βεβαιόω (bebaioō)
bebaioō
to confirm
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 8 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb bebaiōō carries the sense of making something firm or secure, essentially establishing a truth or promise so that it cannot fail. In the New Testament, this action is directed toward both divine realities and human believers. For instance, Romans 15:8 describes Jesus as a minister to the circumcised to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs, while Mark 16:20 notes how the Lord worked with his disciples to establish their message.
Its root lies in the adjective bebaios, meaning "firm" or "unshakable." The word often appears in contexts where stability is needed. Paul uses it to describe God’s role in strengthening believers, as seen in 1 Corinthians 1:8 and 2 Corinthians 1:21. Conversely, in passages like Hebrews 13:9, the passive voice warns against being "firmly established" by strange teachings, highlighting that true stability comes from grace rather than external rules.
This term reflects a legal and relational certainty. It is not merely about belief but about the solid grounding of faith. The sources note its use in Attic Greek for guaranteeing titles, which aligns with its biblical weight: God’s promises are as secure as a legally confirmed deed. This assurance anchors the Christian life against shifting circumstances.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When life feels unstable, this word reminds us that God does not leave our faith to chance. He actively confirms what He has begun in us, acting as a divine guarantor of His promises. Just as a legal deed secures property rights, God secures your standing in Christ, ensuring that His word will not fail even when circumstances shift.
This stability is not something you manufacture through effort but receive by grace. In Mark 16:20, we see the Lord working alongside believers to confirm the message they preached. Similarly, in 1 Corinthians 1:8, Paul assures us that God Himself will keep us firm until the end. Your security rests on His faithful action, not your own perfection.
Be careful not to anchor your heart in strange teachings or external rules, as Hebrews 13:9 warns. True strength comes from grace alone. Let this assurance settle deep within you, providing a calm confidence that no storm can shake. Rest in the knowledge that the One who calls you is faithful to complete what He started.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 8 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- will sustain1×
- was confirmed1×
- to confirm1×
- to be strengthened1×
- it was confirmed1×
- establishing1×
- confirming1×
- being strengthened in1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐβεβαιώθη2×
- βεβαιῶσαι1×
- βεβαιῶν1×
- βεβαιώσει1×
- βεβαιοῦσθαι1×
- βεβαιοῦντος1×
- βεβαιούμενοι1×
Key Verses
-
Romans 15:8
Now I say that Christ has been made a servant of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm the promises given to the fathers,
This verse shows Christ confirming God's ancient promises, proving that His covenant with Israel remains secure and fulfilled.
-
I Corinthians 1:8
who will also confirm you until the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Here the word describes God's ongoing work to keep believers steadfast and blameless until the final judgment.
-
Hebrews 13:9
Don’t be carried away by various and strange teachings, for it is good that the heart be established by grace, not by foods, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited.
The warning here contrasts true stability from grace with the empty security offered by external regulations or strange teachings.