διαβεβαι-όω G1226
to affirm confidently, insist firmly; to maintain a position with strong assurance (middle voice)
This verb in middle voice expresses confident, emphatic assertion or insistence on a position. The two New Testament occurrences both involve mistaken but firm assertions: those who desire to be law teachers but don't understand what they confidently affirm (1 Timothy 1:7), and Paul's instruction that Titus speak confidently about good works (Titus 3:8). The middle voice suggests personal investment in the affirmation—not merely stating facts but maintaining them with assurance. Translations capture this through terms like 'confidently assert' (English), 'afirman con certeza' (Spanish), and 'fest behaupten' (German), all emphasizing the firmness and certainty of the assertion.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Appears in pastoral epistles concerning confident assertion: negatively, of would-be teachers who confidently affirm things they don't understand (1 Timothy 1:7: Spanish 'afirman con certeza'), and positively, of Titus being urged to speak confidently about good works (Titus 3:8: Spanish 'afirmes,' German 'fest behaupten'). The term emphasizes the speaker's strong assurance regardless of whether their confidence is warranted. 2×
AR["أَن-تُؤَكِّدَ", "يُؤَكِّدونَ"]·ben["তারা-দৃঢ়ভাবে-বলে।", "দৃঢ়ভাবে-বলতে"]·DE["fest-behaupten"]·EN["they-confidently-assert", "to-speak-confidently"]·FR["διαβεβαιοῦνται", "διαβεβαιοῦσθαι"]·heb["לְ-אַשֵּׁר", "שֶׁמַּחֲזִיקִים"]·HI["द्रिध-करन,", "द्रिधत-से-केहते-हैन"]·ID["menekankan,", "yang-mereka-tegaskan"]·IT["diabebaiountai", "diabebaiousthai"]·jav["negesaken,", "piyambakipun-negesaken."]·KO["단언하기-를", "주장한다."]·PT["afirmam", "afirmes-com-confiança,"]·RU["утверждать", "утверждают"]·ES["afirman-con-certeza", "afirmes"]·SW["uyadhibitishe", "wanayosisitiza"]·TR["iddialı-olduklarini", "ısrar-etmeni,"]·urd["تاکید-کرنا", "دعوٰی-کرتے-ہیں۔"]
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
διαβεβαι-όω, confirm, ὑπόληψιν Refs 3rd c.AD+:—usually middle διαβεβαι-όομαι, maintain strongly, affirm, confirm, Refs 4th c.BC+; to be positive, περί τινος Refs 2nd c.BC+:—passive, Refs 1st c.BC+