What does ἐξίστημι (exístēmi) mean in the Bible?
Ἐξίστημι can mean to amaze, astonish, bewilder, or be beside oneself. Crowds are astounded by Jesus' deliverance and wonder whether He is the Son of David.
Greek · G1839
ἐξίστημι
To amaze
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ἐξίστημι G1839
Pronunciation exístēmi
What does ἐξίστημι (exístēmi) mean in the Bible?
Ἐξίστημι can mean to amaze, astonish, bewilder, or be beside oneself. Crowds are astounded by Jesus' deliverance and wonder whether He is the Son of David.
Reader summary
Full entry for ἐξίστημι (G1839) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G1839?
The BSB source-word alignment has 17 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include astounded (6), were astounded (5), he had astounded (1), He is out of His mind (1), they were astounded (1).
Where does ἐξίστημι (exístēmi) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 12:23. Its strongest book concentrations include Acts (8), Mark (4), Luke (3), 2 Corinthians (1).
What This Word Actually Means
Ἐξίστημι can mean to amaze, astonish, bewilder, or be beside oneself. Crowds are astounded by Jesus' deliverance and wonder whether He is the Son of David. Observers marvel when a paralyzed man walks and glorify God, teachers are astonished at the young Jesus' understanding, and Pentecost hearers are bewildered by Galileans speaking their languages. Paul also uses the idiom for appearing out of one's mind under intense devotion.
Astonishment marks disruption of normal expectations but does not guarantee saving faith. It may open a question, accompany praise, produce confusion, or become an accusation. The event, interpretation, and subsequent response determine whether amazement moves toward worship, inquiry, rejection, or mere fascination.
How the Bible Uses It
Ἐξίστημι describes being displaced from ordinary expectation by amazement or seeming madness. Wonder can lead toward confession and praise, but it can also stop at confusion or accusation.
- Matt.12.23
The crowds were astounded and asked, “Could this be the Son of David?”
The crowd's astonishment becomes a messianic question after Jesus' deliverance, while Pharisees answer the same evidence with a hostile explanation.
- Mark.2.12
And immediately the man got up, picked up his mat, and walked out in front of them all. As a result, they were all astounded and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”
The healed man visibly obeys Jesus' command, and astonishment joins glorifying God, though the narrative keeps Jesus' authority to forgive at the center.
- Luke.2.47
And all who heard Him were astounded at His understanding and His answers.
Those hearing the twelve-year-old Jesus are astonished at His understanding and answers, anticipating wisdom that exceeds ordinary expectations without erasing His true humanity.
- Acts.2.7
Astounded and amazed, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?
Pentecost amazement arises from recognizable languages spoken by Galileans and leads to questions that Peter answers through Scripture and proclamation of Christ.
- 2Cor.5.13
If we are out of our mind, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you.
Paul answers charges of excessive intensity by locating devotion toward God and sober pastoral communication toward the Corinthians within Christ's constraining love.
Passage context
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It astounded 6× Mark 2:12, Mark 6:51, Luke 24:22, Acts 2:7
were astounded 5× Matthew 12:23, Luke 2:47, Luke 8:56, Acts 9:21
he had astounded 1× Acts 8:11
He is out of His mind 1× Mark 3:21
they were astounded 1× Acts 12:16
they were utterly astounded 1× Mark 5:42
was astounded 1× Acts 8:13
we are out of our mind 1× 2 Corinthians 5:13
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 12:23 ἐξίσταντο to were astounded Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Plural Mark 2:12 ἐξίστασθαι to astounded Verb - Present Infinitive Middle Mark 3:21 Ἐξέστη to He is out of His mind Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Mark 5:42 ἐξέστησαν to they were utterly astounded Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural Mark 6:51 ἐξίσταντο to astounded Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Plural Luke 2:47 ἐξίσταντο to were astounded Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Plural Luke 8:56 ἐξέστησαν to were astounded Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural Luke 24:22 ἐξέστησαν to astounded Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural Acts 2:7 Ἐξίσταντο to Astounded Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Plural Acts 2:12 Ἐξίσταντο to Astounded Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 12:23
Aligned rows 17
Books represented 5
Matthew 1 Mark 4 Luke 3 Acts 8 2 Corinthians 1
Source forms
ἐξέστησαν 5x exestēsan Mark 5:42, Luke 8:56, Luke 24:22, Acts 10:45
ἐξίσταντο 3x existanto Matthew 12:23, Mark 6:51, Luke 2:47
Ἐξίσταντο 3x Existanto Acts 2:7, Acts 2:12, Acts 9:21
ἐξεστακέναι 1x exestakenai Acts 8:11
Ἐξέστη 1x Exestē Mark 3:21
ἐξέστημεν 1x exestēmen 2 Corinthians 5:13
ἐξιστάνων 1x existanōn Acts 8:9
ἐξίστασθαι 1x existasthai Mark 2:12
Parsing patterns
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Plural 6x Matthew 12:23, Mark 6:51, Luke 2:47, Acts 2:7
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural 5x Mark 5:42, Luke 8:56, Luke 24:22, Acts 10:45
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural 1x 2 Corinthians 5:13
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 1x Mark 3:21
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular 1x Acts 8:13
Verb - Perfect Infinitive Active 1x Acts 8:11
Verb - Present Infinitive Middle 1x Mark 2:12
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular 1x Acts 8:9
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Do not manipulate people into heightened emotion and label the response spiritual; wonder must remain answerable to truth, freedom, and pastoral care.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that astonishment is equivalent to repentance or saving faith.
- Do not use Paul's apparent madness to excuse chaotic, harmful, or unaccountable conduct in ministry.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. To be driven out of one's senses; amazement that displaces normal mental composure and rational thought.
Strong's G1839
Lexical occurrences 17 verses Greek text appearances 17 times 16 shown below Word forms 3 forms 17 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Mark 3:20–21 Source Gloss
to amaze
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 17 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 12:23 Verb Third Person Plural Imperfect Middle Indicative
ἐξίσταντο existanto
I astonish, am astonished
Read verse Mark 2:12 Verb Present Middle Infinitive
ἐξίστασθαι existasqai
I astonish, am astonished
Read verse Mark 3:21 Verb Third Person Singular Second Aorist Active Indicative
Ἐξέστη. exesth
I astonish, am astonished
Read verse Mark 5:42 Verb Third Person Plural Second Aorist Active Indicative
ἐξέστησαν exesthsan
I astonish, am astonished
Read verse Mark 6:51 Verb Third Person Plural Imperfect Middle Indicative
ἐξίσταντο, existanto
I astonish, am astonished
Read verse Luke 2:47 Verb Third Person Plural Imperfect Middle Indicative
ἐξίσταντο existanto
I astonish, am astonished
Read verse Luke 8:56 Verb Third Person Plural Second Aorist Active Indicative
ἐξέστησαν exesthsan
I astonish, am astonished
Read verse Luke 24:22 Verb Third Person Plural Second Aorist Active Indicative
ἐξέστησαν exesthsan
I astonish, am astonished
Read verse Acts 2:7 Verb Third Person Plural Imperfect Middle Indicative
ἐξίσταντο existanto
I astonish, am astonished
Read verse Acts 2:12 Verb Third Person Plural Imperfect Middle Indicative
ἐξίσταντο existanto
I astonish, am astonished
Read verse Acts 8:9 Verb Present Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
ἐξιστῶν existwn
I astonish, am astonished
Read verse Acts 8:11 Verb Perfect Active Infinitive
ἐξεστακέναι exestakenai
I astonish, am astonished
Read verse Acts 8:13 Verb Third Person Singular Imperfect Middle Indicative
ἐξίστατο. existato
I astonish, am astonished
Read verse Acts 9:21 Verb Third Person Plural Imperfect Middle Indicative
ἐξίσταντο existanto
I astonish, am astonished
Read verse Acts 10:45 Verb Third Person Plural Second Aorist Active Indicative
ἐξέστησαν exesthsan
I astonish, am astonished
Read verse Acts 12:16 Verb Third Person Plural Second Aorist Active Indicative
ἐξέστησαν. exesthsan
I astonish, am astonished
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Grammatical Forms
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 3 Aligned forms 17 Tenses Imperfect, Aorist, Present, Perfect Voices Middle, Active
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Indicative states a fact or reality 14×
Imperfect Middle Matt 12:23 · Mark 6:51 · Luke 2:47 · Acts 2:7 · Acts 2:12 · Acts 9:21 · Acts 8:13 7×
Aorist Active Mark 5:42 · Luke 8:56 · Luke 24:22 · Acts 10:45 · Acts 12:16 · Mark 3:21 · 2 Cor 5:13 7×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 2×
Present Middle Mark 2:12 1×
Perfect Active Acts 8:11 1×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 1×
Present Active Acts 8:9 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 17 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
aorist 7 imperfect 7 present 2 perfect 1
Voice
active 9 middle 8
Mood
indicative 14 infinitive 2 participle 1
NT Occurrences
Matthew 12:23 ἐξίσταντο imperfect middle indicative background Mark 2:12 ἐξίστασθαι present middle infinitive infinitive Mark 3:21 ἐξέστη aorist active indicative completed Mark 5:42 ἐξέστησαν aorist active indicative completed Mark 6:51 ἐξίσταντο imperfect middle indicative background Luke 2:47 ἐξίσταντο imperfect middle indicative background Luke 8:56 ἐξέστησαν aorist active indicative completed Luke 24:22 ἐξέστησαν aorist active indicative completed Acts 2:12 ἐξίσταντο imperfect middle indicative background Acts 2:7 ἐξίσταντο imperfect middle indicative background Acts 8:11 ἐξεστακέναι perfect active infinitive infinitive Acts 8:13 ἐξίστατο imperfect middle indicative background Acts 8:9 ἐξιστάνων present active participle participle Acts 9:21 ἐξίσταντο imperfect middle indicative background Acts 10:45 ἐξέστησαν aorist active indicative completed Acts 12:16 ἐξέστησαν aorist active indicative completed 2 Corinthians 5:13 ἐξέστημεν aorist active indicative completed
Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
New Testament Witnesses
to be beside oneself
Showing 1 selected witness from 17 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
ἐξίστημι is built from these roots:
Why This Word Matters
Frames familial misunderstanding as questioning sanity. Mark 3:20–21
For the Preacher and Teacher
Astonishment registers that ordinary categories have been disrupted, but it does not settle what the event means. Matthew's crowd asks a promising messianic question while opponents attribute Jesus' work to evil. Mark's witnesses glorify God when the paralyzed man walks, yet the controversy centers on Jesus' authority to forgive. At Pentecost bewilderment requires apostolic explanation before hearers can understand the Spirit's sign.
Paul shows that intense Godward devotion can be mislabeled madness while ministry toward others remains sober and accountable. Churches should welcome reverent wonder without manufacturing it. The goal is not emotional shock but truthful recognition of Christ, Scripture-shaped interpretation, repentance, worship, and durable obedience after the surprising moment has passed.
Anchor passage
Matt.12.23
Doctrinal connections
- Matthew 12:22-32, astonishment and rival interpretations of deliverance
- Mark 2:1-12, forgiveness, healing, and praise
- Luke 2:41-52, Jesus' astonishing wisdom and obedient sonship
- Acts 2:1-21, bewilderment interpreted by Scripture
- 2 Corinthians 5:11-21, devotion, sober service, and Christ's love
- Psalm 118:22-24, the Lord's marvelous reversal
Ἐξίστημι combines out with stand or place. Active forms may mean displace or amaze; intransitive and middle-like uses describe being astonished or seeming beside oneself.
From Old to New Testament
God's saving works repeatedly evoke fear and wonder, yet Israel is called to remember and obey rather than merely marvel. The gospel directs astonishment toward Christ's identity.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain