Shall I send you a towel with which to dry your tears of sorrow?
You haven't proven a thing. I posted a systematic exposition of the word aionios by the BDAG standard Greek lexicon with proof texts supplied for the meanings of the word. Then you act as if that post was not of scripture. What a straw man.
Bible yes, Butch & JW's no!
He who being often reproved, hardens his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed & that without remedy.
Except you believe that I AM,
you shall die in your sins.
Denial of Eternal Fire with Aiōnios,
Is Erroneous
αἰώνιος= eternal
John says that the Shepherd gives his sheep eternal life, & they shall never perish. If aiōnios meant "for some temporary period," that would contradict the "never perish." Thus aionios meanseternal, not some temporary period in such contexts. Trying to dismiss aionios as pertaining to some temporary age is a preposterous argument. For God Himself is described as aionios (eternal, not aged).
Consider the data from BDAG Lexicon, which gives many examples both from the Bible & from secular Greek sources. I insert some Greek translation in brackets for those who don't read Greek:
Data from BDAG Lexicon:
αἰώνιος, ον eternal
(since Hyperides [IV BC] 6, 27;
standard epithet for princely, esp. imperial, power:
OGI index VIII; BGU 176, 12; 303, 2; 309, 4; Sb 7517, 5 [211/12 AD] κύριος αἰ.;
al. in pap; Jos., Ant. 7, 352).
1. pert. to a long period of time, long ago
χρόνοις αἰ. long ages ago Ro 16:25;
πρὸ χρόνων αἰ. before time began 2 Ti 1:9; Tit 1:2
in these two last pass. the prep. bears the semantic content of priority.
2. pert. to a period of time without beginning or end, eternal of God
(Ps.-Pla., Tim. Locr. 96c
θεὸν τ. αἰώνιον;
IBM 894, 2 αἰ. κ. ἀθάνατος [undying] τοῦ παντὸς φύσις;
Gen 21:33; Is 26:4; 40:28
Ro 16:26;
of the Holy Spirit in Christ Hb 9:14.
θρόνος [throne] αἰ. 1 Cl 65:2 (cp. 1 Macc 2:57).
3. pert. to a period of unending duration, without end
(Diodorus Siculus
δόξα αἰ. everlasting fame;
in Diod. S. 1, 93, 1
the Egyptian dead are said to have passed to their αἰ. [eternal] οἴκησις;
Arrian, Peripl. 1, 4 ἐς μνήμην αἰ.;
Jos., Bell. 4, 461 αἰ. χάρις = a benefaction for all future time;
OGI 383, 10 [I BC] εἰς χρόνον [to time] αἰ.;
[Reference to journal article:] EOwen, οἶκος αἰ.: JTS 38, ’37, 248–50 )
of the next life σκηναὶ αἰ. [eternal tabernacles] Lk 16:9
(cp. Enoch 39:5).
οἰκία, contrasted w. the οἰκία ἐπίγειος [earthly home], of the glorified body 2 Cor 5:1.
διαθήκη [covenant]
(Gen 9:16; 17:7; Lev 24:8; 2 Km [= 2 Sam] 23:5 al.; PsSol 10:4 al.)
Hb 13:20.
εὐαγγέλιον [gospel] Rv 14:6;
κράτος [strength] in a doxolog[ical] formula (= εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας) 1 Ti 6:16.
παράκλησις [comfort] 2 Th 2:16.
λύτρωσις [redemption / loosing] Hb 9:12.
κληρονομία [inheritance] (Esth 4:17m) vs. 15; AcPl Ha 8, 21.
αἰ. ἀπέχειν τινά [to have/keep someone] (opp. πρὸς ὥραν [for an hour])
keep someone forever Phlm 15
(cp. Job 40:28).
Very often of God’s judgment
(Diod. S. 4, 63, 4 διὰ τὴν ἀσέβειαν ἐν ᾅδου [in Hades] διατελεῖν τιμωρίας αἰωνίου τυγχάνοντα;
Jer 23:40; Da 12:2; Ps 76:6; 4 Macc 9:9; 13:15)
κόλασις [punishment] αἰ. (TestReub 5:5)
Mt 25:46; 2 Cl 6:7;
κρίμα αἰ. Hb 6:2 (cp. κρίσις αἰ. En[och] 104:5).
θάνατος [death] B 20:1.
ὄλεθρον [destruction] (4 Macc 10:15) 2 Th 1:9.
πῦρ [fire]
(4 Macc 12:12; GrBar 4:16. —SibOr 8, 401 φῶς [light] αἰ.)
Mt 18:8; 25:41; Jd 7; Dg 10:7 (cp. 1QS 2:8).
ἁμάρτημα [sin] Mk 3:29 (v.l. [other readings] κρίσεως, κολάσεω, and ἁμαρτίας).
On the other hand, of eternal life
(Maximus Tyr. 6, 1d θεοῦ ζωὴ αἰ.;
Diod. S. 8, 15, 3
life μετὰ τὸν θάνατον [after death] lasts εἰς ἅπαντα αἰῶνα;
Da 12:2; 4 Macc 15:3; PsSol 3, 12; OdeSol 11:16c;
JosAs 8:11 cod. A [p. 50, 2 Bat.];
Philo, Fuga 78; Jos., Bell. 1, 650; SibOr 2, 336)
in the Reign of God:
ζωὴ [life] αἰ. (Orig., C. Cels. 2, 77, 3)
Mt 19:16, 29; 25:46;
Mk 10:17, 30;
Lk 10:25; 18:18, 30;
J 3:15f, 36; 4:14, 36; 5:24, 39; 6:27, 40, 47, 54, 68; 10:28; 12:25, 50; 17:2f;
Ac 13:46, 48;
Ro 2:7; 5:21; 6:22f;
Gal 6:8;
1 Ti 1:16; 6:12;
Tit 1:2; 3:7;
1J 1:2; 2:25; 3:15; 5:11, 13, 20;
Jd 21;
D 10:3; 2 Cl 5:5; 8:4, 6; IEph 18:1; Hv 2, 3, 2; 3, 8, 4 al.
Also βασιλεία [kingdom]
αἰ. 2 Pt 1:11
(cp. Da[niel] 4:3; 7:27; Philo, Somn. 2, 285; Mel., P. 68, 493;
OGI 569, 24 ὑπὲρ τῆς αἰωνίου καὶ ἀφθάρτου [incorruptible] βασιλείας ὑμῶν).
Of the glory in the next life δόξα αἰ.
2 Ti 2:10; 1 Pt 5:10
(cp. Wsd 10:14; Jos., Ant. 15, 376.
—SibOr 8, 410 φῶς αἰῶνιον [eternal light]).
αἰώνιον βάρος δόξης [weight of glory] 2 Cor 4:17;
σωτηρία αἰ. [eternal salvation] (Is 45:17; Ps.-Clem., Hom. 1, 19)
Hb 5:9; short ending of Mk.
Of unseen glory in contrast to the transitory world of the senses
τὰ μὴ βλεπόμενα αἰώνια [the things not seen (are) eternal 2 Cor 4:18.
—χαρά [joy] IPhld ins;
δοξάζεσθαι αἰωνίῳ ἔργῳ be glorified by an everlasting deed IPol 8:1.
It is preposterous to claim that all the things above (cited by BDAG) called aiōnios are merely temporary, lasting for an age. The word as used means eternal or everlasting.
BDAG has listed a large number of instances which bear study & comparison. Inductive study is an important principle, as is the Analogy of the Faith. We compare all the data & see how it fits together.
You do realize that just because the dictionary says something that doesn't establish it as fact, right? Please show me one single passage that "REQUIRES" aionios to mean eternal.
You see, it's kinda funny, you tell me that I can't rely on those early church writers, but then you post from BDAG as if it's Scripture. I don't think you're going to find anyone who thinks BDAG is inspired. Just because you bought an expensive dictionary doesn't mean it's inerrant.
However, since it seems you haven't read the thread I'll post a passage or two for you.
7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. (Jud 1:1 KJV)
Aionios fire, are Sodom and Gomorrah still burning? Can we bring up Google maps and see these two cities burning? I don't think so.
Here is an ordinance of the Mosaic Law that in the English text is said to be forever.
14 And if a stranger sojourn with you, or whosoever be among you in your generations, and will offer an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD; as ye do, so he shall do.
15 One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance for ever in your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the LORD. (Num 15:14-15 KJV)
Are the ordinances of the Mosaic Law eternal? Not according to Jesus and Paul.
Jesus:
15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
16
The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it. (Luk 16:15-16 KJV)
Paul:
14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
15
Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even
the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: (Eph 2:14-16 KJV)
12 For the priesthood being changed,
there is made of necessity a change also of the law. (Heb 7:12 KJV)
So, aionios is used of things that ended, thus it cannot mean eternal. The word cannot mean both finite and eternal, they are opposite terms. That like saying the same word can mean yes and no. Such a word would be useless in communication.
So, I'll take Scripture you can take BDAG.