πεποίθ-ησις G4006
Confidence, trust, assurance; a settled inner boldness grounded in relationship with God or the gospel.
Pepoithesis names a deep, settled confidence — not brash self-assertion but a quiet assurance rooted in something trustworthy. Paul uses it exclusively, and almost entirely in 2 Corinthians and the Prison Epistles. In 2 Corinthians 1:15 it grounds his travel plans; in 3:4 it rests on Christ; in 10:2 it fuels his apostolic boldness. Ephesians 3:12 speaks of 'boldness and confident access' to God through faith. The Spanish 'confianza,' French 'confiance,' and German 'Zuversicht' all capture this trusting assurance that enables bold action.
Senses
1. confidence, trust, assurance — A settled state of confidence, trust, or assured boldness — especially confidence grounded in one's relationship with God or in the gospel's power. Paul draws on this word to express the inner certainty that enables outward boldness. The multilingual evidence highlights the relational warmth of this confidence: Spanish 'confianza' and French 'confiance' (from Latin confidere, 'to trust fully'), German 'Zuversicht' ('looking toward with assurance'). Key passages include 2 Cor 3:4 (confidence 'through Christ toward God'), Eph 3:12 ('boldness and access with confidence through faith'), and Phil 3:4 (confidence 'in the flesh,' used contrastively). 6×
AR["الثِّقَةِ", "بِثِقَةٍ", "ثِقَةٌ", "ثِقَةٍ"]·ben["আস্থায়", "নির্ভরতা", "নিশ্চয়তা", "নিশ্চয়তায়", "বিশ্বাসে"]·DE["Zuversicht"]·EN["Confidence", "by-confidence", "confidence"]·FR["confiance", "πεποίθησιν", "πεποιθήσει"]·heb["בִּ-בִטָּחוֹן", "בִּטְחוֹן", "בִּטָּחוֹן"]·HI["भरोस", "भरोसा", "भरोसे", "भरोसे-से"]·ID["Keyakinan", "kepercayaan", "keyakinan", "keyakinan,"]·IT["fiducia", "pepoithēsei", "pepoithēsin"]·jav["Kapitadosan", "kapitadosan", "kayakinan", "kayakinan,", "pitados"]·KO["확신", "확신에", "확신으로,", "확신을"]·PT["Confiança", "confiança", "confiança,", "pela-confiança"]·RU["Уверенность", "доверием", "уверенности,", "уверенность", "уверенностью"]·ES["Confianza", "confianza", "osadía", "por-confianza", "seguridad"]·SW["Ujasiri", "kutumaini", "kutumainia", "kwa-ujasiri", "ujasiri"]·TR["daha gayretli", "guveni", "guvenle", "güven", "güvenle", "o-"]·urd["بھروسہ", "بھروسے", "بھروسے-سے"]
Related Senses
G2309 1. want, desire (166×)G0025 1. to love actively (133×)H0157 1. love (verb, active Qal) (129×)H8055 1. Qal: rejoice, be glad (123×)H7453 1. neighbor, fellow man (120×)G0026 1. of love (115×)H1058 1. Qal: to weep, cry (112×)H0954 1. to be ashamed, feel shame (Qal) (95×)H8057 1. joy, gladness, delight (90×)H2781 1. disgrace, shame, dishonor (68×)G2307 1. will, desire, purpose (63×)G5463 1. rejoice, be glad (63×)G0027 1. beloved (61×)H8130 1. Qal: to hate, detest (60×)G5479 1. (59×)G1680 1. (53×)H8130 2. Qal ptcp: hater, enemy (53×)H0014 1. be willing, want (51×)H0157 2. lover, friend (Qal participle substantive) (51×)H1945 1. woe (50×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
πεποίθ-ησις, εως, ἡ, trust, confidence, boldness, LXX+1st c.BC+: in plural, Refs 2nd c.AD+