μεταβάλλω G3328
μεταβάλλω — to change one's mind, to alter opinion or attitude, to turn around
This verb appears in Acts 28:6, describing how the Maltese natives 'changed their minds' about Paul after watching him suffer no harm from the viper bite. Initially they expected him to swell up and die, concluding he must be a murderer whom justice pursued even after escaping the sea. When nothing harmful happened, they changed their assessment to the opposite extreme, declaring he must be a god. The word denotes reversing position or opinion. The incident shows how quickly human judgment can swing between extremes, yet Paul apparently redirected this superstitious awe toward proclaiming the true God.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The aorist middle participle nominative masculine plural 'having changed their minds' describes the natives' reversal. Cross-linguistic renderings (Spanish 'habiendo-cambiado-de-opinión,' French 'changer') convey the radical shift in assessment — from assuming divine judgment to assuming divine nature, both incorrect but creating opportunity for gospel witness to penetrate their worldview. 1×
AR["غَيَّروا"]·ben["বদলাইয়া"]·DE["μεταβαλόμενοι"]·EN["having-changed-their-minds"]·FR["changer"]·heb["הִשְׁתַנּוּ"]·HI["बदलकर,"]·ID["berubah,"]·IT["cambiare"]·jav["malik-pikir,"]·KO["변하여"]·PT["tendo-mudado,"]·RU["переменившись,"]·ES["habiendo-cambiado-de-opinión"]·SW["walibadilika"]·TR["dediler"]·urd["بدل-کر"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
μεταβάλλω, future - βᾰλῶ Refs 5th c.BC+aorist μετέβᾰλον:—throw into a different position, turn quickly or suddenly, Hom.only once, in tmesi, μετὰ νῶτα βαλών Refs 8th c.BC+; μ. γῆν turn, i.e. plough, the earth, LXX+5th c.BC+; μ. ποταμόν change the course of a river, Refs 4th c.AD+ __II turn about, change, alter, τὸ οὔνομα Refs 5th c.BC+; [οἱ Βρίγες] τὸ οὔνομα μετέβαλον [ἐς Φρύγας] Refs 5th c.BC+;…