στάδιος (stadios)
stadios
stadium
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 7 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun stadion refers to a specific unit of length used in the ancient world, measuring approximately 600 Greek feet or roughly 185 meters. It served as a standard measure for distance in both secular and biblical contexts, appearing frequently in texts like Daniel and Maccabees before entering the New Testament narrative.
In the Gospels, this term grounds Jesus’ miracles in tangible geography. In Matthew 14:24, the disciples are described as being about two stadia from shore when Jesus walks on water, while John 6:19 notes they had traveled only three or four stadia before seeing Him approach. Similarly, Luke 24:13 places Emmaus at about eleven stadia from Jerusalem, providing readers with a concrete sense of the journey’s scale.
The word also carries a secondary meaning as a race course, specifically one measuring this length. Paul uses this imagery in 1 Corinthians 9:24 to illustrate the Christian life, urging believers to run with discipline to win the prize. This dual usage connects physical measurement with the competitive spirit of athletic games common in Greek culture.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word stadion grounds our faith in real geography. It measures roughly 185 meters, a distance you could walk in a few minutes. When the Gospels use it, they tell us Jesus met people where they actually were. The disciples were only a short row away from shore when He walked on water. Bethany was a brief journey from Jerusalem. These details show God is not distant; He enters our specific, measured moments.
Paul also uses this term to describe the Christian life as a race. He reminds us that athletes train with focus to win a prize. Your daily walk requires similar discipline. You are running toward a goal that lasts forever. This image encourages you to keep moving forward, even when the path feels long or difficult.
Revelation uses the word in visions of a new city and a final judgment. These numbers point to God’s ultimate plan for history. They remind us that our current struggles are part of a larger story. We can trust that God measures time and space with purpose. His promises hold true across every stadium we cross.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 7 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- stadia6×
- a race course1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- σταδίων3×
- σταδίους3×
- σταδίῳ1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 14:24
But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, distressed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.
This verse places the disciples in distress on the sea, setting the stage for Jesus to approach them from a short distance.
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John 6:19
When therefore they had rowed about twenty-five or thirty stadia, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat; and they were afraid.
The specific measure of twenty-five or thirty stadia shows how quickly Jesus closed the gap between Himself and the frightened disciples.
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Luke 24:13
Behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was sixty stadia from Jerusalem.
This measurement grounds the Emmaus journey in reality, showing the physical distance the disciples walked while discussing Jesus' death.
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I Corinthians 9:24
Don’t you know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run like that, so that you may win.
Paul uses the race course imagery to urge believers to run with purpose and self-control for an eternal prize.