Topical Encyclopedia The term "against" in the Bible often signifies opposition, resistance, or conflict, whether in a physical, spiritual, or moral sense. It is used to describe the stance of individuals, groups, or even God Himself in various contexts throughout Scripture.1. Human Opposition to God: The Bible frequently addresses the theme of humanity's opposition to God and His commandments. In the Old Testament, the Israelites often turned against God by worshiping idols and disobeying His laws. For instance, in 1 Samuel 12:15 , the prophet Samuel warns the people, "But if you do not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the command of the LORD, then the hand of the LORD will be against you, as it was against your fathers." 2. God's Opposition to Sin: God is depicted as being against sin and unrighteousness. His holiness and justice necessitate a stance against evil. In Isaiah 59:2 , it is written, "But your iniquities have built barriers between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear." This illustrates God's opposition to sin, which separates humanity from Him. 3. Interpersonal Conflicts: The Bible also addresses conflicts between individuals. In Matthew 5:23-24 , Jesus teaches about reconciliation, saying, "Therefore if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift." This passage emphasizes the importance of resolving conflicts and seeking peace with others. 4. Spiritual Warfare: The New Testament speaks of spiritual warfare, where believers are called to stand against the forces of evil. Ephesians 6:11-12 instructs, "Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." This highlights the believer's call to resist spiritual adversaries through divine strength and protection. 5. Legal and Social Opposition: The early Christians often faced opposition from legal and social systems. In Acts 4:26 , the apostles quote Psalm 2, saying, "The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against His Anointed One." This reflects the reality of opposition faced by the early church from earthly authorities. 6. Moral and Ethical Stance: Believers are called to take a stand against immorality and false teachings. In 1 Timothy 6:12 , Paul exhorts Timothy, "Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made the good confession before many witnesses." This charge underscores the necessity of opposing falsehood and upholding the truth of the Gospel. The concept of "against" in the Bible is multifaceted, encompassing divine opposition to sin, human resistance to God, interpersonal conflicts, spiritual warfare, and the believer's moral and ethical responsibilities. Each instance calls for discernment and action in accordance with God's will and purposes. Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary 1. (prep.) Abreast; opposite to; facing; towards; as, against the mouth of a river; -- in this sense often preceded by over.2. (prep.) From an opposite direction so as to strike or come in contact with; in contact with; upon; as, hail beats against the roof. 3. (prep.) In opposition to, whether the opposition is of sentiment or of action; on the other side; counter to; in contrariety to; hence, adverse to; as, against reason; against law; to run a race against time. 4. (prep.) By of before the time that; in preparation for; so as to be ready for the time when. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia AGAINSTa-genst' (kata; enantion; pros): Preposition expressing contrast. When used of direction, equivalent to "toward" (Matthew 10:35; Matthew 12:14, etc.); when of position, meaning "opposite," "facing," "in front of" (1 Kings 7:5 Genesis 15:10, Romans 8:31); when of action, "opposed to" (Matthew 5:11; Matthew 26:59 1 Corinthians 4:6); "in resistance to" (Hebrews 12:4); "provision for" (Greek eis, literally, "unto, toward" (1 Timothy 6:19)). Sometimes also applied to what breaks an established order as "customs" (Acts 28:17), "nature" (Romans 1:26). Peculiar shades of meaning may be traced by careful examination of the variety of prepositions in Hebrew and Greek employed in the Scriptures, that are translated into English by this one word. HOLY GHOST (SPIRIT), SIN AGAINST THE See BLASPHEMY; HOLY SPIRIT, III, 1, (4). SIN AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST (SPIRIT) See BLASPHEMY. Greek 2596. kata -- down, against, according to ... down, against, according to. Part of Speech: Preposition Transliteration: kata Phonetic Spelling: (kat-ah') Short Definition: down from, against, according to ... //strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2596.htm - 9k 497. antistrateuomai -- to make war against 2649. katamartureo -- to testify or bear witness against 498. antitasso -- to range in battle against, to set oneself ... 561. apenanti -- over against, before 4366. prosregnumi -- to break against 464. antagonizomai -- to struggle against 2018. epiphero -- to bring upon or against 496. antipipto -- to fall against, strive against 2314. theomachos -- fighting against God Strong's Hebrew 7852. satam -- to bear a grudge or cherish animosity against... satam. 7853 . to bear a grudge or cherish animosity against. Transliteration: satam Phonetic Spelling: (saw-tam') Short Definition: against. Word Origin a prim ... /hebrew/7852.htm - 6k 8618. teqomem -- rise up against 5978. immad -- against, by, from, me, mine, of, that I take, unto, 7125. qirah -- against he come, help, meet, seek, to, in the way 5226. nekach -- before, over against 6895. qabab -- to utter a curse against, curse 3846b. Leb Qamay -- "the heart of (those who are) rising up ... 5921. al -- upon, above, over 854. eth -- with (denoting proximity) 5973. im -- with Library Against Praxeas Against Hermogenes Against Heresies Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews Origen Against Celsus The Seven Books of Arnobius Against the Heathen The Five Books Against Marcion Against the Valentinians Against Lying The Prescription Against Heretics Thesaurus Against (17413 Occurrences)... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (prep.) Abreast; opposite to; facing; towards; as, against the mouth of a river; -- in this sense often preceded by over. ... /a/against.htm - 9k Over-against (156 Occurrences) Siegeworks (8 Occurrences) Sinneth (25 Occurrences) Schemes (25 Occurrences) Kicked (9 Occurrences) Vex (20 Occurrences) Kick (8 Occurrences) Subsist (10 Occurrences) Sinning (59 Occurrences) Resources What does “pisseth against the wall” mean? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does it mean to kick against the pricks? | GotQuestions.org Why is every sin ultimately a sin against God? | GotQuestions.org Against: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Concordance Against (17413 Occurrences)Against is used 17413 times in 12 translations. You can narrow your search using the Advanced Bible Search. Subtopics Related Terms |
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