Greek · G2588 · unreviewed

καρδία

Heart

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καρδία G2588

Pronunciation kardía

What does καρδία (kardía) mean in the Bible?

καρδία (kardía) is a Greek word meaning "heart". καρδία, -ας, ἡ, [in LXX chiefly for לֵבָב ,לֵב ;] the heart, __1. True covenant identity is rooted in inward renewal rather than external marking. This term runs through the canonical themes of Covenant, Revelation.

Full entry for καρδία (G2588) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

heart

Extended definition

Seat of the whole inner person—thought, emotion, will, and moral condition, not mere feeling

the heart,

1the bodily organ which is regarded as the seat of life ( 2Ki.18:14, 4Ki.9:24, al.).

2In a psychological sense, the seat of man's collective energies, the focus of personal life, the seat of the rational as well as the emotional and volitional elements in human life, hence that wherein lies the moral and religious condition of the man (DB, ii, 317f.; DGG, ii, 344a);

aof the seat of physical life ( Jdg.19:5, Psa.101 (102):5 103 (104):15): Act.14:17, Jas.5:5;

bof the seat of spiritual life: Mat.5:8, Mrk.7:19, Luk.1:51, Act.5:3, Rom.10:9, 10 Eph.6:5, al.; pl., Mat.9:4, Mrk.2:6, al.; opposite to στόμα, χείλεα, πρόσωπον, Mat.15:8, Mrk.7:6, Rom.10:8, 9 2Co.5:12; περιτομὴ καρδίας, Rom.2:29; ἐκ κ., Rom.6:17, 1Pe.1:22; ἀπὸ τῶν κ., Mat.18:35; ἐν ὅλῃ (ἐξ ὅλης), Mat.22:37, Mrk.12:30" (LXX) ; γινώσκειν (ἐρευνᾶν, δοκιμάζειν) τὰς κ., Luk.16:15, Rom.8:27, 1Th.2:4; to think, etc., ἐν τ. κ., Mat.9:4, Mrk.2:6, Luk.12:45, Rom.10:6; συνιέναι (νοεῖν) τῇ κ., Mat.13:15, Jhn.12:40; ἐπαχύνθη ἡ κ., Mat.13:15 (LXX); πωροῦν τὴν κ., Jhn.12:40; κ. εὐθεῖα, Act.8:21; πονηρά, Heb.3:12; ἀμετανόητος, Rom.2:5; εἶναι (ἔχειν) ἐν τῇ κ., 2Co.7:3, Php.1:7; ὀδύνη τῇ κ., Rom.9:2.

3Of the central or innermost part of anything (of the pith of wood, Arist.): τ. γῆς, Mat.12:40 (Cremer, 343ff.).

Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith

Why This Word Matters

True covenant identity is rooted in inward renewal rather than external marking. 1 John 3:19-24

Source of moral corruption. Luke 6:43–45

Denotes the center of moral and spiritual life. Mark 7:1–23

Represents the believer’s conscience that may accuse, yet is steadied by God’s greater knowledge. Romans 2:17-29

Assurance addresses not only objective truth but also the believer’s subjective conscience.

Grammatical Forms

How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.

Nominative · Singular · Feminine Matt 6:21 · Matt 13:15 · Matt 15:8 · Mark 6:52 · Mark 7:6 · Luke 12:34 · Luke 24:32 · John 14:1 · John 14:27 · John 16:22 · Acts 2:26 · Acts 4:32 · Acts 8:21 · Acts 28:27 · Rom 1:21 · 2 Cor 6:11 19×

Nominative · Plural · Feminine Luke 21:34 · Col 2:2 2×

Genitive · Singular · Feminine Matt 12:34 · Matt 15:18 · Matt 15:19 · Mark 3:5 · Mark 7:21 · Mark 12:30 · Mark 12:33 · Luke 1:51 · Luke 6:45 · Luke 8:12 · Luke 9:47 · Luke 10:27 · Acts 2:46 · Acts 8:22 · Acts 11:23 · Rom 2:29 32×

Genitive · Plural · Feminine Matt 18:35 · Luke 2:35 · Rom 1:24 · 1 Cor 4:5 4×

Dative · Singular · Feminine Matt 5:8 · Matt 5:28 · Matt 11:29 · Matt 12:40 · Matt 13:15 · Matt 13:19 · Matt 22:37 · Matt 24:48 · Mark 11:23 · Luke 1:66 · Luke 2:19 · Luke 2:51 · Luke 8:15 · Luke 12:45 · Luke 24:25 · Luke 24:38 35×

Dative · Plural · Feminine Matt 9:4 · Mark 2:6 · Mark 2:8 · Luke 3:15 · Luke 5:22 · Luke 21:14 · Acts 7:39 · Acts 7:51 · Acts 7:54 · Rom 2:15 · Rom 5:5 · 2 Cor 1:22 · 2 Cor 3:2 · 2 Cor 3:3 · 2 Cor 4:6 · 2 Cor 7:3 21×

Accusative · Plural · Feminine Luke 1:17 · Luke 16:15 · Acts 14:17 · Acts 15:9 · Rom 8:27 · Rom 16:18 · Gal 4:6 · Eph 6:22 · Phil 4:7 · Col 4:8 · 1 Thess 2:4 · 1 Thess 3:13 · 2 Thess 2:17 · 2 Thess 3:5 · Heb 3:8 · Heb 3:15 25×

Accusative · Singular · Feminine Mark 7:19 · Mark 8:17 · John 12:40 · John 13:2 · John 16:6 · Acts 2:37 · Acts 5:3 · Acts 7:23 · Acts 13:22 · Acts 16:14 · Acts 21:13 · Rom 2:5 · 1 Cor 2:9 · 2 Cor 3:15 · Heb 13:9 · Jas 1:26 18×

Canonical Themes

Covenant Revelation

Biblical Occurrences

Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.

New Testament Witnesses

1 John 3:19-24 heart kardía

The inner seat of conscience and moral awareness.

Luke 6:43–45 καρδία kardía Genitive · Singular · Feminine

heart

Mark 7:1–23 καρδία kardía Nominative · Singular · Feminine

heart

Romans 2:17-29 καρδία kardía Genitive · Singular · Feminine

Heart, inner person.

Additional Occurrences

1-john Heart kardía

inner moral consciousness

Luke 24:13–35 καρδία kardía

Heart

Mark 12:28–34 καρδία kardía

heart; center of inner life

Mark 7:1–23 καρδία kardía

heart; inner moral center

Appears In

Compound and idiomatic lexemes in which this word is a constituent. Follow a link to study the phrase and its other participating words.

Word Pictures (Robertson)

A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.

Acts 16 — The Gospel Enters Macedonia: Opened Hearts, Broken Chains, and Household Faith Acts 21 — Paul Goes to Jerusalem and Is Seized in the Temple Acts 28 — Paul in Rome: The Kingdom Proclaimed Without Hindrance Colossians 2 — Fullness in Christ and Freedom from Christ-Plus Religion Colossians 4 — Prayer, Wise Witness, Faithful Service, and Gospel Fellowship John 14 — The Way, the Truth, and the Life, the Father Revealed in the Son, and the Promise of the Spirit John 16 — The Spirit’s Convicting Witness, the Disciples’ Sorrow Turned to Joy, and Christ’s Victory over the World Luke 12 — Fear God, Confess Christ, Seek the Kingdom, and Be Ready Luke 16 — Faithful Stewardship, the Danger of Wealth, and the Finality of Judgment Luke 24 — The Risen Christ Opens the Scriptures, Commissions Witnesses, and Ascends in Blessing Luke 6 — The Lord of the Sabbath Forms a Kingdom People Mark 12 — The Rejected Son, the Greatest Commandment, the Lord of David, and the Widow’s Offering Mark 3 — The Servant-King Confronted: Sabbath Mercy, Demonic Accusation, and the Family of God Mark 6 — Rejected Prophet, Sending Lord, Wilderness Shepherd, and Divine Son on the Sea Mark 7 — True Defilement and Boundary-Crossing Mercy Mark 8 — Seeing Jesus Clearly: Bread, Blindness, Confession, Cross, and Discipleship Matthew 11 — The Messiah Question, the Rejected Generation, and Rest for the Weary Matthew 12 — The Lord of the Sabbath, the Servant of the Lord, and the Crisis of Unbelief Matthew 13 — The Kingdom in Parables: Hearing, Hiddenness, Growth, Worth, and Judgment Matthew 15 — Tradition, the Heart, Gentile Faith, and the Compassionate Bread of the Messiah Matthew 18 — Kingdom Humility, Care for the Little Ones, Discipline, and Forgiveness in Christ’s Community Matthew 22 — The Wedding Banquet, the King’s Invitation, and the Messiah Who Is David’s Lord Matthew 5 — Kingdom Blessedness, Fulfilled Law, and Heart-Level Righteousness Matthew 6 — Hidden Righteousness, the Father’s Reward, and Seeking First the Kingdom Philippians 4 — Rejoicing, Peace, Contentment, and Gospel Partnership in Christ Romans 10 — Christ the End of the Law and the Righteousness Received by Faith Romans 2 — God’s Righteous Judgment and the Exposure of Religious Presumption Romans 6 — Dead to Sin and Alive to God in Christ Jesus

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

Sources

MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain

Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0

Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

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