γνωστός G1110
Known, notable, recognized; as a substantive, an acquaintance or familiar associate.
This adjective covers what is publicly recognized or well-known — a fact, a miracle, a person of note. In Acts, γνωστός appears repeatedly in declarations of what 'is known' to all residents of Jerusalem (Acts 1:19; 2:14; 4:10), establishing public, undeniable evidence for the apostolic message. The Gospel of John uses it to identify the 'other disciple known to the high priest' (John 18:15-16). Luke alone preserves a distinct substantival use where it means personal acquaintances — people in one's circle of familiarity, as at the presentation of the infant Jesus (Luke 2:44) and the crucifixion (Luke 23:49).
Senses
1. known / notable — The adjectival sense: known, recognized, or notable. Used predicatively ('this has become known to all,' Acts 4:16) or attributively ('a notable miracle,' Acts 4:16). In John 18:15-16 it identifies someone personally known to a specific individual — the disciple known to the high priest. Spanish 'conocido' and German 'bekannt' map directly. This sense dominates the NT with thirteen occurrences across Acts, John, and Romans 1:19 (where God's nature is 'known'). 13×
AR["المَعروفَ", "مَعلومٌ", "مَعلومَةٌ", "مَعْرُوفًا", "مَعْرُوفُ", "مَعْلُومًا", "مَعْلُومٌ", "مَعْلُومَةً"]·ben["জানা", "জানা-গেল", "জানা-হইল", "জ্ঞাত", "পরিচিত", "প্রকাশ্য"]·DE["bekannt"]·EN["a-notable", "known"]·FR["connu"]·heb["יָדוּעַ", "מֻכָּר", "נוֹדַע", "נוֹדַעַת", "נוֹדָע", "עוֹלָם"]·HI["-वचन", "चिह्न", "जाना-गया", "जाना-जा-सकता-है", "जाना-पहचाना", "जाना-हुआ-हो", "ज्ञात", "मालूम"]·ID["Diketahui", "dapat-diketahui", "dikenal", "diketahui", "nyata", "oleh"]·IT["conosciuto", "gnostos"]·jav["Kasumereban", "Kawuningan", "dipunmangertosi", "kasumereban", "kawruhan", "saged-dipunmangertosi", "tepang"]·KO["아는-사람", "알-수-있는-것", "알려져-있다", "알려졌다", "알려지다", "알려지라", "알려진", "알려진다", "표적-이"]·PT["Conhecido", "conhecidas", "conhecido", "conhecível", "notório"]·RU["Известно", "ведомые", "знаком", "знакомый", "известно", "известно-", "известное", "познаваемое"]·ES["conocidas", "conocido", "notable"]·SW["anayemjua", "ijulikane", "ilijulikana", "inajulikana", "julikana", "kinachojulikana", "lijulikana", "yanayojulikana"]·TR["-tir", "bilinebilir-olan", "bilinen", "bilinir", "bilinsin", "tanınan"]·urd["جانا-ہوا", "جاننے والا", "معلوم"]
John 18:15, John 18:16, Acts 1:19, Acts 2:14, Acts 4:10, Acts 4:16, Acts 9:42, Acts 13:38, Acts 15:18, Acts 19:17, Acts 28:22, Acts 28:28 (+1 more)
2. acquaintance — The substantival sense: acquaintances, persons known to someone, used as a noun equivalent to the classical γνώριμοι. Luke uses this twice: at 2:44, Joseph and Mary search among their 'acquaintances' (kinsfolk and known circle), and at 23:49, Jesus' 'acquaintances' stand watching the crucifixion from a distance. Spanish 'conocidos' captures this perfectly. The shift from adjective to substantive marks a genuine semantic distinction — not a quality but a relational category of people. 2×
AR["الْمَعَارِفِ", "مَعارِفِهِ"]·ben["γνωστοὶ-পরিচিতেরা", "পরিচিতদের"]·DE["bekannt"]·EN["acquaintances"]·FR["connu"]·heb["מַכָּרִים"]·HI["जान-पहचानों", "जानने-वाले"]·ID["itu", "kenalan"]·IT["gnostoi", "gnostois"]·jav["tepang", "tepangan:"]·KO["아는-자들-에서", "아는-자들이"]·PT["conhecidos"]·RU["знакомые", "знакомых"]·ES["conocidos"]·SW["marafiki", "wajuaana"]·TR["tanıdıklar-arasında", "tanıdıkları"]·urd["جان-پہچانوں", "جاننے-والے"]
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
γνωστός, ή, όν, collateral form of γνωτός (which see), known, Refs 5th c.BC+; γνωστόν, τό, common knowledge, τινός Refs 4th c.AD+ adverb -τῶς clearly, LXX __2 knowable, Refs 4th c.BC+; γνωστὰ σαρκός bodily symptoms (of anger), Refs 1st c.BC+ __II plural, as substantive, ={γνώριμοι}, notables, LXX+2nd c.AD+; acquaintance, friend, NT __III active, knowing, uncertain in LXX+1st c.AD+