4. Old. Ancient

 
Both ἀρχαῖος and παλαιός are translated ‘old,' but there appears to be a marked distinction between them. ἀρχαῖος is from ἀρχή, ‘beginning,' and anything connected with the beginning may often be called ‘old.' Now in scripture there are several beginnings referred to, the scope of which can only be arrived at from the context of each passage; but perhaps the word ἀρχαῖος always conveys the idea of ‘ancient.'
The Lord in Matt. 5:21, 27, 3321Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: (Matthew 5:21)
27Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: (Matthew 5:27)
33Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: (Matthew 5:33) speaks of the ‘ancients' ('them of old time,' A.V.), which may well apply to those who taught the law under Moses. The Apostle James referred to Moses having from ‘generations of old' ('of old time,' A. V.) those who preached him, Acts 15:2121For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day. (Acts 15:21). Peter in verse 7 speaks of God having chosen him to preach the gospel to the nations from the earliest (or ancient) days—here doubtless referring to the beginning of the church at Pentecost. Satan is that ‘ancient' serpent, dating back to the beginning of the present creation, if not to an earlier period. Rev. 12:9; 20:29And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (Revelation 12:9)
2And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, (Revelation 20:2). One passage may seem to differ: Mnason of Cyprus is called an ‘old disciple.' But it may be that his age is not referred to, but his being an ancient disciple ― one of long standing. Acts 21:1616There went with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea, and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge. (Acts 21:16).
παλαιός (from πάλαι, ‘long ago, formerly') on the other hand, refers to things having grown old, or become old by some great recent change. In the Gospels it is employed for the old garments and the old bottles, which had become unfit because of the new order of things which Christ had introduced. It twice refers to the ‘old man' in contrast to the ‘new man.' Eph. 4:2222That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; (Ephesians 4:22); Col. 3:99Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; (Colossians 3:9). In Rom. 6:66Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. (Romans 6:6) the old man is looked at as crucified with Christ, that Christians might be free to walk in newness of life. The saints at Corinth were to purge out the ‘old leaven,' which was opposed to the ‘new lump' into which they had been formed. 1 Cor. 5:7, 87Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: 8Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (1 Corinthians 5:7‑8). The Apostle John speaks of an old commandment' which they had heard from the beginning of Christianity, but which was now a ‘new commandment,' that is, under new conditions. 1 John 2:7, 77Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. (1 John 2:7)
7Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. (1 John 2:7). The ‘old covenant' ('old testament') is referred to in 2 Cor. 3:1414But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. (2 Corinthians 3:14). It is in contrast with the new (καινή) covenant in verse 6—the entirely new and different one that had been introduced.