στήκω G4739
To stand firm or persevere in faith and commitment; also to stand physically, to be in a standing position.
Steko is a late Koine present tense formed from hesteka, the perfect of histemi ('to stand'), and it carries the stable, settled force of that perfect stem into a fresh verb. Paul made it his own: 'Stand firm in the Lord' (Phil 4:1), 'Stand firm and hold to the traditions' (2 Thess 2:15), 'For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm' (Gal 5:1). Spanish 'estad firmes' and 'estáis firmes' consistently render this resolute, exhortatory sense. Yet in Mark the word retains its simpler meaning of physical standing: Jesus' mother and brothers 'standing' outside (Mark 3:31), and 'when you stand praying, forgive' (Mark 11:25). The physical posture and the spiritual posture meet in this single verb.
Senses
1. stand firm, persevere — Standing firm, persevering, remaining steadfast in faith, conviction, or commitment — the dominant Pauline sense. Formed from the perfect stem of histemi, steko inherently conveys a settled, established stance. Paul wields it as a rallying cry: 'Stand firm in one spirit' (Phil 1:27), 'Stand firm in the faith; be courageous' (1 Cor 16:13), 'Stand firm in the liberty' Christ won (Gal 5:1). In John 8:44, the devil 'did not stand (hestēken) in the truth,' using the same root to describe a failure of moral perseverance. Spanish 'estad firmes' and French 'se tenir debout' both capture the upright, resolute quality. 8×
AR["اثبُتوا", "اثْبُتوا", "تَثْبُتونَ", "قِفُوا", "يَثْبُتُ", "يَقُم"]·ben["দাঁড়াও,", "দাঁড়ায়", "দাঁড়িয়ে-থাকো", "দাঁড়িয়েনি", "দৃঢ়-আছ"]·DE["stehen"]·EN["has-stood", "he-stands", "stand-firm", "you-stand-firm"]·FR["se-tenir", "se-tenir-debout"]·heb["עִמְדוּ", "עָמַד", "עוֹמְדִים", "עוֹמֵד"]·HI["खड़ा-रहता-है", "खड़े-रहो", "खदे-रहो", "खदे-रहो,", "खदे-हो", "तुम-खदे-रेहते-हो", "स्थिर-रहा"]·ID["berdiri", "berdiri-teguh", "berdirilah teguh", "berdirilah-teguh", "berdirilah-teguh,", "ia-berdiri", "kamu berdiri teguh"]·IT["esteken", "stare-fermo", "stare-saldi"]·jav["jumeneng,", "mantep", "ngadega-santosa,", "padha-jejeg,", "panjenengan-sedaya-jumeneng", "piyambakipun-ngadeg", "sami-jumeneng", "tetep-jejeg"]·KO["굳게-서라", "굳게-서면", "서노라", "서든지", "서라", "서라,", "서지-않았다"]·PT["está-de-pé", "permanecei-firmes", "permaneceis-firmes", "permaneceu"]·RU["падает", "стоите", "стойте", "устоял"]·ES["estad-firmes", "está-firme", "estáis-firmes", "se-ha-mantenido"]·SW["anasimama", "mnasimama", "mnasimama-imara", "simama", "simameni", "simameni-imara"]·TR["dikilip-durun", "dimdik-durun", "durdu", "durupyorsunuz", "durur", "imanda-", "sağlam-durun", "sağlam-duruyorsanız"]·urd["قائم-رہو", "قائم-ہو", "کھڑا-رہا", "کھڑا-ہے", "کھڑے-رہو"]
2. stand, be in a standing position — Standing physically, being in the posture of standing — a literal, positional sense. In Mark 3:31 Jesus' mother and brothers were 'standing' (stēkontes) outside, and in Mark 11:25 Jesus instructs 'whenever you stand (stēkete) praying, forgive.' Spanish 'estando-de-pie' ('being on foot/standing') and 'estéis-de-pie' preserve the plainly physical register. Though the posture of standing in prayer could shade into metaphor, these Markan uses ground the verb in bodily reality before Paul charged it with its characteristic spiritual intensity. 2×
AR["تَقُومُونَ", "واقِفينَ"]·ben["তোমরা-দাঁড়াও", "দাঁড়িয়ে,"]·DE["stehen"]·EN["standing", "you-stand"]·FR["se-tenir"]·heb["עוֹמְדִים"]·HI["उसे-बुलाते-हुए", "खड़े-हो"]·ID["berdiri,", "kamu-berdiri"]·IT["stekete", "stekontes"]·jav["ngadeg,", "panjenengan-sedaya-jumeneng"]·KO["너희가-서면", "서서"]·PT["estando,"]·RU["стоите", "стоя"]·ES["estando-de-pie", "estéis-de-pie"]·SW["mnasimama", "wakisimama,"]·TR["durarak,", "durursanız"]·urd["کھڑے-ہو", "کھڑے-ہوئے"]
Related Senses
H0935 1. come, arrive (Qal) (2413×)G1473 1. first person singular pronoun (2084×)H3318 1. Qal: go out, depart, come forth (891×)H7725 1. to return, come/go back (Qal) (874×)H5927 1. go up, ascend (Qal) (779×)H7971 1. to send, dispatch (Qal) (701×)G2064 1. come / arrive (physical movement toward) (588×)H5307 1. Qal: fall down physically (339×)H5375 1. Qal: to lift up, raise (330×)H5975 1. to stand, stand up (310×)H5674a 1. Qal: pass by, pass through (256×)H3381 1. Qal: to go down, descend (physical movement) (242×)G1831 1. go/come out physically (193×)H5337 1. deliver, rescue, save (Hifil) (188×)H7901 1. lie down, rest, sleep (183×)G1525 1. enter a place physically (179×)H7812 1. prostrate oneself, bow down, worship (173×)H3318 2. Hifil: bring out, lead out, take out (persons) (172×)H7725 2. to bring back, restore (Hifil) (151×)H5674a 2. Qal: cross over (134×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
στήκω, late present formed from ἕστηκα (perfect of ἵστημι), stand, LXX+NT; participle, παρὼν καὶ στήγων (sic) Refs 4th c.AD+; so ἑστήκω, Refs 3rd c.BC+.