Greek word · G4733

στερέωμα

stereōma

firmness

Something made firm or solid: a solid body, a foundation, a support, a stronghold. In the Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament) it translates the "firmament" or solid dome of the sky (Gen 1:6–8), and it is used of God as a support (Ps 17:3 LXX / 18:2 Eng.: "the Lord is my stereōma").

Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

στερέωμα, -τος, τό

(στερεόω), [in LXX: Genesis 1:6 ff., Psalms 19:1 150:1, Ezekiel 1:22, Dan LXX, TH Dan.3:56, Daniel 12:3 (רָקִיעַ), Deuteronomy 33:26 (שַׁחַק), Psalms 18:2 71:3 (סֶלַע), Esther 9:29, I Est.8:78 (82), Sirach 43:1, 8, 1Ma.9:14 * ;]

a solid body;

(a) a support, foundation (Arist., al.); metaphorically, strength (Psalms 17:1-15 70:1-5, 1Mac, ll. with); steadfastness, firmness: τ. πίστεως, Colossians 2:5;

(b) the dome of heaven (believed to be a solid canopy), the firmament (LXX).†

(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 Colossians 2:5

Range of meaning

Something made firm or solid: a solid body, a foundation, a support, a stronghold. In the Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament) it translates the "firmament" or solid dome of the sky (Gen 1:6–8), and it is used of God as a support (Ps 17:3 LXX / 18:2 Eng.: "the Lord is my stereōma").

Against the English

KJV and WEB say "stedfastness", ESV "firmness", NASB "stability", BSB "firm faith", NIV "how firm your faith… is". All are accurate. "Steadfastness" stresses endurance over time. The Greek noun is more concrete: something solid, a structure that holds.

Used elsewhere in the period

Its only New Testament occurrence. LXX Gen 1:6 ("firmament"); Ps 17:3 LXX; 1 Macc 9:14, where Judas sees that "the stereōma of the army" (its strongest part) was on the right wing. The Vulgate here has firmamentum, the same word it uses for the sky's dome in Genesis.

Similar words

Where it appears

Colossians · 1

  1. Colossians 2:5 στερέωμα firmness

    For although I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit, and I delight to see your orderly condition and firm faith in Christ.

    Here: Something made solid: a firm foundation or a strong point. The word appears only here in the New Testament. Their faith is a solid structure that does not give way under the pressure of persuasive teachers (2:4, 8).

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