Greek word · G391

ἀναστροφή

anastrophē

behaviour

Literally a 'turning about', from anastrephomai, 'to go about, to conduct oneself'. It means conduct, behaviour, way of life, especially as others see it.

Appears 13 times in 13 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ἀνα-στροφή, -ῆς, ἡ

(ἀναστρέφομαι) [in LXX: Tobit 4:14, 2Ma.5:8 2Mac 6:23 * ;]

1. a turning down or back, a wheeling about (Soph., Thuc., al.).

2. In late writers (Polyb., al.; see: ἀναστρέφω, and cf. Hort on James 3:13; MM, VGT, see word), manner of life, behaviour, conduct: Galatians 1:13, Ephesians 4:22, 1 Timothy 4:12, Hebrews 13:7, James 3:13, 1 Peter 1:15 1:18 2:12 3:1-2 3:16, 2 Peter 2:7 3:11.†

(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 Ephesians 4:22

Range of meaning

Literally a 'turning about', from anastrephomai, 'to go about, to conduct oneself'. It means conduct, behaviour, way of life, especially as others see it.

Against the English

The KJV has 'conversation'. In 1611 that meant 'manner of living' or 'dealings with others', from the Latin conversatio in the Vulgate. Modern readers hear 'talk'. Modern versions say 'way of life' or 'manner of life'.

How it drifted

English 'conversation' narrowed from 'how one lives among others' to 'spoken exchange' over the 17th–19th centuries. Every KJV occurrence of the word for ἀναστροφή has become misleading.

Used elsewhere in the period

LXX Tobit 4:14 ('be disciplined in all your conduct'); 2 Macc 6:23 (Eleazar's excellent conduct from childhood). In the New Testament: Gal 1:13 ('my former way of life in Judaism'), and 1 Pet 1:18, 'the futile way of life (mataias anastrophēs) handed down from your fathers'. That phrase is very close to Eph 4:17 ('the futility of their mind'). Greek honorary inscriptions praise citizens for their good anastrophē (BDAG; Moulton–Milligan).

From the study of 1 Peter 3:2

Range of meaning

Way of life, conduct, behaviour: the whole observable pattern of how someone lives among others. The underlying verb means 'to turn about, move around, conduct oneself'.

Against the English

KJV has 'conversation', which in 1611 meant manner of life (from the Latin conversatio). Today it means talk, the exact opposite of Peter's point. BSB has 'demeanor', which leans toward outward manner or bearing and is narrower than a whole way of life. 'Conduct', 'behaviour' and 'lives' (ESV, WEB, NIV, NLT) are accurate.

How it drifted

The English word 'conversation' moved from 'manner of living, dealings with others' to 'spoken exchange' in the centuries after the KJV. The Vulgate's conversationem lies behind the KJV choice.

Used elsewhere in the period

1 Peter uses it six times (1:15, 18; 2:12; 3:1, 2, 16), about half of all New Testament occurrences. Gal 1:13, Paul's 'former way of life in Judaism'; Tobit 4:14; 2 Macc 6:23, Eleazar's 'excellent conduct from childhood'. Greek civic inscriptions honour people for their good anastrophē.

From the study of James 3:13

Range of meaning

Way of life, conduct, behaviour; literally 'turning about', moving to and fro among people, hence how one lives and conducts oneself. Common in Hellenistic Greek and inscriptions honouring people for their good conduct.

Against the English

BSB/WEB 'conduct'; YLT 'behaviour'; NIV 'life'; KJV 'conversation'. The KJV word was accurate in 1611 but now misleads: modern readers hear 'talk'.

How it drifted

Latin conversatio (Vulgate: ex bona conversatione) meant 'way of life, dealings with others'. Early modern English 'conversation' kept that sense. By the 1700s–1800s the word had narrowed to 'spoken exchange'.

Used elsewhere in the period

Tobit 4:14 LXX ('be disciplined in all your conduct'); 2 Maccabees 6:23 (Eleazar's 'excellent conduct from childhood'); Galatians 1:13; 1 Peter 1:15, 2:12 ('keep your conduct among the Gentiles good', kalē anastrophē, the same pairing as here). Honorary inscriptions praise people for their good anastrophē.

Where it appears

Galatians · 1

  1. Galatians 1:13 ἀναστροφήν way of life

    For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how severely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it.

    Here: How someone lives and behaves in public: their conduct as others saw it. It is not 'conversation' in the modern sense of talking.

Ephesians · 1

  1. Ephesians 4:22 ἀναστροφὴν way of life

    to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;

    Here: How a person goes about life: habits, behaviour, public conduct. It has nothing to do with talking, although the KJV's 'conversation' suggests that to modern ears.

1 Timothy · 1

  1. 1 Timothy 4:12 ἀναστροφῇ, conduct,

    Let no one despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

    Here: Conduct, how one lives day to day. Paired with "speech", it covers word and deed: everything people hear and see.

Hebrews · 1

  1. Hebrews 13:7 ἀναστροφῆς, way of life,

    Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.

    Here: Their whole pattern of living and behaving. This is the word the KJV renders 'conversation' in the older English sense of 'manner of life'.

James · 1

  1. James 3:13 ἀναστροφῆς conduct

    Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good conduct, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

    Here: The whole pattern of how a person lives and carries themselves day to day. This is what the KJV calls 'conversation', which in 1611 meant manner of life, not talk.

1 Peter · 6

  1. 1 Peter 1:15 ἀναστροφῇ [your] conduct

    But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do,

    Here: Your whole manner of life as other people see it day to day. In 1 Peter it is the life that unbelieving neighbours watch (2:12; 3:1–2, 16).

  2. 1 Peter 1:18 ἀναστροφῆς manner of life

    For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life you inherited from your forefathers,

    Here: The whole pattern of how one lives in public and private: habits, customs, religious practice. It echoes the verb in v.17 ('conduct yourselves'): the new conduct is set against the old.

  3. 1 Peter 2:12 ἀναστροφὴν conduct

    Conduct yourselves with such honor among the Gentiles that, though they slander you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.

    Here: Your whole pattern of living: how you act, behave and carry yourself day to day. This is one of Peter's favourite words (1:15, 18; 3:1, 2, 16).

  4. 1 Peter 3:1 ἀναστροφῆς conduct

    Wives, in the same way, submit yourselves to your husbands, so that even if they refuse to believe the word, they will be won over without words by the behavior of their wives

    Here: One's whole pattern of living and behaving. It is a key word in 1 Peter (1:15, 18; 2:12; 3:2, 16). Verse 2 defines it here as 'pure and reverent' conduct that the husbands watch over time.

  5. 1 Peter 3:2 ἀναστροφὴν conduct

    when they see your pure and reverent demeanor.

    Here: Her whole pattern of living: how she runs the house, treats people, carries herself, worships. It repeats the word from 3:1 and is one of 1 Peter's favourite terms. It does not mean speech. The point is that the husband is won 'without a word'.

  6. 1 Peter 3:16 ἀναστροφήν. manner of life.

    keeping a clear conscience, so that those who slander you may be put to shame by your good behavior in Christ.

    Here: One's whole pattern of behavior, how one 'turns about' in daily life. It is a favorite word of 1 Peter (used 6 times), meaning their visible, everyday conduct among unbelieving neighbors.

2 Peter · 2

  1. 2 Peter 2:7 ἀναστροφῆς conduct

    and if He rescued Lot, a righteous man distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless

    Here: How someone carries himself day to day, his whole manner of living. The problem was the settled lifestyle of the town, not single acts. (The KJV's "conversation" meant exactly this in 1611.)

  2. 2 Peter 3:11 ἀναστροφαῖς conduct

    Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to conduct yourselves in holiness and godliness

    Here: 'Ways of life', the whole pattern of how one lives and behaves. It is plural, pointing to the many concrete actions that make up a life. This is the word behind KJV 'conversation'.

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