ἀπιστέω
apistéō
G569 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To be without trust or faith in something; to not believe, typically in the sense of refusing to put trust in a person, claim, or message. In various contexts, it can further mean to disbelieve, to refuse to give credence, or to show lack of fidelity or loyalty; can also carry the implication of being unreliable or untrustworthy. In some cases, especially in moral or social contexts, can extend to disobey or be unfaithful as a consequence of disbelief.
Semantic Range
to disbelieve, to be without faith, to refuse to trust, to be unfaithful, to be unreliable, to refuse to accept a message or testimony, to show lack of loyalty, to disobey as an extension of disbelief
Root / Etymology
Derived from ἄπιστος (apistos, 'unbelieving, faithless'), itself from ἀ- (a-, 'not') + πίστις (pistis, 'faith, trust'). The verb ἀπιστέω carries verbal force from the adjective (unbelieving) and the noun (faith).
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, ἀπιστέω generally referred to lack of trust or belief, including distrusting a person or testimony. In Hellenistic and Koine usage, such as in the Septuagint and New Testament, it frequently denotes refusal to believe or accept a message, particularly one regarded as authoritative or divinely inspired. In Jewish-Greek contexts, ἀπιστέω often assumes a relational dimension of 'refusing faithfulness' or 'breaching loyalty' in covenant terms. In the New Testament, it is commonly used where one does not accept or respond with trust to the message proclaimed (e.g., the good news or divine promises). English Bible translations frequently render this as 'disbelieve', 'do not believe', or 'are unfaithful', but these can obscure nuances regarding trust, loyalty, and obedience present in the original. The word should not always be interpreted strictly as intellectual unbelief, as it may include moral or relational aspects of trustworthiness and fidelity.
Translation Consistency
ἀπιστέω most commonly means to not believe or to refuse to put trust in a person or message. "Disbelieve" is a natural, widely understood verb that captures the primary semantic range (not believe, refuse to trust, reject testimony) while still allowing extended senses (unfaithfulness, unreliability) to be handled by context or phrasing.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ἄπιστος; to be unbelieving, i.e. (transitively) disbelieve, or (by implication) disobey:--believe not.
Root Family
ἀπιστέω (apisteō) — to trust, to believe, to be faithful
Word Forms
6 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G569-06 |
ἠπίστουν | epistoun | V IMPF ACT IND 3P PL |
disbelieved | they were mistrusting | they were disbelieving | 2 |
G569-05 |
ἠπίστησαν | epistesan | V AOR ACT IND 3P PL |
did not believe | they refused to trust | they disbelieved | 2 |
G569-03 |
ἀπιστούντων | apistounton | V PRS ACT PTCP GEN M PL |
disbelieving | of those not trusting | of those not trusting | 1 |
G569-04 |
ἀπιστοῦσιν | apistousin | V PRS ACT PTCP DAT M PL |
to those who disbelieve | to the ones refusing to trust | to the ones disbelieving | 1 |
G569-02 |
ἀπιστοῦμεν | apistoumen | V PRS ACT IND 1P PL |
we are faithless | we refuse to trust | we are faithless | 1 |
G569-01 |
ἀπιστήσας | apistesas | V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG |
disbelieving | having refused to trust | having refused to trust | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
8 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G569-05 |
Mark 16:11 | ἠπίστησαν | epistesan | V AOR ACT IND 3P PL |
they did not believe | they refused to trust | they disbelieved |
G569-01 |
Mark 16:16 | ἀπιστήσας | apistesas | V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG |
disbelieving | having refused to trust | having refused to trust |
G569-06 |
Luke 24:11 | ἠπίστουν | epistoun | V IMPF ACT IND 3P PL |
they disbelieved | they were mistrusting | they were disbelieving |
G569-03 |
Luke 24:41 | ἀπιστούντων | apistounton | V PRS ACT PTCP GEN M PL |
disbelieving | of those not trusting | of those not trusting |
G569-06 |
Acts 28:24 | ἠπίστουν | epistoun | V IMPF ACT IND 3P PL |
disbelieved | they were mistrusting | they were disbelieving |
G569-05 |
Romans 3:3 | ἠπίστησάν | epistesan | V AOR ACT IND 3P PL |
did not believe | they refused to trust | they disbelieved |
G569-02 |
2 Timothy 2:13 | ἀπιστοῦμεν | apistoumen | V PRS ACT IND 1P PL |
we are faithless | we refuse to trust | we are faithless |
G569-04 |
1 Peter 2:7 | ἀπιστοῦσιν | apistousin | V PRS ACT PTCP DAT M PL |
to those who disbelieve | to the ones refusing to trust | to the ones disbelieving |