ἀσύνθετος (asunthetos)
asunthetos
untrustworthy
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adjective asunthetos describes someone who is faithless or breaks a covenant. Its meaning comes from its parts: the negative prefix alpha, and sunthetos, which relates to an agreement or compact. This creates a vivid image of a person who has signed a contract but refuses to honor it, rendering them "untrustworthy" in their commitments.
In the New Testament, this word appears only once, in Romans 1:31. Paul uses it to describe the moral decay of those who reject God, listing it among traits like being devoid of natural affection and merciless. The sources note that the Septuagint used a similar concept for Israel’s unfaithfulness to God (Jeremiah 3:7-11), highlighting how this breach of trust is seen as a profound betrayal of relationship.
Translators typically render this as "disobedient" or "without natural affection," though the core idea is treachery. It captures more than simple disobedience; it implies a deliberate breaking of a bond, whether human or divine. The word underscores the seriousness of covenant-breaking in biblical ethics.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word asunthetos paints a stark picture of broken trust. It describes someone who has entered into an agreement but refuses to honor it. In Romans 1:31, Paul lists those who are 'covenant breakers' alongside other serious moral failures. This is not just about making mistakes; it is about a deliberate choice to betray a bond that was meant to be kept.
For your faith, this word serves as a sobering reminder of the value of integrity. God values faithfulness in relationships and commitments. When we keep our promises, even when it is difficult, we reflect His character. This word highlights how destructive broken trust can be to community and personal witness.
Yet, the Bible also offers hope for those who have failed in this area. God’s covenant with us remains steadfast, even when our own faithfulness wavers. We are invited to seek restoration through Christ, who fulfills every promise perfectly. This assurance allows us to approach God with honesty about our failures and confidence in His grace.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- untrustworthy,1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἀσυνθέτους,1×
Key Verses
-
Romans 1:31
without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, unforgiving, unmerciful;
Paul uses this rare term here to identify covenant-breaking as a specific marker of moral decay, linking broken trust directly to the rejection of God.