Greek word · G4712

στάδιος

stadios

stadium

(1) A unit of length: 600 Greek feet. The exact length varied by region, from about 177 to 192 m; the Roman reckoning used in the eastern empire was about 185 m, one eighth of a Roman mile. (2) A racecourse of that length, the stadium. The word appears as both masculine and neuter.

Appears 7 times in 7 verses of the Greek New Testament. · Updated October 30, 2026

What it means

στάδιον, -ου, τό pl., στάδια (John 6:19, T), and metapl., στάδιοι (see B1., 9, 1),

[in LXX: Dan LXX 4:9, Sus 1:37, 2Ma.11:5 2Mac 12:9 ff. * ;]

a stadium, i.e.

1. a measure of length = 600 Greek feet or 1⁄8 of a Roman mile Matthew 14:24 (Rec., WH, txt., R, mg.), Luke 24:13, John 6:19 11:18, Revelation 14:20 21:16, and, this being the length of the Olympic course,

2. a race-course: 1 Corinthians 9:24.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of John 11:18

Range of meaning: (1) A unit of length: 600 Greek feet. The exact length varied by region, from about 177 to 192 m; the Roman reckoning used in the eastern empire was about 185 m, one eighth of a Roman mile. (2) A racecourse of that length, the stadium. (3) By extension, a race or contest (1 Cor 9:24, 'those who run in a stadium'). The word appears as both masculine and neuter. The plural here, σταδίων, could come from either form.
Against the English: KJV and YLT have 'furlongs'. The English furlong (220 yards, about 201 m) was the closest English unit, and it is a fair approximation, though slightly long. WEB keeps 'stadia'. BSB, NIV, ESV and NASB turn it into miles ('about two miles' or 'less than two miles'). NLT is looser still.
Used elsewhere in the period: Standard in Greek historians and geographers (Herodotus, Strabo). Josephus gives distances around Jerusalem in stadia, e.g. the Mount of Olives as five stadia from the city (Antiquities 20.169) and six (Jewish War 5.70). The Septuagint uses it in 2 Maccabees for distances near Jerusalem (11:5; 12:9, 29). In the NT: Luke 24:13 (Emmaus, sixty stadia); John 6:19; Rev 14:20; 21:16.

From the study of 1 Corinthians 9:24

Range of meaning: (1) A measure of distance, 600 Greek feet. The exact length varied from place to place, roughly 177–192 m (Olympia's track was about 192 m). (2) The footrace run over that distance, the oldest and most prestigious event at the Olympic Games. (3) The track or stadium itself: a long, straight earth course with a starting line, often with banks or seats for spectators. Elsewhere in the NT it is used only as a distance (e.g. Luke 24:13; John 6:19; Rev 14:20; 21:16).
Against the English: English versions say "in a race" (BSB, KJV, WEB, YLT, ESV, NIV). That is a reasonable paraphrase, but it removes the place. Paul literally says "those running in the stadium": a concrete public arena that his readers had seen, full of spectators, judges and rules.
How it drifted: "Race" makes the image abstract. Modern readers easily blend it with "the race of life" or a marathon, an event that did not exist in antiquity (it was created in 1896). Paul's picture is a stadium contest with a judge and a single winner.
Used elsewhere in the period: Herodotus and Pausanias use it for both the distance and the course. Philo uses the stadium and its contests as a picture of the soul's struggle for virtue (e.g. On Husbandry 112–119). In the LXX it appears as a distance (2 Macc 11:5; 12:9–29). Archaeologists have excavated the stadium at the sanctuary of Poseidon at Isthmia, a few miles from Corinth.

From the study of Matthew 14:24

Range of meaning: A Greek measure of 600 Greek feet, about 185–192 m. By extension it also meant a racecourse of that length, and the stadium built around it (1 Cor 9:24).
Against the English: The KJV and its successors follow manuscripts that read "in the midst of the sea", so the unit does not appear at all. The NIV, ESV and BSB give a general "far / a long way". Some versions keep "many stadia".
Used elsewhere in the period: Josephus (Jewish War 3.506) gives the Sea of Galilee as 140 stades long and 40 stades wide, about 26 × 7.5 km by his figures. The real lake is about 21 × 13 km. John 6:19 says the disciples had rowed "about twenty-five or thirty stades" (about 5–6 km).

Where it appears

Matthew · 1

Matthew 14:24 σταδίους stadia

but the boat was already far from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

Here: A Greek unit of distance of 600 Greek feet, roughly 185–192 metres (about a furlong). It is used here as a measure, not as a sports stadium.

Luke · 1

Luke 24:13 σταδίους stadia

That same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem.

John · 2

John 6:19 σταδίους stadia

When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the sea—and they were terrified.

Here: A stade was a Greek and Roman measure of about 185 metres (600 Greek feet), originally the length of a racetrack. It is the same word that gives us 'stadium'.
John 11:18 σταδίων stadia

Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, a little less than two miles away,

Here: The standard Greek unit for distance: 600 Greek feet, roughly 185–192 metres (about 607–630 English feet). It is the length of a stadium racecourse, which is where English gets 'stadium'.

1 Corinthians · 1

1 Corinthians 9:24 σταδίῳ a race course

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way as to take the prize.

Here: The stadium: the long, straight running track with banks for spectators. The word was also the name of a distance (about 180–190 m) and of the short sprint over that distance. Corinthians would picture the track at the Isthmian Games next to their city.

Revelation · 2

Revelation 14:20 σταδίων stadia

And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and the blood that flowed from it rose as high as the bridles of the horses for a distance of 1,600 stadia.

Here: The standard Greek unit for long distances, about 600 feet. It is the same word as the running track that was one stadion long.
Revelation 21:16 σταδίων stadia

The city lies foursquare, with its width the same as its length. And he measured the city with the rod, and all its dimensions were equal—12,000 stadia in length and width and height.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.