One of a row, a letter (of the alphabet): στοιχεῖα – stoixeion

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

(2 Peter 3:10-13) KJV

Stoixeíon is translated as rudiments, principles or elements. It’s the origin of the word stoichiometry, a term with specific meaning in physics and chemistry. The periodic table of elements is an example of stoichiometry.

One of a row, a letter (of the alphabet): στοιχεῖα – stoicheia

• one of a row, a letter (of the alphabet), the elements (of knowledge)
  • (a) plur: the heavenly bodies,
  • (b) a rudiment, an element, a rudimentary principle, an elementary rule.
• properly, fundamentals, like with the basic components of a philosophy, structure, etc.; (figuratively) “first principles,” like the basic fundamentals of Christianity.

The RSV however renders stoixeia as “elemental spirits,” i.e. spiritual powers or “cosmic spirits” (DNTT, 2, 828). This views 4747 /stoixeíon (“elements”) as ancient astral beings associated with the very beginning (make-up) of the earth.]

Stoichiometry is

1: a branch of chemistry that deals with the application of the laws of definite proportions and of the conservation of mass and energy to chemical activity.

2 a : the quantitative relationship between constituents in a chemical substance; b : the quantitative relationship between two or more substances especially in processes involving physical or chemical change

– Stoichiometry, definition

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