What does συνίημι (syníēmi) mean in the Bible?
Syniēmi means to understand, comprehend, or put things together mentally. In the Gospels it often exposes the difference between hearing words and grasping their significance.
Greek · G4920
συνίημι
To understand
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συνίημι G4920
Pronunciation syníēmi
What does συνίημι (syníēmi) mean in the Bible?
Syniēmi means to understand, comprehend, or put things together mentally. In the Gospels it often exposes the difference between hearing words and grasping their significance.
Reader summary
Full entry for συνίημι (G4920) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G4920?
The BSB source-word alignment has 26 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include understand (7), understanding (3), [they did not] (1), did not understand (1), did not understand any (1).
Where does συνίημι (syníēmi) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 13:13. Its strongest book concentrations include Matthew (9), Mark (5), Acts (4), Luke (4).
Are there verse guides for συνίημι (syníēmi)?
This entry includes 1 verse guide that explain exact original-language forms in context.
What This Word Actually Means
Syniēmi means to understand, comprehend, or put things together mentally. In the Gospels it often exposes the difference between hearing words and grasping their significance. Jesus' parables both reveal and expose hardened reception. He calls the crowd to understand what truly defiles, and He questions disciples who still fail to perceive His warning and provision.
Acts describes Moses expecting Israel to understand God's deliverance through him, though they did not. Ephesians commands believers to understand the Lord's will rather than live foolishly. The verb never suggests that bare intelligence is enough. Understanding is morally situated: it may be resisted, patiently taught, granted through attention to Jesus, and expressed in obedient wisdom.
A word study should therefore distinguish comprehension from agreement, faith, and obedience while showing their proper relationship.
How the Bible Uses It
Syniēmi concerns grasping meaning or recognizing how realities fit together. Parables expose unresponsive hearing, Jesus instructs crowds and disciples, Moses is misunderstood as a deliverer, and Paul calls the church to discern the Lord's will. Understanding requires truthful reception, not cleverness alone.
- Matt.13.13
This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’
Matthew 13:13 explains why Jesus speaks in parables: some see and hear without understanding. The saying belongs to a judgment-and-revelation context shaped by Isaiah, not a claim that Jesus values confusion.
- Matt.15.10
Jesus called the crowd to Him and said, “Listen and understand.
Matthew 15:10 summons the crowd to hear and understand that defilement arises from the heart rather than merely from food entering the mouth. Comprehension must overturn a mistaken purity framework.
- Mark.8.17
Aware of their conversation, Jesus asked them, “Why are you debating about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Do you have such hard hearts?
Mark 8:17 records Jesus questioning disciples who still do not understand after the feedings. Their anxiety about bread reveals spiritual dullness concerning His identity and sufficient provision.
- Acts.7.25
He assumed his brothers would understand that God was using him to deliver them, but they did not.
Acts 7:25 says Moses supposed his brothers would understand that God was giving deliverance through his hand, but they did not. Stephen highlights Israel's recurring rejection of God-sent deliverers.
- Eph.5.17
Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
Ephesians 5:17 contrasts foolishness with understanding the Lord's will. The command is worked out through Spirit-filled worship, thanksgiving, and ordered relationships in the verses that follow.
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 understand 7× Matthew 13:13, Matthew 13:15, Matthew 15:10, Mark 7:14
understanding 3× Matthew 13:14, Mark 4:12, Acts 28:26
[they did not] 1× Acts 7:25
did not understand 1× Luke 2:50
did not understand any 1× Luke 18:34
Do you still not understand 1× Mark 8:21
Have you understood 1× Matthew 13:51
they had not understood 1× Mark 6:52
they may not understand 1× Luke 8:10
they show their ignorance 1× 2 Corinthians 10:12
they understood 1× Matthew 16:12
to understand 1× Luke 24:45
understand [it] 1× Matthew 13:19
understands 1× Romans 3:11
understands [it] 1× Matthew 13:23
understood 1× Matthew 17:13
will understand 1× Romans 15:21
would understand 1× Acts 7:25
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 13:13 συνίουσιν to understand Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural Matthew 13:14 συνῆτε to understanding Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural Matthew 13:15 συνῶσιν to understand Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural Matthew 13:19 συνιέντος to understand [it] Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Singular Matthew 13:23 συνιείς to understands [it] Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular Matthew 13:51 Συνήκατε to Have you understood Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural Matthew 15:10 συνίετε to understand Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural Matthew 16:12 συνῆκαν to they understood Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural Matthew 17:13 συνῆκαν to understood Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural Mark 4:12 συνιῶσιν to understanding Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 13:13
Aligned rows 26
Books represented 7
Matthew 9 Mark 5 Luke 4 Acts 4 Romans 2 2 Corinthians 1 Ephesians 1
Source forms
συνῆκαν 6x synēkan Matthew 16:12, Matthew 17:13, Mark 6:52, Luke 2:50
συνίετε 4x syniete Matthew 15:10, Mark 8:17, Mark 8:21, Ephesians 5:17
συνῆτε 2x synēte Matthew 13:14, Acts 28:26
συνιέναι 2x synienai Luke 24:45, Acts 7:25
συνιῶσιν 2x syniōsin Mark 4:12, Luke 8:10
συνῶσιν 2x synōsin Matthew 13:15, Acts 28:27
σύνετε 1x synete Mark 7:14
Συνήκατε 1x Synēkate Matthew 13:51
Parsing patterns
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural 6x Matthew 16:12, Matthew 17:13, Mark 6:52, Luke 2:50
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural 2x Matthew 13:14, Acts 28:26
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural 2x Matthew 13:15, Acts 28:27
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural 2x Matthew 15:10, Ephesians 5:17
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural 2x Mark 8:17, Mark 8:21
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural 2x Matthew 13:13, 2 Corinthians 10:12
Verb - Present Infinitive Active 2x Luke 24:45, Acts 7:25
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular 2x Matthew 13:23, Romans 3:11
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Do not shame people who need patient explanation or time to understand.
- Do not call a preferred inference "the Lord's will" without grounding it in Scripture's teaching and context.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not shame people who need patient explanation or time to understand.
- Do not call a preferred inference "the Lord's will" without grounding it in Scripture's teaching and context.
Key Verse and Form Guides
Verse-level guides showing how this original-language form works in its specific context, including grammar, verse function, and guarded interpretation.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. To perceive or grasp together; understand with intellectual and spiritual comprehension, not mere recognition.
Source Gloss
to understand
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 26 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 13:13 Verb Third Person Plural Present Active Indicative
συνιοῦσι. suniousin
I consider, understand
Read verse Matthew 13:14 Verb Second Person Plural Second Aorist Active Subjunctive
συνῆτε· sunhte
I consider, understand
Read verse Matthew 13:15 Verb Third Person Plural Second Aorist Active Subjunctive
συνῶσι, sunwsin
I consider, understand
Read verse Matthew 13:19 Verb Present Active Participle Genitive Singular Masculine
συνιέντος, sunientov
I consider, understand
Read verse Matthew 13:23 Verb Present Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
συνιών· suniwn
I consider, understand
Read verse Matthew 13:51 Verb Second Person Plural Aorist Active Indicative
Συνήκατε sunhkate
I consider, understand
Read verse Matthew 15:10 Verb Second Person Plural Present Active Imperative
συνίετε. suniete
I consider, understand
Read verse Matthew 16:12 Verb Third Person Plural Aorist Active Indicative
συνῆκαν sunhkan
I consider, understand
Read verse Matthew 17:13 Verb Third Person Plural Aorist Active Indicative
συνῆκαν sunhkan
I consider, understand
Read verse Mark 4:12 Verb Third Person Plural Present Active Subjunctive
συνιῶσι· suniwsin
I consider, understand
Read verse Mark 6:52 Verb Third Person Plural Aorist Active Indicative
συνῆκαν sunhkan
I consider, understand
Read verse Mark 7:14 Verb Second Person Plural Present Active Imperative
συνίετε. suniete
I consider, understand
Read verse Mark 8:17 Verb Second Person Plural Present Active Indicative
συνίετε; suniete
I consider, understand
Read verse Mark 8:21 Verb Second Person Plural Present Active Indicative
συνίετε; suniete
I consider, understand
Read verse Luke 2:50 Verb Third Person Plural Aorist Active Indicative
συνῆκαν sunhkan
I consider, understand
Read verse Luke 8:10 Verb Third Person Plural Present Active Subjunctive
συνιῶσιν. suniwsin
I consider, understand
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 5 Aligned forms 26 Tenses Aorist, Present, Future Voices Active
Tenses
Voices
Indicative states a fact or reality 12×
Aorist Active Matt 16:12 · Matt 17:13 · Mark 6:52 · Luke 2:50 · Luke 18:34 · Acts 7:25 · Matt 13:51 7×
Present Active Matt 13:13 · 2 Cor 10:12 · Mark 8:17 · Mark 8:21 4×
Future Active Rom 15:21 1×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 6×
Aorist Active Matt 13:14 · Acts 28:26 · Matt 13:15 · Acts 28:27 4×
Present Active Mark 4:12 · Luke 8:10 2×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 3×
Imperative command or strong request 3×
Present Active Matt 15:10 · Eph 5:17 2×
Aorist Active Mark 7:14 1×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 2×
Present Active Luke 24:45 · Acts 7:25 2×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 24 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
aorist 12 present 11 future 1
Voice
active 24
Mood
indicative 10 subjunctive 6 imperative 3 participle 3 infinitive 2
NT Occurrences
Matthew 13:14 συνῆτε aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 13:15 συνῶσιν aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Matthew 13:19 συνιέντος present active participle participle Matthew 13:23 συνιείς present active participle participle Matthew 13:51 Συνήκατε aorist active indicative completed Matthew 15:10 συνίετε present active imperative imperative Matthew 16:12 συνῆκαν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 17:13 συνῆκαν aorist active indicative completed Mark 4:12 συνιῶσιν present active subjunctive subjunctive Mark 6:52 συνῆκαν aorist active indicative completed Mark 7:14 σύνετε aorist active imperative imperative Mark 8:21 συνίετε present active indicative ongoing Luke 2:50 συνῆκαν aorist active indicative completed Luke 8:10 συνιῶσιν present active subjunctive subjunctive Luke 18:34 συνῆκαν aorist active indicative completed Luke 24:45 συνιέναι present active infinitive infinitive Acts 7:25 συνιέναι present active infinitive infinitive Acts 7:25 συνῆκαν aorist active indicative completed Acts 28:26 συνῆτε aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Acts 28:27 συνῶσιν aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Romans 3:11 συνίων present active participle participle Romans 15:21 συνήσουσιν future active indicative prospective 2 Corinthians 10:12 συνιᾶσιν present active indicative ongoing Ephesians 5:17 συνίετε present active imperative imperative
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.
Biblical Witnesses
Comprehending God's will in ethical and spiritual conduct
Intellectual perception and discernment characteristic of wise persons
Perceiving and comprehending justice and moral righteousness
Learning wisdom through observation and instruction
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 26 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
συνίημι 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
Syniēmi describes more than collecting facts. It pictures the mind grasping the significance of what has been heard and seen. The crowds must rethink defilement, the disciples must connect Jesus' works with His identity and provision, and Stephen's hearers must recognize a history of rejecting deliverers. Ephesians turns understanding toward practical wisdom: believers are to discern the Lord's will rather than drift into foolish living.
These passages make understanding both a gift and a responsibility. Teachers should explain patiently, invite questions, and refuse to shame slow learners. They should also name the moral danger of hearing without receiving, especially when pride or settled resistance protects a preferred conclusion. Mature understanding listens to Jesus, fits His words and works together, and issues in worship, gratitude, holiness, and obedience.
Anchor passage
Mark.8.17
Doctrinal connections
- Revelation and judgment: parables disclose truth while exposing hardened hearing.
- Christology: understanding Jesus' works is inseparable from recognizing who He is.
- Human sin: people may possess evidence yet resist its meaning.
- Discipleship: Jesus patiently confronts and teaches disciples whose perception is incomplete.
- Biblical theology: Stephen locates rejected deliverers within Israel's history and its culmination in Christ.
- Sanctification: understanding the Lord's will belongs to Spirit-filled, wise living.
Syniēmi combines syn with hiēmi historically and conveys bringing things together in understanding. In actual usage it functions as a common verb for comprehending, perceiving, or recognizing; etymology should not replace contextual analysis.
From Old to New Testament
Wisdom literature repeatedly calls hearers to gain understanding, while Isaiah describes people who hear without comprehending. The New Testament gathers these patterns around response to Jesus and the wisdom of life under His lordship.
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