kairos · time, right time

What it means

kairos (καιρός) is a Greek word of the Bible that means “time, right time”.

Time, the appointed moment.

How to say it

Approximate pronunciation. Vowels sound as in Spanish (a as in father, e as in bed, i as in machine, o as in note, u as in rule); the syllable in bold is stressed. The voice is your device's.

Its senses in the Bible

1. The right moment for something.
2. A favorable moment to make the most of.
3. A part of the year, like harvest.

From Abbott-Smith (1922) · Thayer (1889)

Word study

Time, in the sense of a set or fitting moment, the proper time for something; distinct from mere duration. Thayer: a measure of time; a fixed time, an opportune season; the season of the year.

• “The time is fulfilled” Mark 1:15
• “At the right time”: the due moment Romans 5:6Matthew 13:30
• “Before the time”; “until an opportune time” Matthew 8:29Luke 4:13
• “Times or seasons” Acts 1:7
• Opportunity; the seasons Galatians 6:10Acts 14:17

How we translate it

“Time” 64 times, “times” 8, “seasons” 5, “season” 4, “opportunity” 3 (Galatians 6:10). When it goes with χρόνος, the other Greek word for time, the two are kept apart: “times or seasons” (Acts 1:7).

How it is translated

The words this translation uses for it, most frequent first.

• time ×64
• times ×8
• seasons ×5
• season ×4
• opportunity ×3
• while ×1

Related words

Words of the same family, by Strong’s numbering.

Where it appears

• Matthew×10
• Mark×5
• Luke×13
• John×3
• Acts×9
• Romans×6
• 1 Corinthians×3
• 2 Corinthians×3
• Galatians×3
• Ephesians×4
• Colossians×1
• 1 Thessalonians×2
• 2 Thessalonians×1
• 1 Timothy×3
• 2 Timothy×3
• Titus×1
• Hebrews×4
• 1 Peter×4
• Revelation×7

• Matthew 8:29

  And look, they cried out, saying, “What have we to do with you, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?”

• Matthew 11:25

  At that time Jesus responded and said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you hid these things from the wise and the intelligent and revealed them to little children.

• Matthew 12:1

  At that time Jesus went on the Sabbath through the grainfields; and his disciples were hungry and began to pick heads of grain and to eat.

• Matthew 13:30

  Let both grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the darnel first and tie it in bundles to burn it, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

• Matthew 14:1

  At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus,

• Matthew 16:3

  And in the morning, ‘Today there will be a storm, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but the signs of the times you cannot discern.

• Matthew 21:34

  And when the season of fruit drew near, he sent his slaves to the tenant farmers to receive his fruit.

• Matthew 21:41

  They say to him, “He will destroy those wretches wretchedly, and lease the vineyard to other tenant farmers who will give him the fruits in their seasons.”

• Matthew 24:45

  Who, then, is the faithful and wise slave whom the master has put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time?

• Matthew 26:18

  And he said, “Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is near; at your house I am keeping the Passover with my disciples.”’”

• Mark 1:15

  and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; change your minds and believe in the good news.”

• Mark 10:30

  who will not receive a hundred times as much now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.

• Mark 11:13

  And seeing from a distance a fig tree that had leaves, he went to see if perhaps he would find anything on it; and when he came to it he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.

• Mark 12:2

  And at the season he sent a slave to the tenants, so that he might receive from the tenants some of the fruit of the vineyard.

• Mark 13:33

  Watch out, stay awake; for you do not know when the time is.

• Luke 1:20

  And look, you will be silent and not able to speak until the day that these things happen, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.”

• Luke 4:13

  And when the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.

• Luke 8:13

  And those on the rock are the ones who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root; they believe for a while, and in a time of testing fall away.

• Luke 12:42

  And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master will put in charge over his household staff to give them their food allowance at the proper time?

• Luke 12:56

  Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it that you do not know how to interpret this time?

• Luke 13:1

  Now there were present at that very time some who were reporting to him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.

• Luke 18:30

  who will not receive back many times as much in this time, and in the age to come, eternal life.”

• Luke 19:44

  and they will dash you to the ground, and your children within you, and they will not leave stone upon stone in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

• Luke 20:10

  And at the harvest time he sent a slave to the tenants, so that they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard; but the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed.

• Luke 21:8

  And he said, “See that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come near.’ Do not go after them.

• Luke 21:24

  And they will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive into all the nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled by nations until the times of the nations are fulfilled.

• Luke 21:36

  But stay awake at every time, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

• John 7:6

  So Jesus says to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready.

• John 7:8

  You go up to the feast; I am not going up to this feast, because my time has not yet been fulfilled.”

• Acts 1:7

  He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has set by his own authority;

• Acts 3:20

  so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and he may send the Messiah appointed for you, Jesus,

• Acts 7:20

  At this time Moses was born, and he was beautiful to God. He was brought up three months in his father’s house.

• Acts 12:1

  Now about that time Herod the king laid hands on some of those from the assembly to mistreat them.

• Acts 13:11

  And now, look, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.” And immediately mist and darkness fell on him, and going around he was seeking people to lead him by the hand.

• Acts 14:17

  and yet he did not leave himself without testimony, doing good, giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness.”

• Acts 17:26

  and he made from one every nation of humanity to live on all the face of the earth, having determined appointed times and the boundaries of their dwelling,

• Acts 19:23

  And there arose about that time no small disturbance concerning the Way.

• Acts 24:25

  And as he was discussing righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment, Felix became frightened and answered, “For the present go; and when I get an opportunity, I will summon you.”

• Romans 3:26

  in the forbearance of God; for the demonstration of his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be righteous and the one who declares righteous the one who is of faith in Jesus.

• Romans 5:6

  For while we were still weak, at the right time the Messiah died for the ungodly.

And 45 more times.