ἀνό-ητος G0453
Foolish, senseless, lacking understanding; describing those who fail to perceive spiritual or moral truth
An adjective meaning 'without understanding' (from a-noetos, 'not perceiving with the mind'), describing a failure of spiritual or intellectual perception rather than mere ignorance. Jesus uses it pointedly on the Emmaus road: 'O foolish ones, slow of heart to believe' (Luke 24:25). Paul deploys it with equal force toward the Galatians who began by the Spirit but reverted to the flesh (Gal 3:1, 3). The word implies culpable failure to understand what should be plain, as Spanish 'insensatos' and French 'insense' both convey.
Senses
1. foolish — Foolish, senseless, lacking spiritual understanding -- describing persons who ought to perceive truth but fail to do so. The alpha-privative construction (a + noetos) points to a mind that does not engage properly. Spanish 'insensatos' and French 'insense' capture this sense of lacking sense. Luke 24:25 applies it to the disciples who failed to understand the Scriptures about the Messiah. Romans 1:14 pairs it with 'wise' (sophois) in a social categorization. Galatians 3:1 and 3:3 use it as a sharp rebuke: the Galatians' regression from faith to works of the law is intellectual and spiritual folly. In 1 Timothy 6:9 it describes the senseless desires that trap the greedy. 6×
AR["أيُّها-الغالاطيُّونَ", "أَغبياءَ", "غافِلونَ", "غَبِيَّةٍ", "غَيْرَ-عاقِلَيْنِ", "لِلْجُهَلاءِ"]·ben["অজ্ঞানদের,", "নির্বোধ", "নির্বোধেরা", "বুদ্ধিহীন"]·DE["unverstaendig", "ἀνόητοι"]·EN["foolish", "to-foolish"]·FR["insensé"]·heb["בּוּרִים", "חֲסַר־דַּעַת", "חֲסַרוֹת-דַּעַת", "חַסְרֵי-דַּעַת", "חַסְרֵי־דַּעַת"]·HI["निरबुधि", "निर्बुद्धियो", "निर्बुद्धों-का", "मोओरख,", "मोओरखोन"]·ID["bodoh", "bodoh,", "orang-bodoh", "orang-bodoh,", "yang-bodoh"]·IT["anoetoi", "anoētoi", "anoētous", "stolto"]·jav["bodho", "bodho,", "kirang-nalar", "tiyang-bodho", "tiyang-bodho,"]·KO["미련한-자들과", "어리석은", "어리석은-자들", "어리석은-자들에게", "어리석은가"]·PT["insensatos", "insensatos,"]·RU["безрассудные", "неразумны", "неразумные", "неразумным"]·ES["a-insensatos", "insensatos"]·SW["wajinga", "wajinga,", "wasio-na-akili", "za-kipumbavu"]·TR["akılsız", "akılsızlar", "akılsızlara", "anlayışsız,"]·urd["بے-وقوف", "نادان", "نادانوں-کا"]
Related Senses
H3045 1. Qal: to know, perceive, understand (829×)H5315 1. soul, inner being (647×)H3820a 1. heart, inner self (mind/will/emotion) (572×)H4672 1. Qal: find, discover (289×)G1492 1. know facts or truths (285×)H3824 1. heart, inner self (mind/will/emotion) (250×)H1245 1. seek, search for (200×)G1097 1. know, be acquainted with (196×)H2142 1. Qal: remember, recall (173×)G2588 1. heart (inner self, mind, will) (158×)H0977 1. choose, select (Qal active) (145×)G2147 1. find, discover (144×)G5590 1. soul, inner self (100×)H4672 2. Niphal: be found, be discovered (99×)H1875 1. seek, search for (96×)H5315 2. life, vitality (94×)H1847 1. knowledge, discernment (90×)H2450 1. wise, prudent (84×)H7911 1. Qal: to forget (83×)H3684 1. fool, dullard (70×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἀνό-ητος, ον, not thought on, unheard of, ἄφραστ᾽ ἠδ᾽ ἀνόηταRefs __2 not within the province of thought, νοήματα ὄντα ἀνόητα εἶναιRefs 5th c.BC+; not the object of thought, unthinkable, Refs 3rd c.AD+adverb -τως without discursive thought, of vision, βλέψαι ἀ.Refs __II active, not understanding, unintelligent, senseless, silly, Refs 5th c.BC+; ὦ ἀνόητοι oh fools! Refs 5th c.BC+; opposed to…