καταφρονητής (kataphronētēs)
kataphronētēs
despiser
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun kataphronētēs means a despiser or one who treats someone with contempt. It describes a person who holds another in low regard, dismissing their worth entirely. This term appears only once in the New Testament, in Acts 13:41.
Its root lies in the verb kataphroneō, which combines the intensifying prefix kata- with phroneō, meaning "to think" or "to have an attitude." The word suggests a deliberate mental stance of disdain rather than mere disagreement. In the Septuagint, it translates Hebrew terms associated with betrayal or scorn, highlighting its serious moral weight.
Paul uses this strong language in Acts to warn against rejecting God’s message. He quotes Habakkuk to describe those who scoff at divine warning. The term captures a heart attitude that refuses to respect spiritual authority, leading to destruction. It stands as a stark description of unbelief and arrogance.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word kataphronētēs describes a person who treats God’s message with open contempt. It is not simply someone who doubts or asks questions. It is a heart posture of deliberate dismissal, where spiritual truth is seen as worthless or foolish. This attitude shuts the door to grace because it refuses to listen before hearing.
When we encounter difficult teachings in Scripture, our instinct might be to shrug them off or label them irrelevant. Paul warns us in Acts 13 that such scoffing leads to peril. Instead of pushing away what challenges us, we can invite the Holy Spirit to soften our hearts. Humility allows us to consider that God may be speaking through words we initially find hard to accept.
This reminder encourages us to approach every passage with reverence. We do not need to have all the answers immediately. What matters is a willingness to let God’s word examine us, rather than us judging it by our own standards. In doing so, we protect our souls from the danger of hardened indifference.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- scoffers,1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- καταφρονηταί,1×
Key Verses
-
Acts 13:41
‘Behold, you scoffers! Wonder and perish, for I work a work in your days, a work which you will in no way believe, if one declares it to you.’”
This verse uses the term to warn that deliberate scoffing at divine warning leads to spiritual peril and disbelief.