407. andrizó
Lexical Summary
andrizó: To act like a man, to be courageous

Original Word: ἀνδρίζομαι
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: andrizó
Pronunciation: an-drid'-zo
Phonetic Spelling: (an-drid'-zom-ahee)
KJV: quit like men
NASB: act like men
Word Origin: [middle voice from G435 (ἀνήρ - man)]

1. to act manly

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
act like men.

Middle voice from aner; to act manly -- quit like men.

see GREEK aner

HELPS Word-studies

407 andrízomai (from 435 /anḗr, "man") – properly, "to act as a man," i.e. as a full-grown, mature man; (figuratively) to be responsible and courageous by taking the initiatives God reveals through faith (used only in 1 Cor 16:13). Accordingly, 407 (andrízomai) is directly associated with 4102 /pístis ("faith").

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from anér
Definition
to behave like a man, to play the man
NASB Translation
act like men (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 407: ἀνδρίζω

ἀνδρίζω: (ἀνήρ); to make a man of or make brave (Xenophon, oec. 5, 4). Middle present ἀνδρίζομαι; to show oneself a man, be brave: 1 Corinthians 16:13 (A. V. quit you like men). (Often in the Sept.; Sir. 34:25; 1 Macc. 2:64; Xenophon, Plato, Appian, Plutarch, others.)

Topical Lexicon
Overview

Strong’s Greek 407 represents a vigorous summons to courageous action. It appears only once in the Greek New Testament yet resonates with a rich web of biblical exhortations calling the people of God to steadfast bravery undergirded by faith.

Biblical Occurrence and Immediate Context

1 Corinthians 16:13 reads, “Be on the alert. Stand firm in the faith. Be men of courage. Be strong.” (Berean Standard Bible). The verb translated “be men of courage” stands at the heart of Paul’s four-fold charge closing the letter. The apostle has addressed divisions, immorality, doctrinal confusion, and disorder in worship; he now gathers his counsels into an urgent, martial cadence aimed at the whole congregation—men and women alike—summoning every believer to fortitude as spiritual conflict intensifies.

Intertextual Echoes with the Old Testament

Paul’s choice of language intentionally echoes recurring Hebrew imperatives:
• “Be strong and courageous” (Deuteronomy 31:6; Joshua 1:6–7; 1 Chronicles 28:20).
• “Take courage and be men” (2 Samuel 10:12, Septuagint).

These Old Testament calls were often given at moments of covenant transition (Moses to Joshua), royal responsibility (David to Solomon), or national threat. By drawing on this heritage, Paul frames the Corinthian assembly as participants in the same redemptive storyline that demanded resolute obedience from Israel’s leaders and soldiers.

Theological Significance

1. A Virtue Anchored in Faith: Courage is not mere self-confidence but a grace grounded in “the faith” (1 Corinthians 16:13), the body of truth about Christ’s death and resurrection previously expounded (1 Corinthians 15:1–4).
2. Spiritual Warfare: The imperative stands beside “be on the alert,” recalling the vigilant posture required in light of Satan’s schemes (1 Peter 5:8) and the need to resist cultural compromise.
3. Complementarity of Strength and Love: Paul immediately adds, “Let all that you do be done in love” (1 Corinthians 16:14). True Christian courage never devolves into aggression; it is tempered by charity, reflecting the character of the Savior who is both Lion and Lamb.

Historical Reception in the Church

Early patristic writers viewed the verse as a universal summons to martyr-faithfulness. Chrysostom linked it to Polycarp’s steadfastness, urging believers facing persecution to “play the man.” Medieval commentators applied it to monastic discipline, while Reformers such as John Calvin treated it as a directive to resist doctrinal error. Across centuries, hymnody and catechesis have employed the phrase to inspire missionary zeal and pastoral endurance.

Practical Implications for Personal Discipleship

• Moral Purity: Corinthians living in a decadent port city needed moral resolve; contemporary believers confront analogous pressures and gain strength from the same command.
• Perseverance under Suffering: Whether battling illness, loss, or social hostility, Christians cling to this imperative as a reminder that grace equips for fortitude.
• Intentional Growth: Courage calls for active resistance against spiritual apathy, engaging Scripture, prayer, and fellowship as means of grace.

Implications for Corporate Worship and Ministry

• Leadership Formation: Elders, deacons, and ministry workers must cultivate holy bravery to guard sound doctrine (Titus 1:9).
• Congregational Solidarity: The plural imperative indicates communal responsibility; churches encourage courage through mutual exhortation, congregational singing (Colossians 3:16), and testimonies of faithfulness.
• Missional Advance: Evangelism involves crossing cultural barriers; the church “acts like men” when it proclaims the Gospel despite opposition (Acts 4:29–31).

Christological Dimension

Jesus embodies ultimate courage, setting His face toward Jerusalem (Luke 9:51) and enduring the cross (Hebrews 12:2). Believers draw on His victory, knowing that union with the risen Christ provides both motive and power to obey the exhortation.

Eschatological Hope

Revelation pictures overcomers who “loved not their lives unto death” (Revelation 12:11). The present call to courageous living anticipates final vindication when the faithful share in the reign of the Lamb (Revelation 20:4). Assurance of future glory fuels present steadfastness.

Conclusion

Though Strong’s Greek 407 surfaces only once, its imperative pulse beats through Scripture—from Moses’ handover to Joshua, through Davidic kingship, to the Apostolic foundation of the Church—calling every generation to vigilant, faith-anchored courage until Christ returns.

Forms and Transliterations
ανδριζεσθε ανδρίζεσθε ἀνδρίζεσθε ανδρίζου ανδριούμαι ανδριούμεθα άνδρισαι ανδρόγυνον ανδρογύνων ανδρυνθώσιν andrizesthe andrízesthe
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
1 Corinthians 16:13 V-PMM/P-2P
GRK: τῇ πίστει ἀνδρίζεσθε κραταιοῦσθε
NAS: in the faith, act like men, be strong.
KJV: the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
INT: the faith act like men be strong

Strong's Greek 407
1 Occurrence


ἀνδρίζεσθε — 1 Occ.

406
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