ἀντικρύ (antikru)
antikru
opposite
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adverb antikru describes a position that is directly opposite or facing something else. It conveys a sense of being right across from an object or person, often with a nautical flavor in classical Greek where it might refer to a ship lying off the coast. In the New Testament, this spatial relationship is used literally to describe location.
This word appears only once in Scripture, in Acts 20:15. The text notes that the travelers sailed "opposite" Chios, indicating their course took them directly across from the island. This single usage highlights its function as a precise marker of geographical orientation rather than metaphorical opposition.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word antikru simply means being directly opposite or facing something. It paints a clear picture of two things standing across from one another, with space in between but a direct line of sight connecting them.
In Acts 20:15, Paul uses this term to describe his ship sailing opposite the island of Chios. This detail grounds the story in real geography, showing that the early church’s mission unfolded in actual places with specific locations and routes.
For your faith, this reminds us that God meets us in our concrete circumstances. He is not distant or abstract but present in the everyday moments of travel, work, and journey. We can trust that He sees us clearly, just as the ship faced Chios directly across the water.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- opposite1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἄντικρυς1×
Key Verses
-
Acts 20:15
Sailing from there, we came the following day opposite Chios. The next day we touched at Samos and stayed at Trogyllium, and the day after we came to Miletus.
This verse uses the word to pinpoint the ship's exact location relative to Chios during Paul's journey.