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The question is, “What does the word αἰῶνας refer to?” The Greek word αἰῶνας is the accusative plural declension of the root word αἰών. The Greek word αἰών is a third-declension, masculine-gender, nasal-stem noun. BDAG defines it as “(1) a long period of time, without reference to beginning or end; (2) a segment of time as a particular unit of history, age; (3) the world as a spatial concept, the world; (4) the Aeon as a person, the Aeon.”
 
The noun αἰών declines as follows:

Case - Singular - Plural
 
>Nominative - ὁ αἰών - οἱ αἰῶνες

>Genitive - τοῦ αἰῶνος - τῶν αἰώνων

>Dative - τῷ αἰῶνι - τοῖς αἰῶσι(ν)

>Accusative - τὸν αἰῶνα - τοὺς αἰῶνας

>Vocative - αἰών - αἰῶνες

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Some, wishing to nullify the import of this verse with its clear affirmation of the pre-existence of the Son, assert that the plural αἰῶνας does not refer to material “worlds,” but rather aeons or periods of time. While the Greek word αἰών can certainly be translated as “age” or “aeon” (i.e., a period of time),<sup>**1**</sup> this translation is untenable in consideration of the verb ἐποίησεν. Time is an artificial and intangible construct; however, the verb ἐποίησεν suggests the creation of something tangible.<sup>**2**</sup>
 
In the Greek Septuagint, the Greek word αἰών was used to translate the Hebrew word עוֹלָם [*olam*].<sup>**3**</sup> In writing to Jews, the author of the epistle to the Hebrews was referring to the creation of the manifold worlds which the Jews believed existed according to their tradition. By “worlds,” I mean not other galaxies, but rather, the Jews divided the world we inhabit into different parts.
 
For example, in the Jewish commentary *Tzeror ha-Mor* (צרור המור), Avraham ben Yaʿakov Saba refers to “the three worlds” (הג' עולמות):

 1. “the lower world” (העולם התחתון)
 2. “the middle world” (העולם האמצעי)
 3. “the upper world” (העולם העליון)
 
![Tzeror ha-Mor, Folio 3b][1]

The same three worlds (הג' עולמות) are mentioned by Yaʿakov Luzzatto in *Sefer Kavonot ha-Agudot* (ספר כונות האגדות).<sup>5</sup>
 
![Sefer Kavonot ha-Agudot, Folio 79a][2] 

The upper world (העולם העליון) is also known as “the world of the angels” (עולם המלאכים), for it is the domain of the angels as well as God. The middle word (העולם האמצעי) is also known as “the world of the spheres” (עולם הגלגלים), which includes the moons, planets, and stars. The lower world (העולם התחתון) is also known as “the world below” (עולם השפל), which is the world we inhabit.
 
![Sefer Kavonot ha-Agudot, Folio 90a][3]

Accordingly, in Heb. 11:3, it is written,

>Πίστει νοοῦμεν κατηρτίσθαι τοὺς αἰῶνας ῥήματι θεοῦ εἰς τὸ μὴ ἐκ φαινομένων τά βλεπόμενα γεγονέναι 
>
By faith, we discern the worlds to have been prepared by the word<sup>7</sup> of God, so that visible things did not come into existence out of things that appear.<sup>8</sup>
 
Clearly, in Heb. 11:3, like Heb. 1:2, τοὺς αἰῶνας refers to the created world, as Heb. 11:3 is a reference to Gen. 1:1 in which the heaven (sky) and earth were created.
 
<hr>

<h2>Footnotes</h2>
 
<sup>1</sup> BDAG, p. 32; Thayer, p. 18-20

<sup>2</sup> BDAG, p. 839, on ποιέω, (1): "to produce something material, make, manufacture, produce."

<sup>3</sup> Thayer, p. 19, §2

<sup>4</sup> Folio 3b

<sup>5</sup> Folio 79a

<sup>6</sup> Folio 90a

<sup>7</sup> or “decree”

<sup>8</sup> or “phenomena”
 
<hr>

<h2>References</h2>
 
Arndt, William; Bauer, Walter; Danker, Frederick William. *A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature.* 3rd ed. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 2000. 
 
Avraham ben Yaʿakov Saba (עברהם בן יעקוב סבע). [*Tzeror ha-Mor*][4] (צרור המור). Venice: Cavalli, 1567.
 
Thayer, Joseph Henry. [*A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Being Grimm Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti.*][5] Rev. ed. New York: American Book, 1889. 
 
Yaʿakov ben Yitzchak Luzzatto (יעקב בן יצחק לוזאטו). [*Sefer Kavonot Ha-Agudot*][6] (ספר כונות העגדות), also known as *Kaftor veFerach* (כפתור ופרח). Amsterdam: Asher Anshel ben Eliʿezer Chazan, 1709.


  [1]: https://i.sstatic.net/D8NV5.jpg
  [2]: https://i.sstatic.net/LdbQw.jpg
  [3]: https://i.sstatic.net/XNaNW.jpg
  [4]: https://books.google.com/books?id=Hm5EAAAAcAAJ
  [5]: https://books.google.com/books?id=7wVNDAjFkRoC
  [6]: http://Sefer-Kavonot-Ha-Agudot-shenikra-Kaftor-veFerach-Amsterdam-Chazan-1709.pdf