To come to know
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ἐπιγινώσκω (epiginōskō) means to recognize, identify, perceive, acknowledge, come to know, or know more fully according to context. The prefixed form can emphasize recognition or developed knowledge, but the prefix does not automatically produce exhaustive or spiritually superior knowing.
Reader summary
Full entry for ἐπιγινώσκω (G1921) · Open the biblical lexicon
ἐπιγινώσκω (epiginōskō) means to recognize, identify, perceive, acknowledge, come to know, or know more fully according to context. The prefixed form can emphasize recognition or developed knowledge, but the prefix does not automatically produce exhaustive or spiritually superior knowing.
The BSB source-word alignment has 44 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include know (3), knows (2), they did not recognize (2), they recognized (2), you will recognize (2).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 7:16. Its strongest book concentrations include Acts (13), Luke (7), Matthew (6), 2 Corinthians (5).
ἐπιγινώσκω (epiginōskō) means to recognize, identify, perceive, acknowledge, come to know, or know more fully according to context. The prefixed form can emphasize recognition or developed knowledge, but the prefix does not automatically produce exhaustive or spiritually superior knowing. Jesus says false prophets will be recognized by their fruit. The Emmaus disciples recognize the risen Jesus when their eyes are opened, after He has interpreted the Scriptures and broken bread.
Jerusalem’s rulers recognize that Peter and John have been with Jesus by observing their boldness. The Colossians truly understand God’s grace as the gospel bears fruit among them. Paul says present knowledge is partial and future knowledge will be fuller, corresponding to being known by God, without claiming that redeemed creatures become omniscient. Recognition therefore may arise through marks, fruit, remembered relationship, evidence, revelation, or deepening acquaintance.
It can still be resisted, mistaken, or incomplete. Teachers should avoid the root or prefix fallacy and let each object, tense, and comparison define how much knowledge the verb claims.
ἐπιγινώσκω describes recognition, acknowledgment, developed understanding, and fuller future knowledge. The selected passages move through fruit-tested discernment, resurrection recognition, observed association with Jesus, gospel understanding, and eschatological completion.
By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
Jesus directs discernment away from a prophet’s appearance and toward sustained fruit. Recognition is evidence-based and moral, but the surrounding command against false prophets still requires patient judgment rather than rumor.
Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus—and He disappeared from their sight.
Recognition follows Jesus’ scriptural exposition and the breaking of bread, yet Luke attributes the opened eyes to an action beyond the disciples’ technique. The risen Lord is the same Jesus, newly recognized in resurrection reality.
When they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they marveled and took note that these men had been with Jesus.
The rulers move from observing boldness to recognizing a formative association with Jesus. Their correct recognition does not guarantee submission, since they continue planning to silence the witness.
That has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood the grace of God.
The Colossians’ knowledge of grace begins through hearing the gospel and is evidenced by fruit and growth. Understanding is not secret information but reception of God’s grace in truth.
Now we see but a dim reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
Paul contrasts partial present knowledge with future fullness in the age of face-to-face sight. The comparison promises completion of creaturely knowledge and communion, not equality with God’s exhaustive knowing.
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItA compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
Greek word. Intensive knowledge involving personal recognition or discovery of what was previously unknown or obscure.
Textus Receptus witness, full corpusGreek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 42 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
I come to know, discern, recognize
Read verseI come to know, discern, recognize
Read verseI come to know, discern, recognize
Read verseI come to know, discern, recognize
Read verseI come to know, discern, recognize
Read verseI come to know, discern, recognize
Read verseI come to know, discern, recognize
Read verseI come to know, discern, recognize
Read verseI come to know, discern, recognize
Read verseI come to know, discern, recognize
Read verseI come to know, discern, recognize
Read verseI come to know, discern, recognize
Read verseI come to know, discern, recognize
Read verseI come to know, discern, recognize
Read verseI come to know, discern, recognize
Read verseI come to know, discern, recognize
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
How this verb appears across 44 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Showing 1 selected witness from 44 lexical occurrence verses.
ἐπιγινώσκω is built from these roots:
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Recognition is more than exposure and less than omniscience. Jesus tells disciples to recognize false prophets by fruit, which requires time, moral clarity, and attention to what a ministry produces. On the Emmaus road, the risen Jesus is present before He is recognized. Scripture is opened, bread is broken, eyes are opened, and the familiar Lord is known anew.
Acts shows that opponents can recognize the apostles’ association with Jesus and still resist their message. Colossians gives a more faithful response: hearers truly understand God’s grace, and the gospel bears fruit among them. First Corinthians then places every present act of knowing under humility. Even mature knowledge remains partial until face-to-face communion, when God completes what love requires.
Churches should cultivate discernment without suspicion, theological depth without elitism, and recognition of grace that produces fruit. They should test teachers, listen to evidence, acknowledge what is true, and admit what remains unknown. The goal of fuller knowledge is not status but love, perseverance, worship, and deeper communion with the God who already knows His people completely.
Col.1.6
The ἐπι- prefix can contribute ideas of recognition, acknowledgment, or fuller acquaintance, but usage rather than morphology must establish intensity. Active, middle, and passive forms range from recognizing a person to being fully known. English translations such as recognize, realize, understand, and know fully reflect contextual decisions.
Joseph’s brothers fail to recognize him before he reveals himself, Israel is called to know the Lord by His covenant acts, and wisdom teaches discernment through tested fruit. The prophets promise a day of deeper knowledge of God. The New Testament centers recognition in the crucified and risen Jesus, the apostolic gospel, Spirit-given understanding, and final face-to-face communion.