ὑποστολή (hupostolē)
hupostolē
shrinking
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun hupostolē describes a shrinking back or retreat, often carrying the nuance of timidity or stealthy withdrawal. Derived from the verb hupostellō, which literally means to draw in or fold up like a tent curtain, the word paints a picture of someone pulling away from a confrontation or duty. In the New Testament, it appears only once, in Hebrews 10:39.
The author uses this term to contrast two spiritual postures. While believers are defined by faith that leads to salvation, those who practice hupostolē are described as shrinking back to destruction. This is not merely a momentary hesitation but a decisive turning away from the truth. The word emphasizes a loss of courage and a retreat from the community of faith.
Translators typically render this as "shrinking back" or "draw back," capturing the physical sense of withdrawal. The term highlights the danger of abandoning one’s commitment under pressure. It serves as a warning that faith requires steadfastness, and retreating from it carries serious spiritual consequences.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word hupostolē describes a shrinking back, like pulling in a tent curtain when a storm approaches. In Hebrews, it marks a decisive retreat from faith under pressure. This is not a momentary doubt but a turning away that leads to destruction.
Yet the verse contrasts this with those who have faith to the saving of the soul. Your journey is not defined by fear, but by trust in God’s promises. Even when pressure mounts, you are called to stand firm, knowing that your faith holds eternal weight.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- of [those] drawing back1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ὑποστολῆς1×
Key Verses
-
Hebrews 10:39
But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the saving of the soul.
This verse uses hupostolē to sharply contrast those who retreat from faith with believers who are saved through steadfast trust.