Word Study for G436 (ἀνθίστημι)

anthístēmi /anth-is'-tay-mee/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom ἀντί and ἵστημι

Meaningto stand against, i.e. oppose

KJV usageresist, withstand.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of anthístēmi — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word anthístēmi, represented by G436, is derived from ἀντί and ἵστημι and means to stand against, i.e. oppose:--resist, withstand. It appears 16 times across 12 unique verses in the Bible, signifying a direct and active form of opposition. The word is used to describe both righteous defiance against evil and rebellious opposition against God and truth.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, G436 is applied in several distinct contexts. Believers are explicitly commanded to resist the devil, with the promise that he will flee James 4:7, and to withstand in the evil day by taking up the whole armor of God Ephesians 6:13. The word also describes hostile opposition to God's work, as when Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses 2 Timothy 3:8 or when Elymas the sorcerer withstood the apostles to turn someone from the faith Acts 13:8. In a striking contrast, Jesus instructs his followers not to resist evil in the context of personal offense Matthew 5:39. The term can also refer to interpersonal confrontation, such as when Paul withstood Peter to his face Galatians 2:11.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help to clarify the meaning and application of anthístēmi:

G2476 hístēmi: As the root of anthístēmi, this word means to stand. The goal of withstanding in spiritual battle is ultimately "to stand" firm Ephesians 6:13.
G498 antitássomai: This word means to range oneself against, i.e. oppose. It is used alongside G436 to describe the one who resisteth the power and ordinance of God Romans 13:2.
G5293 hypotássō: Meaning to subordinate; reflexively, to obey, this word presents a critical contrast. Believers are commanded to first submit themselves to God, which empowers them to then resist the devil James 4:7.
G5343 pheúgō: This word means to run away (literally or figuratively); by implication, to shun. It is the promised result of resisting the devil, who "will flee from you" James 4:7.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G436 is significant, highlighting key principles of the Christian life.

Active Spiritual Warfare: The command to resist is not passive. It is an active, decisive stance against the devil, enabled by faith and the armor of God (James 4:7, 1 Peter 5:9, Ephesians 6:13).
Opposition to Truth: The word is frequently used to characterize those who fight against divine revelation. This includes individuals with corrupt minds who resist the truth 2 Timothy 3:8 and adversaries who are unable to resist the wisdom given by God's Spirit Acts 6:10.
Resistance to Authority: To resist the governing powers is equated with resisting the ordinance of God, an act that brings judgment Romans 13:2. This frames human authority within a divine order.
Ethic of Non-Resistance: In personal matters, Jesus redefines strength by commanding his followers not to resist an evil person who strikes them. This redirects the posture of opposition away from personal retaliation and towards a higher, counterintuitive ethic Matthew 5:39.

Summary

In summary, G436 anthístēmi is a powerful word that defines the nature of opposition. It calls the believer to a posture of unyielding resistance to the devil and his influence, while simultaneously forbidding resistance in the face of personal slights. Its usage reveals a clear demarcation between what must be opposed (spiritual evil, falsehood) and what must be submitted to (God, and by extension, His ordained authorities). The term forces a choice: one will either resist the devil or resist the truth.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as a verb across 14 occurrences, inflected in 9 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

2nd Aorist Active Infinitive 4×
2nd Aorist Active Imperative 2nd Plural 2×
Perfect Active Indicative 3rd Singular 2×
2nd Aorist Active Indicative 1st Singular 1×
2nd Aorist Active Indicative 3rd Plural 1×
2nd Aorist Active Indicative 3rd Singular 1×
Imperfect Middle Indicative 3rd Singular 1×
Perfect Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine 1×
Present Middle Indicative 3rd Plural 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
1st: First person — the speaker ("I"/"we").
2nd: Second person — the one addressed ("you").
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Present: Action in progress or repeated — happening now or continually.
Imperfect: Ongoing or repeated action in the past — "was doing".
Aorist: Action viewed as a single whole — usually a simple past event.
Perfect: A completed act whose results continue.
Active: The subject performs the action.
Middle: The subject acts on or for itself.
Indicative: A plain statement of fact.
Imperative: A command or entreaty.
Infinitive: The verb as a noun — "to do".
Participle: A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 12 verses across 9 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Acts, Romans, and 2 Timothy (2 verses each); never once in the other 18.

Matthew

Luke

Acts

Romans

Galatians

Ephesians

2 Timothy

James

1 Peter

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.