BIBLE DICTIONARY + WORD STUDY

Conscience

Original Hebrew / Aramaic / Greek connected to this term

How to read this: there is rarely one magic “true meaning” hidden behind an English word. A lexicon records a word’s semantic range. The intended meaning is narrowed by grammar, sentence, author, historical usage and context.

GREEK · G4893

συνείδησις

suneidēsis — conscience

συν-είδησις, -εως, ἡ (συνεῖδον), [in LXX: Ecc.10:20 (מַדָּע), Wis.17:11, Sir.42:18 א * ;] 1. consciousness: with genitive obj., Heb.10:2, 1Pe.2:19. 2. In ethical sense, innate discernment, self-judging consciousness, conscience (Stoics and late writers): Rom.2:15 9:1, 1Co.10:29, 2Co.1:12 4:2 5:11, 1Ti.4:2, Heb.9:14; σ. ἀγαθή, Act.23:1, 1Ti.1:5 1:19, 1Pe.3:16 3:21; ἀσθενής, 1Co.8:7 8:10; ἀσθενοῦσα, 1Co.8:12; ἀπρόσκοπος, Act.24:16; καθαρά, 1Ti.3:9, 2Ti.1:3; καλή, Heb.13:18; πονηρά, Heb.10:22; ὁ νοῦς καὶ ἡ σ., Tit.1:15; διὰ τὴν σ., Rom.13:5, 1Co.10:25 10:27-28; κατὰ σ., Heb.9:9; ὑπὸ (τῆς) σ., Jhn.8:1-59 [9] (Rec.), 1Co.10:29 (cf. Cremer, 233 ff.; ICC on Rom.2:15; DB, i, 468 ff.).† (AS)

29 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H3820

לֵב

lev — heart

1) inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding 1a) inner part, midst 1a1) midst (of things) 1a2) heart (of man) 1a3) soul, heart (of man) 1a4) mind, knowledge, thinking, reflection, memory 1a5) inclination, resolution, determination (of will) 1a6) conscience 1a7) heart (of moral character) 1a8) as seat of appetites 1a9) as seat of emotions and passions 1a10) as seat of courage

519 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H3824

לֵבָב

le.vav — heart

1) inner man, mind, will, heart, soul, understanding 1a) inner part, midst 1a1) midst (of things) 1a2) heart (of man) 1a3) soul, heart (of man) 1a4) mind, knowledge, thinking, reflection, memory 1a5) inclination, resolution, determination (of will) 1a6) conscience 1a7) heart (of moral character) 1a8) as seat of appetites 1a9) as seat of emotions and passions 1a10) as seat of courage Aramaic equivalent: le.vav (לְבַב "heart" H3825)

222 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

GREEK · G5180

τύπτω

tuptō — to strike

τύπτω [in LXX chiefly for hi. ;] to strike, smite, beat: with accusative, Mat.24:49, Mrk.15:19, Luk.12:45, Act.18:17 21:32 23:2-3; of mourners, τὰ στήθη, Luk.18:13 23:48; ἐπὶ τ. σιαγόνα, Luk.6:29; εἰς τ. κεφαλήν, Mat.27:30. Metaphorical, of God inflicting evil: Act.23:3 (cf. Exo.8:2, Eze.7:9, al.); of disquieting conscience, 1Co.8:12.† (AS)

12 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

GREEK · G113

ἄθεσμος

athesmos — lawless

ἄθεσμος, -ον (θεσμός, law, custom), [in LXX: 3Ma.5:12 6:26 * ;] lawless, esp. of those who violate the law of nature and conscience (cf. MM, VGT, see word): 2Pe.2:7 3:17.† SYN.: ἀθέμιτος, ἄνομος, κακός, πονηρός, φαῦλος (see Tr., Syn., §lxxiv; DCG, ii, 821b). (AS)

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H6330

פּוּקָה

pu.qah — staggering

1) tottering, staggering, stumbling 1a) of qualm of conscience (fig.)

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GREEK · G6132

ἄγχω

agchō — to squeeze

to compress, press tight , especially the throat, to strangle, throttle, choke , ἄγχε μιν ἱμὰς ὑπὸ δειρήν (Iliad by Homer); τὸν Κέρβερον ἀπῇξας ἄγχων (Aristophanes Comicus): metaphorically of creditors, (Aristophanes Comicus); of a guilty conscience, τοῦτο ἄγχει (Demosthenes Orator) (ML)

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Historical dictionary entry

That faculty of the mind, or inborn sense of right and wrong, by which we judge of the moral character of human conduct. It is common to all men. Like all our other faculties, it has been perverted by the Fall (John 16:2; Acts 26:9; Rom. 2:15). It is spoken of as “defiled” (Titus 1:15), and “seared” (1 Tim. 4:2). A “conscience void of offence” is to be sought and cultivated (Acts 24:16; Rom. 9:1; 2 Cor. 1:12; 1 Tim. 1:5, 19; 1 Pet. 3:21).

Scripture references

Source: Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897). Historical dictionary wording reflects the scholarship and language of its era.

Compare other reference traditions

Look up Conscience in Smith’s Bible Dictionary and ISBE →