θεμέλιος, 
θεμέλιον (
θέμα (i. e. thing laid down)), 
laid down as a foundation, belonging to a foundation (
Diodorus 5, 66; 
θεμέλιοι λίθοι, 
Aristophanes av. 1137); generally as a substantive, 
ὁ θεμέλιος (namely, 
λίθος) (
1 Corinthians 3:11; 
2 Timothy 2:19; 
Revelation 21:19), and 
τό θεμέλιον (rarely so in Greek writings, as (
Aristotle, phys. auscult. 2, 9, p. 200a, 4); 
Pausanias, 8, 32, 1; (others)), 
the foundation (of a building, wall, city): properly, 
Luke 6:49; 
τιθέναι θεμέλιον, 
Luke 6:48; 
Luke 14:29; plural 
οἱ θεμέλιοι (chiefly so in Greek writings), 
Hebrews 11:10; 
Revelation 21:14, 
19; neuter 
τό θεμέλια, 
Acts 16:26 (and often in the 
Sept.); metaphorically, the foundations, beginnings, first principles, of an institution or system of truth: 
1 Corinthians 3:10, 
12; the rudiments, first principles, of Christian life and knowledge, 
Hebrews 6:1 (
μετανοίας genitive of apposition (
Winer's Grammar, 531 (494))); a course of instruction begun by a teacher, 
Romans 15:20; Christ is called the 
θεμέλιος, i. e. faith in him, which is like a foundation laid in the soul on which is built up the fuller and richer knowledge of saving truth, 
1 Corinthians 3:11; 
τῶν ἀποστόλων (genitive of apposition, on account of what follows: 
ὄντος... 
Χριστοῦ (others say genitive of origin, see 
ἐποικοδομέω; cf. 
Winer's Grammar, § 30, 1; Meyer or Ellicott at the passage)), of the apostles as preachers of salvation, upon which foundation the Christian church has been built, 
Ephesians 2:20; a solid and stable spiritual possession, on which resting as on a foundation they may strive to lay hold on eternal life, 
1 Timothy 6:19; the church is apparently called 
θεμέλιος as the foundation of the 'city of God,' 
2 Timothy 2:19, cf. 
2 Timothy 2:20 and 
1 Timothy 3:15. (the 
Sept. several times also for 
אַרְמון, a palace, 
Isaiah 25:2; 
Jeremiah 6:5; 
Amos 1:4, etc.) 
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