Quick Definition
ἀπιστέω v. I am unfaithful, I disbelieve
Strong's Definition
from 571; to be unbelieving, i.e. (transitively) disbelieve, or (by implication) disobey
KJV Usage: believe not
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb | ἀ- + πιστεύω
31.39 · Hold a View, Believe, Trust · Believe To Be True
to not believe, to disbelieve, to not think to be true to believe that something is not true
31.97 · Hold a View, Believe, Trust · Trust, Rely
to not believe (in), to refuse to believe, to not trust in, unbelief to refuse to put one’s trust or reliance in something or someone One of the serious problems involved in rendering ‘to believe’ or ‘to refuse to believe’ is that so frequently the NT text does not indicate precisely the goal or object of such belief.
In a number of languages, however, the syntactic requirements are such that some clear goal must be in the immediate context. For example, in MRK 16:16 it may be possible to translate ‘whoever refuses to believe the good news shall be condemned.’
1 In contrast with ἀπιστέω[a] (31.39) meaning to not believe that something is true, ἀπιστέω[b] (and ἀπιστία[b] ) involve a refusal to put one’s trust, reliance, or belief in something or someone. ἀπιστέω[b] thus has a number of significant added components of meaning. 2 The same factors apply to the classification of ἀπιστέω[c] and ἀπιστία[c] as apply to the classification of πιστεύω[c] and πίστις[d] (31.102), in view of the fact that a set of specific beliefs or relationships is clearly implied.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ἀπιστέω, -@; [impf. ἠπίστουν); 1 aor. ἠπίστησα; (ἄπιστος); 1. to betray a trust, be unfaithful: 2 Tim. ii. 13 (opp. to πιστὸς μένει) ; Ro. iii. 3; [al. deny this sense in the N. T.; cf. Morison or Mey. on Rom. I. c.; Ellic. on 2 Tim. |. ¢.]. 2. to have no belief, disbelieve: in the news of Christ’s resurrection, Mk. xvi. 11; Lk. xxiv. 41; with dat. of pers., Lk. xxiv. 11; in the tidings concerning Jesus the Messiah, Mk. xvi. 16 (opp. to mστεύω), [sol Pet. ii. 7 Τ Tr WH]; Acts xxviii. 24. (In Grk. writ. fr. Hom. down.)
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ἀπιστέω apisteō 8x
to refuse belief, be incredulous, disbelieve, Mk. 16:11, 16; Lk. 24:11, 41; Acts 28:24; to prove false, violate one’s faith, be unfaithful, Rom. 3:3; 2 Tim. 2:13
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
** ἀπιστέω, -ῶ
(< ἄπιστος), [in LXX: Wi 1:2 10:7 12:17 18:13, Si 1:27, II Mac 8:13*;]
to disbelieve, be faithless: Mk 16:11, 16, Lk 24:11, 41, Ac 28:24, I Pe 2:7; so prob. also Ro 3:3, II Ti 2:13 (ICC, CGT, in ll.; MM, s.v.).
= ἀπειθέω (Hdt.; on this sense in Ro 3:3, II Ti 2:13, v. Vaughan on Ro 3:3; Lft., Notes, 265; Thayer, s.v.).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ἀπιστέω. P Oxy III. 4714 (ii/A.p.) π]ροσθήσω τι κύριε περ[ὶ οὗ] θαυμάσεις οἶμαι καὶ ἀπι[στήσΊεις ἕως ἂν τὰ ypdpplara ἀνα]γνῶνμεν (with 2nd ν deleted and μὲν written above), ‘I will add a fact, my lord, which will, I expect excite your wonder and disbelief until we read the documents” (Edd.). P Oxy Il. 237%-° (a.p. 186) has τάχα ἀπιστεύσας εἰ κτλ. : here we must assume a momentary slip of spelling with πιστεύω in mind—of course ἀπιστεύω is an impossible word even in papyri. Sy// 802%! (dialect, iii/B.c.) ἀπίστει τοῖς ἰάμασιν Kal ὑποδιέσυρε τὰ ἐπιγράμμα[τ]α, said of a sceptic at the Asclepios temple in Epidaurus. So lines 30, 1. The appearance of the word for ‘‘incredulity” helps the case for ἀπειθέω as retaining its proper force.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ἀπιστέω (apisteō) — to disbelieve. ἀπιστ-έω, future passive ἀπιστηθήσομαι[Refs 5th c.BC+]:—to be ἄπιστος, and so:
I. disbelieve, distrust, ἐγὼ τὸ μὲν οὔ ποτ᾽ ἀπίστεον[Refs 8th c.BC+] —passive, τὴν γνῶσιν τοῦ οἰκείου ἀπιστεῖσθαι was distrusted, i.e. no one could be sure of knowing, [Refs 5th c.BC+] —but mostly,
I.2. with dative person, κρατέουσιν[Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀ.τινί τι disbelieve one in a thing, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οἷς ἠπίστησαν ἔχειν.. whom they suspected of having, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]
I.3. c.infinitive, οὐδέν σ᾽ ἀπιστῶ καὶ δὶς οἰμῶξαι I nothing doubt that.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀ. μὴ γενέσθαι τι to doubt that it could be, [Refs 5th c.BC+] —passive, τὸ ἐπιτήδευμα ἀπιστεῖται μὴ δυνατὸν εἶναι it is not believed to be possible, [Refs]
I.4. absolutely, to be incredulous, [NT+5th c.BC+]
II. ={ἀπειθέω}, disobey, τινί[Refs 5th c.BC+]: absolutely, to be disobedient, τοῖς ἀπιστοῦσιν τάδε in these things, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἢν δ᾽ ἀπιστῶσι but if they refuse to comply, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.2. to be faithless, εἰ ἡμεῖς ἀπιστοῦμεν, ἐκεῖνος πιστὸς μένει [NT]
II.3. νεκρὸς τὸν θάνατον ἀπιστούμενος belying death, [Refs 1st c.AD+]
III. τὸ σῶμ᾽ οὐκ ἀπιστήσω χθονί, i.e. [Refs]will not hesitate to commit it.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]