ἀντίκειμαι

I resist, oppose

Definition

The verb ἀντίκειμαι means 'to oppose, resist, or be set against.' It can describe active opposition to people or ideas, as when opponents resist Jesus's teaching (Luke 13:17) or when Paul faces adversaries in ministry (1 Corinthians 16:9). It also denotes a state of being in opposition or hostility, such as the man of lawlessness who exalts himself against God (2 Thessalonians 2:4). In a more internal, metaphorical sense, it describes the conflict between the flesh and the Spirit (Galatians 5:17).

Biblical Usage

ἀντίκειμαι appears 8 times in the New Testament, primarily in Luke's writings and the Pauline epistles. It is used for both human opposition (e.g., adversaries to the gospel in Luke 21:15, Philippians 1:28) and spiritual or ideological opposition (e.g., the flesh versus the Spirit in Galatians 5:17, or false teachers in 1 Timothy 1:10). The word consistently conveys a sense of active or inherent antagonism.

Etymology

Derived from the preposition ἀντί ('against') and the verb κεῖμαι ('to lie, be set'). Literally, it means 'to lie opposite to' or 'be set against.' This compound form emphasizes a position or stance of opposition, with the prefix ἀντί intensifying the sense of confrontation.

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant as it highlights the reality of spiritual conflict and opposition to God's purposes. It underscores the believer's experience of external persecution (Philippians 1:28) and internal struggle between sinful desires and the Spirit (Galatians 5:17). Understanding ἀντίκειμαι enriches reading by revealing the persistent biblical theme of resistance to divine truth, culminating in the ultimate opposition of the antichrist figure (2 Thessalonians 2:4).

In the Greco-Roman world, the term could describe military or political opposition, reflecting a society familiar with conflict and rivalry. The New Testament authors adopt this common term to frame spiritual and communal struggles, which would have been immediately understandable to original audiences as representing serious, active hostility.

ἀνθίστημι (anthistēmi, G436) — emphasizes standing against or resisting actively; ἐχθρός (echthros, G2190) — denotes an enemy or hostile person, more about a state of enmity than the act of opposing.

Word Details

Scripture References