Easton's Bible Dictionary In its primary sense, as denoting the first principles or constituents of things, it is used in 2 Peter 3:10: "The elements shall be dissolved." In a secondary sense it denotes the first principles of any art or science. In this sense it is used in Galatians 4:3, 9; Colossians 2:8, 20, where the expressions, "elements of the world," "week and beggarly elements," denote that state of religious knowledge existing among the Jews before the coming of Christ, the rudiments of religious teaching. They are "of the world," because they are made up of types which appeal to the senses. They are "weak," because insufficient; and "beggarly," or "poor," because they are dry and barren, not being accompanied by an outpouring of spiritual gifts and graces, as the gospel Isaiah Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia ELEMENT; ELEMENTS el'-e-ment, (ta stoicheia, "the letters of the alphabet," "the elements out of which all things are formed," "the heavenly bodies," "the fundamental principles of any art or science"): (1) In 2 Peter 3:10, the constituent parts of the physical universe ("elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat," the American Revised Version, margin "the heavenly bodies"). (2) In Galatians 4:3, 1, the Revised Version (British and American) has "rudiments," as in the King James Version margin, and in Colossians 2:8, 20, where the reference is to imperfect Jewish ordinances. See RUDIMENTS.

Multi-Version Concordance Elements (7 Occurrences) Galatians 4:3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: (KJV WBS YLT) Galatians 4:9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? (KJV WBS YLT) Colossians 2:8 Be careful that you don't let anyone rob you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elements of the world, and not after Christ. (WEB DBY) Colossians 2:20 If you died with Christ from the elements of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to ordinances, (WEB DBY) Hebrews 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have again need that one should teach you what are the elements of the beginning of the oracles of God, and are become such as have need of milk, and not of solid food. (DBY YLT) 2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. (WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 2 Peter 3:12 looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, which will cause the burning heavens to be dissolved, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? (WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)