Dictionaries :: Wrest

International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia

Wrest:

rest: Found in the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) 3 times in the writings of Moses, namely, Ex 23:2,6; De 16:19. In all three places it refers to twisting, or turning aside, or perverting judgment or justice. In De 24:17 the Revised Version (British and American) has "wrest" where the King James Version has "pervert."

In Ps 56:5 ('atsabh); 2Pe 3:16 (strebloo), it refers to the word or words of God in the Scriptures. In the Psalms the servant of God, who speaks in God's name, complains that the enemies "wrest," misinterpret, misapply and pervert his words. In Peter it is the ignorant and unstedfast who so pervert and misuse some of the difficult words of Paul, and they do it to their own destruction-a most earnest warning against carelessness and conscienceless indifference in interpreting Scripture.

Written by G. H. Geberding

King James Dictionary

Wrest: To Wrench; to Torture by Twisting.

And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; 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. (2 Peter 3:15-16)

Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words

Wrest:

"to twist, to torture" (from streble, "a which" or "instrument of torture," and akin to strepho, "to turn"), is used metaphorically in 2Pe 3:16, of "wresting" the Scriptures on the part of the ignorant and unsteadfast. In the Sept., 2Sa 22:27.