καινός (kainos)
kainos
new
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 38 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adjective kainos describes something new in quality, freshness, or novelty rather than merely in age. While neos often refers to things that are recently born or young, kainos emphasizes that an object is unused, fresh, or unprecedented. This distinction appears in Jesus’ parables, where he contrasts new wine with old wineskins (Mark 2:22), highlighting that the new content requires a new form because it is fundamentally different and active.
Scripture uses this word to mark profound transformations. It describes the "new creation" in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17) and the "new commandment" of love (John 13:34), suggesting a radical shift in nature rather than just a change in time. In Revelation, it characterizes the new heaven, new earth, and New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:1-2), pointing to a restored reality that is fresh and unworn compared to the old order.
The term carries significant theological weight by indicating divine innovation. It appears in references to the "new covenant" (Luke 22:20) and songs that are new (Revelation 5:9), underscoring God’s ability to bring about fresh, unprecedented acts of redemption. Translators typically render it as "new," capturing its sense of distinctive vitality and unaccustomed excellence.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word kainos points to something fresh in quality, not just recent in age. It describes a reality that is unused, vibrant, and fundamentally different from what came before. When Scripture uses this term, it signals a divine innovation that cannot be contained by old patterns or traditions.
This distinction matters because God’s work in Christ is not merely an update to the past. It is a new creation. The old ways of striving for righteousness have passed away, replaced by a life animated by the Spirit. This shift requires fresh vessels—open hearts ready to receive what only the new covenant can provide.
Consider the image of new wine in fresh wineskins. The vitality of the gospel cannot be forced into rigid structures designed for the old order. Instead, we are invited into a relationship that is alive, dynamic, and uniquely suited to the grace now available in Jesus. This freshness offers hope that no situation is beyond God’s power to renew.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 38 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- new26×
- new.4×
- of a new3×
- new,3×
- anew2×
- a new2×
- fresh1×
- [things] new1×
- [he is] a new1×
- New1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- καινὸν9×
- καινὴν9×
- καινὴ6×
- καινῆς5×
- καινὰ2×
- καινοὺς2×
- καινῷ1×
- καινότερον.¶1×
- καινόν.1×
- καινήν.1×
- καινήν,1×
- καινά1×
Key Verses
-
II Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.
This verse defines the believer's identity as a 'new creation,' emphasizing a radical transformation of nature rather than a simple chronological change.
-
Mark 2:22
No one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the skins, and the wine pours out, and the skins will be destroyed; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins.”
The parable illustrates that the dynamic power of the gospel requires new structures, as it cannot be contained by old religious forms.
-
Matthew 26:28
for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins.
Jesus identifies His blood as establishing a 'new covenant,' marking a definitive shift in how God relates to humanity through forgiveness.
-
John 13:34
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another.
The commandment to love one another is called 'new' because it is grounded in the specific, sacrificial example of Christ's own love.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does kainos mean in the Bible?
How is kainos different from neos?
Where does this word appear most significantly?
Every Occurrence (38 verses across 14 books)
Matthew 5 verses
Neither do people put new wine into old wineskins, or else the skins would burst, and the wine be spilled, and the…
Matthew 13:52He said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been made a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a…
Matthew 26:28for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins.
Matthew 26:29But I tell you that I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on, until that day when I drink it anew with…
Matthew 27:60and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut out in the rock. Then he rolled a large stone against the door of the…