Bible Dictionaries
Beget, Bear, Born

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

"to beget," in the Passive Voice, "to be born," is chiefly used of men "begetting" children, Matthew 1:2-16; more rarely of women "begetting" children, Luke 1:13,57 , "brought forth" (for "delivered," in this ver., see No. 4); Luke 23:29; John 16:21 , "is delivered of," and of the child, "is born" (for "is in travail" see No. 4). In Galatians 4:24 , it is used allegorically, to contrast Jews under bondage to the Law, and spiritual Israel, AV, "gendereth," RV, "bearing children," to contrast the natural birth of Ishmael and the supernatural birth of Isaac. In Matthew 1:20 it is used of conception, "that which is conceived in her." It is used of the act of God in the birth of Christ, Acts 13:33; Hebrews 1:5; 5:5 , quoted from Psalm 2:7 , none of which indicate that Christ became the Son of God at His birth.

It is used metaphorically (a) in the writings of the Apostle John, of the gracious act of God in conferring upon those who believe the nature and disposition of "children," imparting to them spiritual life, John 3:3,5,7; 1 John 2:29; 3:9; 4:7; 5:1,4,18; (b) of one who by means of preaching the Gospel becomes the human instrument in the impartation of spiritual life, 1 Corinthians 4:15; Philemon 1:10; (c) in 2 Peter 2:12 , with reference to the evil men whom the Apostle is describing, the RV rightly has "born mere animals" (AV, "natural brute beasts"); (d) in the sense of gendering strife, 2 Timothy 2:23 . See A, No. 3, BRING, CONCEIVE, DELIVER, GENDER, SPRING.

ana, "again, or from above," with No. 1, is found in 1 Peter 1:3,23 .

Note: In John 3:3,5,7 , the adverb anothen, "anew, or from above," accompanies the simple verb gennao. See ABOVE.

"to give birth to, to bring forth" (from kueo, "to be pregnant"), is used metaphorically of spiritual birth by means of the Word of God, James 1:18 , and of death as the offspring of sin (James 1:15; so in the best texts). See BRING , A, No. 30.

"to bring forth," Luke 1:57; John 16:21; Hebrews 11:11; Revelation 12:2,4 , or, "to be born," said of the Child, Matthew 2:2; Luke 2:11 , is used metaphorically in James 1:15 , of lust as bringing forth sin. See apokueo, above, used in the same verse. See BRING , DELIVER , TRAVAIL (be in).

"a generation, kind, stock," is used in the dative case, with the article, to signify "by race," in Acts 18:2,24 RV, for the AV, "born." See COUNTRYMEN , DIVERSITY , GENERATION , KIND , KINDRED , NATION , OFFSPRING , STOCK.

denotes "an abortion, an untimely birth;" from ektitrosko, "to miscarry." In 1 Corinthians 15:8 the Apostle likens himself to "one born out of due time;" i.e., in point of time, inferior to the rest of the Apostles, as an immature birth comes short of a mature one.

"born" (related to gennao, verb No. 1), is used in Matthew 11:11; Luke 7:28 in the phrase "born of women," a periphrasis for "men," and suggestive of frailty.

"newborn" (arti, "newly, recently," and No. 1), is used in 1 Peter 2:2 .

Notes: (1) For prototokos see FIRSTBORN.

(2) For monogenes, see ONLY BEGOTTEN.