Greek word · G56

ἀγνωσία

agnōsia

ignorance

Not-knowing, ignorance. In Jewish usage especially, a culpable failure to know God, linked with idolatry and moral foolishness.

Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Greek New Testament. · Updated October 23, 2026

What it means

ἀγνωσία, -ας, ἡ

(γινώσκω), [in LXX: Job 35:16 (בִּבְלִי־דַּעַת), Wisdom of Solomon 13:1, 3Ma.5:27 * ;]

ignorance (opposite to γνῶσις): 1 Corinthians 15:34, 1 Peter 2:15 (see Hort in l.; MM, VGT, see word).†

(AS)

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

Range of meaning: Not-knowing, ignorance. In Jewish usage especially, a culpable failure to know God, linked with idolatry and moral foolishness.
Against the English: The BSB, YLT and KJV ('have not the knowledge of God') are accurate. Modern readers may hear only a gap in information. The Jewish background points to a failure to grasp who God is, which shows up in how a person lives.
Used elsewhere in the period: Wisdom of Solomon 13:1: 'all people who were ignorant of God (θεοῦ ἀγνωσία) were foolish by nature.' 1 Peter 2:15: 'the ignorance (ἀγνωσία) of foolish people.' In Greek philosophy ἀγνωσία is the opposite of γνῶσις (knowledge).

Range of meaning: Ignorance, not knowing. In Jewish and early Christian usage it can mean specifically not knowing God.
Against the English: "Ignorance" is accurate. NIV's "ignorant talk" rightly brings out that the ignorance here is spoken, coming out as slander.
Used elsewhere in the period: Wisdom 13:1, people who were "ignorant of God" (agnōsia theou); Job 35:16 LXX; 1 Cor 15:34, "some have no knowledge of God" (agnōsian theou).

1 Corinthians · 1

1 Corinthians 15:34 ἀγνωσίαν ignorance

Sober up as you ought, and stop sinning; for some of you are ignorant of God. I say this to your shame.

Here: Placed first in its clause for emphasis: 'Ignorance, that's what some of you have.' A sharp jab at a church that prided itself on knowledge (gnōsis).

1 Peter · 1

1 Peter 2:15 ἀγνωσίαν· ignorance;

For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorance of foolish men.

Here: Not knowing. Here it is the uninformed, prejudiced talk that labels Christians "evildoers" (2:12). In Jewish usage the word can also carry the sense of not knowing God, which sits behind the slander.

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