noun · feminine
pistias
Strong’sG4102
faith, belief, trust
stem pisti-242 times in the New Testamentin 24 of 27 books4 of 10 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
Faith, belief, trust — confidence or reliance placed in God, Christ, or spiritual truth, as opposed to mere sight or knowledge 1234. This trust may be directed toward God or Christ generally, or toward a specific object of belief, and it is closely tied to the idea of being persuaded of something's truth 12.
By extension, the word can also refer to the body of belief itself — the faith as a system of religious truth that is believed, rather than the act of believing it 12.
In a different, passive sense, the word means fidelity or faithfulness — steadfastness or trustworthiness, whether of God or of a person, including the ongoing constancy of one's profession of belief 12. It can also denote a pledge of fidelity, a guarantee given as proof of one's faithfulness 1.
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
πίστις, -εως, ἡ
(< πείθω), [in LXX chiefly for אֱמוּנָה;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G4102 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidpis'-tis
persuasion, i.e. credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstractly, constancy in such profession; by extension, the system of religious (Gospel) truth itself
Fromfrom G3982;
King Jamesassurance, belief, believe, faith, fidelity.
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
genitive εως, Ionic dialect ιος Refs 5th c.BC+; dative πίστει, Ionic dialect πίστῑ Refs 5th c.BC+: (πείθομαι):—trust in others, faith, first in Refs 8th c.BC+: generally, persuasion of a thing, confidence, assurance, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἡ βεβαιοτάτη π., ἀταραξία καὶ π. βέβαιος, Refs 4th c.BC+; σωφροσύνης π. ἔχειν περί τινος to be persuaded of his probity, Refs 4th c.BC+
2 in subjective sense, good faith, trustworthiness, honesty, Refs 6th c.BC+
2.b of things, credence, credit, τὰν π. σμικρὰν παρ᾽ ἔμοιγ᾽ ἔχει Refs 5th c.BC+
2.c καλῇ π., = Latin bona fide, Refs 2nd c.AD+; αἱ κατὰ πίστιν γεινόμεναι κληρονομίαι, = Latin hereditates fideicommissariae, Refs
3 in a commercial sense, credit, π. τοσούτων χρημάτων ἐστί τινι παρά τισι he has credit for so much money with them, Refs 4th c.BC+, compare 44; εἰς πίστιν διδόναι [τί τινι] Refs 2nd c.AD+
3.b position of trust or trusteeship, ἐν πίστει κληρονόμος ἀπολειφθείς left in trust, as guardian, Refs 1st c.AD+
4 Theol., faith, opposed to sight and knowledge, NT
II that which gives confidence: hence,
II.1 assurance, pledge of good faith, guarantee, οὐκ ἀνδρὸς ὅρκοι π. ἀλλ᾽ ὅρκων ἀνήρ Refs 5th c.BC+; δός μοι χερὸς σῆς π. Refs 5th c.BC+; πίστιν καὶ ὅρκια ποιέεσθαι make a treaty by exchange of assurances and oaths, Refs 5th c.BC+; ποιέεσθαι τὰς πίστῑς (Ionic dialect for πίστεις) Refs 5th c.BC+; πίστιν δοῦναι to give assurances, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἔδοσαν πίστιν καὶ ἔλαβον interchanged them, Refs 5th c.BC+; π. πρός τινας δοῦναι with infinitive, Refs; πίστι τε λαβεῖν (or καταλαβεῖν) καὶ ὁρκίοισί τινα bind by assurances and oaths, Refs 5th c.BC+; πίστιν ἐπιθεῖναι or προσθεῖναι, Refs 4th c.BC+. an assurance against.., Refs 5th c.BC+
II.2 means of persuasion, argument, proof, φρὴν παρ᾽ ἡμέων (i.e. τῶν αἰσθήσεων) λαβοῦσα τὰς πίστεις Refs 3rd c.AD+; especially of proofs used by orators, Refs 5th c.BC+, opposed to a demonstrative proof (ἀπόδειξις), π. ἔντεχνοι, ἄτεχνοι, Refs; ἡ τῶν λόγων π. (compare λόγοςRefs
III that which is entrusted, a trust, πίστιν ἐγχειρίζειν τινί Refs 2nd c.BC+; σὴ π. given in trust to thee, Refs 1st c.AD+
IV political protection or suzerainty, Latin fides, Αἰτωλοὶ.. δόντες αὑτοὺς εἰς τὴν Ῥωμαίων π... τῷ τῆς π. ὀνόματι πλανηθέντες Refs 2nd c.BC+
IV.2 in Egypt, safe-conduct, safeguard, Refs 2nd c.BC+
V Refs 4th c.BC+ name for ten, Refs
VI personified, = Latin Refs 1st c.AD+; π. δημοσία, = Fides publica, Refs 1st 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
Every form this word takes in Biblang, with the Greek it corresponds to and how often the New Testament uses it.
| Job in the sentence case | one singular | more than one plural |
|---|---|---|
| subject nominative | pistias36×πίστις | pistiais |
| object accusative | pistian55×πίστιν | pistiain |
| direct address vocative | pistiar | pistiair |
| of, belonging to genitive | pistiau93×πίστεως | pistiaiu |
| to, for dative | pistia58×πίστει | pistiai |
Tinted cells are forms the New Testament never uses, so there is no Greek to show against them — but they are still correct Biblang, built from the slots below like any other.
Why these forms, and no others — the slots that make them
pistia 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.
242 occurrences, 100 of them printed here — the rest are in the reader
pistias“faith”subjectnominative singular36×, 25 shown
Matthew 9:22… horarantos autan legata; Tharsasōr, thugatrar; tas pistias su sōzatē sin. kai sōzita tas …… Take courage, daughter,” He said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman …
Matthew 15:28… auta; Ō gunaikar, megas su tas pistias; genitar si hōs thelasō. kai iita …“O woman,” Jesus answered, “your faith is great! Let it be done …
Mark 5:34tos de legata auta; Thugatras, tas pistias su sōzatē sin; hupagasōr eis eirēnan, …“Daughter,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you. Go in peace …
Mark 10:52… tos Iēsus legata auto; Hupagasōr, tas pistias su sōzatē sin. kai euthuos anablepata, …“Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” And immediately he …
Luke 7:50legata de pros tan gunaikan; Tas pistias su sōzatē sin; poreuosōr eis eirēnan.And Jesus told the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
Luke 8:25legata de autoi; Pou tas pistias vu? fobirantois de thaumazala, legarōntois pros …“Where is your faith?” He asked. Frightened and amazed, they …
Luke 8:48tos de legata auta; Thugatras, tas pistias su sōzatē sin; poreuosōr eis eirēnan.“Daughter,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”
Luke 17:19kai legata auto; Anastēarantos poreuosōr; tas pistias su sōzatē sin.… to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well!”
Luke 18:42… tos Iēsus legata auto; Anablepasar; tas pistias su sōzatē sin.“Receive your sight!” Jesus replied. “Your faith has healed you.”
Luke 22:32… peri su hina mē eklipateia tas pistias su; kai sis pote epistrefarantos stērizasar …… prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail. And when you …
Acts 3:16… stereoata tem onomem autou, kai tas pistias tas dia autou dōata auto tan …… It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through Him that has …
Romans 1:8… Christou peri pantoiu vu, hoti tas pistias vu katangelotō en holo to kosmo.… for all of you, because your faith is being proclaimed all over the …
Romans 4:5… ton dikaiarōnton ton asebon, logizotō tas pistias autou eis dikaiosunan,… Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.
Romans 4:9… leganō gar; Logizita to Abraam tas pistias eis dikaiosunan.… We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness.
Romans 4:14… tois ek nomou klēronomois, kenotē tas pistias kai katargotē tas epangelias;… live by the law are heirs, faith is useless and the promise is …
Romans 10:17ara tas pistias ek akoau, tas de akoas dia …Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by …
1 Corinthians 2:5hina tas pistias vu mē ateiō en sofia anthrōpoiu …so that your faith would not rest on men’s wisdom …
1 Corinthians 12:9hetero pistias en te aute pneume, alloso charismeim …to another faith by the same Spirit, to another …
1 Corinthians 13:13nuni de menatō pistias, elpidas, agapas; teim treis houteim, megoteras …And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love; but the greatest …
1 Corinthians 15:14… tem kērugmem nu, kenas kai tas pistias vu,… is worthless, and so is your faith.
1 Corinthians 15:17… de Christos ouk egerotē, mataias tas pistias vu, ēti avō en tai hamartai …… Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in …
Galatians 5:6… peritomas tinem ischuatō oute akrobustias, alla pistias dia agapau energorōntas.… has any value. What matters is faith expressing itself through love.
Galatians 5:22… agapas, charas, eirēnas, makrothumias, chrēstotas, agathōsunas, pistias,… love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Ephesians 4:5henos kurios, henas pistias, henem baptismem;one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
1 Thessalonians 1:8… Achaia, alla en panto topo tas pistias vu tas pros ton theon exerchatē, …… to Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone out to …
pistian“faith”objectaccusative singular55×, 25 shown
Matthew 8:10… Amēn legamō vi, para oudeno tosoutan pistian en to Israēl heuriskama.… anyone in Israel with such great faith.
Matthew 9:2… balorēnton. kai horarantos tos Iēsus tan pistian autoiu legata to paralutiko; Tharsasōr, teknem; …… a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Take …
Matthew 9:29… toiu ofthalmoiu autoiu legarōntos; Kata tan pistian vu genitar vi.… eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you.”
Matthew 17:20… amēn gar legamō vi, ean echaveiō pistian hōs kokkon sinapieu, legavi te ore …… I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed …
Matthew 21:21… autoi; Amēn legamō vi, ean echaveiō pistian kai mē diakriniveia, ouk monem tem …… you,” Jesus replied, “if you have faith and do not doubt, not only …
Matthew 23:23… krisian kai tem elesem kai tan pistian; houteim date poiara kakeineim mē afiēkarō.… of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter …
Mark 2:5kai horarantos tos Iēsus tan pistian autoiu legatō to paralutiko; Teknem, afiēkolō …When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son …
Mark 4:40… autoi; Tinem deilois avō? oupō echavō pistian?… asked. “Do you still have no faith?”
Mark 11:22… apokrinirantos tos Iēsus legatō autoi; Echavōr pistian theou;“Have faith in God,” Jesus said to them.
Luke 5:20kai horarantos tan pistian autoiu legata; Anthrōpor, afiēkolē si tais …When Jesus saw their faith, He said, “Friend, your sins are …
Luke 7:9… vi, oude en to Israēl tosoutan pistian heuriskama.… Israel have I found such great faith.”
Luke 17:5… tois apostolois to kurio; Prostithasar ni pistian.… said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”
Luke 17:6legata de tos kurios; Ei echavō pistian hōs kokkon sinapieu, legave an ta …… the Lord answered, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed …
Luke 18:8… tou anthrōpou ercharantos ara heuriskati tan pistian epi tau gēau?… of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?”
Acts 14:9… atenizarantos auto kai horarantos hoti echatō pistian teu sōzira… him and saw that he had faith to be healed.
Acts 17:31… en dikaiosuna en andro ho horizata, pistian parecharantos pantoi anastēarantos auton ek nekroiu.… He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising …
Acts 20:21… Hellēnoi tan eis theon metanoian kai pistian eis ton kurion nu Iēsun.… alike about repentance to God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 1:17… en aute apokaluptotō ek pistiau eis pistian, kathōs grafotē; Tos de dikaios ek …… written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
Romans 3:3… tinois, mē tas apistias autoiu tan pistian tou theou katargati?… their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness?
Romans 14:22“faith”sis pistian han echasō kata siauton echasōr enōpion …… matters between yourself and God …
1 Corinthians 13:2… gnōsian, kai ean echameiō pantan tan pistian hōste oreim metastēarō, agapan de mē …… knowledge, and if I have absolute faith so as to move mountains, but …
Galatians 1:23… diōkarōntos nin pote nun euangelizotō tan pistian han pote porthate,… persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.”
Galatians 3:23Pro teu de erchara tan pistian hupo nomon frourone sunkleiorōntois eis tan …Before this faith came, we were held in custody …
Galatians 3:23… nomon frourone sunkleiorōntois eis tan mellarōntan pistian apokaluptira.… under the law, locked up until faith should be revealed.
Ephesians 1:15… houtem kamis, akouarantos tan kata vin pistian en to kurio Iēso kai tan …… ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your …
pistiau“faith”of, belonging togenitive singular93×, 25 shown
Acts 6:5… plētheu, kai eklegela Stefanon, andron plēros pistiau kai pneumeu hagieu, kai Filippon kai …… chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, as …
Acts 11:24… agathos kai plēros pneumeu hagieu kai pistiau. kai prostithita ochlos hikanos to kurio.… full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people …
Acts 13:8… zētarōntos diastrefara ton anthupaton apo tau pistiau.… to turn the proconsul from the faith.
Acts 14:27… kai hoti anoigata tei ethnei thuran pistiau.… He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.
Acts 24:24… autou peri tau eis Christon Iēsun pistiau.… and listened to him speak about faith in Christ Jesus.
Romans 1:5… labana charitan kai apostolan eis hupakoan pistiau en pantei tei ethnei huper teu …… to the obedience that comes from faith.
Romans 1:12… en vi dia tau en allēloi pistiau vu tē kai mu.… be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.
Romans 1:17… gar theou en aute apokaluptotō ek pistiau eis pistian, kathōs grafotē; Tos de …… righteousness of God that comes by faith from start to finish, just as …
Romans 1:17“faith”… kathōs grafotē; Tos de dikaios ek pistiau zōeti.… finish, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
Romans 3:22dikaiosunas de theou dia pistiau Iēsu Christou, eis pantoin toin pisteuarōntoin, …… this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who …
Romans 3:25hon protitheta tos theos hilastēriem dia pistiau en te autou haime eis endeixian …… atoning sacrifice in His blood through faith, in order to demonstrate His righteousness …
Romans 3:26… auton dikaion kai dikaiarōnton ton ek pistiau Iēsu.… to justify the one who has faith in Jesus.
Romans 3:27… teiu ergeiu? ouchi, alla dia nomou pistiau.… works? No, but on that of faith.
Romans 3:30… tos theos, hos dikaiati peritoman ek pistiau kai akrobustian dia tau pistiau.… who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same …
Romans 3:30… ek pistiau kai akrobustian dia tau pistiau.… and the uncircumcised through that same faith.
Romans 3:31nomon oun katarganō dia tau pistiau? mē genetoia, alla nomon stēanō.… then, nullify the law by this faith? Certainly not! Instead, we uphold the …
Romans 4:11… labata peritomau, sfragidan tau dikaiosunau tau pistiau tau en ta akrobustia, eis tem …… the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So …
Romans 4:12… stoicharōntoi tei ichnei tau en akrobustia pistiau tou patrou nu Abraam.… walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before …
Romans 4:13… auton arō kosmou, alla dia dikaiosunau pistiau;… through the righteousness that comes by faith.
Romans 4:16Dia houtem ek pistiau, hina kata charitan, eis tem arō …Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may rest on …
Romans 4:16… nomou monem alla kai te ek pistiau Abraam hos atō patros pantoiu nu,… to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father …
Romans 5:1Dikaiirantois oun ek pistiau eirēnan echanō pros ton theon dia …… since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through …
Romans 9:30… katalabata dikaiosunan, dikaiosunan de tan ek pistiau;… it, a righteousness that is by faith;
Romans 9:32dia tinem? hoti ouk ek pistiau alla hōs ek ergeiu; proskoptala to …… Because their pursuit was not by faith, but as if it were by …
Romans 10:6tas de ek pistiau dikaiosunas houtōs legatō; Mē legaseia en …But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your …
pistia“faith”to, fordative singular58×, 25 shown
Acts 3:16kai epi ta pistia teu onomeu autou houton hon theōravō …By faith in the name of Jesus, this …
Acts 6:7… tē ochlos toiu hierevoiu hupakouale ta pistia.… of priests became obedient to the faith.
Acts 14:22… psuchain toiu mathētoiu, parakalarōntois emmenarō ta pistia kai hoti dia pollaiu thlipsiaiu datō …… encouraging them to continue in the faith. “We must endure many hardships to …
Acts 15:9… metaxu nu tē kai auteiu, ta pistia katharizarantos tain kardiain auteiu.… for He cleansed their hearts by faith.
Acts 16:5tais men oun ekklēsais stereoole ta pistia kai perisseuale to arithmo kata hēmeran.… the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.
Acts 26:18… hamartaiu kai klēron en toi hagiazorēntoi pistia ta eis min.… an inheritance among those sanctified by faith in Me.’
Romans 3:28logizonō gar dikaiorō pistia anthrōpon chōris ergeiu nomou.… that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law.
Romans 4:19kai mē asthenarantos ta pistia katanoata tem heautou sōmem nekrorēntem, hekatontaetos …Without weakening in his faith, he acknowledged the decrepitness of his …
Romans 4:20… diakrinita ta apistia alla endunamita ta pistia, dōarantos doxan to theo… God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,
Romans 5:2… hou kai tan prosagōgan echanē ta pistia eis tan charitan houtan en ha …… whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we …
Romans 11:20… ta apistia ekklila, sis de ta pistia stēasē. mē hupsēleim fronasōr, alla fobosōr;… of unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be …
Romans 14:1Ton de asthenarōnton ta pistia proslabovōr, mē eis diakrisiain dialogismoiu.Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on …
1 Corinthians 16:13Grēgoravōr, stēkavōr en ta pistia, andrizovōr, krataiovōr.… the alert. Stand firm in the faith. Be men of courage. Be strong.
2 Corinthians 1:24… anō tau charau vu, ta gar pistia stēavē.… your joy, because it is by faith that you stand firm.
2 Corinthians 8:7alla hōsper en pante perisseuavō, pistia kai logo kai gnōsia kai panta …… as you excel in everything — in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete …
2 Corinthians 13:5Heautoin peirazavōr ei avō en ta pistia, heautoin dokimazavōr; ē ouk epignōskavō heautoin …… see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize …
Galatians 2:20… de nun zōamō en sarka, en pistia zōamō ta tou huiou tou theou …… in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who …
Philippians 1:27… hene pneume, hena psucha sunathlarōntois ta pistia teu euangelieu,… contending together as one for the faith of the gospel,
Philippians 3:9… tan ek theou dikaiosunan epi ta pistia,… from God on the basis of faith.
Colossians 1:23ei ge epimenavō ta pistia themeliorēntois kai hedraiois kai mē metakinorōntois …if indeed you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from …
Colossians 2:7… epoikodomorōntois en auto kai bebaiorōntois ta pistia kathōs didaskiva, perisseuarōntois en eucharistia.… up in Him, established in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing …
2 Thessalonians 2:13“belief”… eis sōtērēan en hagiasmo pneumeu kai pistia alētheiau,… by the sanctification of the Spirit and by faith in the truth.
1 Timothy 1:2Timotheo gnēsie tekne en pistia; charitas, elesem, eirēnas apo theou patrou …… Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God …
1 Timothy 1:4… mallon ē oikonomian theou tan en pistia… of God’s work, which is by faith.
1 Timothy 2:7“faith”… legamō, ouk pseudomō didaskalos ethneiu en pistia kai alētheia.… a faithful and true teacher of the Gentiles. I am telling the truth; I am not lying about anything.