εὐπερίστατος (euperistatos)
euperistatos
thwarting
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The rare adjective euperistatos describes something that surrounds or besets with ease. Its components suggest a skillful or ready encirclement, painting a picture of obstacles that are not just present, but actively and effortlessly closing in on the person. In biblical usage, it characterizes sins as persistent temptations that lie in wait, ready to trap the unwary.
This word appears only once in the New Testament, in Hebrews 12:1. The author uses it to urge believers to run their race with endurance by laying aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles. The term highlights the insidious nature of these distractions; they are not merely external barriers, but internal habits that surround the soul, making spiritual progress difficult without conscious effort to remove them.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word euperistatos paints a vivid picture of sin not as a distant enemy, but as something that surrounds us with ease. It suggests an effortless encirclement, where obstacles and distractions are already in place, waiting to trap the unwary. This imagery reminds us that spiritual progress often requires conscious effort to remove these internal habits that quietly close in on our souls.
In Hebrews 12:1, this concept is paired with the call to run with perseverance. The author urges believers to lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily entangles. This is an invitation to examine what surrounds us—what feels natural or comfortable—and consider whether it hinders our race. It is a gentle reminder that freedom comes from letting go of what holds us back.
May you find peace in knowing that God sees the battles you face and offers strength to overcome them. Let this truth encourage you to move forward with hope, trusting in His grace to clear the path before you.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- easily entangling1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- εὐπερίστατον1×
Key Verses
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Hebrews 12:1
Therefore let’s also, seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with perseverance the race that is set before us,
This verse uses euperistatos to describe sin as an effortless entanglement, urging believers to actively lay it aside to run their race with perseverance.