"Bethany (1) A village near Jerusalem, at the Mount of Olives, Mt. 21:17; Mk. 11:1. (2) A village beyond the Jordan, Jn. 1:28. See PhotoGuide."
Definition and meaning
Bethany (1) A village near Jerusalem, at the Mount of Olives, Mt. 21:17; Mk. 11:1. (2) A village beyond the Jordan, Jn. 1:28. See PhotoGuide.
In the original Greek the word is written: Βηθανία
Historical context
Rome had controlled Judea since 63 BC. Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple into one of the most magnificent structures in the ancient world — and simultaneously murdered members of his own family. The common people paid multiple layers of taxation and were politically powerless. Into that world a carpenter from Galilee began teaching that the kingdom of God had arrived.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of bethania (G963) across the King James Bible.
And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.
Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,
And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples,
And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.
And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:
And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.
And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples,
And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.
Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.
Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off:
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Common questions
Strong's G963 (bethania) is a Greek word that means: Bethany (1) A village near Jerusalem, at the Mount of Olives, Mt. 21:17; Mk. 11:1. (2) A village beyond the Jordan, Jn. 1:28. See PhotoGuide. It appears 11 times in the King James Bible.
The word bethania (G963) appears 11 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G963 is bethania, a Greek word defined as: Bethany (1) A village near Jerusalem, at the Mount of Olives, Mt. 21:17; Mk. 11:1. (2) A village beyond the Jordan, Jn. 1:28. See PhotoGuide.. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
bethania is a Greek word found in the New Testament.