διϊσχῡρ-ίζομαι G1340
to insist strongly, affirm confidently; to maintain a position with emphatic assertion (middle voice)
This middle voice verb means to insist or affirm something with strong confidence and persistence. Luke uses it for Peter's denial: the maid 'kept insisting' he was with Jesus (22:59), and for Rhoda's persistence: she 'kept insisting' that Peter stood at the gate (Acts 12:15). The middle voice suggests personal investment in the assertion—leaning heavily on one's own conviction. The term goes beyond simple statement to emphatic, repeated insistence despite contradiction. The verb conveys stubborn persistence in maintaining what one believes to be true. Interestingly, both Lukan instances involve correct identification being initially disbelieved, requiring insistent affirmation.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Both occurrences in Luke-Acts involve persistent insistence despite initial disbelief: the servant girl 'kept insisting' Peter was with Jesus during his denial (Luke 22:59: Spanish 'insistía'), and Rhoda 'kept insisting' Peter stood at the gate while others said she was mad (Acts 12:15). The middle voice emphasizes their personal conviction and stubborn maintenance of their claim despite contradiction. 2×
AR["أَصَرَّتْ", "أَكَّدَ"]·ben["জোর-দিয়ে-বলছিল"]·DE["διϊσχυρίζετο"]·EN["kept-insisting", "was-insisting"]·FR["affirmer"]·heb["הִתְחַזֵּק", "עָמְדָה-בְּתֹקֶף"]·HI["जोर-देती-थी", "दृढ़ता-से-कहने-लगा"]·ID["bersikeras", "menegaskan"]·IT["affermare", "diischurizeto"]·jav["nekadaken,", "ngangkah"]·KO["주장했다"]·RU["настаивал", "настаивала"]·ES["insistía"]·SW["akasisitiza", "alisisitiza"]·TR["ısrar-ediyordu"]·urd["زور-دی-کر", "زور-دیتی-تھی"]
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
διϊσχῡρ-ίζομαι, lean upon, rely on, τῷ λόγῳ Refs 5th c.BC+ __II affirm confidently, τι Refs 5th c.BC+; δ. ὡς.. Refs 5th c.BC+; περὶ σοῦ ὡς.. Refs