Bible Dictionaries
Adversary

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

A — 1: ἀντίδικος

(Strong's #476 — Noun Masculine — antidikos — an-tid'-ee-kos )

firstly, "an opponent in a lawsuit," Matthew 5:25 (twice); Luke 12:58; 18:3 , is also used to denote "an adversary or an enemy," without reference to legal affairs, and this is perhaps its meaning in 1 Peter 5:8 , where it is used of the Devil. Some would regard the word as there used in a legal sense, since the Devil accuses men before God.

B — 1: ἀντίκειμαι

(Strong's #480 — Verb — antikeimai — an-tik'-i-mahee )

is, lit., "to lie opposite to, to be set over against." In addition to its legal sense it signifies "to withstand;" the present participle of the verb with the article, which is equivalent to a noun, signifies "an adversary," e.g., Luke 13:17; 21:15; 1 Corinthians 16:9; Philippians 1:28; 1 Timothy 5:14 . This construction is used of the Man of Sin, in 2 Thessalonians 2:4 , and is translated "He that opposeth," where, adopting the noun form, we might render by "the opponent and self-exalter against..." In Galatians 5:17 it is used of the antagonism between the Holy Spirit and the flesh in the believer; in 1 Timothy 1:10 , of anything, in addition to persons, that is opposed to the doctrine of Christ. In these two places the word is rendered "contrary to." In the Sept. it is used of Satan, Zechariah 3:1 , and of men, Job 13:24; Isaiah 66:6 . See CONTRARY , OPPOSE.

C — 1: ὑπεναντίος

(Strong's #5227 — Adjective — hupenantios — hoop-en-an-tee'-os )

"contrary, opposed," is a strengthened form of enantios (en, "in," and antios, "set against"). The intensive force is due to the preposition hupo. It is translated "contrary to," in Colossians 2:14 , of ordinances; in Hebrews 10:27 , "adversaries." In each place a more violent form of opposition is suggested than in the case of enantios. See CONTRARY.

Bibliography Information
Vines, W. E., M. A. Entry for 'Adversary'. Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words. https://www.studylight.org/​dictionaries/​eng/​ved/​a/adversary.html. 1940.