ὑποβάλλω (hupoballō)
hupoballō
to instigate
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb hupoballō literally means to throw something underneath, but in Scripture it carries a darker, metaphorical weight: to instigate or suborn. It describes the act of secretly prompting someone to commit a wrongful act, particularly by bribing or inducing a person to give false testimony. The image is of placing an idea or incentive under another’s consciousness to manipulate their actions.
This word appears only once in the New Testament, in Acts 6:13, where it describes how opponents brought false witnesses against Stephen. They did not merely accuse him; they secretly instigated these men to lie. The term highlights a calculated, covert effort to corrupt justice by planting false narratives in the minds of others.
Its rarity underscores the seriousness of the offense. Unlike general deception, hupoballō implies a deliberate, behind-the-scenes manipulation that seeks to pervert truth through induced falsehood. It captures the specific evil of suborning witnesses, making it a precise term for legal and moral corruption.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word hupoballō describes a subtle but serious form of manipulation: instigating others to lie or act wrongly, often through bribery or hidden influence. In Acts 6:13, it reveals how Stephen’s opponents secretly planted false accusations against him, turning innocent words into charges of blasphemy. This wasn’t just disagreement—it was calculated corruption, using others as tools to silence truth.
For your faith life, this word reminds us that evil often works in shadows, not just through open hostility but through whispered lies and manipulated testimonies. It calls you to guard your heart against being swayed by hidden agendas or biased voices. When faced with unfairness, remember that God sees what is done in secret and vindicates the righteous, as He did for Stephen.
May you walk in integrity, refusing to participate in such deception, and trust that truth ultimately prevails under God’s watchful care.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- they suborned1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ὑπέβαλον1×
Key Verses
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Acts 6:11
Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.”
This verse shows the word in action as opponents secretly induce men to falsely accuse Stephen, highlighting the covert nature of instigation.