τρεῖς (treis)

The Greek word treis is the basic numeral for "three." It functions as a primary number in the New Testament, appearing sixty-two times across books like Matthew, Acts, and Revelation. The sources note that it follows standard grammatical patterns, taking different forms depending on whether it modifies masculine, feminine, or neuter nouns.

A notable feature of its usage is the phrase "after three days," which often corresponds to the idiomatic expression "on the third day." This distinction appears frequently in the Gospels, such as when Jesus predicts his resurrection in Matthew 12:40 or Mark 8:31. The sources highlight that this phrasing reflects a common vernacular idiom found in both classical Greek and Hebrew, rather than a unique theological invention.

Translators consistently render treis simply as "three." Its significance often lies in the specific context of the number itself, whether describing the three days Jonah spent in the fish, the three witnesses required for legal testimony, or the threefold structure of apocalyptic judgments. The word serves as a straightforward marker of quantity without inherent symbolic weight beyond its numerical value.