Greek word · G1340

διϊσχυρίζομαι

diischyrizomai

to insist

To assert strongly, insist, maintain firmly. It is built from ἰσχυρός, 'strong,' with διά adding force or persistence. It was used of witnesses and speakers who will not budge from a claim.

Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

δι-ισχυρίζομαι (T, Rec. διϊσ-), depon.;

1. to lean upon.

2. to affirm confidently: with ptcp., Luke 22:59; with accusative and inf. (Bl., § 70, 3), Acts 12:15.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Acts 12:15

Range of meaning

To assert strongly, insist, maintain firmly. It is built from ἰσχυρός, 'strong,' with διά adding force or persistence. It was used of witnesses and speakers who will not budge from a claim.

Against the English

BSB has 'kept insisting' and WEB 'insisted.' KJV has 'constantly affirmed,' where 'constantly' meant 'firmly, steadfastly' in 1611, not 'all the time.' YLT has 'was confidently affirming.'

How it drifted

KJV 'constantly' has shifted from 'with constancy' (steadfastly) to 'continually.' The Greek imperfect tense does picture repeated insisting, so the modern sense is not far off. But the main point of the word is firmness.

Used elsewhere in the period

It appears only twice in the New Testament, both times in Luke's writings and both times about Peter. In Luke 22:59, during Peter's denial, 'another kept insisting' that Peter had been with Jesus. Josephus uses the word for firm assertion in arguments.

Where it appears

Luke · 1

  1. Luke 22:59 διϊσχυρίζετο was strongly affirming [it]

    About an hour later, another man insisted, “Certainly this man was with Him, for he too is a Galilean.”

Acts · 1

  1. Acts 12:15 διϊσχυρίζετο she was insisting

    “You are out of your mind,” they told her. But when she kept insisting it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.”

    Here: A tense for ongoing action (imperfect): 'she kept insisting,' 'she stood her ground.' The word means asserting something forcefully and refusing to back off.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.