UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament

Sense 1: lacking in trustworthiness, unfaithfulness

Semantic entry: 31.89

Semantic domains: Hold a View, Believe, Trust

Subdomains: Trust, Rely

Definition: the state of being someone in whom confidence cannot be placed

Notes: The occurrence of both ἀπιστία and πίστις (31.88: πίστις) in this expression in RV ROM 3:3 · LV ROM 3:3 · Read together ROM 3:3 may cause certain difficulties in appropriately rendering the meaning in other languages. It may therefore be necessary to spell out in some detail the fuller implications of ἀπιστία and πίστις. Moreover, the question implies a negative response, but the question (since it is rhetorical) can easily be rendered as a strong negative statement, for example, ‘the fact that they were persons who could not be trusted does not mean that God cannot be trusted.’

Sense 2: to not believe (in), to refuse to believe, to not trust in, unbelief

Semantic entry: 31.97

Semantic domains: Hold a View, Believe, Trust

Subdomains: Trust, Rely

Definition: to refuse to put one’s trust or reliance in something or someone{N:001}

Notes: One of the serious problems involved in rendering ‘to believe’ or ‘to refuse to believe’ is that so frequently the NT text does not indicate precisely the goal or object of such belief.|In a number of languages, however, the syntactic requirements are such that some clear goal must be in the immediate context. For example, in RV MRK 16:16 · LV MRK 16:16 · Read together MRK 16:16 it may be possible to translate ‘whoever refuses to believe the good news shall be condemned.’

Sense 3: to not be a believer, to be a non-Christian, to be an infidel, not believing, to be a pagan

Semantic entry: 31.105

Semantic domains: Hold a View, Believe, Trust

Subdomains: Be a Believer, Christian Faith

Definition: to not believe in the good news about Jesus Christ and hence not become a follower{N:002}