Lexical Summary apeitheia: Disobedience, unbelief Original Word: ἀπείθεια Strong's Exhaustive Concordance disobedience, unbelief. From apeithes; disbelief (obstinate and rebellious) -- disobedience, unbelief. see GREEK apeithes HELPS Word-studies 543 apeítheia(from 1 /A "not" and 3982 /peíthō, "persuaded") – properly, someone not persuaded, referring to their willful unbelief, i.e. the refusal to be convinced by God's voice. This is the core-meaning of the entire word-family: 543 (apeítheia), 544 (apeithéō), 545 (apeithḗs). All these cognates focus on man's decision to reject God's offers of faith, i.e. refusal to be persuaded in their heart concerning obeying His will (Word). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom apeithés Definition disobedience NASB Translation disobedience (6). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 543: ἀπείθειαἀπείθεια (WH ἀπειθια, except in Heb. as below (see Iota)), ἀπειθας, ἡ (ἀπειθής), disobedience (Jerome,inobedientia), obstinacy, and in the N. T. particularly obstinate opposition to the divine will: Romans 11:30, 32; Hebrews 4:6, 11; υἱοί τῆς ἀπειθείας, those who are animated by this obstinacy (see υἱός, 2), used of the Gentiles: Ephesians 2:2; Ephesians 5:6; Colossians 3:6 (R G L brackets). (Xenophon, mem. 3, 5, 5; Plutarch, others.) Topical Lexicon Overview Strong’s Greek 543 (ἀπείθεια, apeitheia) denotes a settled state of “unpersuadableness” that expresses itself in disobedience to the revealed will of God. It goes beyond a single act of sin to describe a posture of heart that refuses to be convinced by God’s truth, thus linking unbelief and rebellion into one reality. Old Testament Background In the Septuagint, ἀπείθεια often translates Hebrew terms for stubborn refusal to hear (for example, Psalm 78:8). This backdrop highlights the covenantal dimension of disobedience: God’s people were not merely rule-breakers; they were covenant violators resisting the very character and promises of Yahweh. Usage in the New Testament Paul contrasts former “disobedience” among Gentiles with present mercy, then turns to Israel’s current disobedience as an occasion for the same mercy. ἀπείθεια is thus a stage in God’s redemptive plan, showing both human culpability and divine initiative: “For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that He may have mercy on everyone” (Romans 11:32). The writer to the Hebrews uses ἀπείθεια to explain why the wilderness generation failed to enter God’s rest. Disobedience is portrayed as unbelief in action. The exhortation, “Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by the same pattern of disobedience” (Hebrews 4:11), gives the church a solemn warning rooted in Israel’s history. 3. Ephesians 2:2; 5:6; Colossians 3:6 Paul calls the present age “the domain of the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit who is now at work in the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2). ἀπείθεια characterizes the unregenerate world and invites divine wrath (Ephesians 5:6; Colossians 3:6). It is not a neutral condition but an active sphere dominated by satanic influence. Theological Significance • Total depravity and inability: ἀπείθεια underscores humanity’s incapacity to respond rightly apart from grace. Historical Interpretation Early church fathers (e.g., Chrysostom) stressed ἀπείθεια as willful obstinacy, urging hearers to “yield to the word.” The Reformers linked it to the doctrine of total inability, while Puritans used the term pastorally to awaken the conscience of nominal Christians. Pastoral and Ministry Implications 1. Evangelism: The gospel confronts ἀπείθεια with persuasive truth and effectual grace, calling sinners from the “sons of disobedience” into the obedience of faith (Romans 1:5). Eschatological Outlook Disobedience will be decisively judged at Christ’s return (2 Thessalonians 1:8). Until then, the gospel age is a season of divine patience, offering escape from wrath to all who move from ἀπείθεια to faith. Conclusion ἀπείθεια is both the tragedy of fallen humanity and the canvas upon which God paints His mercy. The church must proclaim, warn, and invite, confident that the Spirit can transform even the most entrenched disobedience into joyful obedience to Jesus Christ. Forms and Transliterations απειθεία ἀπειθείᾳ απειθείαν απείθειαν ἀπείθειαν απειθείας ἀπειθείας απειθια ἀπειθίᾳ απειθιαν ἀπειθίαν απειθιας ἀπειθίας apeitheia apeitheíāi apeitheian apeítheian apeitheias apeitheíasLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Romans 11:30 N-DFSGRK: τῇ τούτων ἀπειθείᾳ NAS: have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, KJV: obtained mercy through their unbelief: INT: the of these disobedience Romans 11:32 N-AFS Ephesians 2:2 N-GFS Ephesians 5:6 N-GFS Colossians 3:6 Noun-GFS Hebrews 4:6 N-AFS Hebrews 4:11 N-GFS Strong's Greek 543 |
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