G276 — ἀμετάθετος (ametáthetos)¶

Core Data¶

Strong's: G276
Original: ἀμετάθετος
Transliteration: ametáthetos
Pronunciation: am-et-ath'-et-os
Part of Speech: Adjective
Root: α- (privative prefix, "not") + a derivative of μετατίθημι (G3346, "to transpose, transfer, change"); cognate noun μετάθεσις (G3331, "a change, transference, removal")
Occurrences: 2 (both in Hebrews)
First Occurrence: Heb 6:17 — "Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed [it] by an oath"
Hapax Legomenon: No — occurs 2x; but it is a dis legomenon, appearing only in Heb 6:17 and 6:18, both within a single argument

Lexicon Definition¶

From α- (as a negative particle) and a derivative of μετατίθημι: "unchangeable, immutable, not able to be moved/transferred." The word belongs to a cluster of alpha-privative verbal adjectives in Hebrews used to describe the fixed, final, irrevocable character of God's work and word (cf. ἀσάλευτος "immovable" Heb 12:28; ἀπαράβατος "unchangeable" Heb 7:24; ἀκατάλυτος "indissoluble" Heb 7:16). Literally: "not-transferrable," i.e., not subject to being set aside, withdrawn, or altered.

Semantic Domains¶

Louw-Nida: - 13.002 — Change of State (the privative form — the negation of change) - Gloss: "not changing, unchanging, never to change"

UBS Semantic Domains: - [013] Be, Become, Exist, Happen

Other words in subdomain 13.002: μετάθεσις (G3331, change/transference), μετατίθημι (G3346, to transfer/change), μεταβαίνω (G3327, to depart), μεταμορφόω (G3339, to transform), μεταστρέφω (G3344, to turn into), στρέφω (G4762, to turn/change), ἀπαράβατος (G531, unchanging), ἀνακαινίζω (G340, to renew)

Translation Distribution (KJV)¶

Translation	Count	%
immutable	1	50%
immutability	1	50%

Both renderings translate the same Greek adjective. In Heb 6:17 it is substantival/abstract ("the immutability"); in Heb 6:18 it is attributive ("two immutable things").

Distribution by Book¶

Book	Count	Per 100 Verses
Hebrews	2	0.7

Exclusively a Hebrews-vocabulary item. Fits the epistle's broader fondness for alpha-privative theological adjectives (ἀπαράβατος, ἀκατάλυτος, ἀσάλευτος, ἀμίαντος, ἀνεξιχνίαστος) used to contrast the permanent realities of the new covenant with the transient shadows of the old.

Semantic Categories¶

With only two tokens, both in a single paragraph (Heb 6:13–20), the word functions in one tightly integrated argument. The two uses differ in grammatical role, not in meaning.

1. Abstract / Substantival — "immutability" as a quality of God's purpose¶

Heb 6:17 — "God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability (τὸ ἀμετάθετον) of his counsel (τῆς βουλῆς αὐτοῦ), confirmed [it] by an oath"
The neuter adjective with article functions as an abstract noun: "the unchangeableness." It predicates a property of God's βουλή (counsel, deliberate purpose).

2. Attributive / Concrete — "immutable things" that guarantee the promise¶

Heb 6:18 — "That by two immutable things (διὰ δύο πραγμάτων ἀμεταθέτων), in which [it was] impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation"
Agreeing with πραγμάτων ("things, matters, realities"). The "two" are identified by context as (1) God's promise (v. 13, to Abraham) and (2) God's oath (v. 13, 17 — sworn by Himself, v. 13). Each is independently unalterable; together they form the unshakeable ground of the believer's hope.

Common Collocations¶

Because G276 occurs only twice, every co-occurring content word appears in 50% of its uses. The cluster is thematically unified around oath, promise, counsel, refuge, hope.

Word	Strong's	Co-occurrences	Typical Pattern
βουλή (boulē) "counsel"	G1012	1x (50%)	"immutability of his counsel" (6:17) — the divine deliberate purpose
βούλομαι (boulomai) "willing"	G1014	1x (50%)	"God, willing more abundantly to shew" (6:17)
ὅρκος (horkos) "oath"	G3727	1x (50%)	"confirmed by an oath" (6:17); paired with promise as a second guarantee
ἐπαγγελία (epangelia) "promise"	G1860	1x (50%)	"heirs of promise" (6:17) — the content which immutability secures
κληρονόμος (klēronomos) "heir"	G2818	1x (50%)	"the heirs of promise" (6:17) — beneficiaries of the immutable counsel
μεσιτεύω (mesiteuō) "interpose, mediate"	G3315	1x (50%)	God "interposed with an oath" (6:17, alternate rendering)
ἐπιδείκνυμι (epideiknymi) "to shew"	G1925	1x (50%)	"shew unto the heirs" — make the immutability evident
ἀδύνατος (adynatos) "impossible"	G102	1x (50%)	"in which [it was] impossible for God to lie" (6:18)
ψεύδομαι (pseudomai) "lie"	G5574	1x (50%)	"impossible for God to lie" (6:18) — the moral ground of immutability
δύο (dyo) "two"	G1417	1x (50%)	"two immutable things" (6:18) — promise + oath
πρᾶγμα (pragma) "thing, matter"	G4229	1x (50%)	"two immutable things" (6:18)
παράκλησις (paraklēsis) "consolation"	G3874	1x (50%)	"strong consolation" (6:18) — pastoral result
ἰσχυρός (ischyros) "strong"	G2478	1x (50%)	"strong consolation" (6:18)
καταφεύγω (katapheugō) "flee for refuge"	G2703	1x (50%)	"we who have fled for refuge" (6:18)
ἐλπίς (elpis) "hope"	G1680	1x (50%)	"the hope set before us" (6:18) — the object laid hold
κρατέω (krateō) "lay hold"	G2902	1x (50%)	"lay hold upon the hope" (6:18)
πρόκειμαι (prokeimai) "set before"	G4295	1x (50%)	"hope set before us" (6:18)
περισσότερον (perissoteron) "more abundantly"	G4054	1x (50%)	"more abundantly to shew" (6:17) — intensifier on God's demonstration
ἔχω (echō) "have"	G2192	1x (50%)	"we might have a strong consolation" (6:18)

Word Family / Cognates¶

G3346 — μετατίθημι (metatithēmi) — "to transfer, change, remove"; the verb whose negation yields G276. Used of Enoch being "translated" (Heb 11:5), of priesthood being "changed" (Heb 7:12), and of deserting to a different gospel (Gal 1:6). Every positive form of this root describes a movement or alteration that G276 denies of God's counsel.
G3331 — μετάθεσις (metathesis) — "change, removal, transference"; the cognate noun. Used of Enoch's translation (Heb 11:5), the change of priesthood/law (Heb 7:12), and the "removing of those things that are shaken" (Heb 12:27). Same Hebrews author; G276 is what these shakeable things are not.

Synonyms¶

No close lexical synonyms were identified by search_relationships.py outside the cognate cluster already listed above.

Antonyms¶

G3331 μετάθεσις (metathesis) — change, removal, transference; the direct opposite concept surfaced by search_relationships.py

Easily Confused / Near-Synonyms (α-privative durability cluster)¶

Word	Strong's	Shared Domain	Key Difference
ἀπαράβατος (aparabatos)	G531	13.002 — "unchanging, never to change"	Heb 7:24 only: Christ's priesthood is aparabatos ("not passing over" to another). Near-synonym; aparabatos = not-transferrable-to-another, ametathetos = not-subject-to-displacement-or-withdrawal.
ἀσάλευτος (asaleutos)	G761	13 — "immovable, unshakeable"	Heb 12:28; Acts 27:41 — refers to physical/metaphysical stability (a kingdom "which cannot be moved"). G276 denies change of purpose; G761 denies change of position.
ἀκατάλυτος (akatalytos)	G179	13 — "indissoluble, cannot be brought to an end"	Heb 7:16 only: Christ's life is "endless" (akatalytos). G179 = cannot-be-terminated; G276 = cannot-be-altered.
ἀμετακίνητος (ametakinētos)	G277	outside 13.002	1 Cor 15:58 — "unmoveable" (of believers). Similar privative form on metakineō "to move away." Synonymous range; G276 applies the concept to God's counsel, G277 to the believer's stance.
ἀμεταμέλητος (ametamelētos)	G278	—	Rom 11:29; 2 Cor 7:10 — "without regret, not to be repented of." Denies change of mind (μεταμέλομαι); G276 denies change of position/decree. Overlapping in Rom 11:29 ("the gifts and calling of God are ametameletos"), which makes a parallel claim to Heb 6:17.

Hebrew Source¶

No direct Hebrew source via LXX: G276 does not occur in the canonical LXX. (The word is attested in classical and Hellenistic Greek — e.g., 3 Macc 5:1, 12 uses ametathetos of a king's fixed decree — and the Hebrews author draws on this juridical-decree background, not an OT lexeme.) The conceptual OT parallel is אֱמֶת (ʾemet, H571 — firmness, faithfulness) and the oath-formula "by myself have I sworn" (Gen 22:16, quoted in Heb 6:13–14), where the Hebrew root שׁבע (shaba) + the self-referential guarantee carries what Hebrews crystallizes in ametathetos.