What does μεταμέλλομαι (metaméllomai) mean in the Bible?
μεταμέλλομαι (metaméllomai): Regret or remorse for past action, distinct from μετανοέω's deeper change of mind and moral direction.
Greek · G3338
μεταμέλλομαι
μεταμέλλομαι (metaméllomai): Regret or remorse for past action, distinct from μετανοέω's deeper change of mind and moral direction.
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through theConnect page. Screenshots are helpful.
μεταμέλλομαιG3338
Pronunciationmetaméllomai
What does μεταμέλλομαι (metaméllomai) mean in the Bible?
Full entry for μεταμέλλομαι (G3338) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G3338?
The BSB source-word alignment has 6 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include did not repent (1), he changed his mind (1), he was filled with remorse (1), I did regret [it] (1), I do not regret [it] (1).
Where does μεταμέλλομαι (metaméllomai) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 21:29. Its strongest book concentrations include Matthew (3), 2 Corinthians (2), Hebrews (1).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itdid not repent1×Matthew 21:32
he changed his mind1×Matthew 21:29
he was filled with remorse1×Matthew 27:3
I did regret [it]1×2 Corinthians 7:8
I do not regret [it]1×2 Corinthians 7:8
will not change His mind1×Hebrews 7:21
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 21:29μεταμεληθεὶςtohe changed his mindVerb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine SingularMatthew 21:32μετεμελήθητεtodid not repentVerb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 2nd Person PluralMatthew 27:3μεταμεληθεὶςtohe was filled with remorseVerb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular2 Corinthians 7:8μεταμέλομαιtoI do not regret [it]Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Singular2 Corinthians 7:8μετεμελόμηνtoI did regret [it]Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person SingularHebrews 7:21μεταμεληθήσεταιtowill not change His mindVerb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowMatthew 21:29
Aligned rows6
Books represented3
Matthew32 Corinthians2Hebrews1
Source forms
μεταμεληθεὶς2xmetamelētheisMatthew 21:29, Matthew 27:3
μεταμεληθήσεται1xmetamelēthēsetaiHebrews 7:21
μεταμέλομαι1xmetamelomai2 Corinthians 7:8
μετεμελήθητε1xmetemelēthēteMatthew 21:32
μετεμελόμην1xmetemelomēn2 Corinthians 7:8
Parsing patterns
Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular2xMatthew 21:29, Matthew 27:3
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 2nd Person Plural1xMatthew 21:32
Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular1xHebrews 7:21
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Singular1x2 Corinthians 7:8
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Singular1x2 Corinthians 7:8
Evidence Summary
Greek word. Regret or remorse for past action, distinct from μετανοέω's deeper change of mind and moral direction.
Strong'sG3338
Lexical occurrences0 versesGreek text appearances6 timesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkJeremiah 18:5-10Source Gloss
to repent
Extended definitionSource: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Regret or remorse for past action, distinct from μετανοέω's deeper change of mind and moral direction.
depon., pass., to regret, repent one: Mat.21:30, 32 27:3, 2Co.7:8, Heb.7:21" (LXX)
Synonymsμετανοέω, to change one's mind, repent. On the distinction, difficult to maintain by usage, between these words, see Thayer, see word; Tr., Syn., § lxix
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpusGreek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
6 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 21:29Verb Aorist Passive Deponent Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
μεταμεληθείς,metamelhqeiv
I change my mind
Read verseMatthew 21:32Verb Second Person Plural Aorist Passive Deponent Indicative
μετεμελήθητεmetemelhqhte
I change my mind
Read verseMatthew 27:3Verb Aorist Passive Deponent Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
μεταμεληθεὶςmetamelhqeiv
I change my mind
Read verse2 Corinthians 7:8Verb First Person Singular Present Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
μεταμέλομαι,metamelomai
I change my mind
Read verse2 Corinthians 7:8Verb First Person Singular Imperfect Middle or Passive Deponent Indicative
μετεμελόμην·metemelomhn
I change my mind
Read verseHebrews 7:21Verb Third Person Singular Future Passive Deponent Indicative
μεταμεληθήσεται,metamelhqhsetai
I change my mind
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.
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 6 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
aorist3present1imperfect1future1
Voice
passive4middle2
Mood
indicative4participle2
NT Occurrences
Matthew 21:29μεταμεληθεὶςaorist passive participleparticipleMatthew 21:32μετεμελήθητεaorist passive indicativecompletedMatthew 27:3μεταμεληθεὶςaorist passive participleparticiple2 Corinthians 7:8μεταμέλομαιpresent middle indicativeongoing2 Corinthians 7:8μετεμελόμηνimperfect middle indicativebackgroundHebrews 7:21μεταμεληθήσεταιfuture passive indicativeprospective
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)
Sampled Scripture Occurrences
Representative Scripture witnesses for this entry: passage, original form, and sense in context.
Biblical Witnesses
God's willingness to change His declared purpose based on human repentance
God's compassionate reconsideration of judgment in response to intercession and fear
Word Origins
μεταμέλλομαι is built from these roots:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.