The meaning of Confidence in the Bible
(From International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)

kon'-fi-dens (baTach, and forms, kecel; parrhesia; peitho, pepoithesis, hupostasis): The chief Hebrew word translated "confidence" (baTach, and its forms) means, perhaps, radically, "to be open," showing thus what originated the idea of "confidence"; where there was nothing hidden a person felt safe; it is very frequently rendered "trust." In Psalms 118:8-9 we have "It is better to take refuge in Yahweh than to put confidence in princes," and in Psalms 65:5, "O God of our salvation, thou that art the confidence (mibhTach) of all the ends of the earth." MibhTach is translated "confidence" in Job 18:14; Job 31:24; Proverbs 21:22, etc.

Kecel ("firmness," "stoutness") is rendered "confidence" in Proverbs 3:26, and kiclah in Job 4:6; peitho ("to persuade") is translated "confidence" in II Corinthians 2:3; Galatians 5:10, etc.; pepoithesis, in II Corinthians 1:15; II Corinthians 8:22, etc.; hupostasis ("what stands under"), in II Corinthians 11:17; Hebrews 3:14; II Corinthians 9:4; parrhesia ("out-spokenness," "boldness") is invariably translated in the Revised Version (British and American) "boldness" (Acts 28:31; Hebrews 3:6; Hebrews 4:16; Hebrews 10:35; I John 2:28; I John 3:21; I John 5:14); tharseo or tharrheo ("to have good courage") is so translated in the Revised Version (British and American), "being therefore always of good courage" (II Corinthians 5:6); "I am of good courage concerning you" (II Corinthians 7:16), the King James Version "confident" and "confidence."

Revised Version has "confidence" for "hope" (Job 8:14); for "assurance" (Isaiah 32:17); for "trust" (II Corinthians 3:4); for "same confident boasting" (II Corinthians 9:4); "is confident" for "trusted" (Job 40:23); "to have confidence" for "thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust" (Philippians 3:4); "confidently" for "constantly" (Acts 12:15); "confidently affirm" for "affirm" (I Timothy 1:7); conversely, we have for "his confidence" (Job 18:14), "wherein he trusteth," for "with confidence" (Ezekiel 28:26) "securely therein."

The Bible teaches the value of confidence (Isaiah 30:15; Hebrews 10:35), but neither in "gold" (Job 31:24), nor in man, however great (Psalms 118:8-9; Jeremiah 17:5), nor in self (Proverbs 14:16; Philippians 3:3), but in God (Psalms 65:5; Proverbs 3:26; Proverbs 14:26), as revealed in Christ (Ephesians 3:12; I John 5:13-14).

W. L. Walker

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