πεντεκαιδέκατος (pentekaidekatos)
pentekaidekatos
fifteenth
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adjective pentekaidekatos simply means "the fifteenth." It is a straightforward ordinal number formed by combining the words for five, and, and ten. In the New Testament, this word appears only once, in Luke 3:1.
Luke uses it to date the beginning of John the Baptist’s ministry by referencing the reigns of Roman emperors and local rulers. Specifically, he notes that this event occurred in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar. This precise chronological marker helps anchor the gospel narrative in real historical time.
Because it is used so rarely, the word does not carry complex theological nuances or a wide range of meanings. Its significance lies entirely in its function as a historical timestamp within Luke’s careful account of Jesus’ origins.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When Luke writes that John the Baptist began his ministry in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar, he is doing something remarkable. He anchors the story of Jesus in specific history. This word, pentekaidekatos, marks a precise moment when God’s redemptive plan moved forward in real time. It reminds us that faith is not abstract; it lives within the rhythm of our daily lives and world events.
For your own journey, this detail offers comfort. The same God who ordered history with such precision knows the details of your days. You are not wandering aimlessly. Your struggles, joys, and quiet moments are held within a larger narrative that leads to hope. Trust that your life has purpose and place.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- fifteenth1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- πεντεκαιδεκάτῳ1×
Key Verses
-
Luke 3:1
Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,
This occurrence serves as the historical anchor for the start of John the Baptist's ministry, placing Jesus' arrival in a verifiable timeline.