ἀντιλοιδορέω (antiloidoreō)
antiloidoreō
to retaliate
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb antiloidoreō describes a specific kind of verbal retaliation: to rail at or revile someone in return. It is not merely a neutral exchange of insults, but an active counter-attack using abusive language. The word combines the prefix anti-, meaning "against" or "in place of," with loidoreō, which means to abuse or reproach. This creates a vivid image of meeting hostility with equal hostility.
In the New Testament, this term appears only once, in 1 Peter 3:9. Here, it serves as a negative example for Christian conduct. Believers are explicitly commanded not to repay evil with evil or reviling with reviling, but instead to bless others. The presence of such a strong word underscores the radical nature of the call to non-retaliation; it is not just about avoiding anger, but refraining from the specific act of striking back with words.
While English translations often use phrases like "return abuse," the Greek captures the intensity of the exchange. It highlights the natural human impulse to defend oneself through attack. By forbidding antiloidoreō, the text points toward a higher ethic where blessing replaces the cycle of verbal violence, breaking the chain of retaliation rather than continuing it.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word antiloidoreō captures a very human instinct: when someone attacks us with harsh words, we often feel compelled to strike back with equal force. It describes meeting abuse with abuse, creating a cycle where hurt turns into more hurt. This kind of verbal retaliation feels like justice in the moment, but it only deepens the wound for everyone involved.
1 Peter 3:9 challenges this natural reaction by calling believers to break the chain. Instead of repaying evil with evil or reviling with reviling, we are invited to bless others. This is not about suppressing anger silently, but about choosing a different path entirely. It requires courage to refuse the counter-attack, especially when we feel wronged.
This call points us toward the example of Christ, who endured suffering without threatening those who harmed Him (1 Peter 2:23). By refusing to retaliate, we open space for grace to work where anger cannot. It is a difficult path, but one that reflects the heart of God and offers hope even in conflict.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- was not reviling back1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἀντελοιδόρει,1×
Key Verses
-
I Peter 2:23
When he was cursed, he didn’t curse back. When he suffered, he didn’t threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously.
This verse provides the concrete example of Christ refusing to curse back when cursed, demonstrating the practical outworking of not engaging in antiloidoreō.