Greek word · G6018
διενθυμέομαι
dienthymeomai
to ponder
To think something through carefully, to ponder or turn it over in the mind. It is built from dia (“through”), en (“in”) and thymeomai (“to have in mind, to be moved inwardly”). The double prefix makes the thinking thorough and lasting.
Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·
What it means
From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).
In depth
- Range of meaning
To think something through carefully, to ponder or turn it over in the mind. It is built from dia (“through”), en (“in”) and thymeomai (“to have in mind, to be moved inwardly”). The double prefix makes the thinking thorough and lasting.
- Against the English
KJV's “thought on” is accurate but flat. WEB's “pondering” and BSB's “continued to reflect” better show that the thinking was ongoing and absorbed him.
- Used elsewhere in the period
This is the only place the word appears in the New Testament, and it is rare in Greek generally. BDAG lists it only here and in a few later Christian writers. The simpler ἐνθυμέομαι (“to think over, consider”) is common: Matt 1:20 (Joseph “considering” what to do about Mary), Matt 9:4, Acts 10:19 in some later manuscripts. Some later manuscripts do replace the rare compound with the simple ἐνθυμουμένου.
Where it appears
Acts · 1
-
Acts 10:19 διενθυμουμένου thinking
As Peter continued to reflect on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you.
Here: A present participle: Peter is still in the middle of thinking it over. The compound word suggests turning the matter over and through in his mind. He has not worked out the vision yet.
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.