181. akatastasia
Lexical Summary
akatastasia: Disorder, confusion, instability, tumult

Original Word: ἀκαταστασία
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: akatastasia
Pronunciation: ah-kah-tah-stah-SEE-ah
Phonetic Spelling: (ak-at-as-tah-see'-ah)
KJV: commotion, confusion, tumult
NASB: disturbances, confusion, disorder, tumults
Word Origin: [from G182 (ἀκατάστατος - restless)]

1. instability, i.e. disorder

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
commotion, confusion, tumult.

From akatastatos; instability, i.e. Disorder -- commotion, confusion, tumult.

see GREEK akatastatos

HELPS Word-studies

181 akatastasía (from 1 /A "not," 2596 /katá, "down" and stasis, "status, standing," cf. 2476 /hístēmi) – properly, can not stand (remain steady); unsettled, unstable (in tumult); (figuratively) instability bringing on disorder (disturbance).

181 /akatastasía ("commotion") generates confusion (things being "out of control"), i.e. when "up for grabs." This uncertainty and tumult inevitably generates more instability.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from akatastatos
Definition
instability
NASB Translation
confusion (1), disorder (1), disturbances (2), tumults (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 181: ἀκαταστασία

ἀκαταστασία, (ας, (ἀκατάστατος), instability, a state of disorder, disturbance, confusion: 1 Corinthians 14:33; James 3:16; (Clement of Rome, 1 Cor. 14, 1 [ET]; (Proverbs 26:28; Tobit 4:13)); plural disturbances, disorders: of dissensions, 2 Corinthians 12:20; of seditions, 2 Corinthians 6:5 (Cf. Meyer at the passage); of the tumults or commotions of war, Luke 21:9 (Polybius, Dionysius Halicarnassus).

Topical Lexicon
Overview

Strong’s Greek 181, ἀκαταστασία, gathers the ideas of unrest, upheaval, riot, and spiritual confusion. Its five New Testament uses trace a line from outward civil turmoil to inward congregational and personal disorder, contrasting sharply with the peace God provides and expects among His people.

Biblical Occurrences and Contexts

Luke 21:9 – Jesus forewarns that “wars and uprisings” will precede the end. ἀκαταστασία paints a picture of civic tumults that shake societies, reminding believers that history moves under divine sovereignty toward a determined consummation.

2 Corinthians 6:5 – Paul lists “riots” among his sufferings. Gospel ministry brought him into literal street unrest; yet his endurance magnified the power of God to sustain His servants amid social chaos.

2 Corinthians 12:20 – Facing a divided church, Paul fears he may find “disorder.” Here the word exposes relational turmoil springing from unchecked fleshly attitudes that undermine fellowship.

1 Corinthians 14:33 – “For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace.” The apostle appeals to God’s own character to regulate worship. Spiritual gifts must operate in an atmosphere reflecting divine order, not human confusion.

James 3:16 – “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice.” The tongue, when driven by envy, becomes a seedbed of ἀκαταστασία, showing that internal motives inevitably bear external fruit.

Theological Significance

1. Contrast with Divine Peace: Scripture consistently opposes ἀκαταστασία to εἰρήνη. The God who calms creation (Mark 4:39) will not inhabit environments characterized by unchecked tumult.
2. Moral Roots: James locates disorder in the heart’s covetous impulses, aligning it with “earthly, unspiritual, demonic” wisdom (James 3:15). Thus chaos is never neutral; it reveals an allegiance to values contrary to God’s kingdom.
3. Eschatological Marker: Luke 21:9 situates civil unrest in the unfolding of redemptive history. Believers, therefore, interpret global upheavals not as random but as elements within God’s prophetic timetable.
4. Ecclesiological Concern: Paul’s Corinthian correspondence shows that ἀκαταστασία disrupts both church discipline (2 Corinthians 12:20) and corporate worship (1 Corinthians 14:33). Order is indispensable for edification.

Pastoral and Ministry Implications

• Worship Leadership: Liturgical planning and exercise of gifts should foster clarity and mutual upbuilding, never spectacle or confusion.
• Church Governance: Elders guard against factions and rumor that breed instability. Swift, Scripture-guided correction preserves unity.
• Public Witness: Riotous behavior, whether physical or verbal, tarnishes testimony. Believers enduring societal unrest imitate Paul—patient, prayerful, steadfast—demonstrating a peace the world cannot manufacture.
• Conflict Resolution: The remedy for disorder lies in “wisdom from above,” which is “first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason” (James 3:17). Pastoral counseling aims to replace envy with servanthood, thereby restoring order.

Historical Insights

First-century Mediterranean cities were prone to mob violence, labor agitation, and political revolt. Paul’s mention of “riots” resonates with accounts in Acts (Ephesus, Jerusalem). Against this background, the early church’s call to quiet lives (1 Thessalonians 4:11) and orderly assemblies stood out sharply, offering a counterculture of peace amid empire-wide unrest.

Practical Application for Believers Today

1. Examine Motives: Jealousy and selfish ambition remain fertile soil for disorder. Personal repentance precedes communal peace.
2. Pursue Peacemaking: “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matthew 5:9). Active reconciliation displays the gospel’s power to reverse chaos.
3. Trust Providence: Hearing of modern wars and uprisings need not lead to fear. Christ forewarned them and promises ultimate victory.
4. Model Stability: Consistent, Spirit-filled conduct—at home, church, workplace—provides a stabilizing presence in an anxious world.

Summary

ἀκαταστασία is more than mere commotion; it is the outward manifestation of hearts and societies unaligned with God’s peace. Scripture exposes its sources, warns of its consequences, and offers the remedy of Spirit-wrought order. In every age, the call remains: “Let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40).

Forms and Transliterations
ακαταστασια ακαταστασία ἀκαταστασία ακαταστασιαι ακαταστασίαι ἀκαταστασίαι ακαταστασιαις ακαταστασίαις ἀκαταστασίαις ακαταστασίαν ακαταστασιας ακαταστασίας ἀκαταστασίας akatastasia akatastasía akatastasiai akatastasíai akatastasiais akatastasíais akatastasias akatastasías
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Englishman's Concordance
Luke 21:9 N-AFP
GRK: πολέμους καὶ ἀκαταστασίας μὴ πτοηθῆτε
NAS: of wars and disturbances, do not be terrified;
KJV: of wars and commotions, be not
INT: wars and commotions not be terrified

1 Corinthians 14:33 N-GFS
GRK: γάρ ἐστιν ἀκαταστασίας ὁ θεὸς
NAS: for God is not [a God] of confusion but of peace,
KJV: not [the author] of confusion, but
INT: indeed he is of disorder the God

2 Corinthians 6:5 N-DFP
GRK: φυλακαῖς ἐν ἀκαταστασίαις ἐν κόποις
NAS: in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors,
KJV: imprisonments, in tumults, in labours,
INT: imprisonments in riots in labours

2 Corinthians 12:20 N-NFP
GRK: ψιθυρισμοί φυσιώσεις ἀκαταστασίαι
NAS: gossip, arrogance, disturbances;
KJV: whisperings, swellings, tumults:
INT: gossip conceit disorder

James 3:16 N-NFS
GRK: ἐριθεία ἐκεῖ ἀκαταστασία καὶ πᾶν
NAS: exist, there is disorder and every
KJV: [is], there [is] confusion and
INT: self-interest [are] there [is] disorder and every

Strong's Greek 181
5 Occurrences


ἀκαταστασία — 1 Occ.
ἀκαταστασίαι — 1 Occ.
ἀκαταστασίαις — 1 Occ.
ἀκαταστασίας — 2 Occ.

180
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