ἀπιστία G0570
Unbelief, lack of faith — a refusal or failure to trust God, hindering divine action and covenant relationship
The noun ἀπιστία (apistia) names the absence or refusal of faith — not mere intellectual doubt, but a disposition that obstructs God's work. Jesus 'did not do many mighty works' in Nazareth 'because of their unbelief' (Matt 13:58; cf. Mark 6:6), and the father of the epileptic boy cries, 'I believe; help my unbelief!' (Mark 9:24). Paul's theological use in Romans is especially rich: Israel's unbelief opened the door for Gentile inclusion (Rom 11:20, 23), yet even Israel's faithlessness cannot nullify God's faithfulness (Rom 3:3). The writer of Hebrews warns against 'an evil, unbelieving heart' that departs from the living God (Heb 3:12, 19). Spanish 'incredulidad' and French 'incrédulité' both preserve the privative force.
Senses
1. unbelief, lack of faith — Unbelief or lack of faith as a settled disposition that hinders divine activity and imperils covenant standing. In the Synoptic Gospels, the unbelief of Nazareth limits Jesus' miracles (Matt 13:58; Mark 6:6), and a father's anguished confession — 'help my unbelief!' (Mark 9:24) — reveals its internal struggle. Paul uses it theologically in Romans 3:3 (Israel's unfaithfulness versus God's faithfulness) and Romans 11:20, 23 (unbelief as the reason for Israel's temporary exclusion, yet not irrevocable). Hebrews 3:12, 19 treats it as the root sin of the wilderness generation. Spanish 'incredulidad' and German 'Unglaube' both reflect the privative alpha prefix. 11×
AR["عَدَمَ-إِيمَانِهِمْ", "عَدَمُ-إيمانِهِم", "عَدَمِ إيمانِهِمْ", "عَدَمِ-إيمانٍ", "عَدَمِ-إيمَانٍ", "عَدَمِ-إِيمَانٍ", "عَدَمِ-إِيمَانِهِم", "عَدَمِ-إِيمَانِي", "عَدَمِ-الإيمَانِ"]·ben["অবিশ্বাস", "অবিশ্বাসে", "অবিশ্বাসে,", "অবিশ্বাসে।", "অবিশ্বাসের"]·DE["Unglaube"]·EN["of-unbelief", "unbelief"]·FR["incrédulité"]·heb["אִי-אֱמוּנָתָם", "חֹסֶר-אֱמוּנָה"]·HI["अविशवअस", "अविश्वअस-कि", "अविश्वास", "अविश्वास-का", "अविश्वास-में", "अविश्वास-से", "उनके"]·ID["ketidak-percayaan", "ketidak-percayaan,", "ketidakpercayaan", "ketidakpercayaanku"]·IT["apistia", "apistian", "apistias", "incredulita"]·jav["boten-pitadosipun", "kirang-pitados-kawula", "mboten-pitados", "mboten-pitados,", "mboten-pitados.", "mboten-pitadosipun", "mboten-pracaya", "mboten-pracaya,"]·KO["불신", "불신앙", "불신앙-을", "불신앙.", "불신에", "불신으로", "불신을", "불신의"]·PT["de-incredulidade", "incredulidade", "incredulidade,"]·RU["-неверии", "неверие", "неверием", "неверии", "неверию", "неверия", "отломились"]·ES["de-incredulidad", "incredulidad"]·SW["kutoamini", "kutokuamini", "kutokuamini,", "kwao", "wa-kutoamini"]·TR["imanssızlıklarını", "imansızlıkla", "imansızlıkları", "imansızlıkta", "imansızlığı", "imansızlığıma", "imansızlığın"]·urd["بے-ایمانی", "بے-ایمانی-میں", "بے-ایمانی-کا", "بے-ایمانی-کے", "بے-ایمانی۔"]
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
ἀπιστία, Ionic dialect -ίη, ἡ, unbelief, distrust, πίστεις.. δμῶς καὶ ἀπιστίαι ὤλεσαν ἄνδρας beliefs and disbeliefs, Refs 8th c.BC+; ὑπὸ ἀ. μὴ γενέσθαι τι from disbelief that.., Refs; ἀ. πρὸς ἑαυτόν lack of self-confidence, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἀπιστίαν ἔχειν περί τινος to be in doubt, Refs 5th c.BC+; πρὸς -ίαν τοῦ κατηγόρου to discredit him, Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 of things, τὰ εἰρημένα ἐς ἀ. πολλὴν…