τρίτος (tritos)
tritos
third
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 47 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The Greek word tritos simply means "third." It is an ordinal number used to count in sequence, appearing frequently in the Gospels and Acts to mark specific moments in time or narrative order. For instance, Jesus predicts his resurrection on the third day (Matthew 16:21), and Peter notes that the Holy Spirit fell on Cornelius's household on the third hour of the day (Acts 2:15). In these contexts, it functions as a straightforward temporal marker.
Its meaning shifts slightly when used substantively. The neuter form, to triton, often denotes "a third part" or fraction, particularly in Revelation where judgments fall on a third of the earth's elements (Revelation 8:7-12). The masculine form can refer to a person who is the third in a series, such as the third servant sent by a landowner in Luke 20:12. As an adverb, it indicates repetition, meaning "a third time," as seen when Jesus prays in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:44) or when Paul mentions being warned a third time (2 Corinthians 13:1).
Etymologically, tritos derives from the root for three (treis), maintaining a clear numerical logic throughout Scripture. Its usage ranges from precise historical dating to symbolic proportions in apocalyptic literature. Translators consistently render it as "third" or "a third," preserving its exact quantitative value without adding emotional or theological nuance beyond the count itself.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word tritos simply means "third." In Scripture, it often marks a specific moment in time or narrative order. Jesus frequently used it to predict his resurrection on the third day, showing that God’s plans unfold with precise timing. This number is not random; it signals a turning point where hope rises after sorrow.
When you read about the "third hour" or the "third servant," you are seeing how ordinary details in life carry weight. Whether it is a fraction of the earth in Revelation or a repeated prayer in Gethsemane, this word helps us notice God’s attention to detail. It reminds us that every moment, even the small ones, matters in His story.
For your faith, this means you can trust the sequence of events in your life. Just as Jesus rose on the third day, there is purpose in the waiting and the waiting periods. You are not overlooked; you are part of a narrative where endings often bring new beginnings.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 47 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- third27×
- a third15×
- [the] third3×
- third time;2×
- third time2×
- third [day]2×
- [the] third time2×
- third,1×
- a third [time]1×
- Third1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- τρίτον22×
- τρίτῃ13×
- τρίτος7×
- τρίτου3×
- τρίτον·2×
- τρίτης2×
- τρίτην2×
- τρίτη2×
- τρίτην,1×
- τρίτη,1×
- Τρίτον1×
Key Verses
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Matthew 16:21
From that time, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up.
This verse marks the first explicit prediction by Jesus that he must suffer and be raised on the third day, establishing the core hope of the Gospel.
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Luke 24:7
saying that the Son of Man must be delivered up into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and the third day rise again?”
The angels remind the women of Jesus’ own words about rising on the third day, confirming that his resurrection was a fulfilled prophecy rather than an accident.
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John 21:17
He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you have affection for me?” Peter was grieved because he asked him the third time, “Do you have affection for me?” He said to him, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I have affection for you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.
Jesus asks Peter for the third time if he loves him, using repetition to restore Peter’s confidence and commission him to care for the flock.
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Acts 2:15
For these aren’t drunken, as you suppose, seeing it is only the third hour of the day.
Peter clarifies that the disciples are not drunk but are witnessing a divine event at the third hour of the day, grounding the Pentecost miracle in a specific time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the word tritos mean in the Bible?
Why is the "third day" significant in the New Testament?
How is tritos different from other numbers in Scripture?
Every Occurrence (47 verses across 8 books)
Matthew 7 verses
From that time, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders,…
Matthew 17:23and they will kill him, and the third day he will be raised up.” They were exceedingly sorry.
Matthew 20:3He went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace.
Matthew 20:19and will hand him over to the Gentiles to mock, to scourge, and to crucify; and the third day he will be raised up.”
Matthew 22:26In the same way, the second also, and the third, to the seventh.
Matthew 26:44He left them again, went away, and prayed a third time, saying the same words.
Matthew 27:64Command therefore that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest perhaps his disciples come at night and steal…