What does νομίζω (nomízō) mean in the Bible?
G3543, nomizō, describes taking something to be the case: thinking, supposing, assuming, regarding, or reaching a judgment. In Acts 16:13 it also appears in a customary-expectation setting.
Greek · G3543
νομίζω
To think
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νομίζωG3543
Pronunciationnomízō
What does νομίζω (nomízō) mean in the Bible?
G3543, nomizō, describes taking something to be the case: thinking, supposing, assuming, regarding, or reaching a judgment. In Acts 16:13 it also appears in a customary-expectation setting.
Reader summary
Full entry for νομίζω (G3543) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G3543?
The BSB source-word alignment has 15 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include think (2), [and] they assumed (1), [These men] regard (1), assume (1), Assuming (1).
Where does νομίζω (nomízō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 5:17. Its strongest book concentrations include Acts (7), Matthew (3), 1 Corinthians (2), Luke (2).
What This Word Actually Means
G3543, nomizō, describes taking something to be the case: thinking, supposing, assuming, regarding, or reaching a judgment. In Acts 16:13 it also appears in a customary-expectation setting. New Testament uses include mistaken assumptions, social estimation, contextual judgment, and accepted practice. The verb therefore does not itself mean false belief, careless guessing, or weak conviction.
The narrator, speaker, evidence, and outcome tell the reader whether the judgment is sound. Jesus uses the verb in Matthew 5:17 to stop a mistaken conclusion about His relation to the Law and the Prophets. His following fulfillment claim, not the verb, carries the passage's positive teaching. Luke 3:23 reports how Jesus was regarded in relation to Joseph without asking nomizō to settle every question about genealogy or legal sonship.
Paul uses the word in 1 Corinthians 7:26 for his judgment under a named present crisis, showing that nomizō can introduce considered pastoral assessment rather than error. These uses invite humility about assumptions while still permitting responsible judgment grounded in evidence, context, and stated limits. Communities should test claims without using the language of assumption to dismiss testimony or evade their own burden of proof.
source_lexicongrammaticalPassage contextBook contextCanonical parallelPastoral application
How the Bible Uses It
G3543 reports what someone thinks, supposes, regards, or judges and can also reflect customary expectation. Some conclusions are corrected, while others are contextual assessments. Narrative outcome and stated reasons determine reliability.
- Matt.5.17
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.
Jesus rejects one conclusion about abolishing the Law and Prophets and supplies His fulfillment claim; the verb itself does not define fulfill.
- Luke.3.23
Jesus Himself was about thirty years old when He began His ministry. He was regarded as the son of Joseph, the son of Heli,
The passive form reports how Jesus was regarded in relation to Joseph; Luke's wider narrative must govern claims about conception and genealogy.
- 1Cor.7.26
Because of the present crisis, I think it is good for a man to remain as he is.
Paul explicitly grounds his judgment in the present crisis, demonstrating a contextual and non-deceptive use that must not be universalized without qualification.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itthink2×Matthew 5:17, Acts 17:29
[and] they assumed1×Acts 21:29
[These men] regard1×1 Timothy 6:5
assume1×Matthew 10:34
Assuming1×Luke 2:44
He assumed1×Acts 7:25
I think1×1 Corinthians 7:26
presuming1×Acts 14:19
presuming that1×Acts 16:27
regarded1×Luke 3:23
they assumed1×Matthew 20:10
thinks1×1 Corinthians 7:36
was customary1×Acts 16:13
you thought1×Acts 8:20
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 5:17νομίσητεtothinkVerb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person PluralMatthew 10:34νομίσητεtoassumeVerb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person PluralMatthew 20:10ἐνόμισανtothey assumedVerb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person PluralLuke 2:44νομίσαντεςtoAssumingVerb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine PluralLuke 3:23ἐνομίζετοtoregardedVerb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person SingularActs 7:25ἐνόμιζενtoHe assumedVerb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularActs 8:20ἐνόμισαςtoyou thoughtVerb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person SingularActs 14:19νομίζοντεςtopresumingVerb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine PluralActs 16:13ἐνομίζομενtowas customaryVerb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 1st Person PluralActs 16:27νομίζωνtopresuming thatVerb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowMatthew 5:17
Aligned rows15
Books represented5
Matthew3Luke2Acts71 Corinthians21 Timothy1
Source forms
νομίσητε2xnomisēteMatthew 5:17, Matthew 10:34
ἐνόμιζεν1xenomizenActs 7:25
ἐνομίζετο1xenomizetoLuke 3:23
ἐνομίζομεν1xenomizomenActs 16:13
ἐνόμιζον1xenomizonActs 21:29
ἐνόμισαν1xenomisanMatthew 20:10
ἐνόμισας1xenomisasActs 8:20
νομίζει1xnomizei1 Corinthians 7:36
Parsing patterns
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural2xMatthew 5:17, Matthew 10:34
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular1xActs 8:20
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural1xMatthew 20:10
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural1xLuke 2:44
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural1xActs 16:13
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural1xActs 21:29
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular1xActs 7:25
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular1xLuke 3:23
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- State the evidence, confidence level, alternatives, and correction path when a pastoral or organizational decision rests on judgment rather than direct knowledge.
- Receive testimony with neither automatic acceptance nor reflexive dismissal, using fair processes and trauma-aware questions where harm is alleged.
- Revisit a conclusion when new evidence, narrative outcome, or Scripture exposes an assumption as mistaken.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that G3543 always denotes a false belief or that every use condemns the thinker.
- Do not claim that Luke's wording alone proves a specific legal-versus-biological genealogy solution.
- Do not claim that a contextual pastoral judgment automatically binds every later believer.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. To suppose based on custom or general assumption rather than certain knowledge.
Strong'sG3543
Lexical occurrences15 versesGreek text appearances15 timesWord forms4 forms15 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkLuke 3:23–38Source Gloss
to think
Extended definitionSource: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
To suppose based on custom or general assumption rather than certain knowledge.
(νόμος), [in LXX: Wis.13:2 17:3, Sir.29:4, 1-28; 2Ma.4:1-50, 4Ma.8:1-29 * ;]
1to practise, hold by custom: Act.16:13 (Rec., but see infr.).
2to deem, consider, suppose: Mat.5:17 10:34 20:10, Luk.2:44 3:23, Act.7:25 8:20 14:19 16:13, 27 17:29 21:29, 1Co.7:26 7:36, 1Ti.6:5.
Synonymsἡγέομαι, q.v
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpusGreek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
15 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 5:17Verb Second Person Plural Aorist Active Subjunctive
νομίσητεnomishte
I think, suppose
Read verseMatthew 10:34Verb Second Person Plural Aorist Active Subjunctive
νομίσητεnomishte
I think, suppose
Read verseMatthew 20:10Verb Third Person Plural Aorist Active Indicative
ἐνόμισανenomisan
I think, suppose
Read verseLuke 2:44Verb Aorist Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine
νομίσαντεςnomisantev
I think, suppose
Read verseLuke 3:23Verb Third Person Singular Imperfect Passive Indicative
ἐνομίζετο)enomizeto
I think, suppose
Read verseActs 7:25Verb Third Person Singular Imperfect Active Indicative
ἐνόμιζεenomizen
I think, suppose
Read verseActs 8:20Verb Second Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἐνόμισαςenomisav
I think, suppose
Read verseActs 14:19Verb Aorist Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine
νομίσαντεςnomisantev
I think, suppose
Read verseActs 16:13Verb Third Person Singular Imperfect Passive Indicative
ἐνομίζετοenomizeto
I think, suppose
Read verseActs 16:27Verb Present Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
νομίζωνnomizwn
I think, suppose
Read verseActs 17:29Verb Present Active Infinitive
νομίζεινnomizein
I think, suppose
Read verseActs 21:29Verb Third Person Plural Imperfect Active Indicative
ἐνόμιζονenomizon
I think, suppose
Read verse1 Corinthians 7:26Verb First Person Singular Present Active Indicative
νομίζωnomizw
I think, suppose
Read verse1 Corinthians 7:36Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
νομίζει,nomizei
I think, suppose
Read verse1 Timothy 6:5Verb Present Active Participle Genitive Plural Masculine
νομιζόντωνnomizontwn
I think, suppose
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.
Grammatical Forms
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.
Form groups4Aligned forms15TensesAorist, Imperfect, PresentVoicesActive, Passive
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Subjunctivepossibility, probability, or purpose2×
Aorist ActiveMatt 5:17 · Matt 10:342×
Indicativestates a fact or reality8×
Imperfect ActiveActs 7:25 · Acts 16:13 · Acts 21:293×
Aorist ActiveMatt 20:10 · Acts 8:202×
Present Active1 Cor 7:26 · 1 Cor 7:362×
Imperfect PassiveLuke 3:231×
Participleverbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality4×
Present ActiveActs 14:19 · Acts 16:27 · 1 Tim 6:53×
Aorist ActiveLuke 2:441×
Infinitiveverbal noun — the action in abstract1×
Present ActiveActs 17:291×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 15 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
present6aorist5imperfect4
Voice
active14passive1
Mood
indicative8participle4subjunctive2infinitive1
NT Occurrences
Matthew 5:17νομίσητεaorist active subjunctivesubjunctiveMatthew 10:34νομίσητεaorist active subjunctivesubjunctiveMatthew 20:10ἐνόμισανaorist active indicativecompletedLuke 2:44νομίσαντεςaorist active participleparticipleLuke 3:23ἐνομίζετοimperfect passive indicativebackgroundActs 7:25ἐνόμιζενimperfect active indicativebackgroundActs 8:20ἐνόμισαςaorist active indicativecompletedActs 14:19νομίζοντεςpresent active participleparticipleActs 16:13ἐνομίζομενimperfect active indicativebackgroundActs 16:27νομίζωνpresent active participleparticipleActs 17:29νομίζεινpresent active infinitiveinfinitiveActs 21:29ἐνόμιζονimperfect active indicativebackground1 Corinthians 7:26νομίζωpresent active indicativeongoing1 Corinthians 7:36νομίζειpresent active indicativeongoing1 Timothy 6:5νομιζόντωνpresent active participleparticiple
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 Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Additional Occurrences
Luke 3:23–38ἐνομίζετοnomízō
Was supposed, was regarded
New Testament Witnesses
was supposed
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 15 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
νομίζω is built from this root:
Why This Word Matters
Preserves distinction between legal and biological descent.
For the Preacher and Teacher
Matthew 5:17 opens with Jesus correcting what His hearers might think about His mission. Nomizō names the conclusion He rejects, while His declaration about fulfilling the Law and the Prophets carries the substantive claim. The lexical verb cannot by itself settle every Christian debate about continuity and fulfillment. Luke 3:23 uses a passive form to report that Jesus was regarded as Joseph's son.
That social estimation must be read alongside Luke's conception narrative and genealogy rather than forced into a complete theory of legal or biological descent. First Corinthians 7:26 shows that the word is not inherently mistaken. Paul says he thinks a course is good because of the present crisis and repeatedly marks the pastoral situation shaping his counsel.
Responsible readers preserve that condition before applying his judgment to marriage or singleness. Other occurrences narrate assumptions later overturned by events, reminding communities to remain corrigible. Faithful judgment neither abandons conviction nor hides uncertainty. Churches should state what evidence supports a conclusion, what remains unknown, who may be affected, and how correction can occur.
They must not dismiss a person's testimony as mere assumption while granting institutional guesses unearned authority. Nomizō helps readers practice humble, accountable discernment whose confidence matches its evidence.
Anchor passage
Matt.5.17
Doctrinal connections
- Matthew 5 centers interpretation on Jesus' stated fulfillment of the Law and Prophets rather than a rejected assumption.
- Luke 3 locates public estimation of Jesus within a Gospel that has already narrated His conception and identity.
- Acts repeatedly shows assumptions corrected by providential events, witnesses, and fuller knowledge.
- First Corinthians 7 presents pastoral judgment explicitly conditioned by a present crisis and varied callings.
- Christian discernment may reach real conclusions while remaining answerable to evidence, Scripture, and correction.
- Truthful communities test both personal impressions and institutional judgments without prejudging vulnerable witnesses.
G3543 is a Greek verb for supposing, regarding, or judging, and its passive can report how someone is regarded. Context may show a conclusion to be wrong, qualified, customary, or responsibly considered; falsity is not built into the root.
From Old to New Testament
Wisdom and prophetic texts repeatedly test human plans and appearances against God's truth, while New Testament narratives show assumptions corrected by Christ's words and unfolding events. G3543 participates in that canonical concern without functioning as a technical term for unbelief or deception.
Canonical parallelPastoral application