Age and the Greek Words Aion and Aionios
by Mark Sanguinetti

In the New King James Version, six of the Greek word usages for aion are translated as the plural word ages. These six usages are 1 Corinthians 2:7, 1 Corinthians 10:11, Ephesians 2:7, Ephesians 3:9, Colossians 1:26 and Hebrews 9:26. All six usages show age or ages having a beginning and/or an ending. If aion does not mean an age of time with a beginning and ending, but rather means eternity or an eternal time period then how can we have more than one eternal time period? Does that mean we had one eternal time period and then a second eternal time period? Or we had two eternal time periods occurring at the same time? Obviously, when taken literally and not figuratively this makes no sense and is not true. An aion would have to be a time period with an ending before the next age (aion) time period could begin. This is the only way we could have two time periods or ages. Below are three of the above usages of this Greek word. The usage in 1 Corinthians 10:11 shows an end to the ages. As we will see later in our study and that we saw in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, the age or ages that will end in the future is where the affairs of this world today has sin and death and Satan, the god of this world has rulership and authority. In the future ages Jesus Christ will only have rulership and authority and when his goal is finally reached of all under him he will turn back this authority to God his Father. Ephesians 2:7 is one of the usages that shows the ages to come in Christ Jesus. Also the usage of ages in Ephesians 3:9 shows at least a change in the ages with the mystery, which is the one body of Christ, hid during ages past, but now made known or manifest.

1 Corinthians 10:11
11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages (aion) have come.
NKJV

Ephesians 2:7
7 that in the ages (aion) to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. NKJV

Ephesians 3:9
9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages (aion) has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; NKJV

We could have torment in future ages as we see in the next verses and usages of aion from the book of Revelation, just as we have a type of torment now in this age as we saw from Satan the God of this world in 1 Corinthians 5:5. However, very few usages of age (aion) are related to torment. After looking at all 120 usages of this scriptural Greek word often translated age, there are only two usages that clearly relate age to torment. Unless of course, torment is already mixed in with the mind when reading verses These verses are Revelation 14:11 and Revelation 20:10, both of which are covered in this article. There are no usages of the Greek word for age in chapter 5 of I Corinthians, which tells of torment that comes from Satan the god of this world. Also as I previously stated this Satanic torment could be used to express the goodness of following God in comparison to the badness of following Satan and not for eternal torment for mankind. Also using some logic ever and ever is more literally translated age and age. Otherwise we would have two eternities. Mathematically, how could we have two eternities of actual time? If the first eternity of time never ends, how then could the second eternity of time even begin? If you have studied computer programming like I have you might also see this as an infinite loop for the first eternity of time with the next computer operation or eternity of time never able to start. In computer programming to run the next code, the infinite loop has to end through corrective code or perhaps rebooting or restarting your computer. As we will see in our later study here the Greek word aion, would only be eternal through God the creator of all life or through Jesus Christ the Son of God.. There are many New Testament verses that show this.

Before any verse is quoted from the book of Revelation it is important to see that this book is written with symbolically figurative and not literal language. The following is one paragraph from a reference book that I learn from, the Nelson’s Bible Dictionary.

Like its counterparts, the Book of Revelation depicts the end of the present age and the coming of God's future kingdom through symbols, images, and numbers. These symbols include an angel whose legs are pillars of fire, men who ride on horses while smiting the earth with plagues of destruction, and a fiery red dragon with seven heads and ten horns who crouches before a heavenly woman about to deliver a child.
Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright (c) 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers

The question is why was the book of Revelation written so vaguely with symbolic figurative imagery and not literal language? One possible reason is that books or teachings of the bible then were written in dangerous times. The Roman Empire combined with the religious authority of the scribes and pharisees were persecuting the church of God or followers of Jesus Christ. They were mixing religion with politics in order to gain religous and political power, instead of being service oriented to humanity. A number of apostles were likely even killed, which for no offense and with no punishment for this crime is the equivalent of legal murder. This includes the apostle Paul a Roman citizen, who may have been beheaded by Roman authorities. Because of unjust things like this in future years historically we saw the Roman Empire come to an end. Before this the temple and buildings where people came to worship in the capital city of Israel was destroyed by the Roman Empire in 70 AD. Jesus Christ, who was service oriented instead of primarily wanting political and religious authority prophesied of this in Matthew 24:1-2. Although an understanding of what many of the figurative symbols of the book of Revelation represented can be confusing a truthful foundation of knowledge can still be understood. God is all powerful and eventually all the deception of the devil, the god of this age will be destroyed and cease to exist with Jesus Christ, who loves all of humanity and who I love reigning as king and Lord of all.  

Revelation 14:9-11
9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire (pur) and brimstone (theion) in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever (aion) and ever (aion): and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
KJV

The verses above let us know that we should not worship Satan combined with rulers who primarily want religious and political authority only, figuratively referred to as the beast and his image. In verse 10 these verses can also have a goal of purification as God is a God of love and wants positive results and is wise and powerful enough to get them. This goal of purification is not clearly seen in verse 10 of the King James Version. However, according to the Thayer's Greek Lexicon, which is the equivalent of a Greek to English dictionary, the word for brimstone is theion, which is the neuter of the adjective theios equivalent to divine incense. Theios is the Greek word divine. Mixed with fire, which is the Greek word pur, "burning brimstone was regarded as having power to purify and to ward off contagion". These two Greek words, pur and theion are used in verse 10. Here are some figurative usages of the Greek word pur, with English equivalent fire. Fire is not literal or else we would have burning people that would be completely destroyed and cease to exist. Fire is often used symbolically or figuratively while describing spiritual.

Matt 3:11
11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire (pur).
NKJV

Acts 2:2-4
3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire (pur), and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
NKJV