ἑκατονταέτης (hekatontaetēs)
hekatontaetēs
a hundred years old
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adjective hekatontaetēs describes someone who is a hundred years old. It is a straightforward compound word formed from the roots for "hundred" and "year," functioning as a precise descriptor of age rather than a metaphorical or theological term.
This word appears only once in the New Testament, in Romans 4:19. The Apostle Paul uses it to describe Abraham’s physical condition when God promised him a son. By specifying that Abraham was already a centenarian, the text emphasizes the impossibility of the promise from a human perspective, highlighting that faith relies on God’s power rather than natural biological possibility.
Because the term is so specific and rare, it does not carry a wide range of nuances or synonyms in biblical usage. Its primary value lies in its concrete illustration of human limitation against divine promise, serving as a factual anchor for Paul’s argument about faith.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When Paul writes that Abraham was about a hundred years old, he is not just stating a fact. He is pointing to a moment where human strength had completely run out. At that age, biological possibility was gone. The promise from God seemed impossible by any natural standard.
This word reminds us that faith does not depend on our current resources or circumstances. It relies entirely on the One who makes promises. When we face situations that feel as closed off as a hundred-year-old body, we are invited to look past what we see with our eyes.
God’s power is not limited by human age or condition. We can trust that He remains faithful even when the path forward looks impossible. His strength shines brightest where our own ends.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- a hundred years old1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἑκατονταετής1×
Key Verses
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Romans 4:19
Without being weakened in faith, he didn’t consider his own body, already having been worn out, (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb.
This verse uses the word to highlight the physical impossibility of Abraham having a son, showing that faith trusts God's power over natural limits.