ἀγνο-έω G0050
To be ignorant of, not know; to be unknown or unrecognized; to be willfully disregarded
The verb ἀγνοέω expresses the absence or failure of knowledge. In its active forms it describes a person's lack of understanding — the disciples 'did not understand' Jesus' words about the resurrection (Mark 9:32), and the Jerusalemites fulfilled prophecy because they 'did not know' the voices of the prophets (Acts 13:27). In the middle/passive voice, the word shifts to describe the subject as the one unknown: Paul was 'unknown by face' to the Judean churches (Gal 1:22). A single disputed occurrence at 1 Cor 14:38 carries a sharper edge — one who ignores will himself be ignored — suggesting willful disregard rather than mere ignorance.
2. be unknown, unrecognized — The passive sense of being unknown or unrecognized by others, attested in two occurrences. In 2 Cor 6:9 Paul describes himself and his companions as 'unknown' (ἀγνοούμενοι) yet well-known — a paradox that the Spanish 'desconocidos' and English 'unknown' faithfully mirror. Gal 1:22 confirms this reading: Paul was personally unknown to the churches of Judea. The shift from active ignorance to passive anonymity marks a clear voice-driven sense boundary. 2×
AR["مَجهولينَ","مَجهولًا"]·ben["অজ্ঞাত","অপরিচিত,"]·DE["nicht-wissen"]·EN["being-unknown","unknown"]·FR["ignorer","ne-pas-savoir"]·heb["לֹא-מֻכָּר","לֹא-נוֹדָעִים"]·HI["अजअन","अनजाने-जाते-हुए"]·ID["tidak-dikenal"]·IT["ignorare","non-sapere"]·jav["mboten-dipun-kenal","mboten-dipun-tepang,"]·KO["알려지지-않은"]·PT["desconhecido","desconhecidos"]·RU["незнакомые","неизвестен"]·ES["desconocido","desconocidos"]·SW["nisiyejulikana","wasiojulikana,"]·TR["bilinmeyen","bilinmeyenler"]·urd["انجان","بے-پہچانے"]
▼ 2 more senses below
Senses
1. be ignorant of, not know — The active sense of lacking knowledge or awareness, covering the vast majority of occurrences (19 of 22). The multilingual glosses consistently render it with verbs of not-knowing — Spanish 'ignoraban,' French 'ignorer,' German 'nicht-wissen.' In Acts 17:23 Paul identifies an altar inscribed 'to an unknown God,' using the cognate form to describe the Athenians' genuine lack of acquaintance with the true deity. Rom 1:13 shows a softer shade: Paul does not want his readers to 'be unaware' of his plans. 19×
AR["أن-تَجهَلوا","أنْ-تَجْهَلوا","أَنْ-تَجْهَلُوا","الجَاهِلينَ","تَجهَلوا","تَجهَلونَ","تَجْهَلُونَ","جاهِلاً","جَاهِلِينَ","جَهِلوا","كَانُوا-يَجْهَلُونَ","كُمْ","نَجهَلُ","يَجهَلونَ","يَجهَلُ"]·ben["অজানা","অজানা-থাকতে","অজানা-থাকতে,","অজ্ঞ-থাকতে","অজ্ঞ-থাকতে,","অজ্ঞ-থাকতে।","অজ্ঞাত-থাকতে,","অজ্ঞান-করে,","আমরা-অজানা।","জানতেন-না","জানে-না","তোমরা-জান-না","না-জেনে","না-জেনে,","বুঝছিলেন-না","যারা-অজ্ঞ"]·DE["nicht-wissen","ἀγνοήσαντες","ἀγνοοῦντες","ἠγνόουν"]·EN["being-ignorant","did-not-understand","do-you-not-know","is-ignorant","not-knowing","they-are-ignorant","to-be-ignorant","we-are-ignorant-of","were-ignorant-of"]·FR["ignorer","ne-pas-savoir"]·heb["אֵינְכֶם-יוֹדְעִים","אֵינָם-יוֹדְעִים","בְּלִי-דַּעַת","בִּבְלִי-דַעַת","לְהִתְעַלֵּם","לִהְיוֹת-בְּלִי-יֵדַע","לָדַעַת","לֹא-הִכִּירוּ","לֹא-יָדְעוּ","לֹא-יוֹדְעִים","לֹא-יוֹדְעִים-אַתֶּם","מִתְעַלֵּם","נַעֲלָמוֹת-מִמֶּנּוּ","שֶׁלֹּא-תֵדְעוּ","שׁוֹגִים","תִּהְיוּ-לֹא-יוֹדְעִים"]·HI["अज्ञानियों","अनजअन","अनजअन-रेहन","अनजान","अनजान-नहीं-हैं-हम","अनजान-रहना","अनजान-रहो","अनजान-है","न-जानकर","न-जानते-हुए","नहीं-जानते","नहीं-जानते-थे","नहीं-जानते-हुए","नहीं-समझे","बिना-जाने"]·ID["dengan-tidak-tahu","kita-tidak-tahu","mereka-tidak-mengerti","tidak-mengenal","tidak-mengetahui","tidak-mereka-ketahui","tidak-tahu","tidak-tahu,","tidak-tahukah-kamu","tidak-tahukah-kamu,"]·IT["egnooun","ignorare","non-sapere"]·jav["boten-mangertos","boten-ngertos,","ingkang-bodho","kita-mboten-mangertos.","mboten-kenal","mboten-mangertos","mboten-mangertos,","panjenengan-mboten-mangertos","panjenengan-mboten-mangertos,","sami-mboten-mangertos","sanès-pirsa,","sanès-pirsa."]·KO["모르고서","모르기를","모르는도다","모르다","모르면","모르면서","모르지-않는다","몰라서,","무지한-자들과","알지-못하고","알지-못하기","알지-못하며","알지-못하면서","알지-못하였다","알지-못합니까","알지-못했다"]·PT["Ignorando","ignora,","ignorais","ignorais,","ignoram","ignoramos","ignorando","ignorar","ignorar,","ignorar.","ignorardes","ignoravam","não-tendo-conhecido,","que-ignoram"]·RU["не-","не-знаем","не-знать","не-знать,","не-знать.","не-зная","не-понимали","не-признаёт","не-узнав","неведать","неведущим","невежествующие"]·ES["desconociendo","ignora","ignoraban","ignoramos","ignoran","ignorando","ignorar","ignoráis","ignoréis","que-ignoran"]·SW["bila-kujua","hamjui","hapambanui","hatuijui.","hawajui","hawakuelewa","hawakuielewa","kutofahamu","mkose-kujua,","msijue","msijue,","msiyoijua","ukijua","wakijua","wasimjue,","wasiojua"]·TR["anlamadılar","anlamıyorlardı","bilmeden","bilmedikleri","bilmemenizi","bilmeyenler","bilmeyenlere","bilmeyerek","bilmezlik ederse","bilmezlik etmenizi","bilmiyor-musunuz","o-"]·urd["بے-خبر-رہنا","بے-خبر-رہو","بے-خبر-ہونا","نادانوں","نادانی-میں","ناواقف-رہنا","ناواقف-ہیں","نظرانداز-کرے","نہ-جانتے-ہوئے","نہ-جانتے-ہیں","نہ-پہچان-کر","نہیں-سمجھتے-تھے","نہیں-سمجھے","کیا-تم-نہیں-جانتے"]
Mark 9:32, Luke 9:45, Acts 13:27, Acts 17:23, Rom 1:13, Rom 2:4, Rom 6:3, Rom 7:1, Rom 10:3, Rom 11:25, 1 Cor 10:1, 1 Cor 12:1 (+7 more)
3. be disregarded, ignored — A rare and textually debated use at 1 Cor 14:38, where the verb carries a nuance of willful neglect or dismissal rather than simple unknowing. Paul warns that whoever 'ignores' (or 'is ignorant of') the command will himself be 'ignored.' The English gloss 'he is ignored' and Spanish 'es ignorado' capture the retributive symmetry. Some manuscripts read the active ('let him be ignorant') while others preserve the passive ('he will be disregarded'), but both point to a deliberate overlooking rather than mere cognitive gap. 1×
AR["يُجهَلُ"]·ben["অজ্ঞান-থাকুক।"]·DE["nicht-wissen"]·EN["he-is-ignored"]·FR["ne-pas-savoir"]·heb["מִתְעַלָּם"]·HI["अनजाना-जाता-है"]·ID["ia-tidak-dikenal."]·IT["non-sapere"]·jav["piyambakipun-dipun-boten-mangertosi"]·KO["무시당하는니라"]·PT["é-ignorado."]·RU["не-признаётся"]·ES["es-ignorado"]·SW["anapambanua"]·TR["bilmezlik edilir"]·urd["نظرانداز-کیا-جائے-گا"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἀγνο-έω, Epic dialect ἀγνοι-, 3rd.pers.singular subjunctive ἀγνοιῇσιRefs 8th c.BC+: imperfect ἠγνόουνRefs 5th c.BC+: future ἀγνοήσωRefs 5th c.BC+: aorist ἠγνόησαRefs 5th c.BC+; Epic dialect ἠγνοίησαRefs 8th c.BC+, Epic dialect contraction 3rd.pers.singular ἀγνώσασκεRefs 8th c.BC+: perfect ἠγνόηκαRefs 5th c.BC+ —passive, future (of middle form) ἀγνοήσομαιRefs 4th c.BC+; ἀγνοηθήσομαι variant in…