Belief - Faith

Belief is the information that God makes known to people to have confidence-in with assured certainty and surety. It is the Greek word pistis that can be translated into English as “belief” or “faith.”

God gives people His belief when He tells people what they should believe. We can rely on what God tells us concerning a specific situation or circumstance. Once God communicates His belief to us, then we are given the opportunity to have the same belief regarding that specific situation or circumstance – by believing (having faith-in, trusting) the contents of what God says, His words to us. We should accept His belief being true to and for ourselves. God’s belief is not dependant upon whether a person believes it or not.

God communicates His belief to people in many different ways, for example:

audibly for people to hear His voice speaking words,
or God writes it down as He did for Moses in stone so people could read what He wrote,
or via one of His angels speaking God's words,
or via the spirit that God gives to His people which communicates the information to their minds,
or via His previously revealed Word passed along from generation to generation by word of mouth or by writing it down, etc.

This article takes a close look at the following Greek words and provides information from the True Bible Study (TBS) translation and studies.

Greek Words	TBS Translation	TBS Explanation
Verb: pisteuo	to believe; to be trusted-with	to have faith, to trust; (passive form of verb with accusative) to be believed-in, to be entrusted
Verb: apisteo	to disbelieve	not to believe, not to have faith/trust in what God gives to believe
Verb: pistoo	to give-to-believe	to give another what to believe, to have faith in, to trust; (passive form of verb) to be believing, faithful, trusting, trustworthy regarding the belief given to be believed
Noun: pistis	belief	the information that God makes known to people to have confidence-in with assured certainty and surety; what God gives to believe, to have faith-in, to trust; the faith/trust relative to God and the things of God [it is not referring to some unknown quality, strong conviction, or force-field effect that someone determines or produces by him/herself for which there is no proof, nor is it 'blind']
Noun: apistia	unbelief	disbelief, lack of belief, faithlessness, being without faith/trust relative to God and the things of God
Adjective: pistos	believable; believer	faithful, trustworthy, trusting relative-to God; one who is faithful, who believes what God says, who has faith-in, has confidence-in, trusts the information that God makes known
Adjective: apistos	unbelieving; unbeliever	faithless, not trusting relative to God, lacking belief; one who is without faith/trust regarding God and the things of God
Noun: oligopistia	little-belief	a small amount of belief, faith/trust in God during a particular situation or circumstance
Adjective: oligopistos	with-little-belief	with a small amount of belief, faith/trust in God during a particular situation or circumstance

I Corinthians 1:9 - adjective: pistos

I Corinthians 1:9:

^.9God (is) believable, by means of Whom you were called into (the) sharing-in-common of His son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

God was and is and will continue to be believable – He is faithful – He is trustworthy! All holy-people (Christians) can rely on the words that God our Father speaks, and we can rely on whatever He does - His actions. There should be no doubting of God's words which He gives to us to believe because He is believable.

God is believable, and it is by means of (through) Him that you holy-people were called (invited, issued an invitation)...

into the sharing-in-common (the participation, communion with one-another of what is common to all Christians - which is partaking)
- of/with God's son,
  - who is Jesus Christ our Lord.

I Corinthians 10:13 - adjective: pistos

I Corinthians 10:13:

^.13A temptation has not taken² you except a manly (temptation) – but God (is) believable Who will not let you to be tempted over that-which you are able but He will make together with the temptation even the way-out-from (it for you) to be able to bear-up.

A temptation (a trial, putting to the test in the bad sense of enticing to do wrong)...

has not in the past and still does not at the present time
- take hold of you
except or unless it was/is a temptation pertaining to mankind.

God, Who is believable (faithful, trustworthy), will not let you (will not permit you who are Christians)...

to be tempted by anyone or anything over (beyond, in excess of, above)
- that-which you are able (capable, have the able-power) to deal with,
but God will make
- in conjunction with whatever temptation may be offered to you at any time (by the devil and/or his cohorts whether devil-spirits or people working for the devil)
the way of going out from that temptation,
- for the purpose that you are able (are capable, have the able-power)
  - to bear-up.

I Thessalonians 5:24 - adjective: pistos

I Thessalonians 5:24:

^.24Believable (is) the (One) calling you, Who also will do.

Faithful, trustworthy is the One – God – Who is calling (inviting) you holy-people, Who additionally will perform everything that He says He will do (perform).

God is believable, He is to be believed, He is faithful, He is trustworthy, He can be relied-upon. God has already accomplished what He said He has accomplished by means of the Lord Jesus Christ, and He continues to do it, and He will do what He says He will do.

Matthew 8:10 - noun: pistis; 8:13 - verb: pisteuo

Matthew 8:5-13:

^.5But (after) his going into Capernaum, a centurion came-towards him encouraging him ^.6and saying, "Lord, my servant was thrown² paralytic in the house being terribly tormented." ^.7And he says to him, "I, having come, will attend-to him." ^.8And the centurion having answered said, "Lord, I am not sufficient in order that you may come-in under my roof but you must only say with a word and my servant will be healed, ^.9for even I am a man under authority having soldiers under myself and I say to this (soldier), 'You must journey,' and he journeys, and to another, 'You must come,' and he comes, and to my slave, 'You must do this,' and he does."
^.10But having heard Jesus marveled and said to the (people) following, "With-certainty I say to you, with not-one-person have I found so-much belief in Israel; ... ."
^.13And Jesus said to the centurion, "You must go, as you believed it must be caused-to-become to you"; and the servant was healed in that hour.

After Jesus offered to go with the centurion so as to treat his servant therapeutically, in verse 8 the centurion responded...

"Lord, I am not sufficient for the purpose and result that you would come into my house under my roof,
but you must only/alone
- say with a word (definitely communicate with a specifically spoken word, with what is necessary to speak in this situation)
and my servant will be healed (he will be caused to recover from his illness).
In truth, even I am a man under authority (I am legally subject or in submission to authoritative-power, under another's authority)
and I have soldiers under myself (I have military men who are legally subject or in submission to me)
and I say to this soldier,
- 'You must journey (pass from here to there),'
- and he journeys (he does what I say),
and to another soldier I say,
- 'You must come (go),'
- and he comes (goes, he does what I say),
and to my slave (bond-servant),
- 'You must do (perform) this,'
- and he does (performs, he does what I say)."

This centurion acknowledged that Jesus was a man under authority (under God's authoritative-power) and that Jesus held people, things, and certain situations under himself - whereby when Jesus said something to a person, thing, or situation then it would have to be done because he spoke under the authority of the One over him.

When Jesus heard the words from the Roman centurion he marveled (he was astonished and looked-on with wonder and amazement) and said to the people following him...

"With-certainty (surely, truly, amen) I say to you,
I did not find so much belief (such an amount of belief, faith, trust relative to God and myself)
- with not one person within Israel…."

The Roman centurion believed regarding the authority that God had given to Jesus, but the Israelites had not believed as much of what they were given to believe by God and by Jesus up-to that point.

Then Jesus said to the centurion...

"You must go,
as you believed (as you have had faith, trusted regarding my authority from God to heal your servant/child)
- it must be caused to come to pass for you."

And his servant/child was caused to recover from his illness immediately.

Matthew 21:21 - noun: pistis; 21:22 - verb: pisteuo

Matthew 21:18-22:

^.18But early having led-back into the city he hungered ^.19and having seen one fig-tree on the way he came on it and found nothing in it except leaves only, and he says to it, “Let fruit no-longer come-into-being out-from you into the age,” and with-that the fig-tree was dried. ^.20And the learning-disciples having seen marveled saying, “How was the fig-tree dried with-that?”
^.21But Jesus having answered said to them, “With-certainty I say to you, if-ever you may have belief and not be throughly-judged, you will not only do the-thing of the fig-tree but also if-ever you may say to this mountain, ‘You must be lifted and be thrown into the sea’ – it will come-to-pass; ^.22and all as-many-things-as ever you may ask in the prayer believing, you will receive.”

When the learning-disciples (students) asked Jesus about what he had done, Jesus answered in verse 21 by saying to them...

“If it should happen at any time that you would have belief (the information that God makes known to have confidence-in with assured certainty and surety)
- and not be judged through-and-through (whereby a decision would be made by God regarding you separating or differentiating you as being away from belief),
you will not only perform what I have done regarding this fig-tree
but in addition, if it should happen that you would say to this mountain,
- ‘You must be lifted (be taken up and carried)
- and be thrown (cast) into the sea’ –
it will come to pass (this event will come into being, it will become a reality);
and all things – what things? – as many things as there are that at any time you would ask
- in the prayer (within or during your communication to/with God)
- while you are believing (having faith, trusting what God says, what He has previously said and what He says to you during your prayer regarding any specific circumstance and situation),
  - you will receive (you will take to yourselves what is given to you from/by God, which will be all these things).”

Matthew 9:28 - verb: pisteuo; 9:29 - noun: pistis

Matthew 9:27-30:

^.27And passing-by from-there two blind-men followed Jesus shouting and saying, "You must be merciful-towards us, son of David." ^.28But having gone into the house the blind-men came-towards him and Jesus says to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They say to him, "Yes, Lord." ^.29Then he touched their eyes saying, "According to your belief it must be caused-to-become to you." ^.30And their eyes were opened....

These two blind men asked for mercy and addressed Jesus as "son of David" thereby letting Jesus know that they believed that he was the son (offspring, descendant) of King David whom God had promised.

Jesus then asked, "Do you believe (have faith, trust) that I have the ability (the able-power, capability) to perform what you said?" They said to him, "Yes, Lord/Master."

Then he touched their eyes saying, "According to your belief (faith, trust) it must come to pass for/with you." And their eyes were opened - they could see with their eyes.

Matthew 8:26 - adjective: oligopistos

Matthew 8:23-26:

^.23And with him having embarked into the ship his learning-disciples followed him. ^.24And look!, a great quake came-to-pass in the sea so-as-for the ship to be covered by the waves, but he used-to lie-down-asleep, ^.25and having come-towards (him) they raised him up saying, "Lord, you must save, we are being destroyed." ^.26And he says to them, "Why are you cowardly, people-with-little-belief?" Then having been raised-up he censured the winds and the sea, and a great calmness came-to-pass.

While Jesus was resting, a great quake happened in the sea with the result that the ship was covered by the waves. Then his students came towards him and woke him up saying...

"Lord (Master),
you must make this situation safe (save us all),
we are being destroyed (utterly lost, ruined)."

And Jesus says to them...

"Why are you cowardly (timid, in awe and fearful regarding these circumstances),
- people-with-little-belief?"

Jesus was expressing the reason as to why they were not thinking accurately regarding God and the things of God during this situation - they were people with little belief, faith or trust towards/in God. They only believed a small portion of God's words to them. Jesus had previously taught them of God's concern for their lives and that He would continue to take care of them (refer to Matthew chapter 6). However, there is no answer by his students recorded here.

Then Jesus censured (reprimanded) the winds and the sea, and a great calmness came to pass.

Matthew 17:17 - noun: apistos; 17:20 - nouns: oligopistia, pistis

Matthew 17:14-20:

^.14And having come towards the crowd a man came-towards him kneeling (before) him ^.15and saying, “Lord, you must be merciful-towards my son because he is being lunatic and he has badly, for often he falls into the fire and often into the water, ^.16and I carried him towards your learning-disciples and they were not caused-to-be-able to attend-to him.”
^.17But Jesus having answered said, “Oh generation unbelieving and having been throughly-turned², until when will I be with you, until when will I hold-myself-up-with you? You must carry him here to me.”
^.18And Jesus censured it and the devil went-out away-from him and the child was attended-to from that hour.
^.19Then the learning-disciples having come-towards Jesus privately said, “Because-of-what were we not caused-to-be-able to throw it out?”
^.20But (Jesus) says to them, “Because-of your little-belief, for with-certainty I say to you if-ever you may have belief as a kernel of mustard you will say to this mountain, ‘You must depart from-here there,’ and it will be caused to depart and nothing will be unable to you.”

In response to the father's opinion of this situation, Jesus answered in verse 17 by saying...

“Oh generation
- unbelieving (faithless, not trusting relative-to God, lacking belief, without faith/trust regarding God and the things of God),
- and completely turned around (twisted 180 degrees from the truth of God's Word - perverse, distorted, it is turned the wrong way),
continuing to what time will I be in company and association with you,
continuing to what time will I hold myself in an upright position, putting up with and enduring and sustaining you?
You must carry him here to me.”

After Jesus’ rhetorical questions, since they did not know the answers - but it may have helped some of the people there to realize that Jesus’ time with them was limited - he told the people to bring the child to him.

Jesus reprimanded the devil (demon, devil-spirit) for the offence it committed and the devil came out away-from the man’s son. The child was taken care of as necessary immediately. In this particular case it was a devil-spirit causing this child to be epileptic and not a physical disorder or disability. Jesus attended appropriately to the child in this situation.

Then, when the students came towards Jesus on their own without all the other people present, they asked him why they didn't have the capability to cast it out? Jesus told them...

“On account of your little-belief (small amount of belief, faith, trust towards/in God during this situation),
for with-certainty (truly, surely, amen) I say to you
if it should ever happen that you would have
- belief (faith, trust, that-which is given to you to believe by God regarding this specific situation)
in comparison to a kernel of mustard (not a piece of a kernel but the whole kernel, even though it may be small relative to other things but it is sufficient to grow and produce into a tree)
- you will say to this mountain,
  - 'You must change your direction moving from being in this place to that place, '
- and it will be caused to move from here to there,
and not one thing will be lacking ability (incapable, without able-power) to/for you.”

In the Book of Mark 9:29 additional information is included about this same event – Jesus also told his students that they would not be able to cause a devil-spirit to go/come out-from someone or someplace except within the sphere of action of prayer. Prayer is communicating-with or speaking-to God regarding things. This information indicates that the students did not pray to God regarding this particular situation and therefore refused the specific belief to be believed and obeyed by them during it.

Jesus on the other hand prayed and obeyed, believing what God told him regarding this specific circumstance, which included first speaking with the child’s father about the father’s lack of belief regarding this situation (refer to Mark 9:21-24). When the father heard what Jesus told him, he replied that he believed regarding Jesus but he needed help for his unbelief regarding this situation. Then Jesus cast the devil-spirit (demon) that was in this child out-from him and the child was attended to appropriately.

Jesus explained this to his students when they asked him afterwards using the comparisons of a kernel of mustard and moving a mountain from one place to another, which would indeed be an extremely large and difficult task for any person to do without God. Jesus used the comparison of the kernel of mustard because of its very small size compared to other seeds, but a kernel of mustard grows and produces a tree; it does everything that it is supposed to do. Jesus used the comparison of moving a mountain because people associated leaders and teachers with removing large difficulties from them.

The way that someone could move a mountain from here to there is by having received the specific information from God, which is what He gives to believe, then believing it and obeying it. It is not a case of just saying words and expecting God to do what you say as though you were giving a command to God forcing Him to do things, nor is it a case of only doing part of what God requires to be done in particular situations!

Matthew 13:58 - noun: apistia

Matthew 13:54-58:

^.54And coming into his fatherland he used-to teach them in their synagogue, so-as-for them to be shocked and to say, “From-where (comes) the wisdom herself and the abilities to this-person? ^.55This-person is the son of the craftsman, isn’t he? - (yes.) His mother is said (as) Mary, and his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas, aren’t they? - (yes.) ^.56And his sisters, they are all with us, aren’t they? - (yes.) Therefore from-where (comes) all these-things to this-person?” ^.57And they used-to-be caused-offense in him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not dishonored except in his fatherland and in (his) house.” ^.58And he did not do there many abilities because-of their unbelief.

The people listening recognized that what Jesus was teaching them was truly wise, and they were struck by it, and they tried to figure out where he got it from. They were offended after they did a 'background check' on him.

Jesus said to them...

“A prophet is not
dishonored (treated without honor, lacking estimation of being valuable, not worthy of price)
- except
  - in his fatherland (his native land)
  - and in his house (among his family, relatives).”

A “prophet” is a person who speaks-forth God's words as directed concerning the past, present and/or future to (before, in front of) a person or people. The people were not honoring Jesus, a prophet speaking forth God’s words to them.

Jesus did not do there many abilities (evidences consisting of able-power, capabilities)...

because of their unbelief.

He only did a few abilities in this area at that time. Why? On account of their unbelief (disbelief, lack of belief, being without faith/trust relative to God and the things of God).

Most of the people did not believe what Jesus was saying and teaching them. They did not believe the truth about God and His kingdom which they heard from Jesus.

Hebrews 11:1 - noun: pistis

Hebrews 11:1:

^11:1But belief is (the) substance of matters being hoped, (the) proof of (matters) not being observed.

Belief (the information that God makes known to people to have confidence-in with assured certainty and surety) is…

the substance (that-which is underlying, the substructure)
- of matters (actions)
  - being hoped (being expected to come to pass, to come into being, to happen at a future time),
the proof (the evidence or test-result that provides validity and certainty)
- of matters
  - not being observed (looked-at and mentally-envisioned by us).

The matters being hoped cannot be presently observed by us because these things have not occurred yet, even though God and the Lord Jesus Christ have revealed a certain amount of information about them to us.

Without God's belief - we could not have the hope that He has promised to us. When our hope comes to pass then we will observe these matters.

Hebrews 11:6 - noun: pistis; verb: pisteuo

Hebrews 11:6:

^.6But without belief (a person is) not-able to well-please; for it is necessary (for) the (person) coming-towards God to believe that He is and He becomes (the) compensation-payer to the (people) seeking Him out.

Without belief (apart-from the information that God makes known to a person to have confidence-in with assured certainty and surety)...

a person is not able (is unable, not capable, does not have the able-power, the ability)
- to well-please (to be agreeable in a good way, acceptable, and gratifying to God).

It is not possible to well-please God without His belief. There is no capability for a person to please God well when that person does not have God’s belief.

How does a person receive God’s belief in order to be able to well-please God? In truth, it is necessary for the person coming (going) towards God to believe that…

He is (God presently and actively is God, He exists in living reality right now while the person is going towards Him)

…and...

He becomes the compensation-payer (God comes to pass to be the One Who gives the wage as the pay-back)
- to the people seeking Him out (to those who are looking to God for His response).

In order for a person to obtain God’s belief regarding a specific situation or circumstance - that person must first come towards God believing (having faith, trusting) that God is and that God becomes the compensation-payer to the people seeking Him out.

Hebrews 12:2 - noun: pistis

Hebrews 12:1 and 2:

^12:1For-therefore also we, having so-much a cloud of witnesses lying-around us, having put-away every projection and the circumstantial sin from-ourselves, by means of patient-endurance let us run the contest lying-before us, ^.2seeing into the author and completer of the belief – Jesus – who, in-the-place-of the joy lying-before him, patiently-endured the cross, having despised shame, and sat-down in (the) right-side of the throne of God.

In verse 2 Paul encourages us to run the contest lying before us seeing into (looking away-from where we are now, from what is happening at this moment, from the ‘starting line’ of the race - and with our attention focused and directed into)…

the author (the source, cause, chief, first one, the beginner, the one who set the rule)
and completer (the one who ultimately arrived at the state of completeness which God intends, the one who reached God's intended fulfilling ending-issue, which is not the ending of a departed state but its completion, the perfecter)
- of the belief (pertaining to the information that God made known to him to have confidence-in with assured certainty and surety; what God gave to him to believe, to have faith-in, to trust)

… – Jesus (Jesus is the author and completer of the belief regarding God's promise of the Christ; refer to Hebrews 11:39 and 40) – …

who,
- in the place of (in exchange for, instead of)
- the joy lying before him (the rejoicing that is now lying ahead of him, the joy that is laid or set in position in front of him at the present time),
patiently endured the cross (during a past time he held-out, bore-up, stayed or remained upright relative to God and the things of God while he was under all that was involved regarding the complete sacrifice of himself on the cross),
- after he despised shame (Jesus was treated shamefully by others, he was the object of shame - but he did not behave himself shamefully no matter what was going on around him, instead, he despised it),
and then he sat-down in the right-side (he sat within the sphere of action of and is continuing at the right-hand side, which gives him the authority, power, honor, blessing, grace, approval, and excellence, being an extension of the power, etc, of the One Whose side he is at)
- of the throne (the high seat designated for a king and so it would include all the regal authority associated with that position)
  - of God.

God made the Lord Jesus Christ to sit-down at His right-hand side, on His throne, which was the ‘prize’ or compensation payment promised to him by God that he would receive when he would reach the ‘finish line’ of the race set by God for him to reach.

Revelation 1:5 - adjective: pistos

Revelation 1:5:

^.5and from Jesus Christ the witness, the believer, the firstborn of dead-people, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

In verse 5 John's greeting includes:

...and from...

Jesus Christ who is
- the witness (the one who bears witness, attests to the information and knowledge that he has regarding a certain-thing, and he can therefore confirm it by giving information bringing it to light on the strength of the authority that he has),
- the believer (the one who is faithful, who believes what God says, who has faith-in, has confidence-in, trusts the information that God makes known),
- the firstborn of dead-people (he is the first and only human-being at this point in time whom God has made-alive by giving him his spiritual body),
- and the ruler of the kings of the earth (the one being chief, who is in a dignified hierarchical or first-placed position relative-to those who reign as kings ruling certain portions of the earth/land).

Romans 10:8 - noun: pistis; 10:9 and 10 - verb: pisteuo

Romans 10:8-10:

^.8...This is the spoken-matter of the belief which we herald-forth ^.9that if-ever you may express-agreement in your mouth (regarding the) Lord Jesus Christ and you may believe in your heart that God raised him up out-from dead-people you will be saved; ^.10for in (the) heart it is believed into righteousness and in (the) mouth agreement-is-expressed into salvation.

In verse 9, Paul writes exactly what God's spoken-matter of the belief is to/for people today which is during the new covenant time – from which God’s righteousness originates for the people believing it:

This is the spoken-matter of the belief (the specific discourse that is the belief, the faith, the information that God makes known to people to have confidence-in with assured certainty and surety; what God gives to believe, to have faith-in, to trust),
- which we proclaim
that:
if it should happen at any time that
- you (singular, individual) would express agreement in your mouth (speak agreement with, assent to the same spoken words, the open expression of your complete accord)
  - regarding/with the Lord Jesus Christ (that he is your Master and he is the Anointed-one)
and
- you would believe in your heart (you have faith, trust within the center/core of your being)
  - that God raised him up out from among those who still remain dead (Jesus is not dead anymore – he is alive because God raised him up giving him life; refer to Romans 1:4)
you will be saved (caused to be in safety, made-safe to God from sins and their consequences, from destruction);

…in truth…

in the heart it is believed (a person believes what God says as being true to/for himself within the center/core of his being – this is the first part)
- into righteousness (with a view to and regarding God’s righteousness)
and
in the mouth agreement is expressed (a person declares his agreement with what God says as being true to/for himself within the words he speaks – this is the second/last part)
- into salvation (with a view to and regarding God’s salvation).

Romans 10:14 and 16 - verb: pisteuo; 10:17 - noun: pistis

Romans 10:14-17:

^.14Therefore how may they call-upon-to-themselves into whom they did not believe, and how may they believe whom they did not hear, and how may they cause-themselves-to-hear without (a person) heralding-forth, ^.15and how may they herald-forth except they were apostled? According as it was written², "As the feet of the (people) good-messaging the good-things (are) beautifully-timed." ^.16But not all-people obeyed the good-message, for Isaiah says, "Lord, who believed the thing-heard of us?"
^.17Consequently the belief (is) from (the) thing-heard, and the thing-heard (is) by means of (the) spoken-matter of Christ.

Paul continues:

how would they call-upon (invite) to themselves
- regarding whom they did not believe (did not have faith-in, trust that Jesus is the Lord and the Christ)?
  - the unwritten answer is: it is not possible – because it is necessary to believe regarding the one whom they would call upon to themselves,
and how would they believe (have faith in, trust)
- of/from whom they did not hear?
  - the unwritten answer is: it is not possible – because it is necessary to hear what is spoken by the one whom they would believe,
and how would they cause themselves to hear (listen)
- without a person heralding forth (proclaiming the belief)?
  - the unwritten answer is: it is not possible – because it is necessary for someone to herald the information in order to give people the opportunity to hear it,
and how would they herald-forth (proclaim the belief)
- except they were apostled (unless they were sent forth/away on this specific assignment or mission)?
  - the unwritten answer is: it is not possible – because it is necessary to be apostled in order to herald forth the message pertaining to that specific apostleship.

At the present time it is in comparison to the way that it was previously written by the Prophet Isaiah (refer to Isaiah 52:7) and this truth has not changed…

"As the feet of the people good-messaging the good-things (preaching the gospel concerning good things)
- are beautifully-timed (beautiful as fruit that is ripened at the proper season, which is the limited period of time when it is most beautiful)."

Also at the present time, however, contrary to everyone believing and doing what God says – all the people have not obeyed the good-message. They have not all listened attentively to the gospel that has been made known to them and their action in response to what they heard was not to carry it out – they have been disobedient. This is according as Isaiah says and it is written in Isaiah 53:1…

"Lord (referring to the only true God in His covenant-relationship to that-which He created),
- who believed the thing-heard of us (who has had faith in the hearing, the report proceeding from us, who trusted the information that we who are apostled speak to the people, who believed what we have published to be heard by them)?"

In correspondence to what is written in the previous verses above…

the belief (the faith, the information that God makes known to have confidence-in with assured certainty and surety, as detailed in Romans 10:9)
- is from the thing-heard (the belief originates out from the hearing, the report heard, that-which was spoken in order to be heard by the people – it has to be communicated to the people so that they can then have the opportunity to believe it for themselves),
and the thing-heard
- is by means of the spoken-matter of Christ (what is heard is by-way-of or through the saying pertaining to the Anointed-one whom God promised in Genesis 3:15 and who has now accomplished redemption and made salvation available to people).

Without this spoken matter pertaining to Christ there would be nothing to herald forth so as to allow people to hear it and believe it, thereby allowing God to save them and make them righteous by means of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 1:13 - verb: pisteuo

Ephesians 1:13 and 14:

^.13in whom also you – having heard the word of the truth, the good-message of your salvation, in which also having believed – were sealed with the spirit of the promise, the holy (spirit) ^.14which is (the) deposit of our inheritance into full-redemption of the acquisition into praise of His glory.

Paul writes that it is within the sphere of action of Christ also that you...

having already heard the word of the truth (the spoken-account of the inner thoughts of God which are the truth),
- which is the good-message of your salvation (the gospel or evangel relative-to your being made safe),
in which also
- having already believed (you had faith in, trusted in the gospel)

...were sealed with the spirit of the promise (holy spirit).

You were sealed with/by/in the spirit of the promise when you believed the good-message that you heard.

I Thessalonians 2:13 - verb: pisteuo

I Thessalonians 2:13:

^.13and because-of-this we also thank God unceasingly because having received (the) word of hearing of God from us you accepted not (the) word of men but according as it truly is: (the) word of God, which also is caused-to-in-work in you, the (people) believing;

The word of God (the spoken account proceeding from God)...

is caused to in-work (to work within, to produce effects by being in work, is energized by God)
- in you (within you, in your holy spirit-life),
- who are the people believing (having faith in what God says, trusting God's Word).

Hebrews 4:2 - noun: pistis

Hebrews 4:2:

^.2for also we are having been good-messaged² fully-as those-people-also, but the word of hearing did not profit those-people (who were) not being mixed-together² with the belief to the (people) having heard;

We holy-people have been good-messaged fully as also those unbelieving people, but emphatically the difference between the two groups of people is that...

the word of hearing (the spoken-account of the thing-heard, the word that was spoken to be heard, God’s spoken and heard report)
did not profit (benefit, advantage) those people
- who were not being mixed together (not caused to be intermingled, blended)
  - with
  - the belief to the people having heard (the faith that God spoke and was heard by all of them).

God gave all of them the information to believe (to have faith in, to trust) - but only some of the people believed what they heard from God and received the benefit.

II Timothy 3:14 - verb: pistoo; 3:15 - noun: pistis

II Timothy 3:14 and 15:

^.14But you must remain in which-things you learned and were given-to-believe having known² from whom you learned (them), ^.15even because from a baby you knew² sacred writings, the (writings) being able to make you wise into salvation by means of belief, the (belief) in Christ Jesus

Paul writes to Timothy: emphatically you must remain in which things...

you learned (stay, continue within the sphere of action of the things which you learned intellectually as a student)
and were given to believe (to have faith in, to trust, you were firmly persuaded by others and so you are believing, faithful, trusting, trustworthy regarding these things)

...having known (perceiving) from whom you learned these things…

with emphasis - because since you were a baby you knew and continue to know
sacred writings (scriptures that are consecrated and devoted to the only true God),
- emphatically and specifically the writings being able to make you wise (being capable, having the able-power to cause you to be skillful, expert in your application of personal knowledge)
- into salvation (with a view to and regarding the standing and state of being made-safe to God)
- by means of belief (through faith, what is given to trust),
  - emphatically and specifically
  - the belief in Christ Jesus (the faith/trust within the sphere of action, character and attributes of the resurrected Christ Jesus).

What are the sacred writings? The sacred writings are the writings that are able to make you wise into salvation by means of belief, the belief in Christ Jesus. Any other writings which are not able to do this are not sacred. The writings written during the old covenant times and the new covenant times - which are able to make you wise into salvation by means of belief, the belief in Christ Jesus - are the sacred writings.

Ephesians 2:8 - noun: pistis

Ephesians 2:8 and 9:

^.8for with grace you are having been saved² by means of belief, and this (free-gift is) not out-from you (but) the free-gift (is out-from) God, ^.9not out-from works in order that someone may not boast –

Paul writes that you holy-people (Christians) have been saved and you are still saved...

with/by grace (bestowed unmerited or undeserved favor)
by means of belief (through faith, trust of what God says regarding Himself and the Lord Jesus Christ),

...and this free-gift is not out-from you (it did not originate from you yourselves - you did not cause yourselves to be saved)...

but the gift definitely originated from the only true God Himself.

God is the One Who caused you to become who you are now in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 3:26 - noun: pistis

Galatians 3:26:

^.26for you are all sons of God by means of belief of Christ Jesus,

Paul writes that you holy-people (both of the Judean/Israeli background and of the Gentile/other-nation background) are all God's sons by means of belief of Christ Jesus.

Christ believed all that God gave him to believe (refer to Hebrews 12:2) and thus he accomplished what God asked him to accomplish.

Since the day of Pentecost God has made known to mankind the belief that we must believe in order to become God's children receiving the gift of holy spirit thereby becoming righteous (refer to Romans 10:8-10).

All holy-people have the same sonship as the Lord Jesus Christ because we have received the spirit of Christ in us – Christ who is God's promised seed.

Acts 10:43 - verb: pisteuo

Acts 10:40-43:

^.40God raised this (Jesus) up the third day and He gave him to become manifest ^.41not to all the people but to witnesses, the (witnesses) having been chosen-by-hand-beforehand by God, to us, the-people-who ate-together with and drank-together with him after his being resurrected out-from dead-people, ^.42and he charged to us to herald-forth to the people and to throughly-witness that this (Jesus) is the (one) having been marked-out-definitely² by God (as being the) judge of (people) living and dead-people; .⁴³to this (Jesus) all the prophets witness (that) by means of his name every-person believing into him (is) to receive dismissal of sins."

In this record Peter is speaking to Cornelius and all the other Gentiles gathered with him in his house. Let us join Peter in verse 43:

"…to this Jesus all the prophets witness (those who have spoken for God to people bear witness regarding this Jesus) that…

by means of his name (through all the power and authority included within the name that God gave to Jesus)
every person believing into him (having faith-in, trusting regarding him whereby he is the object of that person's belief)
- is to receive dismissal of sins."

Ephesians 4:5 - noun: pistis

Ephesians 4:4-6:

^.4(for there is) one body and one spirit, according as also you were called in one hope of your calling, ^.5one Lord, one belief, one baptism, ^.6one God and Father of all (holy-people), the (One being) upon all and through all and in all;

The truth is that there is:

1. one body (the one spiritual body of Christ of which all holy-people are limbs/members) and

2. one spirit (the one holy spirit-life which is the spirit of Christ in all holy-people)…

…according as also you holy-people were called (invited) in or within…

3. one hope of your calling (one expectation of a still-future event which has been promised to you by God and you believe it, and this hope pertains-to your calling, the invitation issued to you and which you accepted),

4. one Lord (one Master who is the resurrected Christ Jesus),

5. one belief (one belief which God has given us to believe, have faith in, trust regarding Himself and His son, the Lord Jesus Christ; refer to Romans 10:8-10),

6. one baptism (only one baptism because we all have been immersed, surrounded in/within holy spirit and we remain that way, we have been washed clean permanently in holy spirit-life),

7. one God and Father of all holy-people (one God Who is also the Father of all holy-people because we have the spirit of Christ in us, and God is the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ also) – and God is the One Who is being...:

a. upon all (God is the One Who is always being on, upon, over all holy-people and therefore in the presence of all holy-people, and He is upon the Lord Jesus Christ also),

b. and through all (God is the One Who is always being through all holy-people because He is the One by means of Whom we are who we are spiritually, and He is through the Lord Jesus Christ also),

c. and in all (God is the One Who is always being within all holy-people because we have His spirit within us, and He is in the Lord Jesus Christ also).

Titus 1:4 - noun: pistis

Titus 1:4:

^.4to Titus a genuine child according to (the) common belief; grace and peace from God (the) Father and Christ Jesus our savior.

Paul addresses this letter to Titus who was...

a genuine child
- in accordance with the common belief (the faith that is common to us, the trust that you and I and all the selected-people share in common; refer to Romans 10:8-10).

Romans 1:16 - verb: pisteuo; 1:17 - noun: pistis

Romans 1:16 and 17:

^.16for I am not ashamed-of the good-message, for it is (the) ability of God into salvation to every-person believing, both to (the) Judean firstly and to (the) Greek, ^.17for (the) righteousness of God in it is revealed from belief into belief, according as it was written², "But the righteous-person from belief will live."

Paul writes that he does not feel shame at/regarding the good-message (the gospel, evangel) concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, for it is the ability of God (His able-power, capability)…

into salvation
to every-person believing (all/every one of the people who has faith, who is trusting the good message),
- both to the Judean firstly (a person who is of the Judean/Israeli background - Judeans got the opportunity to receive God's gift of holy spirit at the very beginning on the day of Pentecost in the temple in Jerusalem; refer to Acts chapter 2)
- and to the Greek (a person who is of the Gentile background; refer to Acts chapter 10)….

Whatever type of background (including language, country, race, skin-color, ‘religion’, etc) a person may have had before he/she believes the good-message does not matter. All that is required is that a person believes what God has given mankind to believe regarding Himself and His son, the Lord Jesus Christ - as written in Romans 10:8-10 - and then he/she is saved; he/she receives the gift of holy spirit becoming righteous before God.

Paul goes on to explain further regarding the first-part of his reason for not being ashamed of the good-message:

God's righteousness (justness, justice, the attributes of justification)
which is included and detailed within the good-message
- is revealed (uncovered, as removing a veil and exposing what was previously hidden from view)
  - from belief (originating from the information that God makes known to people to have confidence-in with assured certainty and surety; what God gives to believe, to have faith-in, to trust - which is concerning His son, the Lord Jesus Christ)
  - into belief (on the part of the hearers or readers of God’s words),
this is according as it was written and is still written (in the old covenant in the Book of Habakkuk 2:4, also referenced in Galatians 3:11 and Hebrews 10:38),
- "But the righteous-person from belief will live."

God reveals Himself, His thinking, etc, in His words and actions. Paul references this scripture showing his readers that this information was not kept a secret but that it was there to be read and heard by people. It had previously been revealed by God.

The righteous man's belief is God's belief because he believes what God says, and thus the fullness of the righteous man's life includes his future resurrection-life when he will be raised from the dead and will be given a new spiritual body.

Philippians 3:9 - nouns: pistis

Philippians 3:9:

^.9and I may be found in him, not having my righteousness, the (righteousness) from law, but the (righteousness) by means of belief of Christ, the righteousness out-from God on the belief,

Instead of looking at his own past and various accomplishments, Paul focused on Christ so that...

I would be found within Christ's sphere of action
not having my righteousness (emphatically mine, the justness/justice which belongs to me and nobody else because of my flesh accomplishing it for me),
- that is, the righteousness originating from doing all the law of Moses –
but on the contrary,
having the righteousness
- by means of belief of Christ (the justness/justice through belief, faith or trust pertaining to the resurrected Christ).

The righteousness that is by means of belief of Christ is the righteousness originating and issuing from God. It is bestowed by Him resting or based upon the belief of Christ.

Ephesians 1:1 - adjective: pistos

Ephesians 1:1:

^1:1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by means of (the) intention of God – to the (people) being holy and believing in Christ Jesus;

Paul addressed this letter to the people who are...

being holy (sanctified)
and
believing (faithful, trusting relative-to God - believers)
- in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 6:10 - noun: pistis

Galatians 6:10:

^.10therefore consequently as we have time let us work the good-thing towards all-people but especially towards the household-people of the belief.

When holy-people get the occasion to do so - we ought...

to work the good-thing (expend our energy in/for God's goodness)
- towards/with all people –
  - but most of all
  - towards/with the household-people of the belief.

The household-people of the belief refers to all holy-people who are presently, and will continue to be, members of the household pertaining to the belief, which is what God has given to believe regarding Himself and His son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

We belong to God's household because we are His family, dwelling within his house (building, dwelling) because we have already believed His belief and we have received holy spirit-life (the gift of holy spirit).

I Corinthians 12:9 - noun: pistis

I Corinthians 12:7-11:

^.7But the manifestation of the spirit is given to each-person towards the contributing, ^.8for indeed, for which (contribution) a word of wisdom is given by means of the spirit, but for another (contribution) a word of knowledge according to the same spirit, ^.9but for a different (contribution) belief in the same spirit, but for another (contribution) gracious-gifts of healings in the spirit, ^.10but for another (contribution) in-workings of ability, for another (contribution) prophecy, for another (contribution) through-judgments of spirits, for a different (contribution) genera of tongues, but for another (contribution) interpretation of tongues – ^.11but the one and the same spirit in-works all these, diverging to each-person according as it deliberately-determines,

The manifestation of the spirit is presented freely to each individual among the many holy-people and then it is available for use by each recipient.

In verse 9 Paul writes:

for a different spiritual contribution:
- belief
- in (resting and continuing within the sphere of action of)
  - the same spirit.

Belief is God's information that is made known to a person to have confidence-in with assured certainty and surety. It is God's belief, what He gives to trust, to have faith-in concerning a specific situation or circumstance. The gift of holy spirit communicates this belief to the holy-person.

Galatians 5:22 - noun: pistis

Galatians 5:22 and 23:

^.22But the fruit of the spirit is: love¹, joy, peace, patience, benevolence, goodness, belief, ^.23meekness, self-control – against the things-of-this-kind there is not law,

The fruit (the produce, that-which is produced) proceeding from the spirit – the holy spirit-life that is within you – the spirit’s fruit is:

love (God's kind of love),
joy (rejoicing, the state of elation or enjoyment because of having received something good ultimately from God),
peace (tranquil harmony, tranquility, peaceful wholeness, without any strife or disagreement),
patience (long-suffering, long-forbearance towards or with others, long-temperedness),
benevolence (kindness, supplying what is appropriately needed for use in specific situations),
goodness (the quality of that-which issues from God),
belief (the information that God makes known to have confidence-in with assured certainty and surety),
meekness (tender-receptiveness or receptivity towards God and the things of God),
self-control (being strong within itself, mastery or dominion over itself, exerting inner force, effecting power and exercising strength in itself)…

…there is not law (not even one law) against the things of this sort, such fruit.

It is up to the freedom of will of every holy-person to partake of this fruit of the spirit, like picking an apple which is fruit from an apple-tree and eating it thus partaking-of and receiving its nourishment and enjoying the fruit of that tree.

When we partake of the fruit of the spirit we receive the full effects of that fruit and we live our everyday lives utilizing the effects of that fruit.

II Corinthians 5:7 - noun: pistis

II Corinthians 5:6-8:

^.6Therefore (we are) always being courageous and having known² that (while we are) residing-in in the body we reside-out away-from the Lord ^.7for by means of belief we walk, not by means of a seen-thing, ^.8but we are courageous and we consider-it-good rather to reside-out from the body and to reside-in with the Lord;

The Lord Jesus Christ has already received his spiritual body. However, Christ has not yet gathered all holy-people together with him, which will be the time of our reception of spiritual bodies.

In verse 7 Paul writes that it is by means of belief we walk...

not by means of (through)
- a seen-thing (that-which is seen, perceived and known-of in the flesh category).

The only way that we (holy-people, Christians) can walk correctly from God's and the Lord Jesus Christ's point of view - is through belief (faith/trust of what God gives us to believe). This is how we should behave ourselves now - and in the future we will receive all that we hope according to God's promise.

Ephesians 6:16 - noun: pistis

Ephesians 6:14-18:

^.14therefore you must stand having girded your loin around in truth, and having clothed-yourselves-with the breastplate of the righteousness, ^.15and having bound-under (your) feet in (the) preparation of the good-message of the peace,
^.16in all-things having taken-up the shield of the belief in which you will be able to quench all the missiles of the evil-one having been set-on-fire², ^.17and you must accept the helmet of the salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is (the) spoken-matter of God, ^.18by means of all prayer and supplication praying in every time in spirit;

In verse 16 Paul details one of the two defensive weapons or parts of the full-armor of God…

in all-things (everything, all the different situations and circumstances which you are in as you live your lives awaiting Christ's coming to gather all holy-people together with him)
having taken-up (received/taken up for your use)
- the shield (which is used to stop penetration from the outside into the inside)
  - consisting of the belief (the faith, trust, that-which God gives you to believe)
in which you will be able (you will have the able-power, ability, capability)
- to quench (extinguish, like putting-out a light or a fire)
- all the missiles of the evil-one (the thrown weapons as darts, arrows, javelins, etc, belonging-to and issuing-from the one who is evil, active with malignancy, i.e. the devil/satan)
  - and these missiles have already been ignited and are still burning (inflamed and glowing with heat as a furnace, fired-up by the evil-one as they approach you in the attempts to penetrate your defenses and injure you).

The spiritual shield is the belief. The belief is that-which God has already given us to believe and those things which He and the Lord Jesus Christ continue to give us to believe in each and every situation or circumstance in which we may be. This is what will quench all the missiles of the evil-one which will already be burning as they approach us (the devil is not "passive" but he is "active" in his evilness).

Romans 12:3 - noun: pistis

Romans 12:3:

^.3For I say by means of the grace, the (grace) having been given to me, to every-person being among you, not to super-think against that-which it is necessary to think but to think with-a-view to soundly-think as God distributed a measure of belief to each-person;

Paul writes to every individual who is among you (holy-people, Christians)…

not to super-think (to have thoughts over and above what you ought to think, to be high-minded, to have thoughts of superiority in your mind)
- against (aside from, contrary to, to the exclusion of)
  - that-which it is necessary to think (what ought to be thought in your mind)
but to think for the purpose of soundly thinking (having thoughts in your mind that are safe in God’s viewpoint, with prudence, having thoughts in alignment with your salvation)
- as God distributed (divided into parts, imparted or apportioned)
  - a measure of belief (the standard which is belief)
  - to each-person.

Paul tells us exactly what this measure is which is given to each person – it is belief (faith, the information that God makes known to each holy-person to have confidence-in with assured certainty and surety).

Each recipient is responsible to behave correctly in light of the measure of belief communicated to him/her, whether any other holy-person receives the same or similar information or not, and whether or not they carry it out.

When any holy-person is given an assignment to do, or is given added information revealed to him/her by God or by the Lord Jesus Christ via their holy spirit-life, or whatever way God wishes to communicate His will regarding specific situations, then that person is to believe what God says and obey Him. Each holy-person is to think-soundly as God distributed a measure of belief to him/her.

II Timothy 2:2 - adjective: pistos

II Timothy 2:2:

^.2and the-things-which you heard from me by means of many witnesses these-things you must put-beside believing men, the-people-who will be sufficient also to teach different-people.

Paul writes to Timothy:

the things which you heard from me by means of many witnesses (you heard the words I spoke through a lot of people who have information, knowledge of what they are attesting to) –
these things you must put beside (place alongside, pass them on to)
- believing men (believers, those who are faithful, trusting relative-to God and the things of God),
- the men/women who will be sufficient also to teach different people (instruct other people).

We should notice that Paul told Timothy to put the details of what Paul said beside believers. Then after Timothy puts these things beside believers they will be sufficient to teach different people, i.e. people who don’t have or know it yet.

The good-message regarding the Lord Jesus Christ is to be taught to all people: to believers so that they can learn more and also to unbelievers so that they can choose if they want to believe and become believers.

Titus 1:9 - adjective: pistos

Titus 1:9:

^.9holding-fast-to the believable word according to the teaching in order that he may be able also to encourage in the teaching, the (teaching) being sound, and to refute the (people) contradicting (it).

In this record Paul writes:

holding fast (firmly)
- to the believable word (the faithful word, the spoken account of God’s inner thoughts are trustworthy)
  - in accordance with the teaching (instruction)
for the purpose and result that he would be able (capable, have able-power, ability, be dynamic) also
- to encourage in the teaching (to exhort others within the sphere of action of the instruction),
  - emphatically and specifically the teaching being sound (this word "sound" refers to being healthy, in good health, well),
- and to refute the people contradicting it (to prove them to be wrong, to convict and convince those who are saying things against it of their error).

I Thessalonians 1:3 - noun: pistis

I Thessalonians 1:2 and 3:

^.2We thank God always concerning all of you making remembrance to-ourselves on our prayers ^.3unceasingly remembering your work of the belief, and labor of the love¹, and patient-endurance of the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ, in-front-of our God and Father,

Paul writes to the Thessalonian holy-people that one of the things that he was remembering during times of prayer was...

your work
- of the belief.

This work was carried-out by them by believing what God and/or the Lord Jesus Christ had given direction or instruction about...

either via the already revealed and written Word of God which they had access to in the scrolls/writings of the old covenant (sometimes referred to as the old testament),
or via the Word of God which Paul and those with him had taught them,
or via their holy spirit-life regarding specific situations or circumstances.

I John 5:13 - verb: pisteuo

I John 5:13:

^.13I wrote these-things to you, the (people) believing into the name of the son of God, in order that you may have known² that you have eternal life.

John says that he wrote the things to you…

the people believing into the name of the son of God (you are the believers whereby the name of the son of God is the object of your believing - you have faith, you trust directed-to and regarding the authority and power of God’s son Jesus Christ),

…for the purpose and result that you would have known and continue to know (perceive, see to the end of perceiving and knowing with your minds) that…

you have eternal life (you have the spirit of Christ within you now, the hope of glory).

Jude 1:20 - noun: pistis

Jude 1:20 and 21:

^.20But you, loved-people¹, building yourselves on your holiest belief, praying in holy spirit, ^.21must keep yourselves in (the) love¹ of God waiting-for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ into eternal life;

Jude writes: emphatically you…

building yourselves (edifying yourselves in the walk/behavior category, as a house is built upon its foundation whereby the rest of the building stands on top of its foundation and is supported by it)
- resting or based upon
  - your holiest belief (this belief is regarding the Lord Jesus Christ who is the foundation, and it is holy to the superlative degree, the most holy belief),
praying in holy spirit (communicating to/with God within the sphere of action of the holy spirit-life within you, the spirit of Christ in you),

…must keep yourselves (keep an eye on yourselves, be observant of one-another)…

in the love of God (within the cause and sphere of action of God’s love)
- waiting for (willingly being ready to accept)
  - the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ (the active-relief which he will bestow towards all holy-people at the time of his coming to gather us all together with him in the air)
  - into eternal life.

I Thessalonians 2:4 - verb: pisteuo

I Thessalonians 2:3 and 4:

^.3for our encouragement (was) not from a wandering, nor from uncleanness, nor in deceit, ^.4but according as we were approved² by God to be trusted-with the good-message thus we utter-forth, not as pleasing men but (pleasing) God, the (One) proving our hearts;

Paul writes that their encouragement (exhortation) was:

according as we (myself, Silvanus and Timothy)
were approved and continue approved by God (we have been proved by testing or examination and thereby approved by God)
- to be trusted with the good-message (gospel, evangel).

They were the recipient of what was given to them and they were being believed-in by God that they are willing and capable of taking-care-of and fulfilling all that is involved pertaining to that-which was given to them.

God, via the Lord Jesus Christ, entrusted Paul and Silvanus and Timothy with the good-message - what a great privilege and responsibility had been entrusted to them!

II Timothy 4:7 - noun: pistis

II Timothy 4:7:

^.7I contested² the beautiful contest, I completed² the race, I kept² the belief;

Paul writes that he has kept the belief (the faith, that-which God and the Lord Jesus Christ gave to him to believe). He did not neglect or violate it - but he watched over, took care of, maintained, and was observant of it during the everyday living of his life.

I Timothy 6:10-12 - nouns: pistis

I Timothy 6:10-12:

^.10for the love-for-silver is a root of all the bad-things, of which some-people reaching-for were caused-to-wander away-from the belief and pierced themselves with many pains. ^.11But you, oh man of God, must flee these-things, but you must pursue righteousness, reverence, belief, love¹, patient-endurance, meekness. ^.12You must contest the beautiful contest of the belief. You must take-hold-on the eternal life into which you were called and you expressed-agreement (regarding) the beautiful agreement before many witnesses.

In this record Paul writes that...

the love-for-silver (loving silver coins, money)
is a root (as a tree's root gives it nourishment)
of all the bad things (contrary to what God would want people to have)…

…of which some people who are stretching themselves out to attain…

have already been caused to wander away from the belief (they were caused to err, led-astray away from the faith, away from what God has given us to believe, to have faith in, to trust)
and
pierced themselves with many pains (they have penetrated through themselves, impaled themselves, with/by a lot of sufferings, distresses).

You, oh man of God, must flee these things, but you must follow earnestly after…

righteousness (justness, justice, the attributes of justification, the quality of being and doing what is just/right from God's point of view),
reverence (service towards God being respectfully reverential of Him),
belief (faith, what God says, the content of what He gives to believe, to have faith in, to trust),
love (God’s kind of love),
patient-endurance (a bearing-up, holding-out, enduring, remaining upwards or upright relative to God and the things of God under any obstacles),
meekness (tender receptiveness or receptivity towards God and the things of God).

You must contest the beautiful contest of the belief.

Colossians 4:7 - adjective: pistos

Colossians 4:7:

^.7Tychicus, the loved¹ brother and believing minister and slave-together in (the) Lord, will make-known all-things according to me to you,

In his description of Tychicus, Paul includes that he is a believing minister (one who is faithful, a believer, trusting relative-to God as he serves God to benefit others). He was given a function of service and he carries it out faithfully.

I Timothy 1:4 and 5 - nouns: pistis

I Timothy 1:3-5:

^.3According as I encouraged you to remain in Ephesus, (while I am) journeying into Macedonia, in order that you may charge to some-people not to differently-teach, ^.4neither to have-attention to fables and interminable genealogies the-things-which present seekings rather than God’s stewardship, the (stewardship) in belief; ^.5but the completion of the charge is love¹ out-from a clean heart and good conscience and belief without-hypocrisy,

In verse 4 Paul tells Timothy to charge some people…

not to hold or turn their minds, thoughts and attention towards/for the purpose of
- fables (legends, fictional stories, myths)
- and interminable genealogies (genealogies without a way of passing out from them, unending family-tree tracings, word discussions about generations whether of mankind or false gods)
  - which are the things that present seekings (those things offer actions of seeking out, looking for answers to them, questions, searches, inquiries about these things, quests)
rather than (more so than)
God’s stewardship (house management, the administration of His household matters – which include teaching, instructing, caring-for, protecting, nourishing, and helping God's children),
- specifically the stewardship
  - in belief (within the sphere of action, character and attributes of the belief/faith that God gives us to believe).

In verse 5 Paul writes that the completion of the charge is love out-from a clean heart and good conscience and…

belief without hypocrisy (un-hypocritical faith/trust relative-to God, belief which is not an answer in reply given in pretense as if wearing a mask playing a part on a stage, belief which is without feigning to be believing what God says when you are not).

Romans 3:3 - verb: apisteo; noun: apistia; noun: pistis

Romans 3:3 and 4:

^.3For what if some-people disbelieved, their unbelief will not render-ineffective the belief of God, will it? – (no) – ^.4may it not become!...

In this record Paul writes that since it is a fact that God made known His declared words to people, the question may be posed:

what if some of them did not believe (did not have faith/trust in what God gave them to believe),
- their unbelief (lack of belief, faithlessness, being without trust relative to God and the things of God)
- will not render the belief that God gave to them ineffective (inactive, inoperative, useless),
- will it?
  - The answer: No! The Greek construction of this question indicates that the expected answer is "no." Then Paul confirms the negative answer by writing: may it not become! May that not come to pass! May that not happen! The thought of such a thing being so repulsive to Paul is conveyed in his expression of may it not become or come into being that such a thing would occur at any time!

II Corinthians 4:4 - adjective: apistos

II Corinthians 4:3 and 4:

^.3But if our good-message also is having been covered² it is having been covered² among the (people) being destroyed ^.4among whom the god of this age blinded the mindful-devices of the unbelievers with-a-view-for the lightness of the good-message of the glory of Christ who is (the) image of God not to light (among them),

Paul explains that if/since it happens that our good-message (the gospel concerning the Lord Jesus Christ which we preach)...

was covered and it continues to be covered (concealed) –
let me point-out to you that the only area where this covering takes place is among
- the people who are presently being destroyed (being utterly-ruined or completely-lost away from the only true God, because they refuse what God says by their own choice, their own freedom of will),
- and it is among these unbelievers (unbelieving people, faithless, not trusting relative to God, lacking belief, without faith/trust regarding God and the things of God)
- that
- the god of this age (referring to the devil, satan, who pertains and belongs only to this age)
  - has blinded (caused lack of sight for/to)
  - their mindful-devices (the contrivances or products of the mind's thinking, the plans issuing from the action of the mind).

Why has the god of this age blinded the mindful devices of unbelievers? What is the devil's motive? He does this for the purpose that…

the lightness (the quality and state of being light)
- proceeding from the good-message
- pertaining to the glory of Christ (his importance, splendor, renown),
  - who is the image of God (Christ is the icon, resemblance, representation of the only true God),

…does not light among these unbelievers (it does not shine in, within, or among them).

In the physical realm, the break of daylight is the time when the sun rises in the east and introduces its light on a specific area of the earth, and this daylight hitting the vision receptors in the physical eye allows the person in that area to see what is around him/her.

In this context, the god of this age has blinded the mindful-devices of the people who previously had made their own decision not to believe what God says about Himself and His son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The devil does this for the purpose that their receptors do not receive the true light of the good-message of the glory of Christ. They do not see and cannot walk in the true light even though it is gloriously shining with Christ's glory.

II Corinthians 6:14 - adjective: apistos; 6:15 - adjective: pistos; adjective: apistos

II Corinthians 6:14 and 15:

^.14You must not become differently-yoked with unbelievers, for what sharing (is there with) righteousness and lawlessness, or what sharing-in-common (is there with) light towards darkness? ^.15But what agreement (is there) of Christ towards Belial, or what part (is there with) a believer with an unbeliever?

You holy-people must not become diversely yoked with/to unbelievers (people who do not believe, who do not have faith, who do not trust what God says).

Unbelievers do not have holy spirit-life within them and so they are different to/from holy-people.

In truth…

what sharing (partaking in association with another)
is there
- with righteousness (justness, justice, being and doing what is just/right from God's viewpoint)
- and lawlessness (the state of being without law and thus in violation, non-observance, transgression of the law of God which is what God says)?;

...or...

what sharing-in-common (partaking of/in/with the same-thing, participation with one-another of what is common to all)
is there
- with light (absolute light)
- towards darkness (approaching towards and then moving onwards with absolute darkness, the absence of light)?

Paul does not write the answers because it should be so obvious that in God's realm there cannot be any associative sharing with righteousness and lawlessness, nor can there be any sharing-in-common with light towards darkness. There is no middle mixture in the holy spirit category.

In the walk (behavior, conduct) category it is up to each holy-person to make his/her own free-will decision to walk according to what God says during the everyday living of his/her life.

But...

what agreement (what sounding-together like a symphony being musically harmonious, speaking in unison regarding a matter, what concord)
is there
- of Christ (pertaining-to, belonging-to and proceeding-from the Anointed-one, the Messiah, who is the promised seed of the only true God, and who now has his spiritual body, and gives the gift of holy spirit to all who believe what God says) –
- towards Belial (approaching towards and then moving onwards with Belial, which is another name of satan, the devil)?

The name of "Belial" emphasizes satan's relationship to his seed who are those people who have believingly accepted that the devil is god, and allow him to permanently place one of his devil-spirits (demons) to dwell within their physical body. This is not a short-term domination but these people then live in worthlessness until they die in destruction.

Or...

what part (what divided portion)
is there
- with a believer (a person who has faith in what God says, who trusts the words of God)
- in company and association with an unbeliever (a person who does not have faith in what God says, who does not trust the words of God)?

The unwritten answer to both of these questions relative-to God's realm is: none!

II Thessalonians 3:2 - noun: pistis; 3:3 - adjective: pistos

II Thessalonians 3:1-3:

^3:1As-to-the-rest, you must pray, brothers, concerning us in order that the word of the Lord may run and may be glorified according as (it is) also with you, ^.2and in order that we may be rescued away-from the strange and evil men, for the belief (is) not of all-people; ^.3but the Lord is believable who will set you fast and will keep-watch (regarding you) away-from the evil-one.

In verse 2 Paul writes that the belief is not of all-people. Everybody does not believe the word of the Lord. Not all people believe the belief that God has given us to believe regarding Himself and His son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

But the Lord Jesus Christ is faithful, he is trustworthy, he can be believed! The Lord is believable...

who will establish you
and he will be vigilant to guard and keep you away from
- the evil-one (the one who is actively malignant - referring to sa