Greek word · G1261

διαλογισμός

dialogismos

reasoning

Reasoning, thinking things through, deliberating, calculating. It can be neutral ('consideration', even 'a business account' in the papyri). In the NT it usually leans negative: inner debate, doubt, argument, or schemes and designs (Luke 2:35; 5:22; 6:8; 9:46-47; Romans 1:21; James 2:4).

Appears 14 times in 14 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

δια-λογισμός, -οῦ, ὁ

(διαλογίζομαι) [in LXX chiefly for מַחֲשָׁבָה ;]

a thought, reasoning, inward questioning: Matthew 15:19, Mark 7:21, Luke 2:35 5:22 6:8 9:46, 47 24:38, Romans 1:21 14:1, 1 Corinthians 3:20" (LXX), Philippians 2:14; κριταὶ δ. πονηρῶν, genitive of qual. (cf. Proverbs 12:5), James 2:4; χωρὶς ὀργῆς καὶ δ. (where perh. δ., like מְזִמָּה, in Psalm 139:20, al., implies evil intention), 1 Timothy 2:8 (see Hort, in l.; cf. Cremer, 400).†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Mark 7:21

Range of meaning

Reasoning, thinking things through, deliberating, calculating. It can be neutral ('consideration', even 'a business account' in the papyri). In the NT it usually leans negative: inner debate, doubt, argument, or schemes and designs (Luke 2:35; 5:22; 6:8; 9:46-47; Romans 1:21; James 2:4).

Against the English

'Evil thoughts' (KJV, BSB and most versions) is acceptable. YLT's 'evil reasonings' is closer. English 'thoughts' covers anything that passes through the mind, including stray or unwanted ideas. Dialogismos points to a reasoning process: weighing, planning, scheming.

How it drifted

'Thought' in modern English is broad, and therapy culture has added the idea of 'intrusive thoughts'. The Greek word is narrower and more active.

Used elsewhere in the period

LXX Psalm 93(94):11: 'The Lord knows the dialogismous of humans, that they are futile' (quoted in 1 Corinthians 3:20). LXX Jeremiah 4:14 asks Jerusalem to wash its heart from evil, 'How long will your dialogismoi of trouble lodge within you?' The Matthean parallel (15:19) keeps the same phrase, dialogismoi ponēroi. In the papyri the word can mean a judicial hearing or the settling of accounts, which shows how close it is to 'calculation'.

From the study of Matthew 15:19

Range of meaning

dialogismos: reasoning, a train of thought, deliberation, debate (inner or between people), and in a negative setting a design or scheme (BDAG). ponēros: bad, worthless, and especially actively wicked or malicious. The noun ho ponēros is 'the evil one' (Matt 5:37; 6:13; 13:19).

Against the English

'Evil thoughts' (KJV, BSB, ESV, WEB, YLT) is accurate, but a modern reader may hear any passing unwanted thought. The Greek word leans toward deliberated reasoning: working something out inside, weighing it, planning it.

How it drifted

The English is not wrong. The risk lies in modern psychology's focus on intrusive or involuntary thoughts, which the word does not especially point to.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the Septuagint, dialogismos often translates Hebrew maḥăšābâ, 'plan, device, scheme' (e.g. Ps 56:5 [55:6 LXX], 'all their reasonings are against me for evil'; Ps 94:11 [93:11 LXX], 'the Lord knows the reasonings of men'). In the Gospels the verb dialogizomai often describes people quietly reasoning against Jesus (Matt 16:7–8; 21:25; Mark 2:6–8).

From the study of Romans 1:21

Range of meaning

Reasoning, calculation, deliberation, inner debate; also doubt or dispute. In the New Testament it is often used negatively (Mark 7:21 'evil thoughts'; Luke 5:22; Phil 2:14 'disputing').

Against the English

KJV 'imaginations' now suggests fantasy or creativity. NASB 'speculations' leans toward theorizing. The Greek is ordinary reasoning: the mind at work thinking things through.

How it drifted

In 1611 'imagination' could mean scheming or inner thought. Today it suggests make-believe.

Used elsewhere in the period

LXX Ps 93:11 (above) links dialogismoi with mataioi. That is very likely the background Paul is drawing on. Compare also Ps 145:4 LXX, where people's plans (dialogismoi) perish.

Where it appears

Matthew · 1

  1. Matthew 15:19 διαλογισμοὶ thoughts

    For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander.

    Here: Inner reasonings and calculations. Next to the word 'evil' and at the head of a list of deeds, it suggests plotting and scheming that lead to action, not only fleeting thoughts.

Mark · 1

  1. Mark 7:21 διαλογισμοὶ thoughts

    For from within the hearts of men come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,

    Here: The inner reasoning, calculating and planning that comes before action. With 'evil' it means bad designs or wicked schemes. It is the inner root, and the deeds listed after it grow out of it.

Luke · 6

  1. Luke 2:35 διαλογισμοί.¶ [the] thoughts.

    so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your soul as well.”

  2. Luke 5:22 διαλογισμοὺς reasonings

    Knowing what they were thinking, Jesus replied, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?

    Here: The arguments and objections they were turning over inside. In Luke this word nearly always carries a note of doubt or suspicion, not neutral thinking.

  3. Luke 6:8 διαλογισμοὺς thoughts

    But Jesus knew their thoughts and said to the man with the withered hand, “Get up and stand among us.” So he got up and stood there.

  4. Luke 9:46 διαλογισμὸς an argument

    Then an argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest.

    Here: A train of reasoning, a turning-over of a question, which can be inside one person or talked through between people. Verse 47 calls it 'the dialogismos of their heart,' so Luke stresses the inner calculation, though Mark 9:33–34 shows it was also talked about on the road. In Luke the word usually marks thoughts that God or Jesus exposes (2:35; 5:22; 6:8; 24:38).

  5. Luke 9:47 διαλογισμὸν reasoning

    But Jesus, knowing the thoughts of their hearts, had a little child stand beside Him.

  6. Luke 24:38 διαλογισμοὶ doubts

    “Why are you troubled,” Jesus asked, “and why do doubts arise in your hearts?

    Here: Their minds are arguing back and forth: "Is this real? Is it a ghost? It can't be him." The plural suggests a swarm of competing thoughts. In Luke the word usually means reasoning that resists or questions what God is doing.

Romans · 2

  1. Romans 1:21 διαλογισμοῖς thinking

    For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts.

    Here: Their inner working-out of things. In the New Testament the word often carries a hint of self-serving or doubting thought. Their thinking went on, but it led nowhere.

  2. Romans 14:1 διαλογισμῶν. on reasonings.

    Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on his opinions.

    Here: His inner reasonings or scruples: his considered opinions about what may be eaten or which days are to be kept. In the New Testament the word often carries a shade of anxious deliberation or argument.

1 Corinthians · 1

  1. 1 Corinthians 3:20 διαλογισμοὺς thoughts

    And again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”

    Here: The inner working-out of ideas and plans: the calculations, arguments and schemes of clever people. In the New Testament it usually carries a note of self-serving or doubting thought.

Philippians · 1

  1. Philippians 2:14 διαλογισμῶν, disputings,

    Do everything without complaining or arguing,

    Here: Plural. Literally "reasonings", but in the New Testament it usually leans negative: suspicious inner questioning, or quarrelsome argument between people. Here it likely means the arguing and second-guessing that go along with grumbling, aimed both at one another and at God's way of leading them.

1 Timothy · 1

  1. 1 Timothy 2:8 διαλογισμοῦ· dissension;

    Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or dissension.

    Here: Paired with anger and set in a letter about a church torn by quarrels, it most naturally means contentious arguing or disputing, not private intellectual doubt.

James · 1

  1. James 2:4 διαλογισμῶν with thoughts

    have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

    Here: Not idle passing thoughts but the inner reasoning that leads to a decision: the quick calculation of who is worth honoring and what he might do for us. The genitive ('of reasonings') describes what kind of judges they are.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.