ἀθετ-έω G0114
To reject, set aside, or nullify; to treat a person or authoritative decree as invalid or unworthy of acceptance.
Built from the root meaning 'to set aside as nothing,' this verb carries a double edge in the New Testament. Most often it describes the personal affront of rejecting someone or their message—the Pharisees 'rejected the counsel of God' by refusing John's baptism (Luke 7:30), and Jesus warns that rejecting his messengers means rejecting him, and ultimately the Father who sent him (Luke 10:16). But it also operates in a legal-covenantal register: Paul insists he does not 'nullify the grace of God' (Gal 2:21), and even in human affairs 'no one annuls a ratified covenant' (Gal 3:15). Spanish captures the distinction neatly with 'rechazar' (reject a person) versus 'anular' (annul a legal instrument).
1. reject or refuse — To reject or repudiate a person, message, or divine authority—treating them as unworthy of acceptance. This is the dominant New Testament usage, covering Herod reluctantly refusing to reject his oath (Mark 6:26), the Pharisees rejecting God's purpose (Luke 7:30), and the solemn chain of rejection in Luke 10:16 where dismissing the disciples means dismissing Christ. French consistently renders it 'rejeter,' and German 'verwerfen,' both emphasizing active repudiation rather than mere indifference. 12×
amh["ይንቃሉ"]·AR["أَنْ يَرْفُضَها","الرّافِضُ","رَافِضٌ","رَفَضوا","نَقَضْنَ","يرفضون","يَرْفُضُ"]·ben["অগ্রাহ্য-করে","অগ্রাহ্যকারী","অস্বীকার-করতে","তারা-ভেঙেছে।","প্রত্যাখ্যান-করল","প্রত্যাখ্যান-করে","প্রত্যাখ্যানকারী"]·ces["odmítají"]·dan["forkaster,"]·DE["verwerfen","ἀθετεῖ","ἀθετῶν","ἠθέτησαν"]·ell["αθετούσιν,"]·EN["having-rejected","reject","rejected","rejecting","rejects","they-rejected","to-reject"]·FR["rejeter","rejettent,"]·guj["તુચ્છ-ગણે-છે,"]·hat["rejte"]·hau["suna-ƙi"]·heb["בִּטְּלוּ","דָּחוּ","דּוֹחֶה","דוחים","לְהָפֵר","מִי-שֶׁבִּטֵּל","מוֹאֵס"]·HI["अस्वीकार-करता-है","अस्वीकार-करने-वाला","अस्वीकार-किया","तुच्छ-जानता-है","तुच्छ-जानने-वाला","तुच्छ-समझते-हैं","तुछ-समझत","तुछ-समझने-वअल","तोदअ"]·hun["megvetnek"]·ID["Menolak","menolak","mereka-mengabaikan","yang-menolak"]·IT["annullare","rigettano"]·jav["nampik","nampik,","nolak","sampun-nyelaki."]·JA["拒んでいる"]·KO["거부하는-자는","거부하며","거부했다","거절하기를","거절하는-것이-아니요","거절하는-것이다","거절하는-것이요","거절하는-자는","무시한","저버렸다."]·mar["नाकारतात,"]·mya["ပယ်ချကြ"]·nld["verwerpen"]·nor["forkaster"]·pnb["رد-کردے"]·pol["odrzucają"]·PT["Rejeitando","abandonaram","que-rejeita","rejeita","rejeitam","rejeitaram"]·ron["o-resping,"]·RU["отвергает","отвергают","отвергающий","отвергли","отвергший","отказать"]·ES["abandonaron","que-rechaza","rechaza","rechazan","rechazando","rechazar","rechazaron"]·SW["akivunja","anakataa","anamkataa","anayekataa","anayenikataa","anayewakataa","kumkataa","walikataa","wameikataa","wanakataa"]·swe["förkastar"]·tam["புறக்கணிக்கிறார்கள்"]·tel["తృణీకరించుచున్నారు"]·tgl["tinatanggihan"]·TH["ปฏิเสธ"]·TR["reddeden","reddeder","reddediyorlar,","reddetmeyi","reddettiler","terk-ettiler","Çiğneyen"]·ukr["відкидають"]·urd["انکار-کرنا","توڑا۔","رد-کرتا-ہے","رد-کرتے-ہیں","رد-کرنے-والا","ردّ-کرنے-والا","نہ-لے-کر"]·VI["chối-bỏ"]·yor["wọ́n-kọ̀-sílẹ̀,"]·yue["棄絕"]·ZH["弃绝"]
Mark 6:26, Luke 7:30, Luke 10:16, Luke 10:16, Luke 10:16, Luke 10:16, John 12:48, 1 Thess 4:8, 1 Thess 4:8, 1 Tim 5:12, Heb 10:28, Jude 1:8
▼ 1 more sense below
Senses
2. set aside or nullify — To set aside, annul, or nullify something authoritative—a law, covenant, or divine purpose—rendering it void. Paul uses this sense when he declares 'I do not set aside the grace of God' (Gal 2:21), when he reasons that no one annuls even a human covenant once ratified (Gal 3:15), and when he quotes Isaiah on setting aside the wisdom of the wise (1 Cor 1:19). Spanish distinguishes this sense clearly with 'anular' and 'desecho,' contrasting with the personal 'rechaza' of Sense 1. 4×
AR["أُبطِلُ","تُبْطِلُونَ","سَأُبْطِلُ","لا-يُبطِلُهُ"]·ben["অকৃত-করি","অস্বীকার-কর","বাতিল-করব।","বাতিল-করে,"]·DE["verwerfen"]·EN["I-set-aside","I-will-set-aside","sets-aside","you-set-aside"]·FR["rejeter"]·heb["אֲבַטֵּל","מְבַטְּלִים","מְבַטֵּל","מְבַטֵּל-אֲנִי"]·HI["टालते-हो","निकम्मी-करूंगा","मैन-थुक्रअत","रद्द-करत,"]·ID["Aku-akan-menolak","aku-menolak","kalian-menolak","membatalkan"]·IT["annullare","rigettare"]·jav["Kawula-badhé-nolak.","kula-nampik","nampik,","panjenengan-nampik"]·KO["물리치리라","폐하노라","폐하는구나","폐하지-않노라,"]·PT["anula","anulo","rejeitais","rejeitarei"]·RU["отвергаете","отвергаю","отвергну","отменяет"]·ES["anula","anuláis","desecho","rechazaré"]·SW["anaikataa","mnaikataa","naikataa","nitaikataa."]·TR["bir-yana-bırakıyorsunuz","geçersiz-kılmaz","reddediyorum"]·urd["رد-کرتا","رد-کرتے-ہو","رد-کروں-گا"]
Related Senses
G4102 1. faith, trust, belief (239×)G4100 1. believe / have faith in (233×)H0982 1. trust in, rely on (105×)H3988a 1. reject, refuse (56×)G4103 1. faithful, trustworthy, reliable (54×)H0530 1. faithfulness, fidelity, reliability (47×)H0539 1. believe, accept as true (42×)H3985 1. refuse, be unwilling (41×)H0539 2. faithful, trustworthy, sure (39×)H8582 1. lead astray, cause to err (22×)H2623 1. faithful ones / saints (community) (21×)G0571 1. unbelieving, unbeliever (20×)G3982 1. be persuaded or convinced (19×)H8582 2. go astray, err morally (19×)G4105 1. to deceive, lead astray (18×)G3982 2. trust or have confidence in (17×)H2186a 1. reject, spurn (Qal) (16×)H3988a 2. despise, scorn (14×)G3982 3. persuade or convince someone (13×)G4103 2. believing, a believer (13×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἀθετ-έω, ἄθετος ) set at naught a treaty, promise, etc., πίστινNT+2nd c.BC+; deny, disprove, τἀληθέςRefs 5th c.BC+:—passive, to be struck off a register, Refs 2nd c.BC+; to be rejected, of a petition, Refs 4th c.BC+:—Astrology texts, cancel, render ineffectual, Refs 2nd c.AD+ __2 with dative, refuse one's assent, τοῖς ὑπὸ Τιμαίου εἰρημένοιςRefs 2nd c.BC+ __3 deal treacherously with, break faith…