A. Verbs.

1. PISTEUO (pisteuo , (4100)), to believe, also to be persuaded of, and hence, to place confidence in, to trust, signifies, in this sense of the word, reliance upon, not mere credence. It is most frequent in the writings of the Apostle John, especially the Gospel. He does not use the noun (see below). For the Lord’s first use of the verb, see 1:50. Of the writers of the Gospels, Matthew uses the verb ten times, Mark ten, Luke nine, John ninety–nine. In Acts 5:14 the present participle of the verb is translated “believers.”

2. PEITHO (peitho , (3982)), to persuade, in the Middle and Passive Voices signifies to suffer oneself to be persuaded, e.g., Luke 16:31; Heb. 13:18; it is sometimes translated “believe” in the R.V., but not in Acts 17:4, R.V., “were persuaded,” and 27:11, “gave (more) heed;” in Acts 28:24, “believed.”

Note: For apisteo, the negative of No. 1, and apeitheo, the negative of No. 2, see Disbelieve, Disobedient.

B. Noun.

PISTIS (pistis, (4102)), faith, is translated “belief” in Rom. 10:17; 2 Thess. 2:13. Its chief significance is a conviction respecting God and His Word and the believer’s relationship to Him.

Note: In 1 Cor. 9:5 the word translated “believer” (R.V.), is adelphe, a sister, so 7:15; Rom. 16:1; Jas. 2:15, used, in the spiritual sense, of one connected by the tie of the Christian faith.

C. Adjective.

PISTOS (pistos, (4103)), (a) in the Active sense means believing, trusting; (b) in the Passive sense, trusty, faithful, trustworthy. It is translated “believer” in 2 Cor. 6:15; “them that believe” in 1 Tim. 4:12, R.V. (A.V., “believers”); in 1 Tim. 5:16, “if any woman that believeth,” lit., ‘if any believing woman.’ So in 6:2, “believing masters.” In 1 Pet. 1:21 the R.V., following the most authentic mss., gives the noun form, “are believers in God” (A.V., “do believe in God”). In John 20:27 it is translated “believing.” It is best understood with significance (a), above, e.g., in Gal. 3:9; Acts 16:1; 2 Cor. 6:15; Tit. 1:6; it has significance (b), e.g., in 1 Thess. 5:24; 2 Thess. 3:3 (see Notes on Thess. p. 211, and Gal. p. 126, by Hogg and Vine).

Notes:

(1) The corresponding negative verb is apisteo, 2 Tim. 2:13, A.V., “believe not” R.V., “are faithless,” in contrast to the statement “He abideth faithful.”

(2) The negative noun apistia, “unbelief,” is used twice in Matthew (13:58; 17:20), three times in Mark (6:6; 9:24; 16:14), four times in Romans (3:3; 4:20; 11:20, 23); elsewhere in 1 Tim. 1:13 and Heb. 3:12, 19.¶

(3) The adjective apistos is translated “unbelievers” in 1 Cor. 6:6, and 2 Cor. 6:14; in ver. 15, R.V., “unbeliever” (A.V., “infidel”); so in 1 Tim. 5:8; “unbelieving” in 1 Cor. 7:12, 13, 14, 15; 14:22, 23, 24; 2 Cor. 4:4; Tit. 1:15; Rev. 21:8; “that believe not” in 1 Cor. 10:27. In the Gospels it is translated “faithless” in Matt. 17:17; Mark 9:19; Luke 9:41; John 20:27, but in Luke 12:46, R.V., “unfaithful,” A.V., “unbelievers.” Once it is translated “incredible,” Acts 26:8.

(4) Plerophoreo, in Luke 1:1 (A.V., “are most surely believed,” lit., have had full course), the R.V. renders “have been fulfilled.”

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