στήκω
stḗkō
G4739 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To stand firm, remain stationary or upright, with extended use for being steadfast, holding one's position (literal or figurative), especially in the sense of persisting or persevering in an attitude, belief, or course of action. In figurative contexts, used for maintaining allegiance, loyalty, or faithfulness; to stand one's ground amidst difficulty or opposition.
Semantic Range
to stand upright, to be stationary, to persist, to remain firm, to persevere, to maintain allegiance or faithfulness, to stand one's ground
Root / Etymology
Derived from the perfect tense stem of ἵστημι (histēmi, 'to cause to stand, set up, establish'), specifically from the perfect active stem στήκ- indicating a resultant state of standing or having been set in place. The perfect form gives the sense of 'having stood' and thus 'continuing to stand/being in a state of standing'.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, στήκω is uncommon and almost entirely absent; instead, the verbs ἵστημι and ἑστάναι are preferred for both literal and figurative senses. In Koine Greek, particularly in the New Testament, στήκω is used predominantly in the metaphorical sense of steadfastness or perseverance in convictions or communal unity (e.g., Philippians 1:27, 4:1; 1 Thessalonians 3:8; Galatians 5:1). There is often a connotation of moral or spiritual firmness in the face of adversity. The English translation "stand fast" or "stand firm" attempts to capture the figurative force, but may understate the communal or constancy connotations. Rare outside Hellenistic-Jewish and Christian literature. In the Septuagint it is rare or absent, with ἵστημι being the preferred verb for both literal and figurative standing.
Translation Consistency
stēkō most commonly and naturally renders as “stand” in both literal (stand upright, be stationary) and figurative uses (stand firm, stand fast, remain loyal). “Stand” is the most frequent English equivalent in the attested forms, is idiomatic for perseverance/faithfulness, and can be inflected easily for all grammatical forms while preserving the core meaning.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from the perfect tense of ἵστημι; to be stationary, i.e. (figuratively) to persevere:--stand (fast).
Root Family
στήκ- (stḗkō) — to stand, to be set, to remain upright
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4739-02 |
στήκετε | stekete | V PRS ACT IND 2P PL |
stand firm | you stand firm | you stand firm | 7 |
G4739-01 |
στήκει | stekei | V PRS ACT IND 3P SG |
stands | stands firm | stands firm | 1 |
G4739-03 |
στήκοντες | stekontes | V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL |
standing | standing firm | standing firm | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
9 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4739-03 |
Mark 3:31 | στήκοντες | stekontes | V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL |
standing | standing firm | standing firm |
G4739-02 |
Mark 11:25 | στήκετε | stekete | V PRS ACT IND 2P PL |
you stand | you stand firm | you stand firm |
G4739-01 |
Romans 14:4 | στήκει | stekei | V PRS ACT IND 3P SG |
stands | stands firm | stands firm |
G4739-02 |
1 Corinthians 16:13 | στήκετε | stekete | V PRS ACT IMP 2P PL |
stand firm | you stand firm | you stand firm |
G4739-02 |
Galatians 5:1 | στήκετε | stekete | V PRS ACT IMP 2P PL |
stand firm | you stand firm | you stand firm |
G4739-02 |
Philippians 1:27 | στήκετε | stekete | V PRS ACT IND 2P PL |
you stand fast | you stand firm | you stand firm |
G4739-02 |
Philippians 4:1 | στήκετε | stekete | V PRS ACT IMP 2P PL |
stand fast | you stand firm | you stand firm |
G4739-02 |
1 Thessalonians 3:8 | στήκετε | stekete | V PRS ACT IND 2P PL |
stand firm | you stand firm | you stand firm |
G4739-02 |
2 Thessalonians 2:15 | στήκετε | stekete | V PRS ACT IMP 2P PL |
stand firm | you stand firm | you stand firm |