The Greek preposition apenanti means 'over against,' 'opposite,' or 'in the sight of.' It positions one thing in direct relation to another — face to face, or in opposition.
Apenanti appears in key moments of confrontation and witness. In Matthew 27:61, Mary Magdalene and Mary sat 'opposite the tomb' (apenanti) — a vigil of love and grief. In Acts 3:16, the healed man stood 'before you all' (apenanti) — public witness to divine power. Romans 3:18 quotes Psalm 36:1: 'There is no fear of God before their eyes' (apenanti) — describing those for whom God's presence has become invisible. The word calls us to live with conscious awareness of God's gaze — to act as those who are always apenanti, before the face of God.