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Greek · G4893 · unreviewed

συνείδησις

Conscience

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συνείδησις G4893
Pronunciation syneídēsis

What does συνείδησις (syneídēsis) mean in the Bible?

συνείδησις (syneídēsis) is a Greek word meaning "conscience". συν-είδησις, -εως, ἡ (συνεῖδον), [in LXX: Ecc. Grounds obedience in accountability before God. This term runs through the canonical themes of Covenant, Justice.

Full entry for συνείδησις (G4893) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

conscience
Extended definition

Inner moral awareness that accuses or approves one's actions through self-judgment.

(συνεῖδον), [in LXX: Ecc.10:20 (מַדָּע), Wis.17:11, Sir.42:18 א * ;]

1consciousness: with genitive obj., Heb.10:2, 1Pe.2:19.
2In ethical sense, innate discernment, self-judging consciousness, conscience (Stoics and late writers): Rom.2:15 9:1, 1Co.10:29, 2Co.1:12 4:2 5:11, 1Ti.4:2, Heb.9:14; σ. ἀγαθή, Act.23:1, 1Ti.1:5 1:19, 1Pe.3:16 3:21; ἀσθενής, 1Co.8:7 8:10; ἀσθενοῦσα, 1Co.8:12; ἀπρόσκοπος, Act.24:16; καθαρά, 1Ti.3:9, 2Ti.1:3; καλή, Heb.13:18; πονηρά, Heb.10:22; ὁ νοῦς καὶ ἡ σ., Tit.1:15; διὰ τὴν σ., Rom.13:5, 1Co.10:25 10:27-28; κατὰ σ., Heb.9:9; ὑπὸ (τῆς) σ., Jhn.8:1-59 [9] (Rec.), 1Co.10:29 (cf. Cremer, 233 ff.; ICC on Rom.2:15; DB, i, 468 ff.).
Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Why This Word Matters
Grounds obedience in accountability before God. 1 Timothy 1:18-20
Conscience serves as an internal witness to God’s moral law, reinforcing universal accountability. 1 Timothy 3:8-13
Highlights the internal limitation of old covenant sacrifices. 1 Timothy 4:1-5
Anchors Paul’s defense in accountability to God. Acts 22:30-23:5
Emphasizes integrity in life and defense. Acts 24:10-21
A violated conscience undermines spiritual stability and opens the door to doctrinal collapse. Hebrews 9:1-10
Practical service must be grounded in internal integrity and doctrinal conviction. Romans 13:1-7
Doctrinal corruption is linked to moral corruption; a seared conscience leads to distorted teaching. Romans 2:1-16
Grammatical Forms

How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.

Nominative · Singular · Feminine 1 Cor 8:7 · 1 Cor 8:10 · Titus 1:15 3×
Genitive · Singular · Feminine Rom 2:15 · Rom 9:1 · 1 Cor 10:29 · 2 Cor 1:12 · 1 Tim 1:5 · Heb 10:22 · 1 Pet 3:21 7×
Dative · Singular · Feminine Acts 23:1 · 1 Tim 3:9 · 2 Tim 1:3 3×
Dative · Plural · Feminine 2 Cor 5:11 1×
Accusative · Singular · Feminine Acts 24:16 · Rom 13:5 · 1 Cor 8:12 · 1 Cor 10:25 · 1 Cor 10:27 · 1 Cor 10:28 · 1 Cor 10:29 · 2 Cor 4:2 · 1 Tim 1:19 · 1 Tim 4:2 · Heb 9:9 · Heb 9:14 · Heb 10:2 · Heb 13:18 · 1 Pet 2:19 · 1 Pet 3:16 16×
30 total occurrences across all forms in the biblical text Morphology: MorphGNT SBLGNT — CC BY-SA 3.0
Canonical Themes
Covenant Justice
Biblical Occurrences

Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.

New Testament Witnesses
1 Timothy 1:18-20 conscience syneídēsis Accusative · Singular · Feminine
The inner moral awareness that testifies to right and wrong.
1 Timothy 3:8-13 conscience syneídēsis Dative · Singular · Feminine
Inner awareness of moral accountability before God.
1 Timothy 4:1-5 conscience syneídēsis Accusative · Singular · Feminine
Inner moral awareness capable of becoming insensitive through persistent sin.
Acts 22:30-23:5 Conscience syneídēsis Dative · Singular · Feminine
Moral awareness before God.
Acts 24:10-21 Conscience syneídēsis Accusative · Singular · Feminine
Moral awareness before God.
Hebrews 9:1-10 σ...νείδησις syneídēsis Accusative · Singular · Feminine
conscience
Romans 13:1-7 συνείδησις syneídēsis Accusative · Singular · Feminine
Conscience, moral awareness.
Romans 2:1-16 συνείδησις syneídēsis Genitive · Singular · Feminine
Conscience, internal moral awareness.
Appears In

Compound and idiomatic lexemes in which this word is a constituent. Follow a link to study the phrase and its other participating words.

καθαρός · συνείδησις G2513, G4893
clean conscience, pure moral awareness
καλός · συνείδησις G2570, G4893
good or clear conscience
καυτηριάζω · συνείδησις G2743, G4893
having their own conscience seared
συνείδησις · ἀγαθός G4893, G18
good conscience
συνείδησις · ἁμαρτία G4893, G266
conscience-awareness of sins
Word Pictures (Robertson)

A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.

1 Corinthians 8 — Knowledge, Love, and the Weak Brother in a World of Idols Acts 23 — The Lord Stands Near Paul and Preserves His Witness Acts 24 — Paul Before Felix: Resurrection Hope, Clear Conscience, and Coming Judgment Romans 13 — Submission to Governing Authorities, Love as the Fulfillment of the Law, and Life in the Light of the Coming Day Romans 2 — God’s Righteous Judgment and the Exposure of Religious Presumption Romans 9 — God’s Faithfulness, Sovereign Mercy, and Israel’s Stumbling Over Christ

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

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

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

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