472. antechó

Lexicon

antechó: To hold fast, to withstand, to cling to, to be devoted to

Original Word: ἀντέχω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: antechó
Pronunciation: an-TEKH-o
Phonetic Spelling: (an-tekh'-om-ahee)
Definition: To hold fast, to withstand, to cling to, to be devoted to
Meaning: trans: I hold against; intrans: I withstand; mid: I hold out against, hold firmly to, cleave to.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

hold fast, hold to, support.

From anti and the middle voice of echo; to hold oneself opposite to, i.e. (by implication) adhere to; by extension to care for -- hold fast, hold to, support.

see GREEK anti

see GREEK echo

HELPS Word-studies

472 antéxomai (from 473 /antí, "corresponding to" and 2192 /éxō, "have") – properly, proportionally lay hold of, i.e. as an equivalent (off-set) which "holds on to" in a way that matches the object grasped.

[In Mt 6:24, 472 (antéxomai) particularly suggests, "to stick by one's rights" (MM).]

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from anti and echó
Definition
to hold against, i.e. to hold firmly to
NASB Translation
devoted (2), help (1), holding fast (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 472: ἀντέχω

ἀντέχω: middle (present ἀντέχομαι); future ἀνθέξομαι; to hold before or against, hold back, withstand, endure; in the N. T. only in the middle to keep oneself directly opposite to anyone, hold to him firmly, cleave to, paying heed to him: τίνος, Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13; τῶν ἀσθενῶν, to aid them, care for them, 1 Thessalonians 5:14; τοῦ λόγου, to hold to, hold it fast, Titus 1:9. (Deuteronomy 32:41; Isaiah 56:4, 6; Proverbs 3:18, etc., and often in Greek writings.) Cf. Kühner, § 520 b. (2te Aufl. § 416, 2; cf. Jelf, § 536); Winers Grammar, 202 (190); (Buttmann, 161 (140)).

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: From ἀντί (anti, meaning "against" or "opposite") and ἔχω (echō, meaning "to have" or "to hold").

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Hebrew equivalent for ἀντέχω, similar concepts can be found in Hebrew words such as חָזַק (chazaq, Strong's 2388), meaning "to be strong" or "to hold fast," and דָּבַק (dabaq, Strong's 1692), meaning "to cling" or "to cleave." These terms convey similar ideas of strength, perseverance, and devotion in the Hebrew Scriptures.

Usage: The verb ἀντέχω is used in the New Testament to describe the act of holding firmly to something, whether it be a physical object, a belief, or a moral stance. It conveys a sense of persistence and steadfastness in the face of opposition or challenge.

Context: The Greek verb ἀντέχω appears in several New Testament passages, each illustrating the concept of steadfastness and devotion. In Matthew 6:24, Jesus uses the term to describe the impossibility of serving two masters, emphasizing the need for exclusive devotion: "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."

In Luke 16:13, the same teaching is reiterated, underscoring the importance of singular allegiance in the life of a believer. The term is also found in 1 Thessalonians 5:14, where Paul exhorts the Thessalonian church to "hold on to what is good," encouraging them to maintain their commitment to virtuous living despite challenges.

The use of ἀντέχω in these contexts highlights the Christian call to perseverance and loyalty, whether in the face of material temptations or in the pursuit of moral excellence. It reflects a broader biblical theme of enduring faithfulness and the necessity of choosing whom or what one will serve with undivided attention.

Forms and Transliterations

ανθεξεται ανθέξεται ανθέξεταί ἀνθέξεται αντείχοντο αντέχεσθαί αντεχεσθε αντέχεσθε ἀντέχεσθε αντεχόμενοι αντεχομένοις αντεχομενον αντεχόμενον ἀντεχόμενον αντεχόμενος αντεχομένους αντέχωνται antechesthe antéchesthe antechomenon antechómenon anthexetai anthéxetai

Englishman's Concordance

Matthew 6:24 V-FIM-3S
GRK: ἢ ἑνὸς ἀνθέξεται καὶ τοῦ
NAS: or he will be devoted to one
KJV: or else he will hold to the one,
INT: or [the] one he will be devoted to and the

Luke 16:13 V-FIM-3S
GRK: ἢ ἑνὸς ἀνθέξεται καὶ τοῦ
NAS: or else he will be devoted to one
KJV: or else he will hold to the one,
INT: or one he will be devoted to and the

1 Thessalonians 5:14 V-PMM/P-2P
GRK: τοὺς ὀλιγοψύχους ἀντέχεσθε τῶν ἀσθενῶν
NAS: the fainthearted, help the weak,
KJV: the feebleminded, support the weak,
INT: the faint-hearted help the weak

Titus 1:9 V-PPM/P-AMS
GRK: ἀντεχόμενον τοῦ κατὰ
NAS: holding fast the faithful word
KJV: Holding fast the faithful word
INT: holding to the according to

Strong's Greek 472
4 Occurrences

ἀντέχεσθε — 1 Occ.
ἀντεχόμενον — 1 Occ.
ἀνθέξεται — 2 Occ.