Bible Encyclopedia: Lady

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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ELECT LADY

e-lekt' la'-di (eklekte kuria; 2 John 1:1):

In accordance with strict grammatical usage these words of address may be translated in three ways: "to an elect lady" (which as an address is too indefinite); or, both words being taken as proper names, "to Eklekte Kuria" (an improbable combination of two very rare names); or "to Eklekte, lady" = anglice, "to the lady (or `Madam') Eklekte."

The other translations which have been given-"to the elect lady" or "to the elect Kuria"-are open to objection on account of the omission of the article; but this violation of rule is perhaps not without parallel (compare 1 Peter 1:1).

The translation adopted will partly depend upon whether we regard the epistle as addressed to an individual or to a community. Dr. Rendel Harris believes this question to be settled by the discovery in the papyri of numerous instances which prove that kurios and kuria were used by ancient letter-writers as terms of familiar endearment, applicable to brother, sister, son, wife, or intimate friend of either sex (Expositor, March, 1901; see also Findlay, Fellowship in the Life Eternal, chapter iii). In the light of this suggestion we should naturally translate, "to my (dear) lady Eklekte."

Grammatically, this is strongly supported by 1 Timothy 1:2 and 2 Timothy 1:2 (Timotheo gnesio. agapeto. tekno = "to Tim othy my true. beloved. child"); and the fact that the name Eklekte has not yet been discovered, though Eklektos has, offers no grave objection. This is the translation favored by Clement of Alexandria, who says of the epistle: scripta vero est ad quandam Babyloniam nomine Electam, significat autem electionem ecclesiae sanctae ("It is written to a certain Babylonian, Electa by name; but it signifies the further election of the holy church"). It seems doubtful whether he means by the last clause that Electa is simply a personification of the church, or a real person whose name was derived from the Christian idea of election. Either way the rendering, "to the lady Electa," is suitable, and upon the whole it seems the best. Eklekte is not an adjective but a noun. If a person is intended, it is "the lady Electa"; if a church, it is designated, not "the elect Lady," but "the lady Elect." The mention of "thy elect sister" in 2 John 1:13 does not hinder either supposition.

See further CYRIA; JOHN, THE EPISTLES OF. Robert Law

LADY

la'-di: This word should be taken in the sense of "mistress" in Isaiah 47:5, 7 (Hebrew gebhereth) (so the American Standard Revised Version). In Judges 5:29; Eat 1:18 it is the translation of another Hebrew word (sarah), best rendered "princess" (so the Revised Version (British and American) in Esther, but not in Judges). In 2 John 1:1, 5 it is the translation of kuria, which some interpreters regard as a proper name.

See CYRIA; JOHN, THE EPISTLES OF; ELECT LADY.

Greek

2959. kuria -- a lady
... kuria. 2960 . a lady. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: kuria Phonetic
Spelling: (koo-ree'-ah) Short Definition: a lady Definition: a lady. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2959.htm - 6k

1135. gune -- a woman
... a woman. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: gune Phonetic Spelling:
(goo-nay') Short Definition: a woman, wife, my lady Definition: a woman, wife ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1135.htm - 7k

4252. Priskilla -- Priscilla, the same person as Prisca.
... Definition: Prisca, Priscilla, the former being the more correct and formal name,
the latter a diminutive and more familiar; a Roman lady, probably of good ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4252.htm - 6k

2364. thugater -- daughter
... Short Definition: a daughter Definition: a daughter; hence (Hebraistic?), of any
female descendent, however far removed; even of one unrelated: my young lady. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2364.htm - 6k

3070. Ludia -- Lydia, a Christian woman
... woman. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: Ludia Phonetic Spelling:
(loo-dee'-ah) Short Definition: Lydia Definition: Lydia, a lady resident of ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3070.htm - 6k

4069. Persis -- Persis, a Christian at Rome
... of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: Persis Phonetic Spelling: (per-sece')
Short Definition: Persis Definition: Persis, name of a Christian lady in Rome. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4069.htm - 6k

682. Apphia -- Apphia, a Christian woman in Colossae
... Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: Apphia Phonetic Spelling:
(ap-fee'-a) Short Definition: Apphia Definition: Apphia, a Christian lady of Colossae ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/682.htm - 6k

4251. Priska -- Prisca, a Christian and the wife of Aquila
... Definition: Prisca, Priscilla, the former being the more correct and formal name,
the latter a diminutive and more familiar; a Roman lady, probably of good ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4251.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew

1404. gebereth -- lady, queen, mistress
... 1403, 1404. gebereth. 1405 . lady, queen, mistress. Transliteration: gebereth
Phonetic Spelling: (gheb-eh'-reth) Short Definition: mistress. ... lady, mistress. ...
/hebrew/1404.htm - 6k

8282. sarah -- princess, noble lady
... sarah. 8283 . princess, noble lady. Transliteration: sarah Phonetic Spelling:
(saw-raw') Short Definition: princesses. Word Origin fem. ... lady, princess, queen. ...
/hebrew/8282.htm - 6k

1377. gebirah -- lady, queen
... 1376, 1377. gebirah. 1378 . lady, queen. Transliteration: gebirah Phonetic
Spelling: (gheb-ee-raw') Short Definition: mother. Word Origin fem. ...
/hebrew/1377.htm - 6k

5291. naarah -- a girl, maiden
... of naar Definition a girl, maiden NASB Word Usage each young lady (1), girl (21),
girl's (11), maidens (8), maids (7), young (4), young ladies (1), young lady ...
/hebrew/5291.htm - 6k

7640. shobel -- flowing skirt, train
... leg. From an unused root meaning to flow; a lady's train (as trailing after
her) -- leg. 7639, 7640. shobel. 7641 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/7640.htm - 5k

Library

Serious Hours of a Young Lady
Serious Hours of a Young Lady. <. Serious Hours of a Young Lady
Charles Sainte-Foi. Produced by Naomi Parkhurst, Charles ...
//christianbookshelf.org/sainte-foi/serious hours of a young lady/

The Weird Lady
... THE WEIRD LADY. The swevens came up round Harold the Earl, Like motes in
the sunnes beam; And over him stood the Weird Lady, In her ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/andromeda and other poems/the weird lady.htm

The Lady Miriam
... CHAPTER VI THE LADY MIRIAM. ... The young man spoke of war and fellowship with a monarch
as if he had been a lady's page and gossiped of fans and new perfumes. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter vi the lady miriam.htm

Of the Assumption of Our Lady
... THE INNER WAY SERMON XVII Of the Assumption of our Lady. That we ought not to rest
with delight in any earthly or spiritual things, but only in our unknown God. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/tauler/the inner way/sermon xvii of the assumption.htm

A Roman Lady who Manifested a Deed of Modesty.
... Book IX. Chapter X."A Roman Lady who manifested a Deed of Modesty. It is
obvious that the capture of so great a city as Rome must ...
/.../sozomen/the ecclesiastical history of sozomenus/chapter x a roman lady who.htm

On the Conception of Our Lady, Also on Her Birth
... THE INNER WAY SERMON III On the Conception of Our Lady, also on Her Birth.
How men, when they are advancing, may learn to know their ...
//christianbookshelf.org/tauler/the inner way/sermon iii on the conception.htm

To the Venerable and R. Lady D. Catherine Gascoigne
... TO THE VENERABLE AND R. LADY D. CATHERINE GASCOIGNE. THE LADY ABBESS OF THE RELIGIOUS
DAMES ON THE HOLY ORDER OF ST. BENEDICT, IN CAMBRAY; AND TO ALL THE RR. ...
/.../to the venerable and r.htm

On the Annunciation of Our Lady
... THE INNER WAY SERMON IX On The Annunciation of our Lady. ... O, elect Lady, our mediator
and intercessor, commend us to thy Son, intercede for us with thy Son. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/tauler/the inner way/sermon ix on the annunciation.htm

On the Nativity of Our Lady
... THE INNER WAY SERMON XIX On the Nativity of Our Lady. How ... poor. Our Lady's
father and mother, Joachim and Anne, were such good people. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/tauler/the inner way/sermon xix on the nativity.htm

Whom the Lady Miriam Sent
... CHAPTER XLVI WHOM THE LADY MIRIAM SENT. ... He moved aside to give them room, and glancing
at the foremost, recognized her immediately as the Lady Miriam. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter xlvi whom the lady.htm

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Elect lady

To whom the Second Epistle of John is addressed (2 John 1:1). Some think that the word rendered "lady" is a proper name, and thus that the expression should be "elect Kyria."

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (n.) A woman who looks after the domestic affairs of a family; a mistress; the female head of a household.

2. (n.) A woman having proprietary rights or authority; mistress; -- a feminine correlative of lord.

3. (n.) A woman to whom the particular homage of a knight was paid; a woman to whom one is devoted or bound; a sweetheart.

4. (n.) A woman of social distinction or position. In England, a title prefixed to the name of any woman whose husband is not of lower rank than a baron, or whose father was a nobleman not lower than an earl. The wife of a baronet or knight has the title of Lady by courtesy, but not by right.

5. (n.) A woman of refined or gentle manners; a well-bred woman; -- the feminine correlative of gentleman.

6. (n.) A wife; -- not now in approved usage.

7. (n.) The triturating apparatus in the stomach of a lobster; -- so called from a fancied resemblance to a seated female figure. It consists of calcareous plates.

8. (a.) Belonging or becoming to a lady; ladylike.

9. (n.) The day of the annunciation of the Virgin Mary, March 25. See Annunciation.

Thesaurus

Lady (37 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Elect lady. To ... earl. The wife of a baronet or knight
has the title of Lady by courtesy, but not by right. ...
/l/lady.htm - 22k

Lady's (8 Occurrences)
...Lady's (8 Occurrences). ... Deuteronomy 22:16 and the young lady's father shall tell
the elders, "I gave my daughter to this man to wife, and he hates her; (WEB). ...
/l/lady's.htm - 9k

Elect (32 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Elect lady. To whom the Second ... preferred; eg. Mark
13:20 Ephesians 1:4. Handley Dunelm. ELECT LADY. e-lekt ...
/e/elect.htm - 21k

Pledged (19 Occurrences)
... Deuteronomy 22:23 If there is a young lady who is a virgin pledged to be married
to a husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her; (WEB NIV). ...
/p/pledged.htm - 12k

Girl (71 Occurrences)
... (BBE NIV). Genesis 34:3 His soul joined to Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, and he
loved the young lady, and spoke kindly to the young lady. (See NAS NIV). ...
/g/girl.htm - 28k

Engaged (31 Occurrences)
... Deuteronomy 22:23 If there is a young lady who is a virgin pledged to be married
to a husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her; (See NAS). ...
/e/engaged.htm - 15k

I'll (31 Occurrences)
... those sitting with him. The king said to the young lady, "Ask me whatever
you want, and I will give it to you." (See NIV). Luke 13:8 ...
/i/i'll.htm - 15k

Tenderly (9 Occurrences)
... (WEY NAS). Genesis 34:3 His soul joined to Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, and he
loved the young lady, and spoke kindly to the young lady. (See NAS RSV NIV). ...
/t/tenderly.htm - 9k

Tokens (11 Occurrences)
... Deuteronomy 22:15 then shall the father of the young lady, and her mother, take
and bring forth the tokens of the young lady's virginity to the elders of the ...
/t/tokens.htm - 9k

Platter (20 Occurrences)
... Matthew 14:11 His head was brought on a platter, and given to the young lady:
and she brought it to her mother. (WEB ASV NAS RSV NIV). ...
/p/platter.htm - 15k

Bible Concordance

Lady (37 Occurrences)

Matthew 14:11 His head was brought on a platter, and given to the young lady: and she brought it to her mother.
(WEB)

Mark 6:22 When the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and those sitting with him. The king said to the young lady, "Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you."
(WEB)

Mark 6:28 and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the young lady; and the young lady gave it to her mother.
(WEB)

2 John 1:1 The elder, to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth; and not I only, but also all those who know the truth;
(WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

2 John 1:5 Now I beg you, dear lady, not as though I wrote to you a new commandment, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. The Revelation to John
(WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 24:14 Let it happen, that the young lady to whom I will say,'Please let down your pitcher, that I may drink,' and she will say,'Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink,'-let her be the one you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master."
(WEB)

Genesis 24:16 The young lady was very beautiful to look at, a virgin, neither had any man known her. She went down to the spring, filled her pitcher, and came up.
(WEB)

Genesis 24:28 The young lady ran, and told her mother's house about these words.
(WEB)

Genesis 24:55 Her brother and her mother said, "Let the young lady stay with us a few days, at least ten. After that she will go."
(WEB)

Genesis 24:57 They said, "We will call the young lady, and ask her."
(WEB)

Genesis 34:3 His soul joined to Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the young lady, and spoke kindly to the young lady.
(WEB)

Genesis 34:4 Shechem spoke to his father, Hamor, saying, "Get me this young lady as a wife."
(WEB)

Genesis 34:12 Ask me a great amount for a dowry, and I will give whatever you ask of me, but give me the young lady as a wife."
(WEB)

Deuteronomy 22:15 then shall the father of the young lady, and her mother, take and bring forth the tokens of the young lady's virginity to the elders of the city in the gate;
(WEB)

Deuteronomy 22:19 and they shall fine him one hundred shekels of silver, and give them to the father of the young lady, because he has brought up an evil name on a virgin of Israel: and she shall be his wife; he may not put her away all his days.
(WEB)

Deuteronomy 22:20 But if this thing be true, that the tokens of virginity were not found in the young lady;
(WEB)

Deuteronomy 22:21 then they shall bring out the young lady to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death with stones, because she has done folly in Israel, to play the prostitute in her father's house: so you shall put away the evil from the midst of you.
(WEB)

Deuteronomy 22:23 If there is a young lady who is a virgin pledged to be married to a husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her;
(WEB)

Deuteronomy 22:24 then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city, and you shall stone them to death with stones; the lady, because she didn't cry, being in the city; and the man, because he has humbled his neighbor's wife: so you shall put away the evil from the midst of you.
(WEB)

Deuteronomy 22:25 But if the man find the lady who is pledged to be married in the field, and the man force her, and lie with her; then the man only who lay with her shall die:
(WEB)

Deuteronomy 22:26 but to the lady you shall do nothing; there is in the lady no sin worthy of death: for as when a man rises against his neighbor, and kills him, even so is this matter;
(WEB)

Deuteronomy 22:27 for he found her in the field, the pledged to be married lady cried, and there was none to save her.
(WEB)

Deuteronomy 22:28 If a man find a lady who is a virgin, who is not pledged to be married, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found;
(WEB)

Judges 5:30 'Have they not found, have they not divided the spoil? A lady, two ladies to every man; to Sisera a spoil of dyed garments, a spoil of dyed garments embroidered, of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the spoil?'
(WEB)

Judges 19:3 Her husband arose, and went after her, to speak kindly to her, to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple of donkeys: and she brought him into her father's house; and when the father of the young lady saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.
(WEB)

Ruth 2:5 Then said Boaz to his servant who was set over the reapers, "Whose young lady is this?"
(WEB)

Ruth 2:6 The servant who was set over the reapers answered, "It is the Moabite lady who came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab.
(WEB)

1 Kings 1:3 So they sought for a beautiful young lady throughout all the borders of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king.
(WEB)

1 Kings 1:4 The young lady was very beautiful; and she cherished the king, and ministered to him; but the king didn't know her intimately.
(WEB)

Esther 2:4 and let the maiden who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti." The thing pleased the king, and he did so.
(See NAS)

Esther 2:7 He brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter; for she had neither father nor mother. The maiden was fair and beautiful; and when her father and mother were dead, Mordecai took her for his own daughter.
(See NAS)

Esther 2:9 The maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness from him. He quickly gave her cosmetics and her portions of food, and the seven choice maidens who were to be given her out of the king's house. He moved her and her maidens to the best place in the women's house.
(See NAS)

Esther 2:12 Each young woman's turn came to go in to King Ahasuerus after her purification for twelve months (for so were the days of their purification accomplished, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet fragrances and with preparations for beautifying women).
(See NAS)

Esther 2:13 The young woman then came to the king like this: whatever she desired was given her to go with her out of the women's house to the king's house.
(See NAS)

Isaiah 47:5 Sit thou silent, and get thee into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called, The lady of kingdoms.
(KJV WBS)

Isaiah 47:7 And thou saidst, I shall be a lady for ever: so that thou didst not lay these things to thy heart, neither didst remember the latter end of it.
(KJV WBS)

Nahum 3:4 Because of the abundance of the fornications of an harlot, The goodness of the grace of the lady of witchcrafts, Who is selling nations by her fornications, And families by her witchcrafts.
(YLT)

Subtopics

Lady

Related Terms

Lady's (8 Occurrences)

Elect (32 Occurrences)

Pledged (19 Occurrences)

Girl (71 Occurrences)

Engaged (31 Occurrences)

I'll (31 Occurrences)

Tenderly (9 Occurrences)

Tokens (11 Occurrences)

Platter (20 Occurrences)