ὀψία
opsia
evening
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredThe Greek word ὀψία (opsia) is a term that is primarily associated with the evening. In the 15 occurrences of ὀψία in the Bible, it consistently conveys a sense of late day or nighttime. This word is often used in contrast to the morning, highlighting the progression of time. The varied contexts in which ὀψία appears suggest its significance in the ancient Greek and biblical world. It is used both literally and metaphorically, indicating not only the physical darkness of night but also a sense of completion, rest, or cessation. For example, ὀψία is used to describe the time when Jesus was crucified or when the disciples returned to their homes with the loaves of bread after feeding the crowds. Overall, ὀψία underscores the importance of time and its relationship to human experience. Its appearances in the Bible emphasize the cyclical nature of life, with the evening representing a turning point from activity to rest, and from light to darkness.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
15 total occurrences across the text
When evening came, they brought to him many possessed with demons. He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick;
Matthew 14:15When evening had come, his disciples came to him, saying, “This place is deserted, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves food.”
Matthew 14:23After he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into the mountain by himself to pray. When evening had come, he was there alone.
Matthew 16:2But he answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’
Matthew 27:57When evening had come, a rich man from Arimathaea, named Joseph, who himself was also Jesus’ disciple came.
Matthew 20:8When evening had come, the lord of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning from the last to the first.’
Matthew 26:20Now when evening had come, he was reclining at the table with the twelve disciples.
Mark 1:32At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to him all who were sick, and those who were possessed by demons.
Mark 4:35On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let’s go over to the other side.”
Mark 6:47When evening had come, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and he was alone on the land.
Mark 11:11Jesus entered into the temple in Jerusalem. When he had looked around at everything, it being now evening, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.
Mark 14:17When it was evening he came with the twelve.
Mark 15:42When evening had now come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath,
John 20:19When therefore it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were locked where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the middle, and said to them, “Peace be to you.”
John 6:16When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea.