Greek word · G5424

φρήν

phrēn

thinking

Originally the midriff or diaphragm, which older Greeks thought of as the seat of thought and feeling. By the classical and Hellenistic periods it was mostly used in the plural (phrenes) for 'mind', 'wits', 'understanding' or 'good sense'.

Appears 2 times in 1 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

φρήν genitive, φρενός, ἡ,

[in LXX most frequently in Pr (Proverbs 6:32, al.) and chiefly for לֵב; also 3Ma.4:16 3Mac 5:47 ;]

chiefly in Hom. and Trag., but also in Plat., al., both sing. and pl.;

1. in physical sense, the parts about the heart, midriff.

2. heart, mind, thought: pl., 1 Corinthians 14:20 (see Edwards, Eng.-Gr. Lex., App., 1).†

(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 1 Corinthians 14:20

Range of meaning

Originally the midriff or diaphragm, which older Greeks thought of as the seat of thought and feeling. By the classical and Hellenistic periods it was mostly used in the plural (phrenes) for 'mind', 'wits', 'understanding' or 'good sense'. It is the root of phronēsis (practical wisdom) and phroneō (to think, to have a mindset). The emphasis falls on judgment and discernment, not raw brain-power.

Against the English

KJV 'understanding', BSB/ESV/NASB 'thinking', WEB 'thoughts'. All are fair. 'Thinking' can sound like pure intellect or information, while phrenes leans toward sound judgment about what matters.

Used elsewhere in the period

In Homer the phrenes are where a person thinks and feels. The Greek Old Testament (Septuagint) uses it often in Proverbs for the person who 'lacks sense' (e.g., Prov 7:7; 9:4, endeēs phrenōn, 'lacking wits'), always about practical wisdom. In the New Testament it appears only here, though the related verb phroneō is common in Paul.

Where it appears

1 Corinthians · 2

  1. 1 Corinthians 14:20 φρεσίν, φρεσὶν minds,, thinking

    Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.

    Here: Plural 'minds' or 'wits': the faculty of judgment and practical good sense. These two uses in this verse are the only ones in the New Testament. The word points to sound judgment more than abstract intellect.

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