G5287 — ὑπόστασις (hupostasis)¶

Core Data¶

Strong's: G5287
Original: ὑπόστασις
Transliteration: hupostasis
Pronunciation: hoop-os'-tas-is
Part of Speech: Feminine noun
Root: Compound of ὑπό (hupo, "under") + ἵστημι (histemi, "to stand") — literally "a standing under," i.e., a foundation or support
Occurrences: 5 in NT (5 unique verses, 2 books)
First Occurrence: 2 Cor 9:4 — "Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting."
Hapax Legomenon: No

Lexicon Definition¶

From a compound of ὑπό (hupo) and ἵστημι (histemi); a setting under (support), i.e. (figuratively) concretely, essence, or abstractly, assurance (objectively or subjectively).

Louw-Nida Semantic Domain¶

Domain 58: Nature, Class, Example
Subdomain 58.1: Nature, Character
Other words in subdomain: μορφή (morphe, G3444), μόρφωσις (morphosis, G3446), σχῆμα (schema, G4976), σάρξ (sarx, G4561), σπέρμα (sperma, G4690)
Domain 31: Hold a View, Believe, Trust
Subdomain 31.9: Trust, Rely
Other words in subdomain: βέβαιος (bebaios, G949), πίστις (pistis, G4102), πείθω (peitho, G3982)

Domain Neighbors (58.1 — Nature, Character)¶

Strong's	Lemma	Total Verses	Primary KJV Translation(s)
G3444	μορφή	3	form
G3445	μορφόω	1	be formed
G3446	μόρφωσις	2	form
G4110	πλάσμα	1	thing formed
G4111	πλάσσω	3	formed
G4561	σάρξ	117	flesh
G4690	σπέρμα	39	seed
G4832	σύμμορφος	2	conformed, fashioned like unto
G4976	σχῆμα	2	fashion
G5446	φυσικός	3	natural

Morphological Distribution¶

Form	Case	Count	Verses
ὑποστάσει	Dative Sg	2	2 Cor 9:4; 11:17
ὑποστάσεως	Genitive Sg	2	Heb 1:3; 3:14
ὑπόστασις	Nominative Sg	1	Heb 11:1

Translation Distribution (KJV)¶

Translation	Count	%
confident	1	20%
confidence	1	20%
of our confidence	1	20%
person	1	20%
the substance	1	20%

Distribution by Book¶

Book	Count	Per 100 Verses
Hebrews	3	1.0
2 Corinthians	2	0.8

The word is exclusive to Paul (2 Corinthians) and the author of Hebrews. All five uses occur in epistolary literature. Absent from the Gospels, Acts, General Epistles, and Revelation.

Semantic Categories¶

1. Ontological Reality / Essential Being¶

The word denotes the underlying reality or essential nature of a being — what something truly is beneath appearances. - Heb 1:3 — "Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person (hupostasis), and upholding all things by the word of his power" - Here hupostasis refers to God's essential being. The Son is the exact representation (charakter) of the Father's underlying reality.

2. Subjective Confidence / Boldness¶

In 2 Corinthians, the word describes a confident stance or bold assurance in one's position or claims. - 2 Cor 9:4 — "Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident (hupostasis) boasting" - 2 Cor 11:17 — "That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence (hupostasis) of boasting" - Both uses pair hupostasis with kauchesis ("boasting"), indicating the confident ground or basis for one's claims.

3. Objective Foundation / Substance of Faith¶

In Hebrews, the word describes the assured ground or foundational reality upon which faith rests, and the firm beginning-point of Christian hope. - Heb 11:1 — "Now faith is the substance (hupostasis) of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" - Hupostasis here denotes the objective ground or assured reality that gives faith its content — paired with elenchos ("evidence/proof," G1650). - Heb 3:14 — "For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence (hupostasis) stedfast unto the end" - Here hupostasis is the firm foundation or confident assurance that believers must maintain; paired with bebaios ("steadfast," G949).

Common Collocations¶

Word	Strong's	Co-occurrences	Typical Pattern
καύχησις (kauchesis)	G2746	2x (40%)	"in this hupostasis of boasting" — hupostasis as basis of kauchesis
βέβαιος (bebaios)	G949	1x (20%)	"hold the beginning of our hupostasis firm" — hupostasis made steadfast
ἔλεγχος (elenchos)	G1650	1x (20%)	"substance... evidence" — paired definitions of faith
ἀπαύγασμα (apaugasma)	G541	1x (20%)	"brightness of glory... express image of hupostasis" — divine nature
δόξα (doxa)	G1391	1x (20%)	"brightness of his glory and express image of his hupostasis"
ἀρχή (arche)	G746	1x (20%)	"hold the beginning (arche) of our hupostasis"

Antonyms¶

Word	Strong's	Relationship
φαντασία (phantasia)	G5325	Antonym: vain show, mere appearance (Acts 25:23 only) — hupostasis is underlying reality vs. phantasia as outward display

Easily Confused Words¶

Word	Strong's	Shared Translation	Key Difference
παῤῥησία (parrhesia)	G3954	confidence (6x)	parrhesia = outspoken boldness, freedom of speech; hupostasis = assured foundation or underlying reality
πεποίθησις (pepoithesis)	G4006	confidence (4x)	pepoithesis = reliance derived from persuasion (from peitho); hupostasis = the objective ground or substance underneath
πίστις (pistis)	G4102	(related in Heb 11:1 context)	pistis = the act of trusting/believing; hupostasis in Heb 11:1 is the objective substance or ground that faith apprehends
πείθω (peitho)	G3982	confidence (2x, perfect tense)	peitho (perfect pepoitha) = state of being persuaded; hupostasis = the underlying basis for that persuasion

Word Family¶

ὑπό (hupo) — preposition: under, beneath
ἵστημι (histemi, G2476) — root verb: to stand, establish, set
ἀνθίστημι (anthistemi, G436) — to set against, resist
ἀπόστασις (apostasis, G646) — defection, falling away (shares same root structure)

Hebrew Source¶

Hebrew Source	Strong's	Co-occurrences	PMI	Notes
נָצַב (natsab)	H5324	3	5.62	to station, set up, establish — strongest PMI alignment; shares "standing/establishing" semantic
אֶרֶץ (erets)	H776	5	1.46	earth, land — frequent general term
עָשָׂה (asah)	H6213	3	0.69	to do, make — common verb

The primary Hebrew alignment is H5324 natsab ("to station, establish"), which shares the core etymological sense of "standing firm" or "being set in place." The LXX uses hupostasis to translate several Hebrew words in the Psalms (Psa 39:5, 7; 69:2) where it renders concepts of standing-ground, substance, or life-reality.