Quick Definition
unbelief, unfaithfulness, distrust
Strong's Definition
faithlessness, i.e. (negatively) disbelief (lack of Christian faith), or (positively) unfaithfulness (disobedience)
Derivation: from G571 (ἄπιστος);
KJV Usage: unbelief
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ἀπιστία, ἀπιστίας, ἡ (from ἄπιστος), want of faith and trust;
1. unfaithfulness, faithlessness (of persons betraying a trust): Rom_3:3 (cf. references under the word ἀπιστέω, 1).
2. want of faith, unbelief: shown in withholding belief in the divine power, Mar_16:14, or in the power and promises of God, Rom_4:20; Heb_3:19; in the divine mission of Jesus, Mat_13:58; Mar_6:6; by opposition to the gospel, 1Ti_1:13; with the added notion of obstinacy, Rom_11:20; Rom_11:23; Heb_3:12. contextually, weakness of faith: Mat_17:20 (where L T Tr WH ὀλιγοπιστίαν); Mar_9:24. (In Greek writings from Hesiod and Herodotus down.)
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ἀπιστία apistia 11x
unbelief, want of trust and confidence; a state of unbelief, 1Ti_1:13 ; violation of faith, faithlessness, Rom_3:3 ; Heb_3:12 ; Heb_3:19 lack of faith; unbelief.
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
** ἀπιστία , -ας , ἡ
( < ἄπιστος ),
[in LXX : Wis_14:25 , 4Ma_12:4 * ;]
want of faith, unbelief: Mat_13:58 , Mar_6:6 ; Mar_9:24 ; Mar_16:14 , Rom_3:3 (but see ἀπιστέω ) Rom_4:20 ; Rom_11:20 ; Rom_11:23 , 1Ti_1:13 , Heb_3:12 ; Heb_3:19 ( DCG , ii, 775a; Cremer , 492).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ἀπιστία [page 58]
ἀπιστία appears in the quasi-Ionic of the illiterate P Par 23 .5 (B.C. 165) κατ᾽ ὰπιστηίην : ἀπιστίη was the real Ionic, and we have to take this as a mere blunder see Mayser Gr. pp. 11 f., 130.
Liddell-Scott — Intermediate Greek Lexicon
ἀπιστία [Etym: ἀπιστέω] "disbelief, distrust, mistrust", Hes. , Hdt. , etc.; ὑπὸ ἀπιστίης μὴ γενέσθαι τι from "disbelief" that it had happened, Hdt. ; ἀπιστίαν ἔχειν περί τινος to be "in doubt", Plat. of things, ἐς ἀπιστίην ἀπῖχθαι to have become "discredited", Hdt. ; πολλὰς ἀπιστίας ἔχει it admits of many "doubts", Plat. ; εἰς ἀπ. καταπίπτειν id=Plat. "want of faith, faithlessness, unbelief", Soph. : "treachery", Xen.
STEPBible — Tyndale Abridged Greek Lexicon
ἀπιστία, -ας, ἡ
(ἄπιστος), [in LXX: Wis.14:25, 4Ma.12:4 * ;]
want of faith, unbelief: Mat.13:58, Mrk.6:6 9:24 16:14, Rom.3:3 (but see: ἀπιστέω) Rom.4:20 11:20, 23, 1Ti.1:13, Heb.3:12, 19 (DCG, ii, 775a; Cremer, 492).†
(AS)
📖 In-Depth Word Study
Unbelief (570) apistia
Unbelief (570) (apistia from a = without + pistós = believing, faithful) means literally not believing = faithlessness, distrust, lack of belief. It describes an unwillingness to commit oneself to another or respond positively to the other’s words or actions.
Apistia is found 11 times in the NAS (Matt. 13:58; Mk. 6:6; 9:24; 16:14; Rom. 3:3; 4:20; 11:20, 23; 1Ti 1:13; Heb 3:12, 19) and is not found in the non-apocryphal Septuagint (LXX).
Here are some representative uses...
And He did not do many miracles there (His hometown, Nazareth) because of their unbelief. (Mt 13:58)
Immediately the boy's father cried out and began saying, "I do believe; help my unbelief." (Mark 9:24)
And afterward He appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table; and He reproached them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen Him after He had risen. (Mark 16:14)
yet, with respect to the promise of God (he would have a male heir), he (Abraham) did not waver in unbelief, but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, (see note Romans 4:20)
Quite right, they (Jewish branches were broken off, and the Gentiles were grafted in) were broken off for their unbelief (Gentiles were grafted in because of the unbelief of Israel and not because the Gentiles had any merit or claim on God), but you (Gentiles) stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear (Standing before God is based on faith, so feelings of superiority are out of place) (see note Romans 11:20)...And they (Jews) also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in; for God is able (key phrase = He is able = He has grafted wild branches -- Gentiles -- into the cultivated olive, He is able to graft Jews in) to graft them in again. (see note Romans 11:23)
Take care, brethren, lest there should be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart, in falling away from the living God. (Hebrews 3:12)
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