Original Word: δεισιδαιμονία
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: deisidaimonia
Pronunciation: day-see-die-mo-NEE-ah
Phonetic Spelling: (dice-ee-dahee-mon-ee'-ah)
KJV: superstition
NASB: religion, very religious
Word Origin: [the compound of a derivative of the base of G1169 (δειλός - afraid) and G1142 (δαίμων - demons)]

1. religion

religion

From the same as deisidaimonesteros; religion -- superstition.

see GREEK deisidaimonesteros

Cognate: 1175 deisidaimonía (akin to 1174 /deisidaimonésteros, see there) – properly, dread of a pagan deity "inspiring" a "token show of respect" (religious gesture) – especially religious-superstition (Souter); a "respect of the divine" which is only driven by the dread of a deity.

Word Origin
from same as deisidaimonesteros
Definition
a religion, superstition
NASB Translation
religion (1), very religious (1).

STRONGS NT 1175: δεισιδαιμονία

δεισιδαιμονία, δεισιδαιμονίας, ἡ (δεισιδαίμων), fear of the gods;

1. in a good sense, reverence for the gods, piety, religion: Polybius 6, 56, 7; Josephus, Antiquities 10, 3, 2; καί θεοφιλής βίος, Diodorus 1, 70.

2. equivalent to ἡ δειλία πρός τό δαιμόνιον (Theophrastus, char. 16 (22) at the beginning (cf. Jebb, p. 263f)); superstition: (Polybius 12, 24, 5); Plutarch (Sol. 12, 4); Alex. 75, 1; de adulat. et am. 25, and in his Essay περί τῆς δεισιδαιμονίας; Antoninus 6, 30 θεοσεβής χωρίς δεισιδαιμονίας.

3. religion, in an objective sense; in which sense Josephus, Antiquities 19, 5, 3, says Claudius commanded the Jews μή τάς τῶν ἄλλων ἐθνῶν δεισιδαιμονίας ἐξουδενίζειν. Festus in the presence of Agrippa the Jewish king employs the word ambiguously and cautiously, in Acts 25:19, of the Jewish religion, viz. so as to leave his own judgment concerning its truth in suspense. Cf. Zezschwitz, Profangräcität u. Biblical Sprachgeist, p. 59; (K. F. Hermann, Lehrb. d. gottesdienstl. Alterthümer, § 8 note 6; Trench, § xlviii.; (cf. Kenrick, Biblical Essays, 1864, p. 108ff; Field, Otium Norv. iii., p. 80f)).

Term Overview

The noun δεισιδαιμονία (Strong’s Greek 1175) denotes a fear-based religious attitude. Depending on context it can describe either a sincere, if uninformed, reverence for the divine or a superstitious dread that seeks to placate spiritual powers. Scripture shows that when religion is driven primarily by fear rather than truth, it becomes distorted and powerless to save.

Biblical Occurrence

Acts 25:19 records the sole New Testament use. Governor Festus summarizes the accusations against Paul: “Instead they had some disagreements with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died but Paul affirmed was alive”. Festus chooses a term that, in the ears of his Roman audience, relegates the Jewish-Christian dispute to the realm of sectarian superstition rather than civil crime. The choice of δεισιδαιμονία reveals his secular viewpoint while highlighting the gulf between worldly perceptions of faith and the reality of Christ’s resurrection.

Historical and Cultural Background

1. Greco-Roman context
• Popular piety blended official cults with household gods, omens, spells, and fatalism.
• Intellectuals often dismissed such practices as irrational δεισιδαιμονία—fear of angry deities demanding appeasement.
2. Jewish context
• First-century Judaism held a revealed monotheism, yet traditions and oral fences sometimes degenerated into fear-based legalism (Matthew 23:4).
3. Roman jurisprudence
• Roman governors were tasked with maintaining public order; theological quarrels could be dismissed as private superstition unless they threatened the pax deorum. Festus’ language reflects that administrative stance.

Theological Implications

1. Superstition versus Revelation
• Superstition springs from ignorance of God’s character; revealed faith rests on His trustworthy Word (Psalm 19:7).
2. Fear versus Love
• “Perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:18). The gospel transforms servile dread into filial reverence (Romans 8:15).
3. Resurrection as Crisis Point
• Festus reduces the resurrection to a religious squabble, yet Paul proclaims it as history (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). The empty tomb exposes superstition and authenticates saving faith.

Contrast with Genuine Faith

• Luke later records Paul telling Agrippa, “I stand to testify to small and great alike” (Acts 26:22). Biblical faith invites examination and rests on evidence, not on luck, charms, or ritual appeasement.
• Where δεισιδαιμονία clings to fear of unknown gods, the gospel reveals the “unknown God” as the risen Lord who commands all people everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30).

Pastoral Applications

• Discernment: Leaders should help believers distinguish biblical reverence from fear-driven practices that mimic pagan superstition (Colossians 2:20-23).
• Evangelism: Many modern cultures retain superstitious elements; presenting the risen Christ addresses the same heart-need Paul faced—freedom from fear of unseen forces (Hebrews 2:14-15).
• Worship: True worship is grounded in truth and spirit (John 4:24), not in anxiety over rituals or omens.

Related Biblical Themes and References

• Acts 17:22—Paul acknowledges the Athenians as “very religious” using the cognate adjective; he redirects their fear toward the true God.
• Galatians 4:9-10—Warning against returning to “weak and worthless principles,” a form of Christianized superstition.
• 1 Peter 1:17—Calls believers to live in reverent fear, a holy awe distinct from δεισιδαιμονία.
• Isaiah 8:12-13—Do not fear what the world fears; instead sanctify the LORD as holy.

Conclusion

Strong’s 1175 exposes the clash between fear-based religion and resurrection faith. Festus’ offhand dismissal of Paul’s message underscores how easily the world mislabels the gospel as mere superstition. Scripture, however, consistently portrays Christ’s victory over death as the definitive answer to every anxious, superstitious impulse, inviting all people to replace dread with confident trust in the living God.

δεισιδαιμονιας δεισιδαιμονίας deisidaimonias deisidaimoníasInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts