"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"
Definition and meaning
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
In the original Greek the word is written: ἀπιστέω
Historical context
The Gospel of Mark moves urgently — the word "immediately" appears over 40 times. It was written for a Roman audience familiar with power and action. Jesus is portrayed as a man who acts, heals, and commands authority that the Roman world had never seen from a Jewish teacher.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of apisteo (G569) across the King James Bible.
And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.
And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?
And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not.
For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?
If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
Refiner gives you the full lexicon entry, AI-powered verse insight, historical commentary, cross-references, and voice study — all in one place.
Free to start · Disciple $4.99/mo · Shepherd $9.99/mo
Common questions
Strong's G569 (apisteo) is a Greek word that means: 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 It appears 7 times in the King James Bible.
The word apisteo (G569) appears 7 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G569 is apisteo, a Greek word defined as: 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; . James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
apisteo is a Greek word found in the New Testament.