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confirm, strengthen

Concise Bible Dictionary:

Paul and Barnabas went to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith. Judas and Silas, messengers from Jerusalem to Antioch, being prophets, exhorted the brethren with many words and confirmed them. Again Paul and Silas went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches (Acts 14:22²²Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. (Acts 14:22); Acts 15:32,41³²And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them. (Acts 15:32)
⁴¹And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches. (Acts 15:41)). These passages, with Acts 18:23²³And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples. (Acts 18:23), where the word is translated “strengthen,” are all the places where the word ἐπιστηρίζω occurs. (There is no idea of any ceremonial, like what is now called “Confirmation.”)

Strong’s Dictionary of Greek Words:

Number:

1991 (find all occurrences in KJV Bible)

Greek:

ἐπιστηρίζω

Transliteration:

episterizo

Phonic:

ep-ee-stay-rid’-zo

Meaning:

from 1909 and 4741; to support further, i.e. reestablish

KJV Usage:

confirm, strengthen