kon´fi -dens ( בּטח , bāṭaḥ , and forms, כּסל , keṣel ; παῤῥησία , parrhēsı́a ; πείθω , peı́thō , πεποίθησις , pepoı́thēsis , ὑπόστασις , hupóstasis ): The chief Hebrew word translated "confidence" (bāṭaḥ , and its forms) means, perhaps, radically, "to be open," showing Thus what originated the idea of "confidence"; where there was nothing hidden a person felt safe; it is very frequently rendered "trust." In Psalm 118:8 , Psalm 118:9 we have "It is better to take refuge in Yahweh than to put confidence in princes," and in Psalm 65:5 , "O God of our salvation, thou that art the confidence ( mibhṭāḥ ) of all the ends of the earth." Mibhṭāḥ is translated "confidence" in Job 18:14; Job 31:24; Proverbs 21:22 , etc.
Keṣel ("firmness," "stoutness") is rendered "confidence" in Proverbs 3:26 , and kiṣlāh in Job 4:6; peithō ("to persuade") is translated "confidence" in 2 Corinthians 2:3; Galatians 5:10 , etc.; pepoithēsis , in 2 Corinthians 1:15; 2 Corinthians 8:22 , etc.; hupostasis ("what stands under"), in 2 Corinthians 11:17; Hebrews 3:14; 2 Corinthians 9:4; parrhēsia ("out-spokenness," "boldness") is invariably translated in the Revised Version (British and American) "boldness" (Acts 28:31; Hebrews 3:6; Hebrews 4:16; Hebrews 10:35; 1 John 2:28; 1 John 3:21; 1 John 5:14 ); tharséo or tharrhéō ("to have good courage") is so translated in the Revised Version (British and American), "being therefore always of good courage" (2 Corinthians 5:6 ); "I am of good courage concerning you" (2 Corinthians 7:16 ), the King James Version "confident" and "confidence."
Revised Version has "confidence" for "hope" (Job 8:14 ); for "assurance" (Isaiah 32:17 ); for "trust" (2 Corinthians 3:4 ); for "same confident boasting" (2 Corinthians 9:4 ); "is confident" for "trusted" (Job 40:23 ); "to have confidence" for "thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust" (Philippians 3:4 ); "confidently" for "constantly" (Acts 12:15 ); "confidently affirm" for "affirm" (1 Timothy 1:7 ); conversely, we have for "his confidence" (Job 18:14 ), "wherein he trusteth," for "with confidence" (Ezekiel 28:26 ) "securely therein."
The Bible teaches the value of confidence ( Isaiah 30:15; Hebrews 10:35 ), but neither in "gold" (Job 31:24 ), nor in man, however great (Psalm 118:8 , Psalm 118:9; Jeremiah 17:5 ), nor in self (Proverbs 14:16; Philippians 3:3 ), but in God (Psalm 65:5; Proverbs 3:26; Proverbs 14:26 ), as revealed in ̄ Christ (Ephesians 3:12; 1 John 5:13 , 1 John 5:14 ).
The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE) was edited by James Orr, John Nuelsen, Edgar Mullins, Morris Evans, and Melvin Grove Kyle and was published complete in 1939. This web site includes the complete text.
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