Bible Encyclopedia: Unbelief

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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

UNBELIEF

un-be-lef': The word (the King James Version) represents two Greek words, apeitheia, "disobedience" (only in Romans 11:30, 32 Hebrews 4:6, 11), and apistia, "distrust," the antithesis to "faith". (which see). The two words are not only akin etymologically but run into one another by mental connection, certainly where spiritual relations are concerned, as between man and God. For when God has spoken, in precept and yet more in promise, distrust involves, at least potentially, an element of disobedience. His supreme claim is to be trusted to command only what is right, and to promise only what is true. He is infinitely sympathetic in His insight, and infallibly knows where distrust comes only of the dim perceptions and weak mis-givings of our mortal nature, and where, on the other hand, a moral resistance lies at the back of the non-confidence. But the presence of that darker element is always to be suspected, at least, and searched for in serious self-examination.

We may remark that it is a loss in our language that "unbelief" is the only word we can use as the antithesis to "faith"; for "faith" and "belief" (which see) are not exactly synonyms. "Unfaith" would be a welcome word for such use, if it were generally so understood.

Handley Dunelm

Greek

570. apistia -- unbelief
... unbelief. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: apistia Phonetic Spelling:
(ap-is-tee'-ah) Short Definition: unbelief, unfaithfulness, distrust ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/570.htm - 7k

543. apeitheia -- disobedience
... Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: apeitheia Phonetic Spelling:
(ap-i'-thi-ah) Short Definition: willful unbelief, obstinacy, disobedience ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/543.htm - 7k

Library

The Cause of Unbelief.
... Chapter XII. The Cause of Unbelief. If that view is correct which assigns
the last discourse to the temple on Monday it belongs ...
/.../johnson/the new testament commentary vol iii john/the cause of unbelief.htm

Unbelief.
... XIV. UNBELIEF. Man"short-sighted man"often raises impossibilities when God does
not. It is hard for rebellious unbelief to lie submissive and still. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/macduff/memories of bethany/xiv unbelief.htm

Whether Unbelief is a Sin?
... OF UNBELIEF IN GENERAL (TWELVE ARTICLES) Whether unbelief is a sin? Objection
1: It would seem that unbelief is not a sin. For every ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether unbelief is a sin.htm

The Sin of Unbelief
... The Sin of Unbelief. A Sermon (No.3). Delivered ... thereof. I. And first, the
SIN. His sin was unbelief. He doubted the promise of God. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 1 1855/the sin of unbelief.htm

The Credulity of Unbelief
... THE CREDULITY OF UNBELIEF. 'Many shall come in My name, saying, I am Christ, and
shall deceive many.'"Mark 13:6. ... Unbelief and superstition are closely allied. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture d/the credulity of unbelief.htm

The Difficulties of Unbelief
... LXXVI THE DIFFICULTIES OF UNBELIEF. ... In nowise! All we've gained is, that belief,
As unbelief before, shakes us by fits, Confounds us like its predecessor. ...
/.../peabody/mornings in the college chapel/lxxvi the difficulties of unbelief.htm

Whether Unbelief is in the Intellect as Its Subject?
... OF UNBELIEF IN GENERAL (TWELVE ARTICLES) Whether unbelief is in the intellect
as its subject? Objection 1: It would seem that unbelief ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether unbelief is in the.htm

Whether Apostasy Pertains to Unbelief?
... OF APOSTASY (TWO ARTICLES) Whether apostasy pertains to unbelief? Objection
1: It would seem that apostasy does not pertain to unbelief. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether apostasy pertains to unbelief.htm

Whether Unbelief is the Greatest of Sin?
... OF UNBELIEF IN GENERAL (TWELVE ARTICLES) Whether unbelief is the greatest of sin?
Objection 1: It would seem that unbelief is not the greatest of sins. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether unbelief is the greatest.htm

Whether the Unbelief of Pagans or Heathens is Graver than Other ...
... OF UNBELIEF IN GENERAL (TWELVE ARTICLES) Whether the unbelief of pagans or heathens
is graver than other kinds? ... Therefore their unbelief is the gravest of all. ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the unbelief of pagans.htm

ATS Bible Dictionary

Unbelief

Of the testimony of God makes him a liar, and is a sin of the greatest enormity. It is the work of a depraved and guilty heart; for no one without this bias could reject the abundant witness God furnishes of the truth of his word, Psalm 14:1. Especially is unbelief towards an offered Savior an unspeakable crime, justly sealing the condemnation of him who thus refuses to be saved, John 5:18 1 John 5:10.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (n.) The withholding of belief; doubt; incredulity; skepticism.

2. (n.) Disbelief; especially, disbelief of divine revelation, or in a divine providence or scheme of redemption.

Thesaurus

Unbelief (16 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. UNBELIEF. ...Unbelief (16 Occurrences). Matthew
13:58 He didn't do many mighty works there because of their unbelief. ...
/u/unbelief.htm - 12k

Unbeliever (7 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. UNBELIEVER. un-be-lev'-er: This word follows closely
the lines of "unbelief" (which see) in its relation to originals. ...
/u/unbeliever.htm - 9k

Belief (61 Occurrences)
... Mark 16:14 Afterward he was revealed to the eleven themselves as they sat at the
table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because ...
/b/belief.htm - 23k

Lack (86 Occurrences)
... GH Gerberding. Multi-Version Concordance Lack (86 Occurrences). Matthew 13:58 He
didn't do many mighty works there because of their unbelief. (See NIV). ...
/l/lack.htm - 33k

Grew (133 Occurrences)
... daily. (See NIV). Acts 19:9 But some grew obstinate in unbelief and spoke
evil of the new faith before all the congregation. So Paul ...
/g/grew.htm - 34k

Believe (239 Occurrences)
... Mark 9:24 Immediately the father of the child cried out with tears, "I believe.
Help my unbelief!" (WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). ...
/b/believe.htm - 35k

Ignorance (27 Occurrences)
... which God had "overlooked" (Acts 17:30); Paul says of himself that he "obtained
mercy, because (he) did it (against Christ) ignorantly in unbelief" (1 Timothy 1 ...
/i/ignorance.htm - 21k

Mighty (514 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV ASV WBS YLT RSV). Matthew 13:58 He didn't do many mighty works there
because of their unbelief. (WEB KJV WEY ASV WBS YLT RSV). ...
/m/mighty.htm - 36k

Nazareth (29 Occurrences)
... from their borders (4:16-29; Matthew 13:54-58); and he finally retired from the
city, where he did not many mighty works because of their unbelief (Matthew 13 ...
/n/nazareth.htm - 24k

Didn't (734 Occurrences)
... t speak to them, (WEB). Matthew 13:58 He didn't do many mighty works there
because of their unbelief. (WEB). Matthew 15:13 But he ...
/d/didn't.htm - 32k

Bible Concordance

Unbelief (16 Occurrences)

Matthew 13:58 He didn't do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Matthew 17:20 He said to them, "Because of your unbelief. For most certainly I tell you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will tell this mountain,'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.
(WEB KJV DBY WBS)

Mark 6:6 He marveled because of their unbelief. He went around the villages teaching.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Mark 9:24 Immediately the father of the child cried out with tears, "I believe. Help my unbelief!"
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Mark 16:14 Afterward he was revealed to the eleven themselves as they sat at the table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they didn't believe those who had seen him after he had risen.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Romans 3:3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?
(KJV DBY WBS NAS)

Romans 4:20 Yet, looking to the promise of God, he didn't waver through unbelief, but grew strong through faith, giving glory to God,
(WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

Romans 11:20 True; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. Don't be conceited, but fear;
(WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Romans 11:23 They also, if they don't continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Romans 11:30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
(KJV DBY WBS YLT)

Romans 11:32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
(KJV WEY DBY WBS YLT)

1 Timothy 1:13 although I was before a blasphemer, a persecutor, and insolent. However, I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Hebrews 3:12 Beware, brothers, lest perhaps there be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God;
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT)

Hebrews 3:19 We see that they were not able to enter in because of unbelief.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Hebrews 4:6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
(KJV WBS YLT)

Hebrews 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
(KJV WEY WBS YLT)

Subtopics

Unbelief

Unbelief is Sin

Unbelief was an Impediment to the Performance of Miracles

Unbelief: A Samaritan Lord

Unbelief: All, by Nature, Concluded In

Unbelief: Believers should Hold No Communion With Those In

Unbelief: Brethren of Christ

Unbelief: Chief Priests

Unbelief: Defilement Inseparable From

Unbelief: Disciples