Biblangbeta

verb

Greekἀντιλέγω (antilegō)
Biblang

antilegamō

Strong’sG483

I speak or say in opposition, contradict

stem antileg-11 times in the New Testamentin 5 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

ἀντιλέγω means to speak against, contradict, or oppose someone or something, whether in speech, in argument, or by resisting a claim or a summons 1234. It can be used on its own, with the person opposed named in the dative case, or with an object clause stating what is being contradicted 1. In the passive it describes something or someone that is spoken against or disputed 13. Strong's also brings out the related senses of refusing or denying something, and of being a gainsayer, one who speaks in opposition 2.

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

ἀντι-λέγω,

[in LXX: Ho 4:4 (רִיב hi.), Is 50:5 (סוּג ni.) Is 22:22 65:2, Si 4:25, III Mac 2:28, IV Mac 4:7 8:2*;]

contradict, oppose, resist (v. Field, Notes, 106; MM, VGT, s.v.); absol.: Ac 28:19, Ro 10:21, Tit 1:9 2:9; c. dat., Jo 19:12, Ac 13:45; c. acc. et inf., Lk 20:27 T; pass., Lk 2:34, Ac 28:22.†

G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.

Strong’s G483 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from

Saidan-til'-eg-o

to dispute, refuse

Fromfrom G473 and G3004;

King Jamesanswer again, contradict, deny, gainsay(-er), speak against.

James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.

Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
ἀντιλέγω,
Refs 5th c.BC+: future ἀντιλέξωRefs 5th c.BC+: aorist ἀντέλεξαRefs 5th c.BC+perfect ἀντείρηκα: future passive ἀντειρήσομαι:—speak against, gainsay, contradict, τινίRefs 5th c.BC+; ὑπὲρ τῶν δικαίωνRefs 5th c.BC+ —often followed by a dependent clause, ἀ. ὡς.. declare in opposition or answer that.., χρησμοῖσι οὐκ ἔχω ἀντιλέγειν ὡς οὐκ εἰσὶ ἀληθέεςRefs 5th c.BC+infinitive, ἀ. ποιήσειν ταῦτα, ἤν.. to reply that they will.., if.., Refs 5th c.BC+
2 with accusative of things, ἴσ᾽ ἀντιλέξαιRefs 5th c.BC+; μῦθον ἀ. τινί tell one tale in reply to another, Refs 5th c.BC+:—passive, to be disputed, questioned, Refs 5th c.BC+; of a place, ὑπό τινος ἀντιλεγόμενον counter-claimed,Refs 4th c.BC+points in dispute, Refs 4th c.BC+; πρὸς τὰ ἀντειρημένα κτλ., title of work by Chrysippus, Refs; τόπος ἀντιλλεγόμενος (sic) Refs 2nd c.BC+; of the genuineness of literary works, to be disputed, Refs 1st c.AD+
3 absolutely, speak in opposition, Refs 5th c.BC+the opponent, LXX+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.

contradict2×contradicting1×contrary1×objected1×opposed1×opposes1×say1×say in opposition1×spoken against1×talk back1×

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 itWhat it isUsuallyTimes
antilegatōἀντιλέγειhappening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singularopposes1×
antilegotōἀντιλέγεταιhappening now · he/she/itpresent middle or passive indicative 3rd person singularspoken against1×
antilegaleἀντέλεγονwas happening · theyimperfect active indicative 3rd person pluralcontradicting1×
antilegaraἀντειπεῖνhappened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitivecontradict2×
antilegarōntonἀντιλέγονταhappening now · objectpresent active participle accusative singular masculinecontrary1×
antilegarōntoisἀντιλέγοντεςhappening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative plural masculinesay1×
antilegarōntoinἀντιλέγονταςhappening now · objectpresent active participle accusative plural masculinetalk back2×
antilegarōntoiuἀντιλεγόντωνhappening now · of, belonging topresent active participle genitive plural masculineobjected1×
antilegorōntemἀντιλεγόμενονhappening now · objectpresent middle or passive participle direct singular neuteropposed1×

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, 3 occurrences

the subject acts active voice

Who personhappening now presentwas happening imperfectwill happen futurehappened aoristhas happened perfecthad happened pluperfect
I 1st person singularantilegamōantilegameantilegamiantilegamaantilegamēantilegamelē
you 2nd person singularantilegasōantilegaseantilegasiantilegasaantilegasēantilegaselē
he/she/it 3rd person singularantilegatō1×ἀντιλέγειantilegateantilegatiantilegataantilegatēantilegatelē
we 1st person pluralantileganōantileganeantileganiantileganaantileganēantileganelē
ye 2nd person pluralantilegavōantilegaveantilegaviantilegavaantilegavēantilegavelē
they 3rd person pluralantilegalōantilegale1×ἀντέλεγονantilegaliantilegalaantilegalēantilegalelē

acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice

Who personhappening now presentwas happening imperfecthas happened perfecthad happened pluperfect
I 1st person singularantilegomōantilegomeantilegomēantilegomelē
you 2nd person singularantilegosōantilegoseantilegosēantilegoselē
he/she/it 3rd person singularantilegotō1×ἀντιλέγεταιantilegoteantilegotēantilegotelē
we 1st person pluralantilegonōantilegoneantilegonēantilegonelē
ye 2nd person pluralantilegovōantilegoveantilegovēantilegovelē
they 3rd person pluralantilegolōantilegoleantilegolēantilegolelē
May, might — subjunctive mood, no occurrences

the subject acts active voice

Who personhappening now presenthappened aoristhas happened perfect
I 1st person singularantilegameiōantilegameiaantilegameiē
you 2nd person singularantilegaseiōantilegaseiaantilegaseiē
he/she/it 3rd person singularantilegateiōantilegateiaantilegateiē
we 1st person pluralantileganeiōantileganeiaantileganeiē
ye 2nd person pluralantilegaveiōantilegaveiaantilegaveiē
they 3rd person pluralantilegaleiōantilegaleiaantilegaleiē

acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice

Who personhappening now presenthas happened perfect
I 1st person singularantilegomeiōantilegomeiē
you 2nd person singularantilegoseiōantilegoseiē
he/she/it 3rd person singularantilegoteiōantilegoteiē
we 1st person pluralantilegoneiōantilegoneiē
ye 2nd person pluralantilegoveiōantilegoveiē
they 3rd person pluralantilegoleiōantilegoleiē
Commands — imperative mood, no occurrences

the subject acts active voice

Who personhappening now presenthappened aoristhas happened perfect
you 2nd person singularantilegasōrantilegasarantilegasēr
he/she/it 3rd person singularantilegatōrantilegatarantilegatēr
ye 2nd person pluralantilegavōrantilegavarantilegavēr
they 3rd person pluralantilegalōrantilegalarantilegalēr

acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice

Who personhappening now presenthas happened perfect
you 2nd person singularantilegosōrantilegosēr
he/she/it 3rd person singularantilegotōrantilegotēr
ye 2nd person pluralantilegovōrantilegovēr
they 3rd person pluralantilegolōrantilegolēr
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences

the subject acts active voice

Who personhappening now presenthappened aorist
I 1st person singularantilegamoiōantilegamoia
you 2nd person singularantilegasoiōantilegasoia
he/she/it 3rd person singularantilegatoiōantilegatoia
we 1st person pluralantileganoiōantileganoia
ye 2nd person pluralantilegavoiōantilegavoia
they 3rd person pluralantilegaloiōantilegaloia

acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice

Who personhappening now present
I 1st person singularantilegomoiō
you 2nd person singularantilegosoiō
he/she/it 3rd person singularantilegotoiō
we 1st person pluralantilegonoiō
ye 2nd person pluralantilegovoiō
they 3rd person pluralantilegoloiō
The “to …” form — infinitive, 2 occurrences
Who is acting voicehappening now presentwill happen futurehappened aoristhas happened perfect
the subject acts active voiceantilegarōantilegariantilegara2×ἀντειπεῖνantilegarē
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voiceantilegorōantilegorē
Used as an adjective — participle, 6 occurrences
Who is acting voicehappening now presentwill happen futurehappened aoristhas happened perfect
the subject acts active voiceantilegarōntos5×antilegarintosantilegarantosantilegarēntos
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voiceantilegorōntos1×antilegorēntos

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
antilegstem+aoeiwho is acting voice+mstnvl—who person+—eiroistatement, command, wish mood+ōeiaēelēwhen tense+—ntthen it declines+—ogender+—sits job in the sentence case

antileg 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.

11 occurrences, every one of them listed

antilegatō“opposes”happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular1×

John 19:12“opposes”… Kaisarou; pantos tos basilevon heauton poiarōntos antilegatō to Kaisaro.… Caesar. Anyone who declares himself a king is defying Caesar.”

antilegotō“spoken against”happening now · he/she/itpresent middle or passive indicative 3rd person singular1×

Acts 28:22“spoken against”… houtau gnōstem ni atō hoti pantachou antilegotō.… hearing, because we know that people everywhere are speaking against this sect.”

antilegale“contradicting”was happening · theyimperfect active indicative 3rd person plural1×

Acts 13:45“contradicting”… Ioudaiois toin ochloin pimplēila zēlou kai antilegale tei hupo Paulou lalorōntei blasfēmarōntois.… when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, and they blasphemously contradicted what Paul was saying.

antilegara“contradict”happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive2×

Luke 21:15… sofian ha ouk duneli antistēara ē antilegara hapantois tois antikeiorōntois vi.… will be able to resist or contradict.

Acts 4:14“say in opposition”… autoi stēarēnton ton therapeuorēnton oudenem echale antilegara.… had been healed standing there with them, they had nothing to say …

antilegarōnton“contrary”happening now · objectpresent active participle accusative singular masculine1×

Romans 10:21“contrary”… cheirain mu pros laon apeitharōnton kai antilegarōnton.… held out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.”

antilegarōntois“say”happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative plural masculine1×

Luke 20:27Prosercharantois de tinois toiu Saddoukaioiu, tois antilegarōntois anastasian mē arō, eperōtala autonThen some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to …

antilegarōntoin“talk back”happening now · objectpresent active participle accusative plural masculine2×

Titus 1:9… ta didaskalia ta hugiainarōnta kai toin antilegarōntoin elencharō.… sound teaching and refute those who contradict it.

Titus 2:9“talk back”… hupotassorō en pantei, euarestoin arō, mē antilegarōntoin,… own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative,

antilegarōntoiu“objected”happening now · of, belonging topresent active participle genitive plural masculine1×

Acts 28:19antilegarōntoiu de toiu Ioudaioiu anankazima epikalera Kaisaron, …But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to …

antilegorōntem“opposed”happening now · objectpresent middle or passive participle direct singular neuter1×

Luke 2:34“opposed”… en to Israēl kai eis sēmem antilegorōntem,… of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will …