στοιχεῖονstoicheîon
properly, one of a row (στοῖχος) or series, hence
Greek (New Testament) · G4747
Meanings
1. the shadow-line of a dial (Aristoph.).
2. an elementary sound or letter of the alphabet.
3. the elements or rudiments of knowledge Hebrews 5:12; πτωχὰ σ., Galatians 4:9; σ. τοῦ κόσμου, Galatians 4:3, Colossians 2:8, Colossians 2:20 (but see below).
4. The material elements of the universe: 2 Peter 3:10, 2 Peter 3:12.
5. The heavenly bodies (Diog. Laert.).
6. The demons or tutelary spirits of nature (Enoch., Test., Sol., and elsewhere; for this sense in Galatians 4:9, Col, ll. c., see ICC on Colossians 2:8; Enc. Bibl., under that word " Elements ").
Same root
Where it appears
Appears 7 times in the Bible.
- Galatians 4:3 And that’s the way it was with us before Christ came. We were like children; we were slaves to the basic spiritual principles of this world.
- Galatians 4:9 So now that you know God (or should I say, now that God knows you), why do you want to go back again and become slaves once more to the weak and useless spiritual principles of this world?
- Colossians 2:8 Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.
- Colossians 2:20 You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as,
- Hebrews 5:12 You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food.
- 2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.
Source: G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), public domain.