καταφρον-ητής G2707
despiser, scoffer, one who treats with contempt
This agent noun identifies someone characterized by contempt or scoffing. Acts 13:41 quotes Habakkuk 1:5, warning 'Behold, you scoffers, and marvel and perish.' The vocative plural addresses a category of people—those who habitually despise. Classical and Septuagint usage shows despisers of law or divine things. The Habakkuk context warned scoffing Israelites about Babylonian judgment; Paul applies it to Jewish scoffers of the gospel. The cross-linguistic witnesses uniformly preserve the contempt/despising terminology. This is not honest doubt but arrogant dismissal of what God is doing.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Paul warns Antioch's Jews not to become 'scoffers'—those who treat God's work with contempt. The vocative addresses them as potentially falling into this category if they reject the gospel. The original Habakkuk context warned those who scoffed at God's announced judgment; Paul reapplies it to those who dismiss the salvation announced in Jesus, warning that scornful rejection brings the same perishing the prophet predicted. 1×
AR["مُستَهزِئينَ"]·ben["অবজ্ঞাকারীরা"]·DE["καταφρονηταί"]·EN["scoffers"]·FR["contempteur"]·heb["בּוֹזִים"]·HI["तुच्छ-करनेवालो"]·ID["pengejek"]·IT["disprezzatore"]·jav["ingkang-nyepelekaken,"]·KO["멸시하는-자들아"]·PT["escarnecedores,"]·RU["презрители"]·ES["despreciadores"]·SW["wenye-kudharau,"]·TR["hor-görenler"]·urd["حقیر-جاننے-والو"]
Related Senses
H2896a 1. good (quality or moral) (305×)H7563 1. wicked person (259×)H7451c 1. moral evil or wickedness (234×)H5771 1. iniquity, sin, wrongdoing (222×)H6662 1. righteous person (substantive) (195×)G0266 1. sin, failure, transgression (173×)H2403b 1. sin, transgression (170×)H2617a 1. Covenant faithfulness, steadfast love (167×)H2398 1. Qal: to sin, commit sin (165×)H6666 1. righteousness, moral uprightness (145×)G5485 1. grace, divine favor (141×)H7451a 1. morally evil, wicked (129×)H2403b 2. sin-offering, sacrifice for sin (120×)G2570 1. good, right, excellent (98×)H6588 1. transgression, offense against God (88×)G0018 1. good (moral quality) (85×)H2896b 1. good, what is good (85×)H7451b 1. evil, wickedness (moral) (83×)H7451a 2. evil, harm, calamity (80×)G1342 1. righteous, upright (of persons) (70×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
καταφρον-ητής, οῦ, ὁ, despiser, νόμων LXX+1st c.AD+