).
The newness of a person in Christ is the foundation for New Testament ethics (Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:12). The new commandment (John 13:34; 1 John 2:8) is not really new (1 John 2:7), but now has new possibility and deeper meaning by the power and example of Jesus. Though this new life is a gift of God, the process of being made new continues. Transformation by the renewing of the mind (Romans 12:2) realizes the will of God. Paul declares the inner self is being renewed day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16).
The Realization of the New
As real as the new life of the believer is, Scripture shows a tension between the new age that is not yet realized. The time when all things are made new is a future promise (Revelation 21:5). With the end of the old, there is a new heaven and new earth. The new Jerusalem "coming down out of heaven" as the dwelling place of God (verse 2). The people of God receive a new name (3:12) as the old things disappear.
The people who are the redeemed of the Lord are given a new song to sing. The song is about the Lamb slain from the beginning of creation:
The first line of the song is "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!" The chorus returns, "To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power forever and ever!" (Revelation 5:12–13).
See also New Commandment; New Covenant; New Jerusalem; Old and New Self; New Creation, New Creature; New Heavens and New Earth; Renewal, Regeneration.
Aquifer Open Bible Dictionary © 2026 Mission Mutual, an adaptation of the Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary © 2023 Tyndale House Publishers. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.