Tag Archives: ἐλπίς in the Bible

The Greek noun “ἐλπίς”

Found 48 times in the New Testament, the Greek noun “elpis” meant “hope” or “expectation.”  Hope is associated with the resurrection of the dead (Acts 23:6) and the new covenant (2 Cor. 3:12).  It is called the “hope of righteousness” in Gal. 5:5 and comes through the Scriptures (Rom. 15:4; Col. 1:23).  Jesus, of course, is essential to this hope (Col. 1:27; 1 Tim. 1:1).  The hope of the gospel allows the saved to rejoice (Rom. 12:12).

“For Christian believers hope is a present virtue with future reference.  It is their forward look at a distant goal.  For Christians, hope is neither optimism nor fear, and doubt has no part in it.  Hope is based on religious faith.  Hope is very much a Pauline word, never tinged with nervousness or alarm, as in secular contexts” (Turner, Christian Words, p. 214).