χίλιοι (chilioi)
chilioi
thousand
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 10 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The word chilioi simply means one thousand. It is the standard Greek term for this number, appearing ten times in the New Testament. Most of these occurrences are found in the Book of Revelation and in 2 Peter 3:8.
In Revelation, the number often signifies a vast, specific quantity within apocalyptic visions. For instance, it counts the witnesses in chapter 11, the faithful in chapter 14, and the duration of Satan’s binding in chapter 20. In 2 Peter, it appears in the famous verse stating that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years.
This usage highlights how ancient texts employ large round numbers to convey magnitude rather than precise arithmetic. The word itself has no hidden theological code; its weight comes from the context of eternity and divine judgment where such vast counts are necessary to describe the scope of God’s plan.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word chilioi simply means one thousand. In the New Testament, it appears ten times, mostly in Revelation and 2 Peter. It is not a code or a hidden symbol. It is a number used to show something very large or long-lasting.
In 2 Peter 3:8, we read that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years. This helps us understand God’s time. His patience is not slow. He waits so people can turn to Him. The number shows how vast His mercy is compared to our short lives.
When Revelation uses this word, it often describes long periods or great crowds. These passages remind us that God’s plan has a clear shape. Whether counting years or people, the text points to a reality beyond our own small view of time.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 10 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- thousand4×
- a thousand4×
- one thousand2×
- for a thousand1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- χίλια8×
- χιλίας2×
- χιλίων1×
Key Verses
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II Peter 3:8
But don’t forget this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
This verse uses the word to contrast human impatience with God’s eternal perspective on judgment and mercy.
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Revelation of John 20:2
He seized the dragon, the old serpent, who is the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole inhabited earth, and bound him for a thousand years,
Here the term specifies the duration of Satan’s binding, marking a distinct period in the unfolding of divine history.
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Revelation of John 20:4
I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and such as didn’t worship the beast nor his image, and didn’t receive the mark on their forehead and on their hand. They lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
The word defines the length of time the faithful reign with Christ, emphasizing the completeness of their victory.