### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek term ἄβυσσος (ábusos, `{{G12}}`) is derived from the alpha privative Α (meaning "not" or "without") and a variation of βυθός (bythos), which signifies "depth" or "bottom." Thus, the literal and foundational meaning of ἄβυσσος is "bottomless," "depthless," or "unfathomable." This conveys a sense of immeasurable expanse, a void, or an abyss without discernible limits. Beyond this literal sense, the term takes on a specialized theological and cosmological meaning, referring to an "infernal" abyss, often understood as a "deep" or "bottomless pit." This expanded semantic range encompasses both the primordial, unformed waters and a spiritual realm of confinement for malevolent forces.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The word ἄβυσσος appears 9 times in the New Testament, with a notable concentration in the Book of Revelation. Its usage in the Septuagint (LXX) provides crucial background, where it frequently translates the Hebrew `{{H8415}}` (*tehom*), the primeval deep in [[Genesis 1:2]], representing the chaotic, unformed waters before creation. This connection establishes ἄβυσσος as a symbol of primordial chaos and the uncreated state.
In the New Testament:
* [[Luke 8:31]]: The legion of demons begs Jesus not to command them to go into the ἄβυσσος. Here, it clearly functions as a place of dreaded confinement or torment for evil spirits, indicating a specific spiritual prison.
* [[Romans 10:7]]: Paul, in a rhetorical question, alludes to Christ's descent into the "abyss" ("Who will descend into the abyss?") to bring Christ up from the dead. This metaphorical usage refers to the realm of the dead (Hades) and underscores Christ's victory over death and its domains.
* [[Revelation 9:1]], [[Revelation 9:2]], [[Revelation 9:11]]: The ἄβυσσος is depicted as the "bottomless pit" from which smoke, demonic locusts, and their king, Apollyon (Abaddon), emerge. This portrays it as a literal source of judgment and demonic activity unleashed upon the earth.
* [[Revelation 11:7]]: The "beast" that makes war on the two witnesses is said to ascend "out of the ἄβυσσος." This reinforces its role as the origin of powerful, anti-God forces.
* [[Revelation 17:8]]: The beast that "was, and is not, and will ascend out of the ἄβυσσος" is described, further linking this abyss to the origin of the ultimate anti-Christian power.
* [[Revelation 20:1]], [[Revelation 20:3]]: Most significantly, Satan himself is bound with a great chain and cast into the ἄβυσσος for a thousand years. This demonstrates the ἄβυσσος as a divinely appointed place of imprisonment and restraint for the ultimate evil, showcasing God's absolute control over the forces of darkness.
### Related Words & Concepts
* **Hebrew Counterpart:** The most significant Hebrew parallel is `{{H8415}}` (*tehom*), the "deep" or "abyss" mentioned in [[Genesis 1:2]]. This primordial deep is the chaotic state from which God brings forth creation, and its association with ἄβυσσος in the Septuagint highlights the concept of an unformed, vast, and often threatening expanse.
* **Greek Relatives:**
* βυθός (bythos): The root word of ἄβυσσος, meaning "depth," emphasizing the profound, immeasurable nature.
* ᾅδης (Hades, `{{G86}}`): The realm of the dead. While distinct, the ἄβυσσος can function as a specific compartment or aspect within the broader concept of the underworld, particularly as a place of confinement for specific spiritual entities.
* τάρταρος (Tartarus, `{{G5020}}`): Used only once in [[2 Peter 2:4]], referring to the place where God cast down rebellious angels. This concept is very similar to the ἄβυσσος in its function as a spiritual prison for fallen beings.
* **Conceptual Associations:** Chaos, primordial waters, the underworld, imprisonment, demonic activity, divine judgment, the realm of the dead, and the source of ultimate evil.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of ἄβυσσος is profound and multifaceted:
1. **Divine Sovereignty over Chaos:** In its Septuagint context, ἄβυσσος (as tehom) represents the primordial chaos. God's act of creation ([[Genesis 1:2]]) demonstrates His absolute power to bring order out of this formless void. This theme extends to the New Testament, where even the "bottomless pit" is not an independent power but a realm entirely subject to God's authority, used for His purposes of judgment and restraint.
2. **Place of Confinement for Evil:** The New Testament, especially Revelation, consistently portrays the ἄβυσσος as a specific, divinely ordained prison for demonic forces and, ultimately, Satan himself. This signifies God's power to bind and limit evil, even if temporarily. It is a testament to God's control over the spiritual realm and His ability to contain the forces that oppose Him.
3. **Source of Eschatological Opposition:** From this abyss emerge formidable forces that oppose God and His people (the beast, demonic locusts). This highlights the reality of spiritual warfare and the origin of some of its most powerful adversaries, emphasizing the cosmic struggle between good and evil.
4. **Christ's Victory over Death and the Grave:** Paul's allusion in [[Romans 10:7]] implicitly points to Christ's descent into the realm of the dead (the abyss of death) and His triumphant resurrection. This demonstrates His ultimate victory over death and its associated domains, signifying that the abyss cannot hold Him, nor can it thwart His salvific work.
5. **Certainty of Ultimate Judgment:** The binding of Satan in the ἄβυσσος during the millennium ([[Revelation 20:1-3]]) is a pivotal event in eschatological judgment. It underscores the temporary nature of evil's power and the absolute certainty of God's final triumph over all opposition, culminating in the ultimate defeat of Satan and his forces.
### Summary
The Greek term ἄβυσσος (ábusos, `{{G12}}`), literally meaning "without bottom" or "depthless," carries significant theological weight across the biblical narrative. Rooted in the concept of the primordial, unformed deep (`{{H8415}}` *tehom* in the Septuagint, [[Genesis 1:2]]), it evolved in the New Testament to primarily denote a specific place of confinement and origin for demonic forces. In [[Luke 8:31]], it is a feared prison for demons, and in Revelation ([[Revelation 9:1]], [[Revelation 11:7]], [[Revelation 17:8]]), it serves as the source from which agents of evil and the Antichrist emerge to enact God's judgments. Crucially, it is also the place where Satan is bound for a thousand years ([[Revelation 20:1-3]]), showcasing God's absolute sovereignty over all evil and its ultimate restraint. While distinct from Hades (`{{G86}}`) or Tartarus (`{{G5020}}`), it shares the common theme of a realm of spiritual imprisonment. Theologically, ἄβυσσος underscores God's power to bring order out of chaos, His control over the forces of evil, and the certainty of His eschatological triumph over all opposition.
TRV