Dictionary Entries: U

• Expansion of the Universe — The expansion of the universe is the observed large-scale increase in distance between galaxies as space itself expands. It is a c
• Parable of the Unforgiving Servant — Jesus’ parable in Matthew 18:21-35 about a servant forgiven an overwhelming debt who then refuses to forgive a fellow servant. It
• UBS5 — UBS5 is the fifth edition of the United Bible Societies Greek New Testament.
• Ugaritic texts and their significance — Ancient writings from Ugarit on the Syrian coast that help illuminate Old Testament language, poetry, and the religious world of C
• Ulai — Ulai is the river or canal near Susa where Daniel received his vision in Daniel 8.
• Ultimate authority — Ultimate authority is the highest standard or final court of appeal for what a person or community believes and does. In a Christi
• Ultimate Concern — Paul Tillich’s term for whatever a person treats as highest, final, and unconditional in devotion and trust. In Christian evaluati
• ultimate reality — ultimate reality is a biblical and theological term that names a real doctrine, condition, or aspect of God's work.
• Unaided reason — Unaided reason is human reasoning considered apart from God’s special revelation or supernatural help. The term is used in philoso
• unbelief — unbelief is a biblical and theological term that names a real doctrine, condition, or aspect of God's work.
• Uncertainty — Uncertainty is the condition of lacking full knowledge, confidence, or predictability about a matter. In philosophy and worldview
• uncial — An uncial is an early manuscript written in large capital-style letters.
• UNCIRCUNCISION — Uncircumcision is the state of not being circumcised. In Scripture it can mark Gentiles outside Israel’s covenant sign and, figura
• UNCLEAN — In Scripture, “unclean” usually refers to ceremonial or ritual impurity that made a person, animal, object, or condition unsuitabl
• Unclean birds — Birds the Mosaic law declared unsuitable for Israel to eat, as part of the old covenant clean-and-unclean system.
• unclean spirits — “Unclean spirits” is a New Testament term for evil spirits or demons opposed to God and harmful to people. The expression highligh
• uncleanness — Uncleanness in Scripture refers to a state of impurity that can be ceremonial, moral, or both, depending on the context. It marks
• Unconditional love — A common Christian phrase for love that is given freely rather than earned by prior merit. In theology, it should mean gracious, i
• Understanding — Understanding is the God-given ability to grasp truth rightly, especially His will, His Word, and the wise way to live. In Scriptu
• UNICORN — An older English Bible word, especially in the King James Version, that usually translates the Hebrew re'em and likely refers to a
• Unification Church — A modern religious movement founded by Sun Myung Moon; it is not a biblical term or a historic orthodox Christian doctrine.
• Uniformitarianism — Uniformitarianism is the principle that present natural processes are useful for explaining the past. In its stronger philosophica
• Unintended consequences — Unintended consequences are results of an action that were not intended or foreseen by the person acting. The term is used in ethi
• union with Christ — union with Christ is a biblical and theological term that names a real doctrine, condition, or aspect of God's work.
• United and Divided Kingdom Borders — The territorial extent associated with Israel under the united monarchy and the later territories of Israel and Judah after the ki
• United monarchy — The united monarchy is the period in Israel’s history when the twelve tribes were ruled together under one king, especially Saul,
• Unity and Diversity — The biblical pattern in which God’s ordered oneness includes real distinctions without contradiction, confusion, or uniformity.
• Unity of God — The unity of God means there is only one true and living God. Scripture presents God as one in being, not many gods.
• Unity of Scripture — The unity of Scripture is the truth that the Bible, though written by many human authors over time, forms one coherent, God-breath
• Universal — In philosophy, a universal is what can be shared by many particular things and predicated of them, such as redness, triangularity,
• universal church — The universal church is the whole people of God across places and times who belong to Christ.
• Universal church vs. local church — The universal church is the whole body of true believers in Christ across all times and places; a local church is a specific gathe
• Universal sinfulness — Universal sinfulness is the biblical truth that all human beings are sinners before God. Scripture teaches that no one is righteou
• Universalism — Universalism is the belief that all people will finally be saved regardless of final judgment.
• Universality of Sin — The universality of sin is the biblical truth that all people are sinners before God. Apart from Jesus Christ, every human being h
• University — A university is an institution of higher learning devoted to teaching, research, and the formation of students. In worldview discu
• Univocal Language — Language that uses a word in the same sense across different subjects or contexts. In theology, it asks whether terms used of God
• Unknowable — Unknowable refers to something that cannot be known, either in an absolute sense or by a particular finite knower. In philosophy a
• UNLEAVENED — Unleavened bread in Scripture commonly signifies purity, separation from corruption, and readiness for God’s appointed deliverance
• Unleavened Bread — Unleavened bread is bread made without yeast. In Scripture it is especially associated with the Passover and the Feast of Unleaven
• Unnamed angels in Scripture — Angels frequently appear in Scripture without personal names; the emphasis falls on their service to God, not on their identities.
• unsearchable — unsearchable is a biblical and theological term that names a real doctrine, condition, or aspect of God's work.
• Upharsin — Upharsin is a word from the Aramaic inscription on the wall in Daniel 5, closely related to the idea of being “divided.” It is par
• Upper Room / Cenacle — The Upper Room is the Jerusalem room where Jesus shared the Last Supper with His disciples. Acts also mentions an upper room in Je
• Upper Room appearances — A summary label for the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus to His disciples in Jerusalem, traditionally associated with the up
• Ur — Ur was the Mesopotamian city from which Abram and his family began the journey that led to God’s call and the land of promise.
• Ur of the Chaldees — The biblical homeland from which Abram was called by God to journey toward Canaan; a place-name tied to the patriarchal narrative.
• Urbanus — Urbanus was a Christian in Rome whom Paul greeted as “our fellow worker in Christ” in Romans 16:9.
• Uri — Uri is a biblical personal name used for more than one individual in Scripture, including the Judahite ancestor of Bezalel.
• Uriah — Uriah most commonly refers to Uriah the Hittite, a loyal soldier in David’s army and Bathsheba’s husband. Scripture highlights his
• Urim and Thummim — Sacred means associated with the high priest for seeking the Lord’s guidance in Israel under the old covenant. Scripture names the
• Use of the law — A theological term for the functions God’s law serves in relation to sin, moral restraint, and guidance for righteous living. Chri
• Use of the Old Testament in the New Testament — How the New Testament quotes, echoes, interprets, fulfills, and applies the Old Testament in light of Christ.
• Usury — In Scripture, usury refers to lending practices that charge interest in a way that exploits or burdens the needy. The biblical con
• Usus Loquendi — Usus loquendi is a Latin phrase meaning the customary or established usage of a word or expression in a language or author’s writi
• Uzal — A biblical proper name for a descendant of Joktan in Genesis and, in Ezekiel 27:19, likely a place connected with trade.
• Uzzah — Uzzah was the man who died after touching the ark of the covenant while it was being transported in David’s day. His account empha
• Uzzensheerah — Variant spelling of Uzzen-sheerah, a place named in 1 Chronicles 7:24.
• Uzzi — Uzzi is a Hebrew personal name borne by more than one man in the Old Testament, including figures in priestly and genealogical rec
• Uzziah — Uzziah was a king of Judah, also called Azariah, whose long reign brought strength and prosperity but ended under divine judgment
• Uzziel — Uzziel is a biblical personal name borne by more than one Old Testament figure, including a son of Kohath in the tribe of Levi.