νεανίσκος

G3495, neanískos, names a young man or male youth. Its eleven governed New Testament occurrences do not establish a single numerical age limit. The referents include the wealthy young man who questions Jesus, the dead son of a widow, an unnamed follower who flees at Jesus' arrest, the white-robed figure at the empty tomb, young men named in Joel's Spirit-promise, attendants in Acts, Paul's young relative carrying a warning, and a group addressed pastorally in First John. Gender and stage of life are part of the word's ordinary reference, but each narrative supplies the person's role, maturity, courage, faith, and moral response.

The Gospel scenes refuse both flattery and contempt toward youth. Jesus engages the wealthy young man as a morally serious questioner, loves him in Mark's parallel, and exposes the wealth he will not release. Luke shows Jesus stopping a widow's son's funeral and commanding the young man to rise, centering compassion and divine authority rather than youthful potential. Mark records another young man fleeing naked after being seized, a vivid picture of vulnerability and failed courage without naming him. At the empty tomb, women see a young man in a white robe who announces Jesus' resurrection. The noun describes his appearance; it does not by itself settle every question about angelic identity or the ending's textual history.

Acts and First John widen the range. Joel's promise includes young men seeing visions when God pours out His Spirit, so youth are recipients and witnesses rather than merely future participants. Paul's young relative gives the commander information that protects Paul from an ambush, showing that a young person's truthful report can carry public consequence. First John addresses young men as strong because God's word abides in them and they have overcome the evil one. Their strength is received and spiritual, not proof that young believers are invulnerable, self-sufficient, or beyond guidance. Across the corpus, neanískos makes room for longing, sorrow, death, fear, service, witness, courage, and endurance. The church should therefore neither idolize youth nor postpone their meaningful participation. It should tell the truth, listen carefully, form deeply, protect wisely, and locate strength in God's abiding word.

G3495 follows young men through moral questioning, sorrow, restored life, frightened flight, resurrection witness, Spirit-given vision, credible testimony, and strength grounded in God's abiding word.