The Greek word ἀθανασία, athanasia occurs three times in the New Testament. It is translated into the English immortality in each case in the NASB and is about the resurrected bodies of believers (1 Cor. 15:53-54) as well as the immortal quality of God’s nature (1 Tim. 6:16). Annihilationists maintain that only God and resurrected Christians will have immortality. They point out that the word is never in reference to unbelievers – which is true. However, since Jesus said angels don’t die (Luke 20:36), then we can conclude that they too will live forever yet the word ‘immortal’ is not applied to them either. So, the assertion that only God and Christians will live forever is not true. Furthermore, God sometimes uses words and patterns that we are not familiar with. For example, though God knows all things (1 John 3:20), he never says he knows unbelievers. He only “knows” believers (John 10:27; Gal. 4:8). He says he does not know unbelievers (Matt. 7:23). The point is that words are sometimes used in patterns by God in Scripture. Immortality, it would seem, when in reference to people, is only about Christians. But this does not mean unbelievers will not live forever in eternal conscious torment since, as was already stated, angels also don’t die either (Luke 20:36), yet, the word immortal is not applied to them either.
- Greek word: ἀθανασία, athanasia
- Meaning: immortality, everlasting
- Strong’s #: G110
Frequency: 3 occurrences
Summary of uses in the New Testament
- Glorified body
- 1 Cor. 15:53-54
- Nature of life of God
- 1 Tim. 6:16
| TABLE OF ALL NEW TESTAMENT USAGES ἀθανασία | ||
| Address | Verse | Meaning |
| 1 Cor. 15:53 | For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. | Glorified body |
| 1 Cor. 15:54 | But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. | Glorified body |
| 1 Tim. 6:16 | who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen. | Nature of life of God |
Dictionaries and Lexicons consulted
- “Rendered “immortality” in 1 Cor. 15:53, 54 of the glorified body of the believer. In the NT it expresses the nature not of life itself, but strictly speaking, only a quality of life such as the quality of the life of God and the resurrection body of the believer.”
- Zodhiates, Spiros. The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000
- “the state of not being subject to death (that which will never die)—‘immortality.’ ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν βασιλευόντων καὶ κύριος τῶν κυριευόντων, ὁ μόνος ἔχων ἀθανασίαν ‘the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal’ 1 Tm 6:15–16. The clause ‘who alone is immortal’ may be expressed in some languages as simply ‘he is the only one who never dies’ or ‘he is the only one who always exists.'”
- Louw, Johannes P., and Eugene Albert Nida. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains. New York: United Bible Societies, 1996.
