What does ἐγκαίνια (enkaínia) mean in the Bible?
ἐγκαίνια names the Feast of Dedication. John 10:22 locates Jesus in Jerusalem at this winter feast, a setting connected with temple dedication memory.
Greek · G1456
ἐγκαίνια
Feast|Festival of Dedication
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 the Connect page. Screenshots are helpful.
ἐγκαίνια G1456
Pronunciation enkaínia
What does ἐγκαίνια (enkaínia) mean in the Bible?
ἐγκαίνια names the Feast of Dedication. John 10:22 locates Jesus in Jerusalem at this winter feast, a setting connected with temple dedication memory.
Reader summary
Full entry for ἐγκαίνια (G1456) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G1456?
The BSB source-word alignment has 1 aligned row for this entry. Common renderings include Feast of Dedication (1).
Where does ἐγκαίνια (enkaínia) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at John 10:22. Its strongest book concentrations include John (1).
What This Word Actually Means
ἐγκαίνια names the Feast of Dedication. John 10:22 locates Jesus in Jerusalem at this winter feast, a setting connected with temple dedication memory. The word is a background marker, but it is placed near a discourse where Jesus speaks of His sheep, His works, and His unity with the Father.
The pastoral value is setting without overreach. The feast background can illuminate the scene's temple and dedication atmosphere, but the word itself does not prove a full theology of Hanukkah, temple replacement, or messianic fulfillment. John gives the main theological weight through Jesus' words and works. The entry should help readers notice the setting while keeping the discourse central.
How the Bible Uses It
John 10:22 names the Feast of Dedication as the setting for the Jerusalem scene.
- John 10:22 places the scene during winter and the Feast of Dedication.
- The setting precedes questions about Jesus' identity and His works.
- The feast background should serve the passage, not become the passage's main claim.
ἐγκαίνια matters because John bothered to locate the scene. The winter Feast of Dedication gives readers a setting of temple memory and public tension. Yet the word should not become the main sermon. Jesus' speech about His sheep, His works, and His unity with the Father supplies the theological center. A careful companion lets the feast sharpen the setting while refusing to overclaim from background alone.
In John 10, ἐγκαίνια provides a temple-related setting for Jesus' identity claims without carrying those claims by itself.
Passage contextbackgroundPastoral application
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It Feast of Dedication 1× John 10:22
Show sample aligned rows
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row John 10:22
Aligned rows 1
Books represented 1
John 1
Source forms
ἐνκαίνια 1x enkainia John 10:22
Parsing patterns
Noun - Nominative Neuter Plural 1x John 10:22
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Use feast background as setting, not as the central claim.
- Let Jesus' discourse govern the theology of the scene.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that ἐγκαίνια by itself proves temple replacement.
- Do not turn the feast marker into an unrelated historical excursus.
backgroundPassage contextlexicalPastoral application
Evidence Summary
Greek word. Jewish festival commemorating the Temple's rededication after desecration by Antiochus Epiphanes
Strong's G1456
Lexical occurrences 1 verse Greek text appearances 1 time Word forms 1 form 1 reference Verse guides 0 guides
Source Gloss
Feast|Festival of Dedication
Extended definition Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Jewish festival commemorating the Temple's rededication after desecration by Antiochus Epiphanes
ἐνκαίνια (Rec. ἐγκ-), -ων, τά (ἐν, καινός), [in LXX for HSjrj, II Est.6:16, 17, Neh.12:27, Da TH 3:2 (and cf. ἐγκαινισμός, Num.7:10, al., -ισις, Num.7:88) *;] dedication (anniversary of the cleansing of the Temple from the defilements of Antiochus Epiphanes) : Jhn.10:22.
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
1 Greek text appearance shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
John 10:22 Noun Nominative Plural Neuter
ἐγκαίνια egkainia
a renewal, dedication
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.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
This word appears as a noun across 1 case and number pattern. The form changes show how the word functions in a sentence; they do not change the basic lexical meaning by themselves.
Form patterns 1 Aligned forms 1 Case pattern Nominative (1) Number pattern Plural (1)
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Nominative · Plural · Neuter John 10:22 1×
Word Origins
ἐγκαίνια is built from these roots:
For the Preacher and Teacher
What this word opens up
This word opens the setting of John 10:22, helping readers see the Feast of Dedication as temple-related background for Jesus' public identity claims.
What it corrects
It corrects readings that ignore John's setting marker, and readings that let festival background overtake Jesus' words.
Framing suggestions
Frame ἐγκαίνια as setting. Move from the feast marker to Jesus' works, sheep, and unity with the Father.
Illustrations
- A room's setting matters, but the speaker's words still carry the message.
Watch points
- Do not build a full festival theology from this one word.
- Do not miss that John places the word before a major identity conflict.
Passage contextbackgroundPastoral application
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain