### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek noun ἀντιμισθία (antimisthía) is a compound term derived from the preposition ἀντί (anti) and the noun μισθός (misthos). The prefix ἀντί `{{G473}}` signifies "over against," "instead of," "in return for," or "in exchange for," denoting reciprocity, correspondence, or opposition. The root word μισθός `{{G3406}}` refers to "wages," "payment," "reward," or "recompense."
Combined, ἀντιμισθία therefore conveys the core meaning of "a return payment," "requital," or "recompense." Its semantic range encompasses both positive and negative connotations, depending on context: it can refer to a reward for good deeds or, as seen in its sole biblical occurrence, a retribution or penalty for wrong actions. The emphasis is on a proportionate return, a consequence that corresponds to a preceding action.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The term ἀντιμισθία (antimisthía) appears only once in the New Testament, in the Apostle Paul's Epistle to the Romans:
* **[[Romans 1:27]]**: "and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the due penalty (ἀντιμισθία) of their error."
In this singular instance, ἀντιμισθία clearly carries a negative connotation, referring to a "due penalty" or "retribution." Paul describes the escalating consequences of humanity's suppression of the truth about God, leading to idolatry and profound moral degradation, specifically homosexual acts. The "recompense" here is not an external, arbitrary punishment but an internal, inherent consequence that arises *from* their error. The phrase "receiving in themselves" (ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἀπολαμβάνοντες) is crucial, indicating that the recompense is intrinsically linked to their actions, a natural outworking of their rebellion. God "gave them over" ([[Romans 1:24]], [[Romans 1:26]]) to their own desires, and the destructive nature of those desires *is* the recompense. This highlights a profound theological principle: sin, by its very nature, brings its own penalty.
### Related Words & Concepts
The study of ἀντιμισθία is enriched by examining its linguistic relatives and conceptual parallels:
* **μισθός (misthos) `{{G3406}}`**: The fundamental root, denoting "wages" or "reward," providing the base concept of payment or return.
* **ἀντί (anti) `{{G473}}`**: The preposition indicating reciprocity or opposition, which modifies the concept of "wages" into "requital."
* **ἀποδίδωμι (apodidomi) `{{G591}}`**: "To give back," "to pay back," often used for "repay" or "render," particularly in contexts of justice or retribution.
* **ἀνταποδίδωμι (antapodidomi) `{{G467}}`**: A compound verb closely related to ἀντιμισθία in meaning, signifying "to give back in return," "to recompense," or "to retaliate." It frequently describes divine recompense for both good and evil.
* **ἀνταπόδομα (antapodoma) `{{G468}}`**: A noun form, meaning "recompense" or "retribution," also used for divine judgment.
* **δίκη (dike) `{{G1349}}`**: "Justice," "penalty," or "judgment," which can overlap with the negative sense of ἀντιμισθία in describing a deserved consequence.
* **ὀφειλή (opheile) `{{G3788}}`**: "Debt" or "what is due," connecting to the idea of something being rightfully owed as a consequence.
Conceptually, ἀντιμισθία aligns with biblical themes of sowing and reaping ([[Galatians 6:7]]), the law of consequences, and divine justice, where actions inherently lead to corresponding outcomes.
### Theological Significance
The sole appearance of ἀντιμισθία in [[Romans 1:27]] holds profound theological weight within Paul's discourse on human sinfulness and divine righteousness. It articulates a crucial aspect of God's judgment, particularly His "giving over" (παραδίδωμι) of humanity to their own depravity.
Rather than depicting an arbitrary punishment, ἀντιμισθία here describes a self-inflicted retribution. When humanity suppresses the truth about God and engages in idolatry and unnatural acts, God's judgment is manifest not always as an external bolt of lightning, but as an allowing of the natural, destructive consequences of sin to unfold *within* the individuals and society. The "recompense" is the inherent corruption and degradation that results from rejecting God's design and moral order. This underscores:
1. **Divine Justice**: God is just in allowing those who reject Him to experience the full ramifications of their choices.
2. **Inherent Consequence of Sin**: Sin is not merely a breaking of rules, but a self-destructive act that brings its own internal penalty. The very acts of rebellion become the instruments of their own recompense.
3. **The Severity of Rebellion**: The term highlights the grave nature of turning away from God, leading to a downward spiral where the "reward" for error is deeper error and corruption.
This concept serves as a stark background against which Paul later presents the glorious truth of God's righteousness revealed in the Gospel, where salvation is offered not through human merit or deserving, but through faith in Christ, providing a different, gracious "recompense."
### Summary
The Greek term ἀντιμισθία (antimisthía) literally means "requital" or "recompense," stemming from the concepts of "in return for" (ἀντί) and "wages/reward" (μισθός). Its singular, yet highly significant, occurrence in [[Romans 1:27]] describes the "due penalty" or "retribution" for humanity's rejection of God and subsequent moral depravity. In this context, the recompense is portrayed not as an external, imposed punishment, but as an internal, inherent consequence experienced "in themselves." Theologically, ἀντιμισθία illuminates a critical aspect of divine justice, where God allows the natural, destructive outcomes of sin to manifest within those who rebel against Him, ultimately underscoring the profound need for God's redemptive grace offered through faith in Jesus Christ.
TRV