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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadInternational Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Confidence
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kon´fi-dens (בּטח, baÌ„tÌ£ahÌ£, and forms, כּסל, kesÌ£el; παÏÌ“Ï̔ησιÌα, parrheÌ„sıÌa; πειÌθω, peıÌthoÌ„, πεποιÌθησις, pepoıÌtheÌ„sis, ὑποÌστασις, hupoÌstasis): The chief Hebrew word translated “confidence†(baÌ„tÌ£ahÌ£, and its forms) means, perhaps, radically, “to be open,†showing Thus what originated the idea of “confidenceâ€; where there was nothing hidden a person felt safe; it is very frequently rendered “trust.†In , we have “It is better to take refuge in Yahweh than to put confidence in princes,†and in , “O God of our salvation, thou that art the confidence (mibhtÌ£aÌ„hÌ£) of all the ends of the earth.†MibhtÌ£aÌ„hÌ£ is translated “confidence†in ; ; , etc.
KesÌ£el (“firmness,†“stoutnessâ€) is rendered “confidence†in , and kisÌ£laÌ„h in ; peithoÌ„ (“to persuadeâ€) is translated “confidence†in ; , etc.; pepoitheÌ„sis, in ; , etc.; hupostasis (“what stands underâ€), in ; ; ; parrheÌ„sia (“out-spokenness,†“boldnessâ€) is invariably translated in the Revised Version (British and American) “boldness†(; ; ; ; ; ; ); tharseÌo or tharrheÌoÌ„ (“to have good courageâ€) is so translated in the Revised Version (British and American), “being therefore always of good courage†(); “I am of good courage concerning you†(), the King James Version “confident†and “confidence.â€
Revised Version has “confidence†for “hope†(); for “assurance†(); for “trust†(); for “same confident boasting†(); “is confident†for “trusted†(); “to have confidence†for “thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust†(); “confidently†for “constantly†(); “confidently affirm†for “affirm†(); conversely, we have for “his confidence†(), “wherein he trusteth,†for “with confidence†() “securely therein.â€
The Bible teaches the value of confidence (; ), but neither in “gold†(), nor in man, however great (, ; ), nor in self (; ), but in God (; ; ), as revealed in ̄Christ (; , ).