And me being the poor o' uneducated gypsy only going by the english word eternal(its the same word in my native language too btw) as you mentioned. I decided to work my two remaining braincells and look up the word eternal in the greek, here are the three definitions:
1.
without beginning or end, that which always has been and always will be: Θεός, Romans 16:26 (ὁ μόνος αἰώνιος, 2 Macc. 1:25); πνεῦμα, Hebrews 9:14.
2.
without beginning: χρόνοις αἰωνίοις, Romans 16:25; πρό χρόνων αἰωνίων, 2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 1:2; εὐαγγέλιον, a gospel whose subject-matter is eternal, i. e., the saving purpose of God adopted from eternity, Revelation 14:6.
3.
without end, never to cease, everlasting: 2 Corinthians 4:18 (opposed to πρόσκαιρος); αἰώνιον αὐτόν, joined to thee forever as a sharer of the same eternal life, Philcmon 1:15; βάρος δόξης, 2 Corinthians 4:17; βασιλεία, 2 Peter 1:11; δόξα, 2 Timothy 2:10; 1 Peter 5:10; ζωή (see ζωή, 2 b.); κληρονομία, Hebrews 9:15; λύτρωσις, Hebrews 9:12; παράκλησις, 2 Thessalonians 2:16;
So we got, without beginning or end, without beginning, without end.
That doesnt sound like something you can misplace or forget at the gas-station!
You can read more about the definitions and usage of the word here:
https://biblehub.com/greek/166.htm
I believe I have PROVEN my point that! Does eternal life mean knowing Jesus as you quoted? YES! Who know Jesus? The sheep, to whom Jesus gives eternal life, who shall NEVER perish (not maybe perish).
I believe not only have I proven the case biblically, BUT also from your first line of defense which was "the greek", it looks like that greek argument backfired on you, since it supported what i said! I notice people try me on the GREEK often times. NOT A FAN of going back to the greek, but i have to do it OCCASIONALLY!
...xox...
