Lexical Summary anastrephó: To conduct oneself, to live, to behave, to return, to overturn. Original Word: ἀναστρέφω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance abide, overturn, returnFrom ana and strepho; to overturn; also to return; by implication, to busy oneself, i.e. Remain, live -- abide, behave self, have conversation, live, overthrow, pass, return, be used. see GREEK ana see GREEK strepho NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom ana and strephó Definition to overturn, turn back NASB Translation conduct (3), conducted (1), live (1), lived (1), return (1), returned (1), treated (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 390: ἀναστρέφωἀναστρέφω: future ἀναστρέψω; (1 aorist ἀνέστρεψα; passive, present ἀναστρέφομαι); 2 aorist ἀνεστραφην; 1. to turn upside down, overturn: τάς τραπέζας, John 2:15, (δίφρους, Homer, Iliad 23, 436). 2. to turn back; intransitive, (Winers Grammar, 251 (236)] to returns, like the Latinreverto equivalent torevertor (as in Greek writings; in the Sept. equivalent to שׁוּב): Acts 5:22; Acts 15:16 (here ἀναστρεψα καί has not like the Hebrew שׁוּב the force of an adverb, again, but God in the Messiah's advent returns to his people, whom he is conceived of as having previously abandoned; cf. Winer's Grammar, 469 (437)). 3. to turn hither and thither; passive reflexively, to turn oneself about, sojourn, dwell, ἐν in a place; a. literally: Matthew 17:22, where L T WH Tr text συστρεφομένων, cf. Keim, ii., p. 581 (English translation, iv., p. 303). (Joshua 5:5; Ezekiel 19:6, and in Greek writings) b. like the Hebrew הָלַך to walk, of the manner of life and moral character, to conduct oneself, behave oneself, live: 2 Corinthians 1:12 (ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ); 1 Timothy 3:15 (ἐν οἴκῳ θεοῦ); Ephesians 2:3 (ἐν οἷς among whom); 2 Peter 2:18 (ἐν πλάνη). simply "to conduct or behave oneself, 'walk'," (German wandeln): 1 Peter 1:17; Hebrews 10:33; (καλῶς) Strong’s Greek 390 captures the idea of “turning about” both physically and morally. In the New Testament the term consistently moves from a literal turning to a metaphor for the whole manner of life. While other Greek words speak of isolated deeds, this verb encompasses the continuous tenor of one’s conduct. Semantic Range in Scripture 1. Physical return or reversal: Acts 5:22; Acts 15:16. Thus, the word bridges action and character, underlining that genuine faith reshapes the trajectory of daily living. Patterns of Conduct in the Early Church • Apostolic Integrity (2 Corinthians 1:12). Paul appeals to his “conduct in the world” as transparent evidence of divine grace, illustrating that theology without holy lifestyle is self-defeating. Christ-Centered Ethical Implications Peter places the verb inside an eschatological frame: “Conduct yourselves in reverent fear during your stay as foreigners” (1 Peter 1:17). The present pilgrimage is shaped by the coming judgment of the impartial Father. Christian behavior therefore springs from redemption (1 Peter 1:18–19) and anticipates future glory (1 Peter 5:1). Contrasts Between Belief and Unbelief Ephesians 2:3 recalls the pre-conversion state: “We all also lived among them at one time in the passions of our flesh.” By pairing the same verb with “passions,” Paul shows that unredeemed conduct is driven by inward corruption, whereas redeemed conduct is Spirit-directed (Galatians 5:25). Similarly, 2 Peter 2:18 exposes false teachers who entice those “barely escaping from others who live in error,” stressing that doctrine divorced from holy living corrupts the church. Eschatological Hope and National Restoration Acts 15:16 cites Amos to promise, “After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent.” The return of the Lord guarantees both Israel’s restoration and the consummation of Gentile inclusion. The physical “return” in salvation history mirrors the moral “return” demanded of every hearer. Pastoral and Discipleship Application 1. Leadership credibility grows out of transparent conduct (Hebrews 13:18). Historical Context In Greco-Roman ethics, “conduct” (ἀναστροφή) often concerned public honor. Scripture elevates the term, rooting conduct in the fear of God, not societal prestige. Jewish backgrounds linked “return” (שׁוּב) with repentance; the Greek verb therefore resonates with both the prophetic call to turn back and the Hellenistic stress on observable lifestyle, uniting Old Testament repentance with New Testament discipleship. Summary Strong’s Greek 390 threads through the New Testament to insist that salvation inevitably reshapes behavior. Whether describing God’s promised return to restore David’s house or the believer’s daily walk before a watching world, the verb calls every follower of Christ to a coherent, holy, and missionally potent life. Englishman's Concordance Acts 5:22 V-APA-NMPGRK: τῇ φυλακῇ ἀναστρέψαντες δὲ ἀπήγγειλαν NAS: them in the prison; and they returned and reported KJV: the prison, they returned, and INT: the prison having returned moreover they reported Acts 15:16 V-FIA-1S 2 Corinthians 1:12 V-AIP-1P Ephesians 2:3 V-AIP-1P 1 Timothy 3:15 V-PNM/P Hebrews 10:33 V-PPM/P-GMP Hebrews 13:18 V-PNM/P 1 Peter 1:17 V-AMP-2P 2 Peter 2:18 V-PPM/P-AMP Strong's Greek 390 |
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