ἀστήρικτος (astēriktos)
astēriktos
unstable
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adjective astēriktos describes something that is unstable or unsettled, literally meaning "unpropped." Derived from a negative prefix and a root related to support or prop, it paints a picture of a structure lacking the necessary foundation to remain steady. In the New Testament, this word appears only twice, both in the second letter of Peter.
Peter uses this vivid imagery to critique false teachers who are driven by greed and moral corruption (2 Peter 2:14). He also warns that those who twist Paul’s letters do so from a position of intellectual or spiritual instability (2 Peter 3:16). In both cases, the lack of a "prop" suggests a character or understanding that cannot withstand scrutiny or pressure.
Because the word is rare, its impact relies on this specific context. It does not describe general weakness but a fundamental lack of structural integrity in belief or behavior. Translators typically render it as "unstable," capturing the sense of someone who is easily shaken because they are not anchored in truth.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word astēriktos paints a picture of something lacking support, like a structure without a prop. It describes people who are easily shaken because they are not anchored in truth. In 2 Peter, this imagery warns against those whose beliefs lack structural integrity, making them vulnerable to error and greed.
When we face challenges or confusing teachings, stability comes from being rooted in God’s Word. This rare term reminds us that our faith needs a firm foundation to withstand pressure. It invites us to examine where our trust lies, ensuring we are not swayed by every new idea or temptation.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- unestablished,1×
- unestablished1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἀστήρικτοι1×
- ἀστηρίκτους,1×
Key Verses
-
II Peter 2:14
having eyes full of adultery, and who can’t cease from sin, enticing unsettled souls, having a heart trained in greed, accursed children!
Peter uses this word to describe souls that are easily enticed because they lack the stability provided by truth.
-
II Peter 3:16
as also in all of his letters, speaking in them of these things. In those, there are some things that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unsettled twist, as they also do to the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.
The term highlights how those without spiritual grounding twist difficult scriptures, leading to their own destruction.