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Bible Dictionaries
Confirm, Confirmation
Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words
or "to make firm, establish, make secure" (the connected adjective bebaios signifies "stable, fast, firm"), is used of "confirming" a word, Mark 16:20; promises, Romans 15:8; the testimony of Christ, 1 Corinthians 1:6; the saints by the Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Corinthians 1:8; the saints by God, 2 Corinthians 1:21 ("stablisheth"); in faith, Colossians 2:7; the salvation spoken through the Lord and "confirmed" by the Apostles, Hebrews 2:3; the heart by grace, Hebrews 13:9 ("stablished").
"to make to lean upon, strengthen" (epi, "upon," sterix, "a prop, support"), is used of "confirming" souls, Acts 14:22; brethren, Acts 15:32; churches, Acts 15:41; disciples, Acts 18:23 , in some mss. ("stablishing," RV, "strengthening," AV); the most authentic mss. have sterizo in 18:23. See STRENGTHEN.
"to make valid, ratify, impart authority or influence" (from kuros, "might," kurios, "mighty, a head, as supreme in authority"), is used of spiritual love, 2 Corinthians 2:8; a human covenant, Gal.3:15. In the Sept., see Genesis 23:20 , e.g.
pro, "before," and No. 3, "to confirm or ratify before," is said of the Divine confirmation of a promise given originally to Abraham, Genesis 12 , and "confirmed" by the vision of the furnace and torch, Genesis 15 , by the birth of Isaac, Genesis 21 , and by the oath of God, Genesis 22 , all before the giving of the Law, Galatians 3:17 .
"to act as a mediator, to interpose," is rendered "confirmed," in the AV of Hebrews 6:17 (marg., and RV, "interposed"). See INTERPOSED.
akin to A, No. 1, is used in two senses (a) "of firmness, establishment," said of the "confirmation" of the Gospel, Philippians 1:7; (b) "of authoritative validity imparted," said of the settlement of a dispute by an oath to produce confidence, Hebrews 6:16 . The word is found frequently in the papyri of the settlement of a business transaction.
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Vines, W. E., M. A. Entry for 'Confirm, Confirmation'. Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ved/c/confirm-confirmation.html. 1940.
