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ἀντιμισθία

antimisthía

G489 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Recompense, compensation in return for something. The primary lexical meaning of ἀντιμισθία is a payment, reward, or return offered in exchange or as compensation for an action, service, or situation. In various contexts, it can refer specifically to a reciprocal or corresponding recompense, whether positive (reward, reciprocal benefit) or negative (punishment, retribution).

Semantic Range

compensation, reciprocal payment, recompense, corresponding return, reward, retribution

Root / Etymology

From the preposition ἀντί ('in place of, in return for') and μισθός ('wages, pay, reward'), forming a compound expressing the notion of an equivalent payment or return for something.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The term ἀντιμισθία is rare in classical literature and is attested mainly in Hellenistic and later Greek, including the Septuagint (e.g., Ezekiel 16:34) and the New Testament (e.g., 2 Corinthians 6:13). Its use emphasizes reciprocity—where μισθός alone denotes 'wages' or 'reward,' ἀντιμισθία stresses the idea of a return, response, or compensation corresponding to a prior action. In some Biblical contexts, it can denote either a positive reward or a negative consequence, depending on the nature of the original act being compensated. Standard English translations such as 'recompense,' 'reward,' or 'return' often capture its basic sense, but may overlook the reciprocal or responsive nuance inherent to the term. The concept contrasts with μισθός by highlighting reciprocality rather than simple payment or wage.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from a compound of ἀντί and μισθός; requital, correspondence:--recompense.

Root Family

μισθ- (místhios) — to hire, to pay wages, to earn compensation

Root μισθ- to recompense, to repay, to compensate
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
G3407 μίσθιος wage-workers
G3408 μισθός recompense
G3409 μισθόω hired for himself
G3410 μίσθωμα to a rented dwelling
G3411 μισθωτός of hired workers

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G489-01 ἀντιμισθίαν antimisthian N ACC F SG penalty reciprocal recompense reciprocal recompense 2

Occurrences in Scripture

2 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G489-01 Romans 1:27 ἀντιμισθίαν antimisthian N ACC F SG penalty reciprocal recompense recompense
G489-01 2 Corinthians 6:13 ἀντιμισθίαν antimisthian N ACC F SG recompense reciprocal recompense reciprocal recompense
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