795. astocheó

Lexical Summary

astocheó: To miss the mark, to deviate, to err

Original Word: ἀστοχέω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: astocheó
Pronunciation: as-tokh-eh'-o
Phonetic Spelling: (as-tokh-eh'-o)
KJV: err, swerve
NASB: gone astray, straying
Word Origin: [from a compound of G1 (α - Alpha) (as a negative particle) and stoichos "an aim"]

1. to miss the mark
2. (figuratively) deviate from truth

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

err, swerve.

From a compound of a (as a negative particle) and stoichos (an aim); to miss the mark, i.e. (figuratively) deviate from truth -- err, swerve.

see GREEK a

HELPS Word-studies

795 astoxéō (from 1 /A "not" and stoxos, "a target") – properly, off-target (without aim); figuratively, out of line; out of step (cadence) with God.

795 /astoxéō ("swerve out of line") refers to missing God's preferred-will (2307 /thélēma), i.e. deviating from "God's target (line)" by walking "off line." 795 (astoxéō) emphasizes the divine disapproval that goes with walking "off (God's) line."

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from alpha (as a neg. prefix) and stochos (a mark)
Definition
to miss the mark
NASB Translation
gone astray (2), straying (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 795: ἀστοχέω

ἀστοχέω, ἀστόχω: 1 aorist ἠστόχησα; (to be ἄστοχος, from στόχος a mark), to deviate from, miss (the mark): with the genitive (Winer's Grammar, § 30, 6), to deviate from anything, 1 Timothy 1:6 (Sir. 7:19 Sir. 8:9); περί τί, 1 Timothy 6:21; 2 Timothy 2:18. (Polybius, Plutarch, Lucian, (others).)

Topical Lexicon

Concept of Missing the Mark

The verb translated “swerve” or “miss the mark” pictures an archer whose arrow glances off the target. In Paul’s letters to Timothy this imagery is applied to doctrine and devotion: believers are warned that it is possible to drift from the revealed standard of truth and thereby fail to attain the goal of sound faith and godly living.

Occurrences in the Pastoral Epistles

• 1 Timothy 1:6: “For by deviating from these, some have turned aside to fruitless discussion.” Here the departure is from “love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a sincere faith.” The error shows itself in idle speculation.
• 1 Timothy 6:21: “By professing it, some have swerved from the faith.” The context contrasts the “sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ” with the empty chatter of those who idolize a counterfeit “knowledge.”
• 2 Timothy 2:18: “They have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already occurred, and they are undermining the faith of some.” Specific doctrinal distortion (hyper-preterist teaching about the resurrection) demonstrates how far one may wander when Scripture’s boundaries are ignored.

Causes of Doctrinal Deviation

1. Fruitless speculation in place of apostolic teaching (1 Timothy 1:4-7).
2. Covetous or prideful fascination with novel ideas (1 Timothy 6:3-10).
3. Capitulation to cultural pressures that make orthodox doctrine appear foolish (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

Underlying each cause is an unwillingness to accept the final authority of Scripture.

Consequences for the Church

• Loss of spiritual vitality: discussion becomes “fruitless.”
• Erosion of saving faith: those who follow error “swerve from the faith.”
• Harm to others: false teaching “undermines the faith of some,” creating spiritual casualties.
• Dishonor to the gospel: uncorrected deviation leads outsiders to revile Christian truth (Titus 2:5, though the verb does not occur there).

Corrective Measures

Paul instructs Timothy to confront deviation with:

1. Sound teaching anchored in the gospel (1 Timothy 1:11; 2 Timothy 2:15).
2. Pastoral discipline—silencing those who persist (1 Timothy 1:19-20).
3. Patient instruction that aims at repentance (2 Timothy 2:25-26).
4. Personal example in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity (1 Timothy 4:12).

Historical Context in Ephesus

The Ephesian church faced an influx of speculative Judaism blended with proto-Gnostic ideas. Paul’s military and athletic metaphors suited a port city where competing philosophies abounded. Timothy’s commission was to guard the deposit of truth where error seemed sophisticated yet proved spiritually barren.

Implications for Modern Ministry

Astocheō reminds every generation that orthodoxy is not self-perpetuating. Leaders must:
• Continually test teaching by the whole counsel of God.
• Avoid distractions that shift focus from Christ to controversies.
• Equip believers to recognize and resist alluring deviations.
• Hold fast to the hope of bodily resurrection and the consummation still future, guarding against over-realized eschatology.

The arrow that strikes God’s target is the life and doctrine aligned with Scripture’s unerring standard; any deviation, however slight, demands immediate correction lest the trajectory of faith be lost.

Forms and Transliterations

αστοχησαντες αστοχήσαντες ἀστοχήσαντες αστράγαλος αστραγάλους ηστοχησαν ηστόχησαν ἠστόχησαν astochesantes astochēsantes astochḗsantes estochesan estóchesan ēstochēsan ēstóchēsan

Englishman's Concordance

1 Timothy 1:6 V-APA-NMP
GRK: ὧν τινὲς ἀστοχήσαντες ἐξετράπησαν εἰς
NAS: For some men, straying from these things,
KJV: some having swerved have turned aside
INT: from which some having missed the mark turned aside to

1 Timothy 6:21 V-AIA-3P
GRK: τὴν πίστιν ἠστόχησαν Ἡ χάρις
NAS: have professed and thus gone astray from the faith.
KJV: professing have erred concerning
INT: the faith missed the mark Grace [be]

2 Timothy 2:18 V-AIA-3P
GRK: τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἠστόχησαν λέγοντες τὴν
NAS: [men] who have gone astray from the truth
KJV: the truth have erred, saying
INT: the truth missed the mark asserting the

Strong's Greek 795
3 Occurrences

ἀστοχήσαντες — 1 Occ.
ἠστόχησαν — 2 Occ.