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generation, nature(-ral)

Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:

(begotten). In plural, the genealogical register (Gen. 2:4; 5:1⁴These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, (Genesis 2:4)
¹This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; (Genesis 5:1); Matt. 1:1¹The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. (Matthew 1:1)); family history (Gen. 6:9; 25:12⁹These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. (Genesis 6:9)
¹²Now these are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's handmaid, bare unto Abraham: (Genesis 25:12)); men of the existing age (Lev. 3:17¹⁷It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood. (Leviticus 3:17); Isa. 53:8⁸He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. (Isaiah 53:8); Matt. 24:34³⁴Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. (Matthew 24:34); Acts 2:40⁴⁰And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. (Acts 2:40)).

“Generation” From Concise Bible Dictionary:

This is used in various senses in scripture.

1. As from a father to his son, or from a king to his successor, γενεά, as in the three series of “fourteen generations” in Matthew 1:17¹⁷So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations. (Matthew 1:17), though the same term is applied where names have been omitted. See GENEALOGY OF THE LORD JESUS.

2. In a much wider sense, as when the Lord said of the unbelieving Jews, “This generation shall not pass away till all these things be fulfilled” (Matt. 24:34³⁴Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. (Matthew 24:34); Luke 21:32³²Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. (Luke 21:32); compare Deut. 32:5,20⁵They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children: they are a perverse and crooked generation. (Deuteronomy 32:5)
²⁰And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith. (Deuteronomy 32:20)). The unbelieving Jews still exist and will until the events take place.

3. As offspring, γέννημα, where there was a moral likeness, as “generation of vipers” (Matt. 3:7⁷But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (Matthew 3:7)).

4. As class, family, etc., γένος. Ye are “a chosen generation” (1 Pet. 2:9⁹But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: (1 Peter 2:9)).

5. As signifying perpetuity; God’s dominion is “from generation to generation” (Dan. 4:3,34³How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation. (Daniel 4:3)
³⁴And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honored him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: (Daniel 4:34)).

“Nature” From Concise Bible Dictionary:

The inherent qualities of a being manifested in the various characteristics which mark and display its existence: the aggregate of such qualities is what is termed its nature, and one class or order of being is thus distinguished from another. Men by nature are the children of wrath (Eph. 2:3³Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. (Ephesians 2:3)); whereas the Christian becomes morally partaker of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4⁴Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2 Peter 1:4)); of which love is the characteristic: he is made partaker of God’s holiness (Heb. 12:10¹⁰For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. (Hebrews 12:10)). The work of God in the Christian which forms his nature thus finds its expression in him. The Creator can design and predicate the nature of a being before that being has an actual existence in fact; but we, as creatures, can discern the nature only from the existent being, and cannot therefore rightly speak of the nature save as characteristic of the being.

Nature is also a term descriptive of the vast system of created things around us, to each part of which the Creator has given not only its existence, but its use, its order, its increase, its decay—often called the “laws of nature”—the laws which govern each and which constitute its propriety. Thus nature teaches that a man should not have long hair (1 Cor. 11:14¹⁴Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? (1 Corinthians 11:14)); and a multitude of other things that are of God’s order in creation.

Strong’s Dictionary of Greek Words:

Number:

1078 (find all occurrences in KJV Bible)

Greek:

γένεσις

Transliteration:

genesis

Phonic:

ghen’-es-is

Meaning:

from the same as 1074; nativity; figuratively, nature

KJV Usage:

generation, nature(-ral)