Thayer's
STRONGS NT 2310: θεμέλιοςθεμέλιος,
θεμέλιον (
θέμα (i. e. thing laid down)),
laid down as a foundation, belonging to a foundation (
Diodorus 5, 66;
θεμέλιοι λίθοι,
Aristophanes av. 1137); generally as a substantive,
ὁ θεμέλιος (namely,
λίθος) (
1 Corinthians 3:11;
2 Timothy 2:19;
Revelation 21:19), and
τό θεμέλιον (rarely so in Greek writings, as (
Aristotle, phys. auscult. 2, 9, p. 200a, 4);
Pausanias, 8, 32, 1; (others)),
the foundation (of a building, wall, city): properly,
Luke 6:49;
τιθέναι θεμέλιον,
Luke 6:48;
Luke 14:29; plural
οἱ θεμέλιοι (chiefly so in Greek writings),
Hebrews 11:10;
Revelation 21:14, 19; neuter
τό θεμέλια,
Acts 16:26 (and often in the
Sept.); metaphorically, the foundations, beginnings, first principles, of an institution or system of truth:
1 Corinthians 3:10, 12; the rudiments, first principles, of Christian life and knowledge,
Hebrews 6:1 (
μετανοίας genitive of apposition (
Winer's Grammar, 531 (494))); a course of instruction begun by a teacher,
Romans 15:20; Christ is called the
θεμέλιος, i. e. faith in him, which is like a foundation laid in the soul on which is built up the fuller and richer knowledge of saving truth,
1 Corinthians 3:11;
τῶν ἀποστόλων (genitive of apposition, on account of what follows:
ὄντος ...
Χριστοῦ (others say genitive of origin, see
ἐποικοδομέω; cf.
Winer's Grammar, § 30, 1; Meyer or Ellicott at the passage)), of the apostles as preachers of salvation, upon which foundation the Christian church has been built,
Ephesians 2:20; a solid and stable spiritual possession, on which resting as on a foundation they may strive to lay hold on eternal life,
1 Timothy 6:19; the church is apparently called
θεμέλιος as the foundation of the 'city of God,'
2 Timothy 2:19, cf.
2 Timothy 2:20 and
1 Timothy 3:15. (the
Sept. several times also for
אַרְמון, a palace,
Isaiah 25:2;
Jeremiah 6:5;
Amos 1:4, etc.)