ἀνταπο-κρίνομαι G0470
to answer back, reply (especially in retort or argument); to correspond to
This compound verb intensifies the simple 'answer' (ἀποκρίνομαι) with the prefix ἀντα- ('back, against'), suggesting a response that pushes back or argues. The word appears twice in the New Testament, both times in contexts where answering would be inappropriate or impossible. In Luke 14:6, Jesus' opponents 'could not answer back' regarding his Sabbath healing. In Romans 9:20, Paul challenges: 'Who are you, a human being, to answer back to God?' The multilingual evidence (Spanish 'responder contra', French 'répondre') captures the slightly oppositional force that distinguishes this from ordinary answering.
Senses
1. sense 1 — To make a reply that argues against or contradicts, particularly in a context where such response may be presumptuous or futile. Both New Testament occurrences emphasize the inability or impropriety of answering back—Luke 14:6 describes Jesus' opponents unable to refute his reasoning, while Romans 9:20 rebukes human presumption in disputing with God. The compound structure (ἀντα- + ἀποκρίνομαι) conveys the force of 'answering in opposition' rather than simply responding. Spanish 'responder contra' explicitly captures this adversarial nuance, while the Greek participles and infinitive forms (ἀνταποκρινόμενος, ἀνταποκριθῆναι) appear in contexts of rhetorical challenge. 2×
AR["أَنْ-يُجِيبُوا", "الْمُجَاوِبُ"]·ben["উত্তর-দিতে", "জবাবদিহি"]·DE["antworten", "ἀνταποκριθῆναι"]·EN["answering-back", "to-reply"]·FR["répondre", "ἀνταποκρινόμενος"]·heb["לְ-הָשִׁיב", "עוֹנֶה"]·HI["उत्तर-देने-में", "जवाब-देने-वाला"]·ID["membantah", "menjawab-balik"]·IT["antapokrithenai", "rispondere"]·jav["mangsuli", "wantun-wangsulan"]·KO["대답하는-자냐", "대답하지"]·PT["que-replica", "responder"]·RU["-Богу", "возразить"]·ES["que-responde-contra", "responder"]·SW["anayemjibu", "kujibu"]·TR["cevap-vermek", "karşılık-veren"]·urd["جواب-دیتا-ہے", "جواب-دینے"]
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)H7592 1. ask, inquire, question (96×)H3034 1. give thanks, praise (Hifil) (94×)G1321 1. teach, instruct actively (92×)H3789 2. Qal active: write, compose (89×)G1125 1. to write, compose (a letter or document) (84×)H5046 2. Hifil: to declare, proclaim (79×)H7892a 1. song, musical composition (78×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἀνταπο-κρίνομαι [ῑ], middle, answer again, LXX+NT; argue against, τινίNT __II correspond to, Refs 2nd c.AD+