What does νοῦς (noûs) mean in the Bible?
Nous names the mind, understanding, or faculty of perception and judgment. The risen Jesus opens the disciples' minds to understand the Scriptures.
Greek · G3563
νοῦς
Mind
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νοῦς G3563
Pronunciation noûs
What does νοῦς (noûs) mean in the Bible?
Nous names the mind, understanding, or faculty of perception and judgment. The risen Jesus opens the disciples' minds to understand the Scriptures.
Reader summary
Full entry for νοῦς (G3563) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G3563?
The BSB source-word alignment has 24 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include mind (11), [the] mind (3), minds (3), . . . (1), a mind (1).
Where does νοῦς (noûs) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Luke 24:45. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Corinthians (7), Romans (6), Ephesians (2), Revelation (2).
What This Word Actually Means
Nous names the mind, understanding, or faculty of perception and judgment. The risen Jesus opens the disciples' minds to understand the Scriptures. Romans describes a mind disapproved and disordered when people refuse to retain the knowledge of God. Paul urges Corinthian believers toward the same mind and judgment rather than factional division. Ephesians warns against the futile mind of Gentile life alienated from God.
Philippians promises God's peace will guard hearts and minds in Christ. The noun is neither a divine spark nor a neutral computer. It can be opened, corrupted, renewed, united around truth, and guarded by peace. Its health is measured by response to God and Scripture, not intelligence or education alone.
How the Bible Uses It
Nous portrays the mind as receptive and morally formed. Christ opens understanding, rejected knowledge disorders thought, gospel truth calls a divided church toward shared judgment, futile thinking marks alienation, and divine peace guards the mind in Christ.
- Luke.24.45
Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
Luke 24:45 says the risen Jesus opened the disciples' minds to understand the Scriptures. Their comprehension is Christ-given and centered on the Messiah's suffering, resurrection, and worldwide proclamation.
- Rom.1.28
Furthermore, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, He gave them up to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.
Romans 1:28 says those who did not approve retaining God in knowledge were given over to a disapproved mind. Moral refusal and distorted judgment belong together in Paul's indictment of humanity.
- 1Cor.1.10
I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree together, so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be united in mind and conviction.
First Corinthians 1:10 urges believers to be united in the same mind and judgment. Paul seeks agreement around the crucified Christ, not personality control or the suppression of every secondary difference.
- Eph.4.17
So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.
Ephesians 4:17 warns believers not to walk in the futility of Gentile minds. The following verses connect darkened understanding with alienation, hardness, and a life unlike what they learned in Christ.
- Phil.4.7
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:7 promises God's incomprehensible peace will guard hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. The military image of guarding follows prayer, thanksgiving, and entrusting anxiety to God.
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 mind 11× Romans 1:28, Romans 7:23, Romans 7:25, Romans 12:2
[the] mind 3× Romans 11:34, 1 Corinthians 2:16
minds 3× Luke 24:45, Ephesians 4:23, Titus 1:15
. . . 1× 2 Thessalonians 2:2
a mind 1× Revelation 17:9
coherent 1× 1 Corinthians 14:19
in mind 1× 2 Timothy 3:8
insight 1× Revelation 13:18
thinking 1× Ephesians 4:17
understanding 1× Philippians 4:7
Show sample aligned rows
Luke 24:45 νοῦν to minds Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular Romans 1:28 νοῦν to mind Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular Romans 7:23 νοός to mind Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular Romans 7:25 νοῒ to mind Noun - Dative Masculine Singular Romans 11:34 νοῦν to [the] mind Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular Romans 12:2 νοός to mind Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular Romans 14:5 νοῒ to mind Noun - Dative Masculine Singular 1 Corinthians 1:10 νοῒ to mind Noun - Dative Masculine Singular 1 Corinthians 2:16 νοῦν to [the] mind Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular 1 Corinthians 2:16 νοῦν to [the] mind Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Luke 24:45
Aligned rows 24
Books represented 11
Luke 1 Romans 6 1 Corinthians 7 Ephesians 2 Philippians 1 Colossians 1 2 Thessalonians 1 1 Timothy 1 2 Timothy 1 Titus 1 Revelation 2
Source forms
νοῦν 9x noun Luke 24:45, Romans 1:28, Romans 11:34, 1 Corinthians 2:16
νοὸς 4x noos Ephesians 4:17, Ephesians 4:23, Colossians 2:18, 2 Thessalonians 2:2
νοΐ 3x noi 1 Corinthians 14:15, 1 Corinthians 14:19
νοῒ 3x noi Romans 7:25, Romans 14:5, 1 Corinthians 1:10
νοῦς 3x nous 1 Corinthians 14:14, Titus 1:15, Revelation 17:9
νοός 2x noos Romans 7:23, Romans 12:2
Parsing patterns
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular 9x Luke 24:45, Romans 1:28, Romans 11:34, 1 Corinthians 2:16
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular 6x Romans 7:25, Romans 14:5, 1 Corinthians 1:10, 1 Corinthians 14:15
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular 6x Romans 7:23, Romans 12:2, Ephesians 4:17, Ephesians 4:23
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular 3x 1 Corinthians 14:14, Titus 1:15, Revelation 17:9
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Do not equate education, intelligence, or cognitive speed with spiritual maturity.
- Do not use calls for the same mind to suppress truthful questions, conscience, or legitimate secondary disagreement.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not equate education, intelligence, or cognitive speed with spiritual maturity.
- Do not use calls for the same mind to suppress truthful questions, conscience, or legitimate secondary disagreement.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. The rational, conscious faculty that grasps truth, distinct from both spirit and flesh.
Strong's G3563
Lexical occurrences 24 verses Greek text appearances 24 times 16 shown below Word forms 4 forms 24 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link 1 Corinthians 1:10-17 Source Gloss
mind
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 24 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Luke 24:45 Noun Accusative Singular Masculine
νοῦν, noun
the mind, reasoning faculty
Read verse Romans 1:28 Noun Accusative Singular Masculine
νοῦν, noun
the mind, reasoning faculty
Read verse Romans 7:23 Noun Genitive Singular Masculine
νοός noov
the mind, reasoning faculty
Read verse Romans 7:25 Noun Dative Singular Masculine
νοῒ noi
the mind, reasoning faculty
Read verse Romans 11:34 Noun Accusative Singular Masculine
νοῦν noun
the mind, reasoning faculty
Read verse Romans 12:2 Noun Genitive Singular Masculine
νοὸς noov
the mind, reasoning faculty
Read verse Romans 14:5 Noun Dative Singular Masculine
νοῒ noi
the mind, reasoning faculty
Read verse 1 Corinthians 1:10 Noun Dative Singular Masculine
νοῒ noi
the mind, reasoning faculty
Read verse 1 Corinthians 2:16 Noun Accusative Singular Masculine
νοῦν noun
the mind, reasoning faculty
Read verse 1 Corinthians 2:16 Noun Accusative Singular Masculine
νοῦν noun
the mind, reasoning faculty
Read verse 1 Corinthians 14:14 Noun Nominative Singular Masculine
νοῦς nouv
the mind, reasoning faculty
Read verse 1 Corinthians 14:15 Noun Dative Singular Masculine
νοΐ· noi
the mind, reasoning faculty
Read verse 1 Corinthians 14:15 Noun Dative Singular Masculine
νοΐ. noi
the mind, reasoning faculty
Read verse 1 Corinthians 14:19 Noun Genitive Singular Masculine
νοός noov
the mind, reasoning faculty
Read verse Ephesians 4:17 Noun Genitive Singular Masculine
νοὸς noov
the mind, reasoning faculty
Read verse Ephesians 4:23 Noun Genitive Singular Masculine
νοὸς noov
the mind, reasoning faculty
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 this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
This word appears as a noun across 4 case and number patterns. The form changes show how the word functions in a sentence; they do not change the basic lexical meaning by themselves.
Form patterns 4 Aligned forms 24 Case pattern Accusative (9) Number pattern Singular (24)
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Nominative · Singular · Masculine 1 Cor 14:14 · Titus 1:15 · Rev 17:9 3×
Genitive · Singular · Masculine Rom 7:23 · Rom 12:2 · Eph 4:17 · Eph 4:23 · Col 2:18 · 2 Thess 2:2 6×
Dative · Singular · Masculine Rom 7:25 · Rom 14:5 · 1 Cor 1:10 · 1 Cor 14:15 · 1 Cor 14:19 6×
Accusative · Singular · Masculine Luke 24:45 · Rom 1:28 · Rom 11:34 · 1 Cor 2:16 · Phil 4:7 · 1 Tim 6:5 · 2 Tim 3:8 · Rev 13:18 9×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Unity of thought and purpose among believers in the church
The faculty of understanding divine wisdom, contrasted with natural human perception
The rational understanding faculty, distinguished from ecstatic speech and spiritual gifts
The seat of spiritual transformation and renewal through the Holy Spirit
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 24 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
νοῦς is built from this root:
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.
For the Preacher and Teacher
Nous presents thinking as a whole-person act before God. The disciples need the risen Christ to open their minds to Scripture's messianic pattern. Romans shows that refusal of God does not leave reason untouched; disordered worship produces disordered judgment. Corinth's factions need a shared mind anchored in the cross, while Ephesians calls believers out of futile patterns into the truth learned in Jesus.
Philippians does not promise mental vacancy but God's peace guarding hearts and minds as believers pray with thanksgiving. Christian formation therefore values study, reflection, and careful judgment while rejecting intellectual boasting. Churches should teach Scripture in its Christ-centered context, confront desires that bend reasoning, make room for faithful secondary differences, and help anxious believers bring their thoughts beneath God's peace.
Anchor passage
Luke.24.45
Doctrinal connections
- Revelation: Christ enables understanding of Scripture's testimony to His saving work.
- Christology: the mind is opened to the suffering and risen Messiah as Scripture's fulfillment.
- Noetic effects of sin: rejected knowledge of God disorders moral judgment.
- Church unity: shared allegiance to the crucified Christ disciplines factional thinking.
- Sanctification: believers put off futile patterns and learn a renewed life in Jesus.
- Peace and prayer: God's peace guards hearts and minds in Christ amid anxious circumstances.
Nous can denote mind, understanding, thought, judgment, or disposition. Context determines whether the emphasis falls on comprehension, moral reasoning, shared outlook, futile thinking, or the inner life guarded by God.
From Old to New Testament
Wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord, prophets expose people who do not understand, and the new-covenant promise includes inwardly written instruction. The risen Christ opens Scripture and forms a renewed people.
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