τετρακόσιοι (tetrakosioi)
tetrakosioi
four hundred
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The word tetrakosioi is a straightforward numeral meaning "four hundred." It functions as an adjective in Greek, agreeing with the noun it modifies in gender and number. While modern readers might overlook such specific numbers, biblical authors often used them to ground their narratives in concrete historical or genealogical reality.
This term appears in four verses across the New Testament, primarily in the book of Acts and Galatians. In Acts 5:36, it quantifies the followers of Theudas, a figure who rose up before Judas the Galilean. Later, in Acts 13:20, it marks a period of time during which God provided judges for Israel before the monarchy was established. Galatians 3:17 uses it to count the years between God’s covenant with Abraham and the giving of the Law at Sinai.
Though simple, these instances show how the number serves as a precise marker in biblical history. It helps readers track timelines and measure the size of groups without ambiguity. The consistent use of this exact figure across different contexts highlights the importance of specific details in preserving the accuracy of sacred records.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word tetrakosioi simply means four hundred. In Scripture, numbers are not just decorative; they anchor our faith in real history. When Luke mentions four hundred followers of Theudas or Paul counts four hundred and thirty years since God’s promise to Abraham, he is reminding us that God works within time and space.
This precision invites trust. It shows that the biblical narrative is not a vague myth but a record of actual events where real people lived, followed leaders, and waited on God’s timing. Whether it marks a crowd or a century, these details ground our hope in the reliability of God’s word.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- four hundred2×
- four hundred;1×
- four hundred.1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- τετρακόσια.1×
- τετρακόσια1×
- τετρακοσίων·1×
- τετρακοσίοις1×
Key Verses
-
Acts 5:36
For before these days Theudas rose up, making himself out to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves. He was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were dispersed and came to nothing.
This verse uses the number to quantify the specific size of Theudas's following, highlighting the temporary nature of human rebellion compared to God's enduring plan.
-
Acts 13:20
After these things, he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.
Here the term marks a distinct era of judicial leadership in Israel, helping readers track the historical progression from conquest to monarchy.
-
Galatians 3:17
Now I say this: A covenant confirmed beforehand by God in Christ, the law, which came four hundred thirty years after, does not annul, so as to make the promise of no effect.
Paul uses this count to demonstrate that the Law arrived long after God's covenant promise, proving that grace precedes and supersedes legal requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does tetrakosioi mean in the Bible?
Why does the Bible use specific numbers like four hundred?
How is tetrakosioi different from other number words?
Every Occurrence (4 verses across 2 books)
Acts 3 verses
For before these days Theudas rose up, making himself out to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred,…
Acts 7:6God spoke in this way: that his offspring would live as aliens in a strange land, and that they would be enslaved and…
Acts 13:20After these things, he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.