Mystery
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through theConnect page. Screenshots are helpful.
mysterion names a mystery, not in the modern sense of a puzzle solved by clever readers, but as God's once-hidden counsel now made known by revelation. In the New Testament it often concerns the kingdom, the gospel, Jew and Gentile inclusion, Christ in His people, godliness revealed in Christ, or final events disclosed by God.
Reader summary
Full entry for μυστήριον (G3466) · Open the biblical lexicon
mysterion names a mystery, not in the modern sense of a puzzle solved by clever readers, but as God's once-hidden counsel now made known by revelation. In the New Testament it often concerns the kingdom, the gospel, Jew and Gentile inclusion, Christ in His people, godliness revealed in Christ, or final events disclosed by God.
The BSB source-word alignment has 27 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include mystery (18), mysteries (4), [the] mysterious (1), a mysterious (1), a mystery (1).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 13:11. Its strongest book concentrations include Ephesians (6), 1 Corinthians (5), Colossians (4), Revelation (4).
This entry includes 1 verse guide that explain exact original-language forms in context.
Mysterion names a mystery, not in the modern sense of a puzzle solved by clever readers, but as God's once-hidden counsel now made known by revelation. In the New Testament it often concerns the kingdom, the gospel, Jew and Gentile inclusion, Christ in His people, godliness revealed in Christ, or final events disclosed by God. Matthew 13:11 speaks of the mysteries of the kingdom given to the disciples.
Romans 16:25 ties the mystery to the gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ. Ephesians 3 and Colossians 1 emphasize revelation once hidden and now disclosed. For pastoral teaching, mysterion should produce humility, gratitude, and gospel clarity, not secret-code speculation. It points to God's initiative in revealing Christ and His saving purpose at the appointed time.
The selected passages present mystery as divine revelation, not religious secrecy for the clever. God's hidden purpose is given, disclosed, proclaimed, and confessed in Christ for the strengthening of His people.
He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.
Jesus says knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom has been given to the disciples. The passive gift language keeps understanding dependent on divine disclosure.
I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not be conceited: A hardening in part has come to Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.
Paul identifies a mystery so believers will not be conceited about Israel and the Gentiles. Revealed mystery should humble the church rather than feed pride.
Now to Him who is able to strengthen you by my gospel and by the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery concealed for ages past
The mystery concealed for ages is now tied to the gospel and proclamation of Jesus Christ. Revelation strengthens believers by centering them in Christ's announced work.
That is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly.
Paul says the mystery was made known to him by revelation. The stress falls on God's disclosure, not on human discovery.
The mystery that was hidden for ages and generations but is now revealed to His saints.
The mystery hidden for ages and generations is now revealed to the saints. The passage joins hiddenness, timing, and public disclosure to God's people.
By common confession, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was proclaimed among the nations, was believed in throughout the world, was taken up in glory.
The mystery of godliness is confessed in a Christ-centered summary of incarnation, vindication, proclamation, faith, and glory. Mystery culminates in revealed confession.
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItA compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
Verse-level guides showing how this original-language form works in its specific context, including grammar, verse function, and guarded interpretation.
Greek word. God's hidden counsel now revealed through Christ and the Gospel, not inherently unknowable.
Textus Receptus witness, full corpusGreek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 27 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
anything hidden, a mystery
Read verseanything hidden, a mystery
Read verseanything hidden, a mystery
Read verseanything hidden, a mystery
Read verseanything hidden, a mystery
Read verseanything hidden, a mystery
Read verseanything hidden, a mystery
Read verseanything hidden, a mystery
Read verseanything hidden, a mystery
Read verseanything hidden, a mystery
Read verseanything hidden, a mystery
Read verseanything hidden, a mystery
Read verseanything hidden, a mystery
Read verseanything hidden, a mystery
Read verseanything hidden, a mystery
Read verseanything hidden, a mystery
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
This word appears as a noun across 6 case and number patterns. The form changes show how the word functions in a sentence; they do not change the basic lexical meaning by themselves.
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Showing 8 selected witnesses from 26 lexical occurrence verses.
Highlights God’s unfolding plan concerning Israel and the nations.1 Timothy 3:14-16
Summarizes God’s redemptive plan now disclosed in Christ.1 Timothy 3:8-13
Identifies the nature of New Covenant revelation.Colossians 1:24–29
Refers to revealed truths of the kingdom granted by God.Luke 8:4–15
Refers to redemptive truth previously hidden but now disclosed in Christ.Matthew 13:10–17
Godliness flows from revealed truth about Christ, not secret knowledge.Romans 11:25-32
Deacons must grasp and hold firmly to revealed gospel truth, not merely perform tasks.Romans 16:25-27
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Mysterion humbles interpreters because the decisive movement is from God's hidden counsel to God's gracious disclosure. The kingdom's mysteries are given to disciples, not seized by cleverness. Romans 11 reveals God's purpose in a way that forbids Gentile conceit. Romans 16 links the once-concealed mystery to the gospel proclamation of Jesus Christ, which strengthens believers.
Ephesians 3 and Colossians 1 insist that the mystery was hidden for ages and is now revealed to the saints, especially in the inclusion and hope bound up with Christ. First Timothy 3 shows that mystery can become confession, not secrecy, as the church proclaims Christ appeared, vindicated, proclaimed, believed, and glorified. The word therefore teaches patience with God's timing, humility before revelation, and confidence that the center of God's disclosed purpose is Christ, not hidden techniques or elite knowledge.
Rom.16.25
Mysterion in New Testament usage does not mainly mean something permanently unknowable. It refers to divine purpose once hidden and now revealed, with the particular content supplied by each passage. The term should be handled with attention to revelation verbs, gospel context, and whether the mystery concerns kingdom, inclusion, Christ, godliness, or final events.
Daniel uses mystery language for what God reveals to His servant, and the prophets often speak of purposes known to God before their appointed disclosure. The New Testament announces the climactic disclosure in Christ, where hidden purpose becomes preached gospel, covenant inclusion, and public confession.