στερεόω (stereoō)
stereoō
to strengthen
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb stereō means to make solid, firm, or strong. It comes from a root related to hardness or solidity, suggesting a physical rigidity that extends into spiritual or emotional stability. In the New Testament, it appears only three times, all within the book of Acts, where it describes God’s power to strengthen people.
In Acts 3:16, Peter explains that faith in Jesus’ name strengthened the lame man, while in Acts 3:7, the act of healing is described as making his feet and ankles strong. Later, in Acts 16:5, the churches were strengthened in their faith. This usage highlights a divine action that establishes believers firmly, turning weakness into resilience.
The word’s physical connotation of firmness underscores the tangible nature of God’s strengthening work. It is not merely an internal feeling but an external reality that enables action and endurance. Translators often render it as "strengthened" or "made strong," capturing both the physical and spiritual dimensions of the term.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word stereō describes a firming up, like setting concrete or knitting bone back together. In Acts, it appears when physical weakness meets divine power. Peter heals a lame man, and his feet receive strength. This is not just a feeling of confidence but a tangible change that allows him to walk.
Later, Paul notes that churches grow strong in faith as they increase in number. God’s strengthening work is both personal and communal. It turns fragility into resilience, enabling believers to endure and act. You do not have to rely on your own limited strength.
This promise remains true today. When you feel weak or uncertain, God can make you solid. His power does not just comfort; it equips. He builds you up so you can stand firm in your daily walk, grounded in the faith that saves and sustains.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- were strengthened2×
- has strengthened1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐστερέωσεν1×
- ἐστερεώθησαν1×
- ἐστερεοῦντο1×
Key Verses
-
Acts 3:7
He took him by the right hand and raised him up. Immediately his feet and his ankle bones received strength.
This verse shows the word applied to physical healing, where the man's feet and ankles literally receive strength to stand.
-
Acts 3:16
By faith in his name, his name has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which is through him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
Here the strengthening is attributed directly to faith in Jesus' name, linking spiritual trust with tangible restoration.
-
Acts 16:5
So the assemblies were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.
The term shifts to a communal context, describing how churches become firm in their belief as they grow.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does stereō mean in the New Testament?
How is this different from other words for strength?
Where does this word appear in the Bible?
Every Occurrence (3 verses across 1 books)
Acts 3 verses
He took him by the right hand and raised him up. Immediately his feet and his ankle bones received strength.
Acts 3:16By faith in his name, his name has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which is through him has…
Acts 16:5So the assemblies were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.