Unstable
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In the context of the Bible, the term "unstable" often refers to a lack of steadfastness or reliability, particularly in one's faith or character. This concept is addressed in various passages, highlighting the spiritual and moral implications of instability.

James 1:8 · "He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." This verse from the Epistle of James underscores the dangers of being double-minded, which is equated with instability. A double-minded person is one who wavers in faith and commitment, lacking the firm foundation necessary for spiritual growth and maturity. The instability here is not just a personal flaw but a spiritual condition that affects all aspects of life.

2 Peter 2:14 · "With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are accursed children." In this passage, Peter warns against false teachers who prey on the unstable. The unstable are those who are not firmly rooted in the truth of the Gospel, making them susceptible to deception and sin. This highlights the importance of spiritual discernment and the need for a solid grounding in Scripture to avoid being led astray.

Genesis 49:4 · "Unstable as water, you shall not excel, because you went up to your father’s bed; then you defiled it—he went up to my couch!" In Jacob's blessing to his sons, Reuben is described as "unstable as water" due to his impulsive and sinful actions. This instability results in a loss of privilege and blessing, illustrating the consequences of a lack of self-control and moral integrity.

Proverbs 24:21-22 · "My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not associate with the rebellious. For they will bring sudden destruction. Who knows what ruin they can bring?" While the term "unstable" is not directly used, the warning against associating with the rebellious implies the instability that comes from aligning with those who lack respect for divine and earthly authority. Such associations can lead to personal and communal ruin.

Ephesians 4:14 · "Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming." Paul speaks to the need for spiritual maturity to avoid being unstable. The imagery of being "tossed about by the waves" conveys the idea of instability, which results from a lack of doctrinal grounding. Spiritual maturity, achieved through growth in Christ, provides the stability needed to withstand false teachings.

In summary, the Bible presents instability as a spiritual and moral issue that can have significant consequences. It is often associated with a lack of faith, discernment, and moral integrity. The Scriptures encourage believers to seek stability through a firm foundation in God's Word, spiritual maturity, and a steadfast commitment to the truth.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(a.) Not stable; not firm, fixed, or constant; subject to change or overthrow.
Greek
793. asteriktos -- unstable, unsettled
... unstable, unsettled. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: asteriktos Phonetic
Spelling: (as-tay'-rik-tos) Short Definition: unsteady, unstable Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/793.htm - 7k

182. akatastatos -- unstable
... unstable. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: akatastatos Phonetic Spelling:
(ak-at-as'-tat-os) Short Definition: unsettled, unstable Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/182.htm - 7k

1425. dusnoetos -- hard to understand
... 2 Pet 3:16: "As also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which
are some things (1425 ), which the untaught and unstable distort, as they ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1425.htm - 7k

Strong's Hebrew
6349. pachaz -- wantonness, recklessness
... unstable. From pachaz; ebullition, ie Froth (figuratively, lust) -- unstable. see
HEBREW pachaz. 6348, 6349. pachaz. 6350 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/6349.htm - 6k

5128. nua -- to quiver, wave, waver, tremble, totter
... 1), shake (4), shaken (4), shook (1), stagger (3), staggered (1), swing to and fro
(1), to and fro (1), tremble (1), trembled (2), unstable (1), vagrant (2 ...
/hebrew/5128.htm - 6k

Library

Christ and the Unstable.
... V. CHRIST AND THE UNSTABLE. TEXT: Matthew 21:10-16. WE have lately seen
from several examples that what is properly to be regarded ...
/.../schleiermacher/selected sermons of schleiermacher/v christ and the unstable.htm

Moreover, in this Way You Represent them as not Only Unstable and ...
... Book I. 19 Moreover, in this way you represent them as not only unstable
and excitable? Moreover, in this way you represent them ...
/.../the seven books of arnobius against the heathen/19 moreover in this way.htm

That we must not Believe Everyone, and that we are Prone to Fall ...
... Blessed be thou, O Lord my God, in all things which happen unto us. We are
weak and unstable, we are quickly deceived and quite changed. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/kempis/imitation of christ/chapter xlv that we must.htm

The Forty-Fifth Chapter: all Men are not to be Believed, for it is ...
... Blessed be Your name, O Lord my God, in everything that befalls us. We
are weak and unstable, quickly deceived and changed. Who ...
/.../kempis/the imitation of christ/the forty-fifth chapter all men.htm

Of Four Kinds of Fever Wherewith a Man May be Tormented
... Now mark whence this unstable condition comes in some good men. When a
man sets his thoughts and his inward active endeavour on ...
/.../john/the adornment of the spritual marriage/chapter xxxii of four kinds.htm

On Predestination
... in all his Epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things
hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 58 on predestination.htm

On the Contemplation of Human Misery
... 2. There are many foolish and unstable men who say, "See what a prosperous life
that man hath, how rich and how great he is, how powerful, how exalted." But ...
/.../kempis/imitation of christ/chapter xxii on the contemplation.htm

Instability
... the. REV. CH SPURGEON. at the Music Hall, Royal Surrey Gardens. "Unstable
as water, thou shalt not excel.""Genesis 49:4. PERFECT ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 3 1857/instability.htm

A Preliminary Discourse to Catechising
... Such as are unsettled are of the tribe of Reuben, unstable as water,' Genesis
49:9; like a ship without ballast, overturned with every wind of doctrine. ...
/.../watson/a body of divinity/1 a preliminary discourse to.htm

To Eulalius, Bishop of Persian Armenia.
... bear it." [1732] But one thing I do beseech your reverence, and that is to have
greater heed of the unsound; and not only to strengthen the unstable but also ...
/.../the ecclesiastical history of theodoret/lxxvii to eulalius bishop of.htm

Thesaurus
Unstable (8 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Unstable (8 Occurrences). ... (WEY). James 1:8 He is a
double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. (WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). ...
/u/unstable.htm - 8k

Unsettled (5 Occurrences)
... of the Lord is now here. (WEY NIV). James 1:8 A man unsettled in his opinions
is unstable in all his ways. (WBS). James 3:8 but the ...
/u/unsettled.htm - 7k

Unspotted (3 Occurrences)

/u/unspotted.htm - 7k

Unlearned (7 Occurrences)
... in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things
hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as ...
/u/unlearned.htm - 9k

Unstained (4 Occurrences)

/u/unstained.htm - 7k

Opinions (7 Occurrences)
... kept out of your society; (BBE). James 1:8 A man unsettled in his opinions
is unstable in all his ways. (WBS). 2 Samuel 16:23 In those ...
/o/opinions.htm - 8k

Wrest (8 Occurrences)
... in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things
hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as ...
/w/wrest.htm - 10k

Wentest (16 Occurrences)
... Genesis 49:4 Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to
thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch. ...
/w/wentest.htm - 11k

Impress (6 Occurrences)
... 1 Timothy 6:17 Impress on those who are rich in the present age that they must not
be haughty nor set their hopes on riches--that unstable foundation--but on ...
/i/impress.htm - 9k

Instability (1 Occurrence)
... 1. (n.) The quality or condition of being unstable; want of stability, firmness,
or steadiness; liability to give way or to fail; insecurity; precariousness; as ...
/i/instability.htm - 7k

Resources
How should a Christian view gun control? | GotQuestions.org

Is the original Bible still in existence? | GotQuestions.org

What can we learn from the tribe of Levi / the Levites? | GotQuestions.org

Unstable: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Unstable (8 Occurrences)

1 Timothy 6:17
Impress on those who are rich in the present age that they must not be haughty nor set their hopes on riches--that unstable foundation--but on God who provides us richly with all things for our enjoyment.
(WEY)

James 1:8
He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

2 Peter 2:14
Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:
(KJV WBS YLT NAS NIV)

2 Peter 3:16
As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
(KJV WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 49:4
Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.
(KJV JPS WBS YLT RSV)

Judges 9:4
and they give to him seventy silverings out of the house of Baal-Berith, and Abimelech hireth with them men, vain and unstable, and they go after him;
(YLT)

Proverbs 5:6
So that she findeth not the level path of life: Her ways are unstable, 'and' she knoweth 'it' not.
(ASV NAS)

Zephaniah 3:4
Her prophets unstable -- men of treachery, Her priests have polluted the sanctuary, They have violated the law.
(YLT)

Subtopics

Bipolar

Unstable

Related Terms

Undefiled (7 Occurrences)

Unstable (8 Occurrences)

Unsteady (1 Occurrence)

Oneself (10 Occurrences)

Widows (33 Occurrences)

Fatherless (44 Occurrences)

Faultless (10 Occurrences)

Polluted (80 Occurrences)

Accepts (14 Occurrences)

Snowy (2 Occurrences)

Strife (71 Occurrences)

Clean (298 Occurrences)

Distress (169 Occurrences)

Everywhere (53 Occurrences)

Self (28 Occurrences)

Pure (160 Occurrences)

Visit (97 Occurrences)

Psychology

Persian (4 Occurrences)

Affliction (120 Occurrences)

Ancient (64 Occurrences)

Religion (23 Occurrences)

Unspotted
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