verb
antistēamō
Strong’sG436
I take a stand against, oppose, resist
stem antistē-14 times in the New Testamentin 9 of 27 books9 forms occur
What it means
A plain-English reading of the word, with the lexicons it draws on — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, and Liddell-Scott-Jones — right below it, in full.
AI Summary
To stand against, resist, oppose — this is the meaning the word carries throughout the New Testament, taking the person or thing resisted as its object 1234. It covers standing firm against a wrongdoer, opposing an authority, resisting temptation or evil, and withstanding an adversary 1.
In earlier Greek the same verb could also be used in a more literal, causative way, simply meaning to set (something) against something else — a sense not found in the New Testament 13.
LSJ also records a literal use meaning to weigh one thing against another, and, in the Greek Old Testament, to outweigh someone 3.
Sources: 1 Abbott-Smith 2 Strong's 3 LSJ 4 Dodson. Condensed by anthropic/claude-sonnet-5 on 2026-09-23 — it may still misstate what these say; check them yourself if it matters to you.
The lexicons it was drawn from, in full:
Abbott-Smith — the 1922 lexicon entry, in full
ἀνθ-ίστημι
(ἀντί, ἵστημι), [in LXX for עמד, יצב, etc.;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G436 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
set against, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἀ. τροπαῖον set up a trophy in opposition, Refs 5th c.BC+; weigh against, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἀ. τινὸς τὴν ὁλκήν outweigh him, LXX
2 match with, compare, ἀντιστῆσαι καὶ παραβαλεῖνRefs 1st c.AD+
II Refs 8th c.BC+passive, with intransitive aorist 2 ἀντέστην. aorist 1 passive ἀντεστάθηνRefs 5th c.BC+: perfect ἀνθέστηκαNT; Attic dialect contraction participle ἀνθεστώςRefs 5th c.BC+: future ἀντιστήσομαιRefs 5th c.BC+:—stand against, especially in battle, withstand, Ἥρῃ δ᾽ ἀντέστη.. ἌρτεμιςRefs 8th c.BC+
II.2 of things, turn out unfavourably to one, ἀντιστάντος αὐτῷ τοῦ πράγματοςRefs 5th c.BC+
II.3 absolutely, make a stand, ἀλλ᾽ ἔτ᾽ ἄρ᾽ ἀνθίσταντοRefs 8th c.BC+; resist, fight on, Refs 5th c.BC+
H. G. Liddell, R. Scott, H. S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon (9th ed., 1925–1940) — digitised by the Perseus Digital Library and corrected and expanded by Tyndale House, Cambridge, via STEPBible-Data's TFLSJ table, CC BY 4.0. Covers all of Greek literature, not just the Bible.
Translated as
Every occurrence, sorted by the English it was actually given — the evidence for what the word means, not a gloss of it.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain — berean.bible.
Biblang forms
What the New Testament actually uses, first — the whole system this verb is built from is one click further down.
| Form and the Greek behind it | What it is | Usually | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| antistēolōἀνθίστανται | happening now · theypresent middle or passive indicative 3rd person plural | oppose | 1× |
| antistēoteἀνθίστατο | was happening · he/she/itimperfect middle or passive indicative 3rd person singular | opposed | 1× |
| antistēamaἀντέστην | happened · Iaorist active indicative 1st person singular | opposed | 1× |
| antistēataἀντέστη | happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular | opposed | 1× |
| antistēalaἀντέστησαν | happened · theyaorist active indicative 3rd person plural | opposed | 1× |
| antistēatēἀνθέστηκεν | has happened · he/she/itperfect active indicative 3rd person singular | resist | 2× |
| antistēavarἀντίστητε | happened · yeaorist active imperative 2nd person plural | resist | 2× |
| antistēaraἀντιστῆναι | happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive | resist | 4× |
| antistēarēntoisἀνθεστηκότες | has happened · subjectperfect active participle nominative plural masculine | resist | 1× |
Every form the New Testament uses, in paradigm order. What the system can build beyond them — the whole of this verb, whether the text happens to use it or not — is in the tables below.
Every form the system can build — all 140, by mood, including the ones the New Testament never uses
Statements — indicative mood, 7 occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | antistēamō | antistēame | antistēami | antistēama1×ἀντέστην | antistēamē | antistēamelē |
| you 2nd person singular | antistēasō | antistēase | antistēasi | antistēasa | antistēasē | antistēaselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | antistēatō | antistēate | antistēati | antistēata1×ἀντέστη | antistēatē2×ἀνθέστηκεν | antistēatelē |
| we 1st person plural | antistēanō | antistēane | antistēani | antistēana | antistēanē | antistēanelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | antistēavō | antistēave | antistēavi | antistēava | antistēavē | antistēavelē |
| they 3rd person plural | antistēalō | antistēale | antistēali | antistēala1×ἀντέστησαν | antistēalē | antistēalelē |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | antistēomō | antistēome | antistēomē | antistēomelē |
| you 2nd person singular | antistēosō | antistēose | antistēosē | antistēoselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | antistēotō | antistēote1×ἀνθίστατο | antistēotē | antistēotelē |
| we 1st person plural | antistēonō | antistēone | antistēonē | antistēonelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | antistēovō | antistēove | antistēovē | antistēovelē |
| they 3rd person plural | antistēolō1×ἀνθίστανται | antistēole | antistēolē | antistēolelē |
May, might — subjunctive mood, no occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | antistēameiō | antistēameia | antistēameiē |
| you 2nd person singular | antistēaseiō | antistēaseia | antistēaseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | antistēateiō | antistēateia | antistēateiē |
| we 1st person plural | antistēaneiō | antistēaneia | antistēaneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | antistēaveiō | antistēaveia | antistēaveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | antistēaleiō | antistēaleia | antistēaleiē |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | antistēomeiō | antistēomeiē |
| you 2nd person singular | antistēoseiō | antistēoseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | antistēoteiō | antistēoteiē |
| we 1st person plural | antistēoneiō | antistēoneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | antistēoveiō | antistēoveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | antistēoleiō | antistēoleiē |
Commands — imperative mood, 2 occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | antistēasōr | antistēasar | antistēasēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | antistēatōr | antistēatar | antistēatēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | antistēavōr | antistēavar2×ἀντίστητε | antistēavēr |
| they 3rd person plural | antistēalōr | antistēalar | antistēalēr |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | antistēosōr | antistēosēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | antistēotōr | antistēotēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | antistēovōr | antistēovēr |
| they 3rd person plural | antistēolōr | antistēolēr |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | antistēamoiō | antistēamoia |
| you 2nd person singular | antistēasoiō | antistēasoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | antistēatoiō | antistēatoia |
| we 1st person plural | antistēanoiō | antistēanoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | antistēavoiō | antistēavoia |
| they 3rd person plural | antistēaloiō | antistēaloia |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | antistēomoiō |
| you 2nd person singular | antistēosoiō |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | antistēotoiō |
| we 1st person plural | antistēonoiō |
| ye 2nd person plural | antistēovoiō |
| they 3rd person plural | antistēoloiō |
The “to …” form — infinitive, 4 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | antistēarō | antistēari | antistēara4×ἀντιστῆναι | antistēarē |
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | antistēorō | antistēorē |
Used as an adjective — participle, 1 occurrence
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | antistēarōntos | antistēarintos | antistēarantos | antistēarēntos1× |
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | antistēorōntos | antistēorēntos |
Each is given in the form it takes as a subject. From there a participle carries the ordinary noun endings, in every case, number and gender — so these four columns are the whole of what the verb contributes.
How every form is built — the slots that make them
antistē is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.
same in every form varies — every value shown
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
14 occurrences, every one of them listed
antistēolō“oppose”happening now · theypresent middle or passive indicative 3rd person plural1×
2 Timothy 3:8… Iambros antistēala Mōuso, houtōs kai houtois antistēolō ta alētheia, anthrōpois kataftherorēntois ton nouon, …… opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth. They are depraved in …
antistēote“opposed”was happening · he/she/itimperfect middle or passive indicative 3rd person singular1×
Acts 13:8antistēote de autoi Elumos tos magos, houtōs …… that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the …
antistēama“opposed”happened · Iaorist active indicative 1st person singular1×
Galatians 2:11… Kēfos eis Antiocheian, kata prosōpem auto antistēama, hoti katagnōskorēntos ate;… Cephas came to Antioch, however, I opposed him to his face, because he …
antistēata“opposed”happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular1×
2 Timothy 4:15hon kai sis fulassosōr, liōs gar antistēata toi hēmeteroi logoi.… of him, for he has vigorously opposed our message.
antistēala“opposed”happened · theyaorist active indicative 3rd person plural1×
2 Timothy 3:8hon tropon de Iannos kai Iambros antistēala Mōuso, houtōs kai houtois antistēolō ta …Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose …
antistēatē“resist”has happened · he/she/itperfect active indicative 3rd person singular2×
Romans 9:19… memfotō? te gar boulēme autou tinos antistēatē?… still find fault? For who can resist His will?”
Romans 13:2“resists”… ta exousia ta tou theou diataga antistēatē, tois de antistēarēntois heautoi krimem labeli.… whoever resists authority is opposing what God has set in place, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
antistēavar“resist”happened · yeaorist active imperative 2nd person plural2×
James 4:7hupotassivar oun to theo; antistēavar de to diabolo, kai fugeti apo …Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee …
1 Peter 5:9ho antistēavar stereois ta pistia, oidarēntois teim auteim …Resist him, standing firm in your faith …
antistēara“resist”happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive4×
Matthew 5:39mis de legamō vi mē antistēara te ponēre; alla hotinos sin rapizatō …But I tell you not to resist an evil person. If someone slaps …
Luke 21:15… stomem kai sofian ha ouk duneli antistēara ē antilegara hapantois tois antikeiorōntois vi.… your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.
Acts 6:10“resist”kai ouk ischuale antistēara ta sofia kai te pneume he …but they could not stand up to his wisdom or the Spirit by whom …
Ephesians 6:13“withstand”… tan panoplian tou theou, hina duniveia antistēara en ta hēmera ta ponēra kai …… take up the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you will be able to stand your ground, and having done …
antistēarēntois“resist”has happened · subjectperfect active participle nominative plural masculine1×
Romans 13:2“resist”… tou theou diataga antistēatē, tois de antistēarēntois heautoi krimem labeli.… opposing what God has set in place, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.