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ἐξίστημι

exístēmi

G1839 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To cause someone or something to move out of a normal state or position; primarily, to displace, drive out, or remove (transitive); secondarily, (intransitive, often reflexive or passive) to become astounded, amazed, or beside oneself with wonder, shock, or confusion. The verb denotes the act of causing someone to lose composure or rationality, either by overwhelming astonishment or, on occasion, by madness.

Semantic Range

to remove or displace, to drive out (of mind), to cause astonishment, to amaze, to be (or become) astounded, to be out of one's senses (with amazement or bewilderment), to lose one's composure, to go mad

Root / Etymology

From the preposition ἐκ ('out of') and the verb ἵστημι ('to stand, to set, to place'). The compound structure indicates a sense of placing or standing someone or something outside their usual place or condition.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, ἐξίστημι is attested in both transitive and intransitive forms. Originally, it signified literal displacement or removal from a place or a usual state, sometimes even implying driving someone mad or out of their mind. By the Hellenistic and Koine periods (including the Septuagint and New Testament), the verb most commonly expresses overwhelming astonishment, amazement, or loss of composure—frequently in reaction to divine acts, miracles, or extraordinary events. In the New Testament, ἐξίστημι is used both for people causing others to be amazed (active form) and for people themselves being amazed (middle/passive or intransitive). Standard English translations ("amaze," "astonish," "bewilder," "to be beside oneself") capture the sense of overwhelming emotional or psychological disturbance, but often do not convey the word's root sense of displacement or movement from a stable state. The sense of "insanity" or "madness" (i.e. to be out of one's mind) occurs rarely, and context must determine whether the emotion involved is positive (wonder, awe) or negative (confusion, madness). Related terms: θαμβέω (to astonish), θαυμάζω (to marvel), ἐνθυμέομαι (to ponder or be perplexed).

Translation Consistency

primary "amaze" 11 occurrences

Most common and natural rendering for G1839’s typical NT sense — to cause astonishment or to be astonished/beside oneself. 'Amaze' is simple, idiomatic, and works for both transitive uses (to cause astonishment) and intransitive/reflexive uses (to be amazed). The rarer literal sense of 'displace/drive out' is infrequent and can be handled contextually while keeping one consistent base verb.

Alternatives (6 occurrences):
"beside" (2x) "astonished" (2x) "causing astonishment" (1x) "became beside ourselves" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from ἐκ and ἵστημι; to put (stand) out of wits, i.e. astound, or (reflexively) become astounded, insane:--amaze, be (make) astonished, be beside self (selves), bewitch, wonder.

Root Family

ἐξίστημι (existēmi) — to set out of place, to remove from a state, to displace, to drive out of one's senses

Root ἱστη- to set, to place, to cause to stand, to remove from a state

Word Forms

8 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G1839-06 ἐξίσταντο existanto V IMPF MID IND 3P PL were amazed they were beside themselves they were amazing themselves 6
G1839-04 ἐξέστησαν exestesan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL were astonished they were beside themselves they amazed 5
G1839-03 ἐξέστημεν exestemen V AOR ACT IND 1P PL we are beside ourselves we became beside ourselves we became beside ourselves 1
G1839-05 ἐξιστάνων existanon V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG amazing causing astonishment causing astonishment 1
G1839-08 ἐξίστατο existato V IMPF MID IND 3P SG he was amazed he was beside himself he was amazed 1
G1839-01 ἐξεστακέναι exestakenai V PRF ACT INF to have astonished to have become beside oneself to have astonished 1
G1839-07 ἐξίστασθαι existasthai V PRS MID INF they were amazed to be beside oneself to be beside themselves 1
G1839-02 ἐξέστη exeste V AOR ACT IND 3P SG he is beside himself he became astounded he is beside himself 1

Occurrences in Scripture

17 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G1839-06 Matthew 12:23 ἐξίσταντο existanto V IMPF MID IND 3P PL were amazed they were beside themselves they were amazing themselves
G1839-07 Mark 2:12 ἐξίστασθαι existasthai V PRS MID INF they were amazed to be beside oneself to be beside themselves
G1839-02 Mark 3:21 ἐξέστη exeste V AOR ACT IND 3P SG he is beside himself he became astounded he is beside himself
G1839-04 Mark 5:42 ἐξέστησαν exestesan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL they were astonished they were beside themselves they amazed
G1839-06 Mark 6:51 ἐξίσταντο existanto V IMPF MID IND 3P PL they were amazed they were beside themselves they were amazing themselves
G1839-06 Luke 2:47 ἐξίσταντο existanto V IMPF MID IND 3P PL were amazed they were beside themselves they were amazing themselves
G1839-04 Luke 8:56 ἐξέστησαν exestesan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL were astonished they were beside themselves they were amazed
G1839-04 Luke 24:22 ἐξέστησαν exestesan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL astonished they were beside themselves they amazed
G1839-06 Acts 2:7 ἐξίσταντο existanto V IMPF MID IND 3P PL they were amazed they were beside themselves they were amazing themselves
G1839-06 Acts 2:12 ἐξίσταντο existanto V IMPF MID IND 3P PL were amazed they were beside themselves they were amazing themselves
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