"unbelieving, without confidence in any one, Mt. 17:17; violating one’s faith, unfaithful, false, treacherous, Lk. 12:46; an unbeliever, infidel, pagan, 1 Cor. 6:6; pass. incredible, Acts 26:8"
Definition and meaning
unbelieving, without confidence in any one, Mt. 17:17; violating one’s faith, unfaithful, false, treacherous, Lk. 12:46; an unbeliever, infidel, pagan, 1 Cor. 6:6; pass. incredible, Acts 26:8
In the original Greek the word is written: ἄπιστος
Historical context
Rome had controlled Judea since 63 BC. Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple into one of the most magnificent structures in the ancient world — and simultaneously murdered members of his own family. The common people paid multiple layers of taxation and were politically powerless. Into that world a carpenter from Galilee began teaching that the kingdom of God had arrived.
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 apistos (G571) across the King James Bible.
Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.
He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me.
And Jesus answering said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and suffer you? Bring thy son hither.
The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.
Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.
Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?
But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.
But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.
And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.
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Common questions
Strong's G571 (apistos) is a Greek word that means: unbelieving, without confidence in any one, Mt. 17:17; violating one’s faith, unfaithful, false, treacherous, Lk. 12:46; an unbeliever, infidel, pagan, 1 Cor. 6:6; pass. incredible, Acts 26:8 It appears 21 times in the King James Bible.
The word apistos (G571) appears 21 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G571 is apistos, a Greek word defined as: unbelieving, without confidence in any one, Mt. 17:17; violating one’s faith, unfaithful, false, treacherous, Lk. 12:46; an unbeliever, infidel, pagan. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
apistos is a Greek word found in the New Testament.