Greek · The Great Words

Basileia: The Kingdom of God

Basileia is the Greek word for kingdom, but first it means kingship or reign: God’s active rule breaking into the world, which was the heart of everything Jesus preached.

The original word

How the Bible uses it

What it means

We hear ‘kingdom’ and picture territory on a map. The Greek word leans first on the other meaning: the reign itself, a king actually ruling. So ‘the kingdom of God is at hand’ is less an announcement about a place and more about a reality arriving, God beginning to set things right, here, now.

This is why Jesus can say the kingdom is ‘within you’ or ‘in the midst of you’, and also teach us to pray ‘thy kingdom come’. It is already breaking in and not yet fully here, a tension the Gospels hold together on purpose.

And Christ

Jesus does not only announce the kingdom; he embodies it. Where he goes, the sick are healed, the outcast welcomed, sins forgiven, the powers of darkness pushed back. The King has come in person, and the reign of God looks like him. To pray ‘thy kingdom come’ is to ask that the world be made to look more like Jesus.

Frequently asked questions

What does basileia mean?

Basileia (Greek βασιλεία, Strong's G932) means kingship, reign, or kingdom. It first means the active rule of a king, and so also the realm where that rule holds. It is the central theme of Jesus' preaching.

Is the kingdom of God a place?

Basileia means the reign of God more than a location. Jesus said 'the kingdom of God is within you' (or 'in the midst of you', Luke 17:21) and taught us to pray 'thy kingdom come': God's rule breaking into the world here and now, not only a future place.

What did Jesus mean by the kingdom of God?

Jesus meant God's active reign arriving in the world to set things right. Where he goes the sick are healed and sins forgiven; the King has come in person, so the kingdom of God looks like Jesus.