What does νομίζω (nomízō) mean in the Bible?
νομίζω (nomízō): To suppose based on custom or general assumption rather than certain knowledge.
Greek · G3543
νομίζω
To think
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νομίζω G3543
Pronunciation nomízō
What does νομίζω (nomízō) mean in the Bible?
νομίζω (nomízō): To suppose based on custom or general assumption rather than certain knowledge.
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).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It think 2× Matthew 5:17, Acts 17:29
[and] they assumed 1× Acts 21:29
[These men] regard 1× 1 Timothy 6:5
assume 1× Matthew 10:34
Assuming 1× Luke 2:44
He assumed 1× Acts 7:25
I think 1× 1 Corinthians 7:26
presuming 1× Acts 14:19
presuming that 1× Acts 16:27
regarded 1× Luke 3:23
they assumed 1× Matthew 20:10
thinks 1× 1 Corinthians 7:36
was customary 1× Acts 16:13
you thought 1× Acts 8:20
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 5:17 νομίσητε to think Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural Matthew 10:34 νομίσητε to assume Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural Matthew 20:10 ἐνόμισαν to they assumed Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural Luke 2:44 νομίσαντες to Assuming Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural Luke 3:23 ἐνομίζετο to regarded Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular Acts 7:25 ἐνόμιζεν to He assumed Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Acts 8:20 ἐνόμισας to you thought Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular Acts 14:19 νομίζοντες to presuming Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural Acts 16:13 ἐνομίζομεν to was customary Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural Acts 16:27 νομίζων to presuming that Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 5:17
Aligned rows 15
Books represented 5
Matthew 3 Luke 2 Acts 7 1 Corinthians 2 1 Timothy 1
Source forms
νομίσητε 2x nomisēte Matthew 5:17, Matthew 10:34
ἐνόμιζεν 1x enomizen Acts 7:25
ἐνομίζετο 1x enomizeto Luke 3:23
ἐνομίζομεν 1x enomizomen Acts 16:13
ἐνόμιζον 1x enomizon Acts 21:29
ἐνόμισαν 1x enomisan Matthew 20:10
ἐνόμισας 1x enomisas Acts 8:20
νομίζει 1x nomizei 1 Corinthians 7:36
Parsing patterns
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural 2x Matthew 5:17, Matthew 10:34
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular 1x Acts 8:20
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural 1x Matthew 20:10
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural 1x Luke 2:44
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural 1x Acts 16:13
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural 1x Acts 21:29
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 1x Acts 7:25
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular 1x Luke 3:23
Evidence Summary
Greek word. To suppose based on custom or general assumption rather than certain knowledge.
Strong's G3543
Lexical occurrences 15 verses Greek text appearances 15 times Word forms 4 forms 15 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Luke 3:23–38 Source Gloss
to think
Extended definition Source: 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 corpus Greek 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 5:17 Verb Second Person Plural Aorist Active Subjunctive
νομίσητε nomishte
I think, suppose
Read verse Matthew 10:34 Verb Second Person Plural Aorist Active Subjunctive
νομίσητε nomishte
I think, suppose
Read verse Matthew 20:10 Verb Third Person Plural Aorist Active Indicative
ἐνόμισαν enomisan
I think, suppose
Read verse Luke 2:44 Verb Aorist Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine
νομίσαντες nomisantev
I think, suppose
Read verse Luke 3:23 Verb Third Person Singular Imperfect Passive Indicative
ἐνομίζετο) enomizeto
I think, suppose
Read verse Acts 7:25 Verb Third Person Singular Imperfect Active Indicative
ἐνόμιζε enomizen
I think, suppose
Read verse Acts 8:20 Verb Second Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἐνόμισας enomisav
I think, suppose
Read verse Acts 14:19 Verb Aorist Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine
νομίσαντες nomisantev
I think, suppose
Read verse Acts 16:13 Verb Third Person Singular Imperfect Passive Indicative
ἐνομίζετο enomizeto
I think, suppose
Read verse Acts 16:27 Verb Present Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
νομίζων nomizwn
I think, suppose
Read verse Acts 17:29 Verb Present Active Infinitive
νομίζειν nomizein
I think, suppose
Read verse Acts 21:29 Verb Third Person Plural Imperfect Active Indicative
ἐνόμιζον enomizon
I think, suppose
Read verse 1 Corinthians 7:26 Verb First Person Singular Present Active Indicative
νομίζω nomizw
I think, suppose
Read verse 1 Corinthians 7:36 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
νομίζει, nomizei
I think, suppose
Read verse 1 Timothy 6:5 Verb Present Active Participle Genitive Plural Masculine
νομιζόντων nomizontwn
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 groups 4 Aligned forms 15 Tenses Aorist, Imperfect, Present Voices Active, Passive
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 2×
Aorist Active Matt 5:17 · Matt 10:34 2×
Indicative states a fact or reality 8×
Imperfect Active Acts 7:25 · Acts 16:13 · Acts 21:29 3×
Aorist Active Matt 20:10 · Acts 8:20 2×
Present Active 1 Cor 7:26 · 1 Cor 7:36 2×
Imperfect Passive Luke 3:23 1×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 4×
Present Active Acts 14:19 · Acts 16:27 · 1 Tim 6:5 3×
Aorist Active Luke 2:44 1×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 1×
Present Active Acts 17:29 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 15 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
present 6 aorist 5 imperfect 4
Voice
active 14 passive 1
Mood
indicative 8 participle 4 subjunctive 2 infinitive 1
NT Occurrences
Matthew 5:17 νομίσητε aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 10:34 νομίσητε aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 20:10 ἐνόμισαν aorist active indicative completed Luke 2:44 νομίσαντες aorist active participle participle Luke 3:23 ἐνομίζετο imperfect passive indicative background Acts 7:25 ἐνόμιζεν imperfect active indicative background Acts 8:20 ἐνόμισας aorist active indicative completed Acts 14:19 νομίζοντες present active participle participle Acts 16:13 ἐνομίζομεν imperfect active indicative background Acts 16:27 νομίζων present active participle participle Acts 17:29 νομίζειν present active infinitive infinitive Acts 21:29 ἐνόμιζον imperfect active indicative background 1 Corinthians 7:26 νομίζω present active indicative ongoing 1 Corinthians 7:36 νομίζει present active indicative ongoing 1 Timothy 6:5 νομιζόντων present active participle participle
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 3:23–38 ἐνομίζετο nomízō
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.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain