Greek word · G517

ἀόρατος

aoratos

invisible

Unseen, invisible, not perceptible to the eye. Used of God, of the unseen realm (Col 1:16, "visible and invisible"), and in philosophy of the realm beyond the senses.

Appears 5 times in 5 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ἀόρατος, -ον

(ὁράω), [in LXX: Genesis 1:2 (תֹּהוּ), Isaiah 45:3 (מִסְתָּר), 2Ma.9:5 * ;]

unseen, invisible: Romans 1:20, Colossians 1:15-16, 1 Timothy 1:17, Hebrews 11:27.†

(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 1 Timothy 1:17

Range of meaning

Unseen, invisible, not perceptible to the eye. Used of God, of the unseen realm (Col 1:16, "visible and invisible"), and in philosophy of the realm beyond the senses.

Against the English

"Invisible" is accurate in every major version.

Used elsewhere in the period

Philo often calls God "the invisible" (ὁ ἀόρατος), and Josephus describes God as unseen (War 7.346). In the NT, compare Romans 1:20 ("his invisible attributes"), Colossians 1:15 ("the image of the invisible God") and Hebrews 11:27. Behind this lies the Israelite ban on images (Exod 20:4; Deut 4:12, "you saw no form").

From the study of Colossians 1:15

Range of meaning

Unseen, invisible, by nature not visible. Used of God and of the unseen spiritual realm.

Against the English

"Invisible" is accurate. It belongs here because of how it pairs with "image": the sentence builds the tension that the invisible has a visible form.

Used elsewhere in the period

Romans 1:20 (God's "invisible things" perceived through creation); 1 Timothy 1:17 ("the King eternal, immortal, invisible"); Hebrews 11:27; compare John 1:18 ("No one has ever seen God; the only Son… has made him known"). Philo often calls God aoratos. Greek philosophers used it for the realm beyond the senses.

From the study of Colossians 1:16

Range of meaning

'Invisible', 'visible'. In Hellenistic philosophy (Plato, Philo) the visible world of the senses stood against the invisible world that only the mind could know, which was thought higher and more real.

Against the English

The English is accurate.

Used elsewhere in the period

Philo regularly calls God 'invisible' (On the Creation 69) and distinguishes the invisible, intelligible world from the visible one. Col 1:15 has 'the invisible God'; Rom 1:20 'his invisible attributes'.

Where it appears

Romans · 1

  1. Romans 1:20 ἀόρατα invisible qualities

    For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse.

    Here: 'Things that cannot be seen', from a- ('not') + horaō ('see'). It sets up a deliberate paradox with kathoratai ('are clearly seen'), which comes from the same root: the unseeable is seen.

Colossians · 2

  1. Colossians 1:15 ἀοράτου, invisible,

    The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

    Here: Not just "not yet seen" but cannot be seen. That God cannot be seen was basic Jewish belief (Exodus 33:20). The point is the contrast: the unseeable God now has a visible image. The same word comes back in verse 16 for the "invisible" powers created in the Son.

  2. Colossians 1:16 ἀόρατα, invisible,

    For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him.

    Here: The unseen order: spirits, angels, powers. It picks up v. 15, where God is 'the invisible God' whose image is the Son. The unseen realm is created too; only God is uncreated.

1 Timothy · 1

  1. 1 Timothy 1:17 ἀοράτῳ invisible

    Now to the King eternal, immortal, and invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

    Here: "Unseen, not visible to human eyes." Unlike gods with statues and emperors whose portraits were everywhere, this King cannot be pictured or looked at (compare 6:16, "whom no one has seen or can see").

Hebrews · 1

  1. Hebrews 11:27 ἀόρατον Invisible [One]

    By faith Moses left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw Him who is invisible.

    Here: 'The one who cannot be seen', a title for God. It deliberately clashes with the participle 'seeing' that comes right after it.

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