νόος G3563
Mind, intellect; the faculty of perception, thought, moral reasoning, and spiritual understanding.
Denotes the human mind as the organ of perception, reflection, and moral judgment. Paul uses it both negatively — a 'debased mind' given over to futility (Rom 1:28) — and positively, as the inner faculty that delights in God's law (Rom 7:25) and must be renewed for transformation (Rom 12:2). Luke employs it for the act of spiritual illumination when the risen Christ 'opened their minds to understand the Scriptures' (Luke 24:45). Spanish consistently renders it as mente or entendimiento, while German splits between Sinn (disposition, mindset) and Verstand (understanding, comprehension), hinting at the two semantic poles the Greek holds together.
Senses
1. mind — The mind as the seat of thought, moral reasoning, and disposition — one's inner orientation or mindset that shapes behavior and belief. Spanish mente and German Sinn capture this consistently. Paul speaks of a reprobate mind (Rom 1:28), the law of his mind warring against sin (Rom 7:23), and the renewal of the mind that discerns God's will (Rom 12:2). In Ephesians 4:17, Gentiles walk in the futility of their mind, underscoring nous as moral-intellectual disposition. 17×
AR["-الخَاصِّ", "العَقْلِ", "الفِكْرِ", "الْعَقْلِ", "ذِهنٍ", "ذِهنِ", "عَقلُ", "عَقلِكُم", "عَقلِهِم", "عَقْلَ", "عَقْلُهُم", "عَقْلِ"]·ben["বুদ্ধি", "মন", "মন,", "মনে", "মনে,", "মনের", "মনের,"]·DE["Sinn"]·EN["mind"]·FR["intelligence"]·heb["דַּעַת", "הַבִּינָה", "מַחְשֶׁבֶת", "מַחְשָׁבָה", "שִׂכְלִי", "שֵׂכֶל", "שֶׂכֶל"]·HI["मन", "मन-में", "मन-से", "मन्न", "मन्न,"]·ID["akal-budi", "pikiran", "pikiran,", "pikiranmu", "pikirannya,"]·IT["mente"]·jav["akal-budi", "budi", "budi,", "panggalih", "panggalih,", "pikiran,"]·KO["뜨이라", "마음", "마음-이", "마음에서", "마음으로는", "마음을", "마음을,", "마음의", "마음이", "생각에서"]·PT["mente", "mente,"]·RU["-пленяющий", "вами", "же", "разумом", "ум", "ума", "уме", "умом"]·ES["mente"]·SW["-", "akili", "akili,"]·TR["-nin-", "aklindan", "aklın", "aklında", "aklını", "aklınızdan", "akıl", "akılları,", "ama-", "görüşte-", "zihinle", "zihne", "zihnimin"]·urd["ذہن", "عقل", "عقل-کو"]
Rom 1:28, Rom 7:23, Rom 7:25, Rom 11:34, Rom 12:2, Rom 14:5, 1 Cor 1:10, 1 Cor 2:16, 1 Cor 2:16, Eph 4:17, Eph 4:23, Col 2:18 (+5 more)
2. mind — The mind as the faculty of understanding, comprehension, and conscious awareness — particularly the capacity to grasp meaning and spiritual truth. German Verstand and Spanish entendimiento distinguish this from the broader 'mindset' sense. In Luke 24:45 the risen Jesus opened the disciples' understanding to comprehend Scripture. Paul contrasts praying with the spirit versus praying with the understanding (1 Cor 14:14-15), and prefers speaking five words with his mind to ten thousand in a tongue (1 Cor 14:19), emphasizing cognitive intelligibility. 7×
AR["عَقلي", "عَقلٌ", "عَقلِ", "عَقْلٍ", "عُقولَ"]·ben["বুদ্ধি", "বুদ্ধিতে", "বুদ্ধিতে।"]·DE["Sinn", "Verstand"]·EN["mind", "understanding"]·FR["intelligence"]·heb["בִּינָה", "שֵׂכֶל", "שֵׂכֶל,"]·HI["बुद्धि", "मन", "समझ", "समझ,"]·ID["akal", "akal-budi", "akal-budi.", "akal-budiku", "pikiran"]·IT["mente", "noun"]·jav["-akal-budi", "akal-budi", "budi"]·KO["뜨을", "마음으로", "마음은", "마음을", "이해를,"]·PT["entendimento", "mente", "mente."]·RU["ум", "умом"]·ES["entendimiento"]·SW["akili"]·TR["akli", "akıl", "akıllarını", "ama-", "o-"]·urd["ذہن", "سمجھ", "عقل", "عقل-سے"]
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
νόος, νόου, ὁ, Attic dialect contraction νοῦς, genitive νοῦ: Refs 8th c.BC+ uses the contraction form once, in nominative, Refs 8th c.BC+: Trag. use contraction form, except in Refs 5th c.BC+: Aeolic dialect genitive νῶ Refs 7th c.BC+: irregular forms are found in “NT” and later writers, genitive νοός LXX+NT+1st c.AD+, is rare in early writers, as Refs 5th c.BC+ __1 mind, as employed in…