Greek word · G5282

ὑπονοέω

hyponoeō

to suppose

To suppose, suspect, surmise, conjecture: forming an opinion on uncertain grounds, often with a hint of guessing or suspicion.

Appears 3 times in 3 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ὑπο νοέω, -ῶ

[in LXX: Da TH Daniel 7:25 (סְבַר), Tobit 8:16, Judith 14:14, Sirach 23:21 * ;]

to suspect, conjecture: Acts 25:18; with accusative and inf., Acts 13:25 27:27.†

(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 Acts 13:25

Range of meaning

To suppose, suspect, surmise, conjecture: forming an opinion on uncertain grounds, often with a hint of guessing or suspicion.

Against the English

'Suppose' (BSB, WEB, ESV, NASB) fits. KJV 'think ye' is weaker. NLT 'Do you think I am the Messiah?' fills in what the guess was about.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the New Testament only in Acts: here, 25:18 (the charges Festus 'suspected' or expected), and 27:27 (sailors 'surmised' they were nearing land). Its noun relative appears in 1 Tim 6:4 ('evil suspicions'). In the Septuagint it appears at Tobit 8:16, Judith 14:14 and Sirach 23:21 for supposing or suspecting.

Similar words

Where it appears

Acts · 3

  1. Acts 13:25 ὑπονοεῖτε do you suppose

    As John was completing his course, he said, ‘Who do you suppose I am? I am not that One. But there is One coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’

    Here: To guess or suspect without firm grounds. John is addressing a rumor or a hopeful hunch going around among the crowds, not a settled belief.

  2. Acts 25:18 ὑπενόουν was suspect

    But when his accusers rose to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected.

  3. Acts 27:27 ὑπενόουν were sensing

    On the fourteenth night we were still being driven across the Adriatic Sea. About midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land.

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