δεκατέσσαρες (dekatessares)
dekatessares
fourteen
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The word dekatessares is the Greek numeral for fourteen. It appears in only three New Testament passages, each time serving as a precise marker of time or lineage rather than carrying abstract theological weight. In Matthew 1:17, it structures the genealogy of Jesus into three sets of fourteen generations, creating a mnemonic framework that helps readers remember the flow of history from Abraham to David, from David to the exile, and from the exile to Christ.
The term also appears in Galatians 2:1, where Paul notes he went up to Jerusalem after fourteen years. Here, it anchors his personal ministry timeline against the backdrop of early church events. Similarly, in 2 Corinthians 12:2, Paul recounts a vision that happened fourteen years earlier, using the number to establish distance without specifying whether the experience was recent or distant in his memory.
Etymologically, the word combines the roots for ten and four, following standard Greek numerical construction. Its limited usage suggests it functions primarily as a historical or biographical detail rather than a symbol with hidden meaning. Translators consistently render it simply as "fourteen," preserving the straightforward factual nature of Paul’s and Matthew’s accounts.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word dekatessares, meaning fourteen, appears in Scripture as a simple marker of time and lineage. In Matthew’s Gospel, it helps structure Jesus’ genealogy into three clear groups, reminding us that God works through real history and real families to bring about His promises. This numerical pattern is not just a literary trick but a sign that God’s plan unfolds steadily over generations.
Paul also uses this number in his letters to anchor his own ministry timeline. In Galatians, he notes a fourteen-year gap before visiting Jerusalem again, grounding his message in lived experience rather than abstract theory. Similarly, in 2 Corinthians, he recalls a vision from fourteen years prior, showing that even spiritual encounters are remembered within the flow of ordinary time.
For your faith, this word invites trust in God’s timing. Whether counting generations or years, Scripture shows that God is faithful across seasons. You can rest knowing that He remembers every step of your journey, just as He kept His promises through the long arc of history.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- fourteen3×
- fourteen.1×
- fourteen —1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- δεκατέσσαρες2×
- δεκατέσσαρες.¶1×
- δεκατεσσάρων,1×
- δεκατεσσάρων1×
Key Verses
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Matthew 1:17
So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the exile to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the carrying away to Babylon to the Christ, fourteen generations.
This verse uses fourteen to divide Jesus’ ancestry into three distinct historical periods, emphasizing God’s structured plan from Abraham to Christ.
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Galatians 2:1
Then after a period of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus also with me.
Paul marks a specific fourteen-year interval in his ministry, anchoring his apostolic authority in concrete historical events rather than vague tradition.
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II Corinthians 12:2
I know a man in Christ who was caught up into the third heaven fourteen years ago—whether in the body, I don’t know, or whether out of the body, I don’t know; God knows.
Here, fourteen years serves as a temporal marker for Paul’s visionary experience, highlighting how spiritual encounters are situated within the passage of time.