The Greek noun pistis is one of the most important words in the New Testament, occurring approximately 243 times. It means faith, trust, reliance, or firm conviction — particularly the trust placed in God and in Jesus Christ. It encompasses both the act of believing and the content of what is believed (the faith, as a body of doctrine).
Pistis is the cornerstone of Pauline soteriology: 'For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith (pistis)' (Ephesians 2:8). The contrast between faith and works runs throughout Galatians and Romans — not to disparage works but to locate the foundation of salvation in trust in God's provision rather than human achievement. Hebrews 11 defines pistis as 'confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see,' then catalogs the Old Testament heroes who lived by it. James 2 clarifies that genuine pistis produces works — dead faith is no faith. Ultimately, pistis is the relational bond that connects the believer to Christ and His redemptive work.