νουμηνία (noumēnia)
noumēnia
New Moon
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun noumēnia refers to the new moon, specifically marking the beginning of the Jewish lunar month. In the New Testament, it appears only once, in Colossians 2:16, where Paul lists it among observances that serve as shadows pointing toward Christ.
Its etymology combines words for "new" and "month," reflecting its role as a calendar marker. The term often corresponds to the Hebrew chodesh in the Septuagint, highlighting its roots in Jewish festival cycles. By including it alongside Sabbaths and dietary laws, Paul emphasizes that these rituals were temporary signs rather than permanent requirements for believers.
Translators typically render this word simply as "new moon," preserving its straightforward meaning as a time-keeping device within the ancient religious calendar. Its single biblical occurrence underscores how specific cultural practices are subsumed under the broader reality of Jesus, shifting focus from external observance to internal spiritual substance.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word noumēnia marks the beginning of a lunar month, serving as a visible sign of time passing in the ancient world. In Colossians 2:16, Paul mentions it alongside other religious observances to remind believers that these external markers were shadows pointing toward Christ. This means that while such dates held deep meaning for Jewish tradition, they do not carry binding authority for Christians today.
Understanding this helps free us from the pressure to measure spiritual worth by calendar events or ritual compliance. Instead of focusing on specific days, we are invited to rest in the substance of Jesus, who fulfills all that these symbols anticipated. Your faith is anchored in Him, not in the rhythm of the moon.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- a New Moon1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- νεομηνίας1×
Key Verses
-
Colossians 2:16
Let no one therefore judge you in eating or drinking, or with respect to a feast day or a new moon or a Sabbath day,
Paul lists this term to show that new moon observances, like dietary laws and Sabbaths, are temporary shadows fulfilled in Christ.